Alvar, Aino, and Elissa Aalto designed houses and objects that are unmistakably rooted in modernism, while remaining closely attuned to the human need for warmth and comfort. As the exhibition catalogue Aalto Design — Shapes of Wellbeing explains, the Paimio Sanatorium marked a turning point for Aino and Alvar Aalto, as they began to move away from strict rationalism and its emphasis on efficiency and clarity, placing the »ordinary person« and the psychological dimensions of human experience more firmly at the center of their work. Materials, light, details, and the relationship between a building and its surroundings were not secondary considerations, but integral to their holistic approach to design.

Diagram showing light direction in the patient room at Paimio Sanatorium, 1932

»The fundamental challenge of architecture is not that of achieving external, formal perfection, but rather of creating a pleasing environment through thoughtful simplicity that meets human biological needs«, Alvar Aalto is quoted as saying in the accompanying texts to the exhibition »Aalto Design — Shapes of Wellbeing«. The exhibition is on view at the Architecture and Design Museum Helsinki  until January 3, 2027.

Villa Mairea: A dialogue between nature and architecture

The Paimio Sanatorium  in southern Finland, designed specifically for the treatment of tuberculosis, marked a turning point in Aino and Alvar Aalto’s approach. Built between 1929 and 1933, the sanatorium is described in the catalogue as a veritable »medical instrument«: patient rooms were conceived from the perspective of someone lying down, ceilings were painted darker to reduce glare, lighting was indirect, and washbasins were designed to soften the sound of running water. Even low-set windows and door handles designed to prevent doctors’ coats from catching reflected this close attention to the everyday experience of patients and staff.

The wall lamp and the door of the patient room at Paimio Sanatorium, designed to reduce disruptive stimuli.

Aino and Alvar Aalto designed Villa Mairea in Noormarkku in 1938–39 for Maire and Harry Gullichsen, who granted them unusually broad creative freedom—enabling one of the Aaltos’ most experimental residential designs.

The Aaltos continued to refine this approach over time. In Villa Mairea, built between 1938 and 1939, the functional clarity of modernism is softened by a warmer, more sensuous dimension. The villa is conceived as a carefully calibrated dialogue between architecture and nature: the interiors flow into the garden, which in turn merges with the surrounding pine forest. As the catalogue notes, load-bearing columns and irregularly grouped wooden posts along the staircase echo the rhythm of the trees outside. Nature is not treated as mere scenery, but as an existing whole with which the architecture is designed to engage.

Organic forms

The importance Alvar Aalto and his first wife, Aino Aalto, placed on landscape grew noticeably between 1930 and 1949. After Aino Aalto’s death in 1949, Elissa Aalto began working with Alvar and, following their marriage in 1952, continued to develop this approach alongside him. One of the Aaltos’ key insights was that engaging holistically with the immediate natural environment could foster both aesthetic and psychological wellbeing. They saw design as a means of creating balance between the natural and the human-made world, not least through the careful selection of materials.

Production stages of bentwood chairs at the Artek factory, 1936.

Alvar Aalto, Armchair 41, also known as the »Paimio Chair«, 1932.
The armchair made of birch lamella and birch plywood is among Aalto’s best-known bentwood designs.

In their furniture designs, the Aaltos favored wood for its warmth, tactile appeal, and calming visual and acoustic qualities—characteristics that stood in sharp contrast to the shiny steel tubing often used by other modernist designers. Working with cabinetmaker Otto Korhonen, Alvar Aalto developed techniques for bending wood and plywood into new forms using glue and hot steam.

Alvar Aalto, Armchair 42, 1931–32, made of birch lamella and birch plywood;
today in the collection of the Architecture and Design Museum Helsinki.

Production stages of bentwood chairs at the Artek factory, 1936. The photographs document the bending and shaping of wood and plywood—a process that enabled the serial production of Aalto’s organically shaped furniture.

This led, among other designs, to the 1932 »Paimio Chair« and opened up new possibilities for the serial production of bentwood furniture. While the Aaltos initially pushed the material to its limits through bold, experimental forms, their design language became increasingly organic in the decades that followed.

Patent drawing of a flexible timber structure for armchairs, 1933.

One of the best-known examples of this development is the »Aalto Vase«, designed by Alvar Aalto in 1936. With its asymmetry and organic lines, the curving glass vase offered a deliberate counterpoint to the geometrically driven formal language of modernism. The exhibition catalogue describes it as an example of »organic modernism«, in which material, form, and sensuous experience are closely intertwined. Alvar Aalto’s line, »Form is a mystery that resists definition, yet makes people feel good—producing a different kind of wellbeing than mere social welfare«, succinctly captures his design principles and is also featured in the exhibition in Helsinki. [SW]

This restraint is the result of a long-term engagement with the bay. 3LHD had already developed Hotel Lone, Mulini Beach, and the urban master plan for the entire hotel and landscape ensemble here. At the Grand Park Hotel, the slope itself becomes the organizing element. The setbacks create deep terraces where Mediterranean gardens have been planted. Water features accompany the terracing down to the waterfront promenade. Five pine trees that had already stood on the property for over half a century remained part of the design.

The building’s urban role also extends beyond hotel operations. At the foot of the building, the Lungomare Plaza  continues the public promenade, connecting the center of Rovinj with the tourism-oriented Monte-Mulini  zone. The lower areas were designed as accessible urban space, with restaurants and areas for lingering. The hotel thus does not form a closed complex on the water; rather, it continues an existing movement along the coast.

The interior as a second level

For the interior design, 3LHD collaborated with the Milanese studio Lissoni & Partners. The firm was responsible for the design of the rooms and all public areas, including those spaces oriented along the promenade toward the historic center. The size of the building required a common design language, while at the same time, the lobby, restaurants, and guest rooms were intended to maintain their own scale.

Lissoni chose earthy colors to capture the intense blue outside the windows. Wood brings warmth to the rooms, while natural stone lends them tranquility. Large glazing keeps the sightlines to the bay open. In the rooms, the furniture remains low; terraces extend the living area outdoors. The studio’s own designs stand alongside furniture from European design history and custom-made built-ins. The result is an interior that avoids the character of a large holiday resort and instead resembles a series of individually furnished living spaces.

Piero Lissoni describes the approach like this: »I consider the Grand Park Hotel  project in Rovinj to be visionary. A building that opens up to the slope—a quiet presence that blends perfectly into the landscape. I wanted to respect the original DNA of the design, but played with cultural influences in the interior: a very Milanese design meets completely different worlds—an aesthetic journey that begins in the East and returns to us. This has created real living spaces, and that is exactly what architecture should achieve.«

Art was also integrated into these spaces from the start. Seven artists developed works related to Rovinj and its surroundings. Photographs by Veronica Gaido can be found in the guest rooms, while in the Promenade Lobby, a large relief by Roberta Patalani forms the backdrop for the reception. Lissoni Graphx, together with stylist Carlos Baker, also designed the staff uniforms. Over fifty outfits pick up colors from the interior and extend the design concept into the hotel’s operations.

A ballroom as a viewpoint

The design idea is most evident in the Grand Park Ballroom. Conference rooms in hotels are often located in shielded parts of the building. 3LHD turned the hall toward the old town and developed its geometry based on this view. A 15-meter-wide insulating glass pane opens the room over an area of 48 square meters. The glass element weighs around 5.2 tons.

The pane sits five meters below the terrace above, which shades it and allows it to retain its transparency. In front of the hall, a shallow pool of water reflects the Rovinj peninsula. The technical effort remains largely invisible in the finished room. What is primarily perceptible is the uninterrupted view of the old town, which gives the ballroom its true identity.

Dining along the slope

The restaurants take advantage of the building’s different heights. Cap Aureo  is located on the fifth floor behind floor-to-ceiling glazing. Jeffrey Vella’s kitchen was awarded a Michelin star in 2025. Agli Amici Rovinj  is located down by the marina, following the public level of the building. The restaurant confirmed its two Michelin stars in 2026 and remains the only establishment in this category in Croatia.

The two restaurants demonstrate how consistently the building utilizes its location. Above, the view opens up over the bay; below, the action is closer to the promenade and harbor. Dining appears here as part of the hotel’s harmoniously planned spatial order.

In 2025, the Grand Park Hotel Rovinj  reached number 48 on »The World’s 50 Best Hotels« list. The award confirms the international recognition of a project whose impact arises from the interplay of two clear designs. 3LHD organizes the slope and keeps the old town in view. Lissoni gives the extensive interiors a homely scale. Ultimately, however, the building’s greatest quality remains the view that its architecture keeps clear. [TVR]

The interaction between space, use, and perception shows how fragile identity can be. Spaces become projection surfaces upon which power relations, social dynamics, and cultural ideas are inscribed. Whether state representative buildings, artistic interventions, or pop-culture settings — spatial design shows that spaces ultimately carry no fixed meanings, but are mirrors of social interpretation.

In September, Das Feuilleton published an article about the Zurich Opera House. It described how, immediately after the first concert of the new season and just after the established premiere audience had left the hall later that evening, a large number of teenagers and young people flocked in, having been spontaneously invited right in front of the building. They strolled in amazement — »with backpacks or beer bottles in hand« — through the rows of red upholstery, lay and crouched on or in front of the stage, let their gazes wander relaxedly through the magnificent scenery, and listened attentively or even with enjoyment to what was offered to them quite spontaneously: six string players had gathered chairs in the center of the stage and were playing Schönberg. And then it continued: singing was added, other instruments. The unconventional night audience stayed, listened, and applauded. Everyone involved enjoyed it — and rightly so. Presumably, however, one or two readers of that article might have started to wonder, because this image did not correspond at all to the operatic nature of the architecture. The spaces of such an institution generally belong to a corresponding, type-specific audience — at least according to the cliché: culturally experienced, educated, well-mannered, and able to purchase the usually expensive tickets. An image that has remained surprisingly consistent since the emergence of the great opera houses in the 19th century, even if today’s programs have long strived for openness and diversity. This makes the question all the more exciting: what happens when such a space, shaped by inscribed identity, tradition, and etiquette, suddenly meets an audience that does not fulfill these expectations?
The space itself does not change physically by a single centimeter, yet this scratches at its operatic nature. The question remains: does architecture as an object, as real estate, possess anything like identity at all? And how flexible or fixed is it, despite even the most unpretentiously ambitious and multi-generational program? After all, Edgar Degas already emphasized that such a house should fundamentally be met with skepticism: »In the opera, everything is false […] Only the effects that emanate from it are true.«

When the Zurich Opera House spontaneously opened its doors to a young night audience after the 2025 opening concert, the encounter between magnificent architecture and an atypical audience showed how fragile the identity of a tradition-rich space can be — and how free its impact.

For us humans, identity is a very significant factor within our self-identification — and it provides orientation. In this respect, it is understandable that even our earliest ancestors went in search of their own self and personal localization. In the course of this cultural evolution, they discovered a special quality in their artifacts — their tools, clothes, or even huts. What they designed in the vast natural space solely for themselves as humans defined them; it became a tool for definition as an individual. We humans often merge in a veritable symbiosis with beloved or self-produced objects, with our homes or built spaces. Like Junichi Sampei‘s tower-like Cherry Blossom House in Tokyo, which gained its strange shape solely from the rapture of its owner. He desired to be able to look directly into the pink wonder from his living room at a height of seven meters during the few weeks of the cherry blossom magic, which is cultishly revered in Japan. That is why the building cantilevers as far as possible toward the tree.

From early on, humans sought self-localization through their artifacts and spaces — objects with which they often entered into an almost symbiotic relationship. A poetic example of this is architect Junichi Sampei’s tower-like Cherry Blossom House in Tokyo, whose extreme form follows solely the wish to experience the short flowering period directly from a height of seven meters.

As rarely as such direct personal expressions appear in architecture — scenography, by contrast, is an ideal medium for the fact that spatial designs, with their meaning, become almost exclusively what they are. As an example, reference is made to a sequence from Billy Wilder’s sarcastic comedy »The Apartment«: the camera looks, accompanied by the pressing clatter of calculating machines, into an open-plan office with countless desks and people — certainly one of the most impressive visualizations of modern white-collar life in the big city. The questions »Where am I?« and »Who am I?« correlate in the architecture of mass society. The film’s protagonist, Jack Lemmon alias C.C. Baxter, pushes himself every morning with thousands of identically dressed people out of the New York subway, with hundreds of the total 31,259 employees into the entrance of the insurance skyscraper, and then with a dozen of them into one of the 16 elevators. Shortly thereafter, all these employees on their floor, the 19th, between 48 identical pillars, at two hundred identical desks under four hundred ceiling lights, process the ever-same. Perfected standard, merciless order, eternal repetition — that is how the job works, that is how the office interior is designed, and in this mode, the white-collar workers, nameless to their company, live. Even if Wilder intended this as a thoroughly critical but authentic reflection of reality around 1960, we naturally experience an exaggeration of that situation in the film’s genre. The set design suggestively enlarges the space to increase the effect. The central perspective sucks you toward the back, which the film set trickily achieved with increasingly lower furniture and small-statured extras, as well as mirrors at the end of the room. In any case, it was imaginatively whispered to the people in the cinema: conformity shapes identity. And from this bitter insight, C.C. Baxter would then work his way out in the course of the story — hopefully.

For the Museum of Bavarian History, the Stuttgart agency jangled nerves developed an immersive museum-didactic film curated by Christoph Süß, which uses a purist station waiting room and sophisticated projection to turn architecture into a narrative space. The production draws the audience atmospherically into the 1920s and transforms the minimalist setting into a historical space of experience.

In film, architecture thus becomes a carrier of our reflection on the state of mind — sometimes sentimental, sometimes humorous, sometimes dramatic — and in this medial function, it is an extremely suitable means of making us think. This insight was utilized by the Stuttgart agency jangled nerves when they developed a museum-didactic film for the Museum of Bavarian History — curated by Christoph Süß. This immersive opportunity to directly encounter the 1920s offered a wonderfully purist setting as a communication level: a station waiting room. Architecturally, there is only a platform on which the actors perform, as well as a back wall and a few pieces of furniture. Nevertheless, the production manages to pull us atmospherically into the respective time, into a third-class and a first-class waiting room — solely through sophisticated projection and the people within it. One succumbs to the suggestion, standing as if on the edge of the stage oneself, and willingly lets oneself be drawn into the historical scenes, even though the studio reality was perceptible in the background. Obviously, we love the seduction of stories, where cleverly animated spaces guide us immensely helpfully. The architecture shown becomes our space.

The most intense personal engagement with our identity is certainly experienced in childhood. In this process, not only family and fellow human beings have a strong influence, but also the spaces and houses in which we live. One of the most impressive reflections of this developmental period in personal maturity is the artistic work of Gregor Schneider, who became famous for conceptually reworking his no longer used parental home in Rheydt, Lower Rhine — which he calls Haus u r — since 1985. At the age of sixteen, his father had made the 19th-century townhouse available to him for studio work. And since that time, Schneider has been in a symbiosis with the building: it stands there, on the street, quite normal, with its stories and its architecture, while its owner constantly rethinks it on the inside and continuously remodels it accordingly. This creates a complex, dynamically changing nesting in which rooms, walls, stairs, and windows within the outer walls configure into a situation that only hints at normal use but does not allow it. Copies of the former rooms appear, as well as disturbing non-spaces, anti-uses, perversions of normal residential architecture.

Since 1985, the artist Gregor Schneider has been transforming his parental home in Rheydt — the Haus u r — into a constantly changing architectural interior world in which rooms, walls, and paths merge into disturbing duplications and anti-spaces. In this obsessive engagement, the familiar parental home becomes at the same time a foreign body that repeatedly leads Schneider to the limits of his own identity and perception.

Anyone who has ever moved through one of his installations will never forget it — Schneider grabs you! Schneider himself sees it that way too: as early as 1998, he noted that everything had »taken on a life of its own.« »Because I spend most of my time here, I have to accept the rooms as they are, accept the most recently built room as an ordinary room.« The method of appropriation and engagement with what is, established as a teenager, created a probably unique connection with the structure. »As a sculptor, I am just as much at the mercy of my spaces as any visitor. The more I build on this Haus u r, the more unknown it becomes to me as well.« Although he is permanently in familiar surroundings, his almost obsessed preoccupation with it leads him into a desperate situation in which the parental home as such is increasingly lost. The coexistence with architecture does not seem to work particularly well for Gregor Schneider here.

In the work of Thomas Demand, a German artist colleague of Schneider’s of almost the same age, there is also a remarkable obsession with the engagement with spaces and their specific nature; he too pursues a strategy of transformation and representation, which, however, works in an emphatically indirect way. First, Demand usually photographs interior scenarios or living spaces, or uses press photos from, for example, real crime scene reports, which he then reconstructs in detail in the studio out of paper and cardboard. After completion, he photographs the models again — and only this photograph becomes the work of art on the museum wall. As an exhibition audience, however, we do not recognize at first glance that we are actually looking at a model. Inevitably, the famous question then arises to the artist: what is the point of all this effort? After all, a real architectural situation or a historical press photo already exists. A striking example is Demand’s »Oval Office Cycle,« from which the desk of then-US President George W. Bush graced the cover of the New York Times Magazine in November 2008. The artist creates — as Lars Blunck wrote — a kind of »fictional reality,« since ultimately everything we see is paper. In this transformation, a »picture about something« is created which, like a referent, is able to communicate certain aspects of the visualized to us. Unlike the usual reporting from the White House with people and actions around the president’s desk, this sterile-looking Demand space develops a surprisingly impersonal and statically state-like aura. Somehow routine, less powerful than usual.

But state architecture is actually supposed to be just that: powerful and thus also emotional. Ideally, it manages to make those represented by the institutions housed within it identify with the respective establishment. This requires symbols — like the flag next to the president’s desk, even if made of paper — and specific formal tactics. One of these public buildings of the highest formal significance in Germany is also one of the most conceptually exciting: the Berlin Federal Chancellery. Its architecture has mastered that delicate task set by the young reunified republic in the 1990s: the goal was to erect new state buildings in Berlin that promoted a democratic, open society and at the same time appeared with the typologically necessary monumentality without communicating obsolete messages or even dangerous authorities. While the court of honor with its flanking wings follows historical yet reservedly functional patterns, the central executive building with the main entrance takes over the show front. Although ten stories high, it shows only two levels, making all elements located there appear oversized. Symbolic »grandeur« results from architectural »size« — and this happens without having to resort to conventional symbolic vocabulary such as orders of columns, coats of arms, and eagles. Axel Schultes, the architect, wants to avoid the »stupidity of the facade« with his front designed in this way. The open, stage-set-like facade structure allows no immediate interpretation; it is not stylistically or iconologically readable like, for example, the imperial-era state architectures of the admittedly architecturally attractive Vienna Ringstraße. Here, in disparate Berlin, delusions of grandeur were driven out — despite the huge dimensions of the administrative system and the office building of the Federal Chancellery. New messages are required — sometimes clearer, sometimes more subtle. Here, civic duty stands above beauty, accessibility above hierarchy. So where and how is the Chancellor in this building? One could say: he is at work.

And now to the daring end of this little philosophical journey of thought — to two examples from Hollywood. Pointing out potentially recognizable formal-aesthetic parallels between Barbie’s Dream House and the Chancellery would be embarrassing — but it has now been done. Those who look closely will notice that beyond the comparable structural principles of a cubic skeleton construction in reinforced concrete, there is one decisive unique selling point for Barbie — the pink coloring. Decisive in that the Federal Republic existed even before the Schultes architecture, but Barbie’s World simply would not exist without that color. Of course, it only becomes truly tangible when children animate it through their imagination, which certainly also applies a little to entertainment-oriented adults. These have long been stuck in an easily accessible popular culture that — as Umberto Eco noted — »delivers the feelings it wants to trigger right along with it.« Director Greta Gerwig, in any case, was long an adult when she dealt with the figure and phenomenon of Barbie. Her successful film published in 2023 and its narrative play with this by providing the plastic-based doll world »Barbieland« with its own hermetic identity, in which everything is subject to an intrinsic logic — architecture, clothing, home accessories, and automobiles included. Through the actual breakout of Barbie and Ken into our human reality, to Los Angeles, the pink biotope becomes a factual secondary reality. Its plausibility finds support in the fact that when both realities merge in the fiction of the film, the action continues seamlessly in the authentic city of L.A. This brings us very close to Peter Weir’s complex reality in »The Truman Show.« Its plot takes place in a film set representing a small town, built as a TV backdrop in a hangar, which in the film forms the actual life of the main character Truman for decades. At the same time, this film set actually exists as the real seaside resort of Seaside in Florida. And this — created in the context of New Urbanism — was itself designed and built entirely in the spirit of a scenery. Its master plan strives to revive the values of traditional urban structures and forms lost in modernity. A projection perceived by the designers as legitimate and necessary, with the goal of allowing the people moving into the artificially created small-town paradise of Seaside to live more pleasantly, socially, and consciously. They should finally have the opportunity again to develop a feeling for the place in which they live and to identify with it emotionally. Whether such a form of life then really has to be pink in terms of construction or content, everyone can decide for themselves. As a summary, one could conclude to seek the positive, the diversity, and to engage consciously, openly and — speaking of opera! — perhaps even performatively with the so stimulatingly versatile aspects of identity and reality. One could creatively turn Adorno’s serious guiding principle around for this and simply claim: there is a right life in the wrong one!

FIRST PUBLISHED IN CHAPTER №XIII »IDENTITY« — WINTER 2025/26

Modern Barragán by Lake Verea presents itself as a personal homage to Luis Barragán (1902–1988), a Pritzker Prize laureate and one of the most significant architects of the twentieth century. The Mexican architect became known for his reduced yet poetic architecture, in which light, color, water and landscape play central roles. His buildings combine modernist clarity with traditional Mexican elements, with his private residence and studio, Casa Barragán in Mexico City, standing as an exemplary example of his style. Today the house is open to the public as Museo Casa Luis Barragán and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004.

The photographs show the architecture of the building, which has been largely preserved in its original state and still retains numerous pieces of furniture, objects and materials from Barragán’s own time, along with its often unnoticed intimate details and traces of a lived life. During their stays at Casa Barragán, the artists’ duo engaged with the place deliberately on both a physical and emotional level: they »sat on his chairs, opened his closets, listened to the silence and kissed in the enchanted garden«, as the book states. In this way, an unusual perspective on Barragán’s work emerges—less analytical than experiential, almost performative.

Following an introductory reflection on the project itself, the book unfolds into several chapters and photographic series that illuminate different aspects of the house and its cultural context, opening up various approaches to Barragán’s architecture. The opening—The Staircase That Made Us Fall in Love with Him—already demonstrates how strongly individual architectural elements can become the starting point of a narrative. The iconic staircase—essentially a functional element within the house – is described as a sculptural experience that connects movement, body and space.

Another chapter pursues an almost biographical perspective: Portrait of the Architect Through His Cadillac. Here Barragán’s Cadillac from 1957 is read as a kind of time capsule, whose forms and materials offer clues to the architect’s personality, era and myth. The car appears as an extension of his character—elegant, monumental and full of symbolic meanings.

Further chapters focus on the concrete material and spatial details of the house. In His House with the Original Materials and Colors, attention is directed to surfaces, furniture and objects that still date back to Barragán’s own time. Through careful observation and photographic studies, an impression emerges of how strongly color, texture and materiality contribute to the overall experience of his architecture.

Particularly striking is the series Wild Nights, which explores the house in complete darkness. Here the artists photograph with flash or under moonlight and streetlight, transforming familiar rooms into unexpected, abstract-appearing image spaces. This method connects to their long-standing interest in light and perception. Atmospherically reinterpreted, the architecture appears beyond a purely documentary perspective. The photographs show the house during the day, at night, in moonlight or during a thunderstorm; in some cases the walls and floors are even rubbed with aluminum to reveal their textures.

It is a combination of personally shaped documentary research, artistic intervention and immediate experience that defines the project. What emerges is a multilayered approach to memory, perception and intimacy. The publication presents Barragán’s architecture as a historical masterpiece, but also as a living place that can be reread again and again—through the perspective of contemporary artists as well as through the experiences of visitors who allow themselves to truly enter this house. [Ed.]

Lake Verea: Modern Barragán
Edited by Lake Verea
240 pages, 210 mm x 250 mm
240 illustrations
hatjecantz.com

]]> https://chapter.digital/en/architecture-homes-for-our-time-sustainable-living/ Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:55:22 +0000 https://chapter.digital/architecture-for-a-limited-future/ With the book series »Homes for Our Time«, TASCHEN has for years documented contemporary residential architecture as a reflection of social, technological, and ecological developments. The volumes in the series understand the single-family house as an experimental field for new ways of living, materials, and construction methods. The latest volume, »Sustainable Living«, places sustainable architecture at the center of a global survey.

The timing is deliberate. In light of climate change, finite resources, and growing urbanization, sustainable living is no longer a niche topic but a central architectural concern. »Sustainable Living« brings together 63 residential projects from diverse regions around the world, showing how architects respond to climatic, social, and ecological conditions—replacing universal solutions with site-specific strategies.

What unites these projects is a shared ambition: to conceive architecture across its entire life cycle. »Homes for Our Time. Sustainable Living« places particular emphasis on energy-efficient building envelopes, resource-conscious construction, and the use of recycled and biodegradable materials. Equally central are designs that respond to natural elements such as sun, wind, and rain, integrating them deliberately into architectural concepts.

What connects these projects is a common goal: to think about architecture over its entire life cycle. The volume pays particular attention to energy-efficient building envelopes, resource-saving constructions, and the use of recycled and biodegradable materials. Equally central are designs that react to natural elements such as sun, wind, and rain and integrate them specifically into the architectural concept.

Among the featured architects are internationally renowned names such as Norman Foster and Snøhetta, alongside lesser-known studios working with local materials and craft-based techniques. This mix is what makes the volume compelling: sustainability emerges as a versatile practice adaptable to different budgets, cultures, and climatic conditions.

Visually, »Sustainable Living« remains true to the »Homes for Our Time« series. High-quality photography presents the houses embedded in their respective environments, complemented by informed commentary and short biographical profiles of the architects involved. The tone remains documentary and analytical, free of moralizing, underscoring that sustainable architecture is not a matter of style. »Homes for Our Time. Sustainable Living« does not frame sustainability as a trend or an aesthetic category, but as a mindset—one that questions privilege and convention and opens up new possibilities. The volume invites readers to rethink how we live: more lightly, more consciously, and with a sharpened awareness of the responsibility architecture bears toward society and the environment. [Ed.]

Homes for Our Time. Sustainable Living
Hardcover, 24.6 x 37.2 cm, 3.90 kg, 496 pages
taschen.com

Architecture by Herzog & de Meuron

The architecture of »Calder Gardens« was designed by the Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron, known for its context-sensitive cultural buildings. The renowned architectural practice keeps the design restrained, framing the art in a calm, carefully structured setting. Partially embedded in the ground, the structure develops along the property in horizontal sequences.

The architecture remains deliberately low and opens up to the landscape, rather than separating itself from it. In response to the kinetic and static quality of Calder’s sculptures, a sequence of spatial situations emerges, characterized by differently proportioned rooms, varying ceiling heights, and strategically placed daylight openings. Materials and surfaces are subtly chosen, directing focus to the form, movement, and scale of the sometimes larger-than-life sculptures.

Landscape Design by Piet Oudolf

Piet Oudolf, one of the most influential landscape designers of our time, was entrusted with the design of the landscape for »Calder Gardens«. His concept is based on a multi-layered planting of perennials, grasses, and woody plants, used as compositional elements that change with the rhythm of the seasons. Movement—one of the central principles of Alexander Calder’s mobiles—is created here by wind, light, growth, and change.

Oudolf’s overall overview of the planting concept for the «Calder Gardens» site, with color coding for plant selection as a reference; the drawing shows various planting concepts for the different areas of the landscape and their connection to each other.

Like Calder’s sculptures, which remain in a constant, never identical state due to air movement, gravity, and balance, the landscape is also designed as a dynamic system. More than 250 plant species form a living structure in which processes of becoming, passing, and renewal become visible. Calder’s statement »The universe is real, but you can’t see it. You have to imagine it.« can be read in this context as a unifying idea: perception is active and only unfolds in the interplay of space, time, and imagination.

Calder in his Roxbury studio, 1941.

In the garden spaces, designed as open structures, the sculptures do not appear as isolated objects, but as integral components of a changing environment. Wind, light, and vegetation continuously influence their perception and echo Calder’s interest in movement and change; Oudolf expands the environment with his intervention—as in a successful collaboration—to an additional dimension.

A Quiet System

»Calder Gardens« largely foregoes explanatory texts or traditional mediation formats, focusing instead on direct experience. The project positions itself neither as a sculpture park nor as an exhibition house, but as a coherent ensemble of space, design, landscape, and art, where Calder’s work is rethought both spatially and conceptually. In doing so, »Calder Gardens« sets a new standard for dealing with modern sculpture in public and semi-public spaces. Architecture and landscape do not compete with the art, but form an environment specifically tailored to the work—a place where design has a structural impact and allows art to speak in its own way. [Ed.]

The architecture of the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art follows the principles of Danish modernism of the 1950s and 60s: reduced forms, natural materials, and clear proportions. While classic white-cube architectures usually exclude views to the outside, in Louisiana, generous window areas open up to the park and the Øresund, making daylight a central design element.

The neutrally designed spaces provide a functional framework for the exhibitions, while the architectural basic concept, expanded over decades, retains its original form, connecting buildings, nature, and art into a clearly structured whole. Pavilions set low into the landscape, connected by glass corridors, create a museum that unfolds linearly yet flexibly, continuously establishing connections between the interior and its surroundings.

At the heart of the museum is a diverse collection of modern classics that shapes not only the architectural structure but also the museum’s conceptual identity, including works by Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Henry Moore, and Jean Arp.
The Giacometti Gallery is one of the museum’s most important spatial reference points: an elongated, deliberately minimalist space specifically created to present Alberto Giacometti’s slender, vertically oriented figures in optimal spatial tension. The bright, almost ascetic architecture—narrow window bands, clear lines, controlled daylight—enhances the effect of the sculptures, whose proportions and surfaces emerge particularly strikingly in the interplay of light and shadow. The deliberate distance between the figures allows for different viewing angles along the axis of the room, making the gallery a place where visitors’ perspective and movement directly influence the perception of the works.

Furthermore, the museum’s collection includes significant works by artists such as Joan Miró, Wassily Kandinsky, Asger Jorn, and Roy Lichtenstein, which are shown in rotating presentations and continuously foster the dialogue between classical modernism and contemporary positions at Louisiana.

At the same time, Louisiana expands its program with major solo exhibitions by international artists, opening new perspectives on current art developments. Exhibitions have included works by Yayoi Kusama, Louise Bourgeois, Pipilotti Rist, Olafur Eliasson, Cindy Sherman, Jenny Holzer, David Hockney, Jeff Wall, Bruce Nauman, and Richard Serra. Installative and expansive works benefit from the open museum structure, which allows for variable presentation forms—for example, Olafur Eliasson’s 2014 exhibition »Riverbed,« in which the museum installed a walkable rock landscape that completely transformed the architectural framework and impressively redefined the relationship between nature, space, and perception.

The Sculpture Park  adds an important spatial dimension to the museum. Works by Calder, Moore, Lygia Clark, Richard Serra, or Alexander Tovborg are placed on the grounds, forming a direct connection between art and landscape. The positions are deliberately chosen to incorporate both architectural lines and topographical features.

In its curatorial program, the museum, in line with its architectural heritage, intensively addresses questions of design, spatial culture, and architectural history. Thematic insights into Nordic design and building culture are as much a focus as exhibitions on international architectural movements, designers, and urban developments. Projects by Louis Kahn, Zaha Hadid, Renzo Piano, and Tadao Ando, among others, have been presented, expanding the museum’s scope with relevant positions in global architecture.

For almost 70 years, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art has demonstrated how naturally architecture, landscape, and curatorial practice can intertwine. This is precisely where the enduring quality of this place lies: in the consistent evolution of a framework tied to its location and culture, which presents international artists in a context that is both temporally and spatially precise yet open. [Ed.]

The building at Place du Palais-Royal 2, built in 1855, between the Louvre and the Palais Royal, has been transformed into a high-tech art venue in a historic setting. Nouvel’s concept: a dynamic architecture of five height-adjustable platforms that can be set to eleven different height positions, allowing for various combinations of volume, light, and verticality. In total, the new museum offers 8,500 square meters of publicly accessible space, including 6,500 square meters of exhibition space—five times more than before. The renovation costs are estimated at over 200 million euros.

With this technical and spatial flexibility, the Fondation Cartier  aims to set new standards for contemporary art exhibitions in the future. Director Dercon sees the variable architecture as a scenographic instrument that can be used to serve a wide range of disciplines—from visual arts, photography, and cinema to crafts and performance, as well as dance, music, and science.

Opening Exhibition “Exposition Générale”

To inaugurate its new home, the Fondation Cartier  presents the exhibition »Exposition Générale«, curated by Chris Dercon. The show embraces the building’s eventful history—once a hotel, an antique auction house, and a department store—and connects it with the present of contemporary art. Approximately 600 works by 300 artists from the Fondation Cartier  collection fill the new spaces, illustrating the diversity and openness of the program that has shaped the dialogue between art, science, and society since 1984.

Particularly impressive is the range of artistic positions that the Fondation Cartier  has presented to date: Brazilian painter Beatriz Milhazes plays with the contrasts between rigor and abundance, while Japanese photographer Rinko Kawauchi, in a poetic video work, merges light, movement, and silence into a quiet meditation on time and perception, as well as French artist Annette Messager, who combines textile fragments, objects, and writing into a multifaceted installation where the personal transcends into the public.

A Place for Dialogue and the Present

The Fondation Cartier, founded in 1984 by Alain Dominique Perrin, then president of Maison Cartier, was France’s first private art foundation. Its goal: to create a platform for dialogue and artistic expression that transcends the boundaries between art forms and promotes interdisciplinary exchange. With international programs, exhibitions, performances, and discourse formats, the foundation aims to make contemporary art accessible to a broad audience and to open spaces for intercultural dialogue.

With its move to the immediate city center of Paris, the Fondation Cartier  opens a new chapter—as both an architectural and institutional directive. Directly opposite the Louvre, a place is thus created that not only showcases art but also becomes a space for contemporary creativity itself. [Ed.]

Chapter has already shown that automotive brands have long been designing more than just vehicles in the analysis of the global expansion of Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Bentley, and Pininfarina into the real estate market. The appeal of such projects for the brands lies particularly in creating a multidimensional brand identity and in transferring characteristic design principles to new sectors. Lines, materials, and proportions that stand for dynamism and elegance in automotive design are now reflected in glass, concrete, and spatial dramaturgy. In addition, branding gives real estate a form of seal of approval and benefits from the brand loyalty of its own community.

This is precisely where the new branded real estate project from Aston Martin comes in, while also incorporating a clear reference to the luxury brand’s racing tradition. The Aston Martin Residences Daytona Beach Shores  are being built in the immediate vicinity of the iconic Daytona International Speedway. The location alone creates a bridge between speed and tranquility, between movement and permanence. According to Aston Martin, the approximately 20,000 square meter area will be home to a building that combines craftsmanship, precision, and technology. In addition to spacious, luxurious living areas, fine dining options and direct access to the beach are planned. The upper floors will house eight two-story penthouses with ocean views.

«Architecture and interior design are the most natural expressions of our design philosophy for us,» explains Marek Reichman, Chief Creative Officer of Aston Martin. Factors such as proportion, balance, and precision are just as crucial as in vehicle construction. The branded real estate projects are intended to continue Aston Martin’s «holistic design approach»—flowing shapes, high-quality materials, and an atmosphere that focuses equally on tranquility and presence.

Branded Residences have long been considered a new dimension of brand architecture. What began with the Porsche Design Tower  in Miami has developed into a global phenomenon. Buyers are not only acquiring living space, but also a piece of brand identity—a promise of aesthetics, permanence, and exclusivity. In Daytona Beach, this concept now meets Aston Martin’s characteristic understanding of the highest luxury: less spectacular than the real estate projects of Bentley, less futuristic than those of Mercedes-Benz, but precise, durable, and always committed to the tradition of British craftsmanship.

Stefano Saporetti, Director of Brand Diversification at Aston Martin, describes the partnership with Valor as a consistent step in the further development of the brand beyond the automotive sector. For him, the project is more than just another prestige object: «Our growing real estate portfolio creates ultra luxury living that provides discerning clientele with a truly elevated ownership proposition, permanently reinforcing the Aston Martin brand globally.»

After Miami (pictured above) and Tokyo, Daytona Beach is Aston Martin’s third international residential project. Further locations, including Tampa Bay and Mexico City, are already being planned. What began as a foray into a new sector is thus increasingly developing into a separate pillar of brand identity—and shows how consistently a holistic design philosophy can unfold across various disciplines. [CS]

]]> https://chapter.digital/en/architecture-car-brand-spaces-car-showrooms/ Wed, 27 Aug 2025 09:13:10 +0000 https://chapter.digital/automotive-scenography/ Text Andreas K. Vetter

As is well known, we are in the midst of an automotive »paradigm shift«: New drive technologies are changing vehicle design, for example, because batteries and electric motors require different spatial arrangements within the bodywork. Another indication of change is the tendency for automotive groups and manufacturers to numerically reduce the sales and maintenance services previously provided through brand dealerships and authorized dealers, and to significantly modify presentation areas. A lot is therefore in motion, and for all involved — from engineering to design, marketing, and infrastructure providers, right up to the customers. But such a »paradigm shift« is not new. With a little courage to look back at history, one can go back over 100 years and find oneself in the midst of a veritable revolution in mobility.

This can be experienced in an inspiring way at the Stuttgart Mercedes-Benz Museum. Here, in the first room of the exhibition, one stands opposite a millennia-old vehicle, or rather, companion of humankind — the horse. And then come the ancestors of the car: still carriage-like machines. The threshold of transition from the old to the new era is very broad in Europe and had to be overcome over many years until comprehensive mechanization.
The spread of the automobile into society proceeded very differently, which is understandable in the first decades due to the high prices and complex technical maintenance. Initially, the wealthy classes owned the new mobile, and among the protagonists of this movement, then still understood as a fashion, were also ruling princes such as the German Emperor or the Russian Tsar.
Within this mobile revolution, it eventually took some time until producers began to think about the first professional sales rooms, the precursors of today’s authorized dealers and showrooms. Initially, manufacturing companies presented their vehicles individually to customers at home; later, the first locksmith workshops used by private motorists for customer service set up small showrooms, a »Point of Sale« so to speak. Interestingly, national and international sales in their early phase often ran through a few exclusive wholesalers who had secured this contractually and were thus also responsible for high prices.

Mercedes Palace in Berlin-Mitte: Exterior view of the elaborately designed branch of Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft, which opened on September 30, 1913. Exterior view with passers-by, photographed around 1913.

Daimler, for example, could only sell 20 percent of its vehicles itself — in 1913, the manufacturer opened a large branch for this purpose on Berlin’s grand boulevard Unter den Linden, the Mercedes Palace. The sales representatives of the young Mercedes brand certainly did not lack sophistication when they took care of one of the very first car dealerships in the early days of product marketing.
On the one hand, they relied on magnificent architecture and a large sales salon, equipped with curtains and Greek statues, which attracted the wealthy clientele with the slogan »See, buy — drive«. On the other hand, the special quality of stay succeeded in defining a new kind of meeting point for Berlin society — the appeal of the location was further enhanced by the spatial combination with a well-known wine house. Our automotive shift thus seemed to have started successfully.
From the second half of the 1920s, the larger European manufacturers increasingly established their own extensive showrooms in reputable and frequented locations of important major cities. With the advent of modernity, a characteristic marketing and sales culture developed, which quickly shed the representative-conventional style of the early 20th century and aimed to place the automobile as a technical product, and above all as a bearer of a new, namely the »modern« lifestyle, in an authentic setting.

With the slogan »See, buy — drive«, the wealthy clientele was recruited. (Mercedes Palace, Berlin, 1913)

The most architecturally and for the automotive culture of that time certainly most exciting concept was realized by the office of Laprade Bazin in 1929 in Paris for Citroën: The ten-story, 10,000-square-meter Department Store for Cars, located not far from the Champs-Élysées, displayed automobiles as if in a shop, on shelf-like galleries. The foyer was 17 meters high, completely open to the city, thanks to a fully glazed facade. It is understandable that such presentation spaces, along with cleverly designed corporate branding, set standards for the brand’s international dealer network.
The principle of »Brand Spaces« was born and now communicated not only product-specific technicality and modernity but also, with the size of its presentation spaces, corresponded to the significance of a vehicle purchase for the private household. With the first halls or building complexes dedicated exclusively to car sales and potential branch and workshop functions, the consumer-oriented building type of the »car dealership« also established itself in the post-war period. It replaced the previous separation of inner-city sales salons and customer service workshops in the outer districts and offered new opportunities for outdoor advertising and brand self-presentation.
Early examples used the typical industrial and gas station architecture for this purpose, although these differed from other company buildings primarily by the applied signage — the large brand logos or wordmarks along with the corporate colors on signs, facade panels, or flags. Still, the vehicles stood factually isolated in the sales halls. Nevertheless, during the following decades, the emerging and globally popular styles of high-tech architecture and postmodernism led to a significant intensification of the communication capability of buildings and facades.
Undoubtedly, the architectural aesthetic supported the external impact of those »Brand Galleries«, which, from the perspective of engineers and brand managers, correspond to the rapid pace of innovation in automotive technology and should reflect the state of the art of their vehicles both atmospherically and stylistically. For the introduction of a new concept or production site, the accompanying campaign was soon no longer sufficient. It was recognized that special brand architectures, ideally even »signature buildings«, proved particularly valuable in this regard. Not only because they made the new product visible in the clearest way, but also because the »special« could quickly provide effective brand advertising independently via »viral marketing« with the advent of internet communication.
One of these successful eye-catchers was the Smart Tower, which has been placed sixty-five times in Europe in front of a Smart or Mercedes-Benz dealership since 1998. Those glass towers, in which small cars were stacked on thin, elevator-like frames, conveyed not only an impression of lightness but also of unproblematic fun with mobility, which could noticeably lower the access threshold of young urban consumers to the product. They cleverly played with the psychological effect that products in illuminated display cases are perceived as higher quality, and products shown as widely available are perceived as more affordable.
Similarly, the by no means less spectacular, yet gigantic display case of the Mercedes-Center Munich, opened in 2003 as part of the local branch. Its six-story glass facade stages the global brand with countless silver vehicles, arranged like objects on a shelf. A magnificent serial aesthetic in the brand’s traditional corporate color. Who wouldn’t want to at least briefly »drop by Mercedes« after that?

Mercedes-Center, Munich Branch, 2003

One recognizes: The modern car dealership as a building type is a consequence of the insight into the importance of the buying experience. In the mid-nineties, a textbook states: »The process of realizing that the car is no longer the focus of all contacts with the dealership has long begun for customers. He, the customer, will be the human center of all efforts his dealership makes for him.«
New and redesigns of corresponding branches are geared towards buyers, from operational processes to spatial atmospheres. Not only sales, but also after-sales service and image building need to be managed. The sales halls continue to grow, not only to present even more vehicles from the expanding range, but also because of the emerging concept of event marketing, which demands additional space. Small shops, seating areas, and bistro offerings have long joined the reception desks and glass-enclosed booths for consultations — now, themed islands connected with temporary campaigns and event possibilities are following. The showroom becomes a veritable showplace — almost beyond improvement, Coop Himmelb(l)au’s Munich BMW Welt then entered architectural history in 2007.

BMW Welt, Munich, 2007

A few years later, the next evolutionary step for car dealerships followed — reacting to the general establishment of the latest techniques in information and communication media. The Ingolstadt-based company led the way: In 2012, the first cyberstore concept Audi City opened in exclusive London-Mayfair. Audi combines the real with the possibilities of an extended virtual space on a limited area — due to the expensive inner-city location. A single vehicle is sufficient as a physical contact point with the brand; the presence of the remaining offering of 45 types and versions in one million configurations is managed virtually: Using freestanding multi-touch tables, the virtual vehicles can be configured 1:1 and also moved on large wall screens. The display and the experience shift into the illusionistic representation and the fascination of interactive play. The Audi House of Progress in Autostadt Wolfsburg further developed the concept of the now-closed Audi City in London, thereby setting new standards for the brand’s staging. There, a Table of Vision now presents the latest state of automotive futurology.

Behind the timeless exterior architecture of the Audi Pavilion in Autostadt Wolfsburg, Audi makes the four brand values of digitalization, design, performance, and sustainability tangible for visitors.

The trend of showrooms established in London, which supplemented the usual, decentrally located branches, prevailed in the following years — the urban flagship store became the model, combined with the experiences of successful automotive museums. The VW Group, for example, uses Berlin’s prime location, Unter den Linden, for its DRIVE. Volkswagen Group Forum with exhibitions, conference rooms, and gastronomy. Test drives are also arranged, and the Volkswagen Bank is located next door. Some of the brands displayed ideally match the nobility of the location: Bentley and Bugatti, whose distinctive grilles become ideal attractors in the shop windows. One would have to say, buying a car has never been so cultivated.
Even in 2023, the dynamic of the paradigm shift in mobility has by no means diminished, but it is developing on two tracks. On the one hand, the industry is reducing pure exhibition and sales areas — inner-city shops with a single display vehicle are preferred. Almost 90 percent of interested parties enter the sales room already pre-informed, and 60 percent have already decided on the model and price. Instead of branches and authorized dealers, an agency model is envisioned — like Mercedes-Benz. This manufacturer plans to reduce its showrooms by one-fifth by 2028 — supported by temporary small pop-up stores. At the same time, numerous online shops are already planned for the present.

DRIVE. Volkswagen Group Forum, exhibition »Driven by Dreams. 75 Years of Porsche Sports Cars.«, 2023

Marketing and sales have long expanded their platforms and switched from analog customer conversations to multi- or omnichanneling. All communication channels are served. Instead of the revolving door into the car salon, today the landing page, i.e., the brand’s web presence or its activities in social media channels, primarily takes its place.
On the other hand, there must still be a physical place for analog encounters with the product — the automobile is not yet suffering from habitat loss. Nevertheless, spatial concepts are noticeably changing — and this is the second path of current development, which is primarily based on sophisticated interior architecture and spatial scenography. While the pleasantness of a dignified sales salon originally relied on traditional, luxurious lounge qualities such as armchairs, sofas, displayed magazines, and free drinks, these are now complemented by emotionally designed and quasi-familiar, or at least individually customer-appealing, atmospheres.
The guiding narrative changes depending on the brand and target group — from gentle mall-like strolling to an active-sporty experience like at a Mercedes-AMG Experience Center with racing simulators.

NIO House in West Lake, Hangzhou, China, 2018

Café in the NIO House in Tianjin, China, 2019

For the increased volumes of sales architecture and the significantly higher budget that comes with it, these investments seem justifiable, considering the recently realized locations, especially of the new Chinese premium brands such as the NIO Houses, which are referred to as »Flagship Automotive Gallery and Clubhouse«. Their interior design strives to incorporate surface materials and design language that reflect vehicle design, such as that of a NIO ES8 or EVE, especially since in many areas, no automobiles are deliberately present. Here, Living Rooms and Member Areas and play areas for the children of customers and guests are set up, as if one were in a hotel or a private club. To manage this creatively and at the same time meet the technical demands of the brands, manufacturers commission renowned offices such as Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects or MVRDV. Planning ideas use the motif of a »journey« that one wants to offer visitors: »A succession of layered concatenated spaces organize the different functions and give hierarchy with levels of privacy and connections.«
Anyone who then actually visits such a house and has left the aesthetically cool areas of pure car presentation towards the hotel-like, family-oriented living zones will be overcome by a feeling, depending on the type, either irritating or comforting: How much they have changed, the presentation spaces of our new cars.

What the oil-smelling customer service workshop once directly communicated, namely the technology and the sensory-craft element of driving, is now apparently strictly reconditioned and oriented towards the detached stay in the upholstered and media-dominated living space of the vehicle. It is understandable that the most prominent exhibits in 21st-century car dealerships are precisely those cars that suggest autonomous driving to their new owners.
But for those who think differently, there are still the company branches with their archaic experience spaces, where car-loving customers can authentically pursue their passion, even if one sits in a soft lounge chair and the glass pane pleasantly separates one from the real wrenching work. »Nothing is impossible« — to quote Toyota.

ARTICLE FIRST PUBLISHED IN CHAPTER №VIII »ELEMENTS« — SUMMER 2023

In 1961, successful television writer and composer Stephen Lord (CHiPs, Fantasy Island, Johnny Ringo, etc.) commissioned modernist architect Richard Neutra to design a home on a 26,500-square-foot promontory lot with jetliner views toward the Santa Monica Mountains overlooking the San Fernando Valley and beyond. The property is located in Los Angeles, off Mulholland Drive at the end of a private road. Situated at the top of a ridge, the »lost« Lord House offers seclusion and privacy.

A few years ago, the supposedly forgotten house came into the possession of Dora Chi and Erik Amir from spatial practice Los Angeles / Hong Kong – a collaborative partnership for architecture and art installations. The construction work took two years and set the standard of maintaining the existing design language throughout and with maximum understanding of the original idea.

With this in mind, the extension to the existing house was to continue Richard Neutra’s famous signature, but still have its own architectural identity. While the main house consists of a series of floating surfaces, the extension is the inverse of this – two abstract volumes connected by a floating canopy built around an existing tall cypress tree. The living room with its floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors faces the valley to the north and makes the transition between indoors and outdoors appear seamless. The contrasting, heavy yet floating fireplace from Richard Neutra is located in the middle between the open-plan living and dining room.

The house is flooded with natural light thanks to the extensive glazing and a series of light wells distributed throughout the house. The new open kitchen made of white oak utilizes the existing openings and provides a view of the entrance terrace and the Santa Monica Mountains. The new modern bathrooms are minimalist and timeless in design, with pure and geometric shapes expressed by warm, floating travertine washbasins.

The loose curves of the landscape and the pool run through the orthogonal design of the house and the extension, creating a sense of different gardens. Rocks and stones strategically placed in the gardens provide a certain tranquillity. A large entrance terrace penetrates the house and leads visitors under a low-hanging, rectangular canopy over a bridge and a reflection pool, past a Japanese black pine tree to the front door. [Red.]

Charlotte Albert and Alexis Lamesta from Necchi Architecture want to create spaces that are not only characterized by a unique atmosphere, but also deliberately break away from familiar visual habits and elude a certain temporal classification. With their work, they pursue the goal of leaving out the classic criteria of interior design, which has further sharpened the distinctiveness of their projects.

Chapter Apart from important aspects such as sustainability and functionality, how important is the visual experience of a space to you?

Necchi Architecture We don’t create spaces based on visual impact, and we get anxious when clients who meet us for the first time describe their vision with words like »wow-effect«. However, the visual experience we create should always be associated with a sense of comfort. In order for people to experience a rather unusual sense of comfort, we believe we need to make the eye feel uncomfortable. Ultimately, by creating »visual accidents«, we are trying to challenge new ways of seeing, creating small scenarios that break with the usual criteria, but still making you feel good on an emotional level.

Chapter Although your work tends to give the impression of being from another era, there’s a certain attitude that makes it unmistakably modern. What are the key principles of your work and its aesthetic?

Necchi Architecture We’re not sure if we have any key principles, but we strongly believe that it’s important not to be afraid of judgement, of being out of step, of making mistakes and learning from them. Creating spaces also means telling a story, and if that story can be told without even being classified by date, it’s because we’ve managed to create an atmosphere, an attitude, a moment, rather than a smooth, reassuringly fashionable place. Even though we’re not trying to be backward-looking, modernity has always been created from a variety of old elements as well as from cultural heritage that goes back many decades. Using furniture that already has a history and that doesn’t seem to fit the space at first glance helps to prevent the space from becoming stale. We’re also always hoping that, over time, our clients will complement our work by adding extra layers to it, that come from their own personalities and attitudes. For us, a successful project is defined by both the client and ourselves being happy in unison.

Chapter How do you define the concept of personal taste and how does it influence the balance between individuality and timeless design in your projects?

Necchi Architecture »Everyone has their own bad taste.« In the spirit of this statement, we see taste as an attitude, not as a guide to good manners and a lesson to be learned-anything that comes naturally serves this purpose.

Chapter To what extent does your work reflect this personal taste, and is there a moment during the design process when the brief becomes more of an artistic playground?

Necchi Architecture We never ask ourselves whether or not any element of our work is in so-called »good taste«-it’s a term we reject, as it is used too often and has catered to a certain way of being in order for something to be considered as »cool«. As a team working together, each of us naturally tends to gravitate towards certain artistic movements, different eras, and an aesthetic opinion specific to our individual characters. In the process of creating, it all comes down to being open to taking the opposite view and trusting our intuition. When developing projects, we’ve found that the more we have to convince a client of the design, the further we actually have to go in the design. This may sound like a contradiction, but it keeps us from becoming creatures of habit, instead pushing and renewing our own boundaries.

FIRST PUBLISHED IN CHAPTER №XI »TASTEMAKERS« — WINTER 2024/25

»Our style must be timeless, but must always be rethought. We challenge ourselves every day to combine aesthetics with innovation«, says Gorden Wagener. With Mercedes-Benz Places, he and his team now want to transfer their own design philosophy of Sensual Purity  to architecture. With over 2.5 million square feet of space and 67 floors, it is one of the largest and most ambitious construction projects in Florida and will include around 800 residential units and residences, a wellness center, a 174-room luxury hotel, office space and, of course, the most exclusive amenities—from huge swimming pools and Mercedes-inspired lounges such as the Silver Arrow Lounge to dedicated podcast studios and a Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 simulator.

Of course, the self-confidence typical of Mercedes-Benz is also evident in this project: The aim is to set new standards for branded residences and redefine the future of premium living—with a harmonious synthesis of iconic design, state-of-the-art technology and maximum comfort. In Brickell, Miami’s rapidly growing district known for its ultra-modern architecture of office towers and luxury residential complexes, this project is set to manifest itself in a similar way to Mercedes-Benz Places Dubai—whereby the two projects ideally complement each other in terms of design and at the same time demonstrate the bipolarity of the Sensual Purity  design philosophy: »Dubai, with its unmistakable elliptical shape and flowing lines, appeals more strongly to emotions—the heart. Miami stands more for rationality and thus the intelligent pole of our design philosophy. Its simple cubic bodies, artfully linked together, form a striking skyscraper that will stand out from Miami’s architectural landscape«, explains Gorden Wagener, who played a leading role in the design of the project, in our interview.

The recently unveiled VR renderings and architectural models already hint at the meticulous technological precision and uncompromising quality standards behind these cubic towers, whose stacked elements subtly echo the brand’s signature design language. Yet, the progressive architectural vision of Mercedes-Benz Places Miami is also deliberately provocative: »It becomes an icon when you rub against corners and edges, like the G-Class  for example—when something has a distinctly significant shape. And we are now trying to achieve this in architecture too. We did this in Dubai with the Streamline shape and here we are doing it with the cubic body. Both are also a little provocative«, attests Gorden Wagener.

The fact that a holistic understanding and applicability of the design concept he has defined, far beyond the automotive sector, is important to the German designer and that he truly enjoys it, becomes clear again and again during our conversation: »You can only be good if you have fun«, he emphasizes. And Gorden Wagener particularly enjoys creating beauty—a goal that has always been his top priority, despite all the luxury superlatives surrounding Mercedes-Benz Places Miami: »I am a true believer in beauty. We will never create ugly or awkward things,« Wagener tells us. »And I am also convinced that good design must be sustainable—This is a German virtue: clean, purist design with a focus on longevity. Like a perfectly designed watch that is passed down through generations.«

Another key element of the project is also based on sustainability: the redesign of the surrounding Southside Park  in collaboration with the renowned landscape architecture firm Field Operations, which was also responsible for the concept of the famous High Line in New York City. The Southside Park is to be completely revitalized and planted with plants and offer leisure and sports facilities—a green oasis in the urban environment that will benefit the entire district.

And there is no shortage of such strong partnerships in this project anyway: the implementation of Mercedes-Benz Places Miami   will be the result of a collaboration with some of the most renowned players in the architecture, real estate and design industry. The project is being developed by the JDS Development Group, known for some of the most impressive skyscrapers of recent years—including the Brooklyn Tower, the Steinway Tower, considered the world’s thinnest skyscraper, and the American Copper Buildings in Manhattan. The architecture comes from the multi-award-winning SHoP Architects, while the renowned design studio Woods Bagot is responsible for the interior design together with the Mercedes-Benz design team. And last but not least, successful marketing will of course be essential: Serhant, a leading US real estate and media group led by Ryan Serhant (in picture above with Gorden Wagener), who is as busy as he is present in the media, will provide the necessary sales power.

»We want to take the next step in design history«, Gorden Wagener concludes, »our vision is to create not just cars, but living spaces that define the future.« You will be able to see this for yourself by the end of 2027 at the latest, when Mercedes-Benz Places Miami  will be completed. As an architectural highlight that will not only have a lasting impact on the Miami skyline, but will certainly also shape the future of premium living. [CS]

»I like things that change«, the Italian designer, architect, set designer and author Gaetana »Gae« Aulenti once said in an interview. She claimed this form of mobility for herself and her work – throughout her life she resisted categorization and responded to the apparent lack of a signature with the words: »Style means the repetition of an idea that is always the same.« A look back at the life’s work of the designer, who died in 2012.

»The whole world is a stage and all men and women mere players. They come on and go off again«, according to Shakespeare’s comedy »As you like it«. However, the metaphor of the world stage, which has been omnipresent ever since, not only exposes people as the owners of a multitude of roles, but also raises the question of how this stage-like world is constructed. In short: if the world is a stage, do we move through it like a huge stage set?

The stage set designed by Gae Aulenti for Ronconi’s production of the Rossini opera »Il viaggio a Reims« at the Vienna State Opera, 1988.

If you look at the work and underlying approach of Italian designer and architect Gae Aulenti, who died in 2012, you feel confirmed in this comparison. Not only because Aulenti’s extensive repertoire of roles also included that of set designer – she worked primarily with director Luca Ronconi – but also because she always saw people and buildings as two interacting parts of the same play. According to Aulenti, », the space, as a co-player or partner, should always be designed in such a way that it allows for different behaviors and does not restrict them.«1 Despite its inherently static nature, it has a mobility and creative power that is also at the heart of many stage designs.

Table Tavolo con Ruote, FontanaArte, 1980

Gare d’Orsay before its conversion into a museum

SENSITIVITY TO WHAT IS FOUND

Gae Aulenti, who as an architect and designer made tables roll (Tavolo con Ruote) and transformed train stations into museums (Gare d’Orsay), was always interested in mobility in her work. She once said: »It’s true, I’m perhaps simply against anything that seems static. I like things that change.« The urge to always remain flexible was also reflected in the fact that Aulenti never wanted to be pigeonholed stylistically. In an interview with the design platform BauNetz, the artist, who was born in Palazzolo dello Stella in 1927, answered questions about the lack of a uniform style as follows: »’I can’t work everywhere with one and the same signature. Because it is the place that dictates how something is to be designed. Style means repeating the same idea and the same details over and over again. That has never interested me.« Instead, she is convinced that you always have to start from scratch with every project.

Main gallery of the Musée d’Orsay, Paris

Main room of the Palazzo Grassi, Venice

This was probably also the case with the works that brought Gae Aulenti international fame. These include the conversion of the Gare d’Orsay in Paris into a museum. It took a whole seven years before the museum was finally opened on December 1, 1986. Aulenti was very keen to preserve the old building fabric as far as possible. Through a series of subtle, sometimes even minimal interventions, she finally transformed the 20th century station into a 21st century museum. She worked closely with the French curators to create the closest possible link between the architecture and the logic of the exhibition. »My design itself was like a big machine that we drove into the station«, she once summed it up in an interview. On a design level, it was important to her to connect the spaces in such a way that their size did not create a feeling of anxiety or overwhelm for visitors. According to Aulenti, you always have to discover the possibilities hidden in old buildings, not imitate or copy what is already there, but try your own interpretation. »You have to work against the space and still respect it.«

In 1980, the Italian designer and architect was also the first woman to win a project of this size in a competition. In an interview, she once remarked that the renovation of the Gare d’Orsay had given her more strength in this respect. »Back then, people didn’t believe that a woman could design a large project on her own.« Working as a woman in a male-dominated industry did not exactly make it easy for Gae Aulenti to live up to her own ambitions until her breakthrough in the early 1980s. »It took me many years to be able to realize big projects, but I went along quietly, without protesting and without allowing this fact to penetrate my consciousness too much. Aulenti was also only one of two women to graduate in architecture from the Politecnico di Milano in 1954.

Gae Aulenti’s redesign of the Museum of Modern Art at the Centre Georges Pompidou and the conversion of the Palazzo Grassi in Venice for museum purposes also caused a stir. Most of her architectural projects combine a careful adaptation to the built environment, but without wanting to exclude contemporary influences. Aulenti is generally associated with Neoliberty – an architectural movement that was based on the tradition of Art Nouveau – Stile Liberty – which was only very weakly developed in Italy anyway, and which attempted to distinguish itself from the modernism of the interwar period through a stronger historical orientation. In connection with her work, however, Aulenti herself spoke far less about stylistic features than about the unconditional embedding of her buildings in urban contexts. As the former Italian president Giorgio Napolitano noted, her designs were characterized by a great sensitivity for the existing.

April chair, Zanotta, 1964

ICONIC OBJECTS

As early as the 1960s, Gae Aulenti succeeded in gaining a foothold as a furniture designer and designer of industrial products. In 1962, her first commercial furniture projects were launched by the manufacturer Poltronova: the rocking chair Sgarsul, inspired by Thonet’s cantilever chair No.1, and the Stringa chair and sofa series. The iconic Locus Solus armchair from 1964 is part of a collection of garden furniture published by Poltronova. Her interest in industrial design soon led her to collaborate with the most important companies in the sector – in 1964 she created the April folding chair for Zanotta, the following year the Jumbo marble table for Knoll and in 1974 the 4794 polyurethane chair for Kartell.

Series Locus Solus, Poltronova, 1964

Her most iconic designs also include the Pipistrello lamp, which is still in production today and is probably one of Aulenti’s works most influenced by the neoliberty movement. Like her designer herself, however, the lamp does not really want to be categorized. Because the Pipistrello was originally intended for the Olivetti showroom in Paris, it had to stand out all the more from the typewriters and computers that primarily populated the room.

Pipistrello lamp – originally intended for the Olivetti showroom in Paris.

Aulenti made a name for herself as an interior designer with the design of the showrooms for the typewriter manufacturer Olivetti in Paris (1966/67) and Buenos Aires (1968). The Italian car dealer Fiat commissioned her to design the showrooms in Brussels and Zurich (1969/70).

THE LIGHTNESS OF BEING

»Stage design, design and architecture always came together for me«, said Gae Aulenti in an interview two years before her death. The extent to which this is actually the case can be seen, for example, in Aulenti’s Rossini chair made of wood and metal. Designed in 1984 for her stage set for Ronconi’s production of the Rossini opera »Journey to Reims«, the chair was later produced by Maxalto/B&B Italia. But it is not only these clearly demonstrable connections between the stage universe and reality that bring these two worlds so close together in Aulenti’s case that one can actually speak of a world stage. To summarize, it can perhaps be said that Gae Aulenti was concerned with a certain lightness in both areas – with spaces that, despite their size, do not frighten the users and with stage sets that make the players take off. Even literally, because for the »Barber of Seville« she had the singers lift into the air. »The characters fly, yes, they fly«, Ronconi put it in a nutshell.

So it’s all just a game? I don’t think you can say that either. But maybe like this: as in a theater or opera production, Gae Aulenti combines different disciplines in her overall work to create a harmonious, artistic production.

ARTICLE FIRST PUBLISHED IN CHAPTER №VIII »ELEMENTS« — SUMMER 2023

A home in a luxury hotel can not only be a comfortable place to live, but can also be an interesting investment under certain circumstances. In the last ten years, demand for private residences in five-star deluxe hotels that are integrated into a hotel has risen by almost 250 percent. Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton—In cities such as New York, London and Dubai, the most illustrious names in the hotel industry are competing for potential real estate investors with purchasing power, while development companies are outdoing each other in terms of furnishings and service standards, thus setting completely new benchmarks.

As with so many innovations, the concept of »private residences was born at the hotel« New York City. In 1927, almost 100 years ago, The Sherry-Netherland on 5th Avenue was the first luxury hotel to offer apartments for sale in addition to regular hotel rooms. All hotel services such as room service, cleaning and concierge were available to the owners. The hotel still exists today in this mixed-use form. Among other things, a 700 square meter apartment with three terraces, 15 rooms and a view of Central Park is currently for sale for 35 million dollars. However, 30 square meter studios, which are located between the regular hotel rooms, are also for sale for half a million dollars.

For more than 70 years, The Sherry-Netherland was unrivaled worldwide. From the end of the last millennium, the exclusive living experience in New York City became more widespread and experienced its first boom—today, countless hotel groups offer apartments for sale in addition to hotel rooms at a daily rate. The concept of private residences was not only integrated directly into the project planning for new projects such as the Four Seasons in the Financial District, but various long-established grandees of the hotel industry also subsequently embraced the trend. In some cases to the annoyance of regular customers: Guests at the Waldorf Astoria were furious about the fact that, following extensive renovation, the top floors of the hotel tower would only be available to buyers and not to travelers—a stone’s throw away, while The Plaza was criticized after the general renovation for the fact that only the owners of the new and extremely successfully marketed private apartments would now be able to enjoy the most beautiful views of Central Park.

A special address — AMAN New York is located in the venerable Crown Building on the corner of 5th Avenue and 57th Street.

The latest addition to New York’s exclusive club of hotel towers, which also offer private residences, is the Aman New York. The venerable Crown Building on the corner of 5th Avenue and 57th Street is one of the city’s most prestigious locations. And as we have come to expect from the highly exclusive hotel group, its second city branch also focuses on superlatives à la Aman, including the residences offered for sale. When the penthouse found its buyer in spring 2022, the highest real estate deal of the year to date was sealed at 75 million dollars. As discretion is part and parcel of doing business in these price spheres, there is usually little information about the buyers or the details of the premises, but the private Aman Penthouse is said to boast a saltwater swimming pool and several open fireplaces.

From custom-made furniture to a virtuoso lighting design and the perfect concierge service—, living in your own four walls is transformed into an enhanced experience at Aman New York.

However, it is not only the luxury facilities, which are certainly also available in this form in other full-service residential towers, that persuade customers to stay permanently at Aman, Mandarin Oriental or Four Seasons. Part of the investment is rather the respective style and atmosphere of the hotel and not least the image of the respective managing hotel group built up over many years, which buyers are happy to pay a premium for. The interior design and services that you acquire at these exclusive addresses can hardly be experienced in an ordinary, nameless New York skyscraper.

In the case of the Aman New York, the residence owners all automatically receive a club membership, which offers access to all of the hotel’s facilities that are otherwise reserved for guests only. »In addition to the two restaurants Arva and Nama, other amenities include the spa, which extends over three floors, and an in-house jazz club—Residence owners benefit from preferential access«, a spokesperson for the group explains. Those who can count themselves among the owners of an Aman New York residence also acquire the freedom of no longer having to choose between a glamorous day and evening program or domesticity—The answers to these and many other time-consuming questions are already deeply embedded in the DNA of the idea behind it and are included in the price.

The Covid pandemic was probably one of the reasons why demand for exclusive properties that combine cocooning and luxury has risen so exponentially, especially in hard-hit cities such as New York. It therefore stands to reason that New York City will not remain the only city in which Aman offers urban oases with its residences; hotels with adjoining luxury apartments will soon be opening in Bangkok and Miami too. The group’s spokesperson emphasizes: »European cities are also a possibility for future projects. For Aman, however, it is essential that the location and type of property provide the opportunity to create a hotel that stands out from all existing hotels and is therefore absolutely unique. In addition, the values and standards of the group must of course be reflected in every future project. Our customers, whether hotel guests or residence owners, are less definable by classic demographic factors such as age or profession. Aman is home to like-minded people who are inspired by travel, prioritize wellbeing and want to experience local heritage and culture while staying in an exceptionally designed environment.«

Dramatic villas built into the cliff at the luxurious One&Only Mandarina resort.

The concept of private residences with hotel service is no longer a purely urban phenomenon. The One&Only Group, for example, offers villas for sale in various of its luxury resorts, including on the Mexican Nayarit coast, an hour north of Puerto Vallarta. Surrounded by lush tropical greenery, the One&Only Mandarina offers affluent customers the opportunity to purchase villas dramatically built into the cliff, which are generously proportioned with four to eight bedrooms. The design of the vacation homes is just as elegant as the hotel in which they are integrated. Infinity pools and sea views come as standard, and each villa is unique thanks to its architecture, which is adapted to the respective location.

»Our Private Homes give us the opportunity to expand the experience of the One&Only brand. An explicit wish of our regular customers to be able to enjoy the atmosphere and design language that was previously only experienced on vacation in a hotel in a much more private setting, their own vacation home«, describes Jonathan Tomlinson, Senior Vice President Private Homes of the Kerzner International Group, which also includes One&Only is the origin of the concept. Accordingly, the typical residence owner is also very similar to the group’s hotel guest. »The desire for tranquillity and closeness to nature without sacrificing all conceivable amenities is what unites all our customers and what we want to offer them. We have customers from all corners of the world, and in many places we have a local clientele as well as international buyers.« We offer One&Only In addition to all the facilities and services that are available to hotel guests, the residence owners are also offered a tailor-made program. There is also a tailor-made program for the exclusive circle of owners, including a global concierge service.

In principle, One&Only Private Homes owners have the choice of whether they want to participate in a rental program or prefer to celebrate maximum privacy, with the majority of owners having their residence rented out by the hotel company at times when they are not on site. The resulting profitability of the investment is a convincing sales argument, especially as One&Only makes the temporary use by third parties as comfortable as possible for the villa owners. The hotel management takes full responsibility for marketing and letting. »Of course, when villa owners rent out their property as part of One&Only, it is important that their property reflects the identity of the resort, but we offer storage facilities for private items that can be safely stowed away during rental periods. This allows owners to ensure maximum personalization of the property without renters feeling that they are not staying at one of our resorts«, explains Tomlinson.

One&Only Private Home owners also have the option of living in their property even when the associated hotel is closed for seasonal reasons. »Even for resorts that are only open seasonally, such as our Greek hotel Kea Island. We provide permanent access to the villas and guarantee that service staff will also be on site in winter to ensure that the expected standard is maintained during your stay in the vacation home.« As a real estate investment is a long-term affair, the group guarantees the owners of the villas long-term contracts with the hotel operating company. This ensures that the services and facilities acquired with the hotel will be available for at least several decades. The property itself, i.e. not only the respective villa but also the defined plot of land, is officially owned by the Private Home owner, which guarantees independence from the hotel business.

The OWO Raffles, London. OWO is short for Old War Office – Winston Churchill once had his office in the building, which was built in 1902 and has now been completely renovated.

While private residences marketed by luxury hotels are still a rarity in continental European cities, competition is already fierce in the UK’s capital, London. The OWO Raffles hotel will open here in spring 2023, and the sales phase for the adjoining private residences has already begun. The investor group is also promising an exclusive and exceptional living experience here and is using the history of the property in particular as a unique selling point. OWO is short for Old War Office; Winston Churchill once had his office in the building, which was built in 1902 and has now been completely renovated. Today, 85 luxurious residences are on offer, while the Raffles Hotel, which is also integrated into the building, is responsible for the service provided to future owners.

The Raffles Hotel, which is also integrated into the hotel, is responsible for the service of the 85 luxurious residences.

Thanks to the architectural style of the Edwardian era with its opulent stucco and various antique architectural details, buyers can be sure that the apartment they purchase is absolutely unique. While the competition offers residence buyers the service and luxury of the adjoining hotel as a selling point, the development of the OWO Residences went one step further and created separate communal facilities that are specifically reserved for residence owners. For example, there are various lounges, a gym and a pool to which the hotel guests next door do not have access, while apartment owners can also switch sides to take a dip in the hotel pool for a change.

With their definition of luxury, which goes beyond the purely material elements, residences attached to hotels really do seem to strike a chord with the times. Living within one’s own four walls is transformed into an extended experience that encompasses everything from custom-made furniture and virtuoso lighting design to perfect concierge service. The most successful hotels are characterized by the fact that they create their very own cosmos. Being able to reside in this cosmos permanently and unite it with one’s own reality of life is understandably in great demand, however comparatively small the target group with the corresponding purchasing power may be.

ARTICLE FIRST PUBLISHED IN CHAPTER №VII »NORMAL THINGS« — WINTER 2022/23

Gourmet restaurants as aesthetic works of art in which architecture, design and immersive dining experiences play a central role: From the spectacularly designed Iris in the Norwegian fjord to the unique staging at Alchemist in Copenhagen and the almost mystical Ultraviolet in Shanghai—here, every room is a stage, every dish a chapter in a multi-layered narrative. These restaurants are not just culinary experiences, but multifaceted aesthetic experiences that demonstrate the effect that a perfectly curated interplay of staging, space, materiality and taste can have.

The increasing appreciation of indulgence in the form of epicurean experiences has been quite revolutionary over the last two decades—even if some concepts have only had a very short half-life, quite a few food trends have come to stay. And although the term »experiential gastronomy« sometimes still has a bourgeois image—one quickly thinks of mediocre food with a mediocre show—some courageous restaurateurs have elevated the dining experience to a true art form with creatively designed multi-sensory concepts. Here, guests experience a symphony based on the interaction of visual elements, sound, texture and, of course, flavor alongside their meal. From the architectural design of the restaurant to the smallest details.

Chef Anika Madsen’s creations are creative and original, based on her passion for local seafood and her commitment to sustainability.

Two pioneering Nordic establishments, Iris in Norway and Alchemist in Denmark, are regarded as trailblazers for such experiences that go far beyond the plate, as is Ultraviolet, located in a secret location in Shanghai, where top chef Paul Pairet takes his guests on a journey through memories and expectations. When exploring these three unique restaurants, it quickly becomes clear that cooking today is part of an artistic symbiosis in many places. It is enjoyed with all the senses.

BECOMING ONE WITH THE ENVIRONMENT

Nestled in the dramatic landscape of Norway, the restaurant Iris truly sets new standards in top gastronomy with its »Expedition Dining« approach. Architecturally, Iris can already claim to offer something spectacular: A floating metal construction with a dynamic curved shape, in the middle of the Norwegian fjord and only accessible by boat, houses the premises of the luxury restaurant. The impressive architecture and the panoramic view of the rugged Norwegian wilderness quickly give you the feeling that you are dining at the end of the world, which is not entirely wrong, because even from the nearest airport in Bergen, the journey to the restaurant is still a half-day trip. »I wanted to create an experience that allows guests to fully immerse themselves in the beauty of Norwegian nature. Food is a gateway to this. By tasting local ingredients, feeling the sea breeze or seeing the mountains in the distance, all the guests’ senses are engaged. This multi-sensory approach allows us to connect people not only with the flavors, but also with the stories behind each dish, so that a visit to our restaurant is more than just a meal, but an exploration of place, time and culture«, restaurant manager and head chef Anika Madsen describes her not inexpensive concept in an interview with Chapter. The evening at Iris begins for each guest with a boat trip to a jetty on a tiny island, where the first drinks and starters are served to music specially arranged for the evening, before the culinary journey continues to the restaurant itself. You should plan around six hours if you want to embark on this extraordinary experience.

Spectacular in every respect: The restaurant Iris, under the leadership of head chef Anika Madsen and service manager Nico Danielsen, was recently awarded its first Michelin star.

The restaurant is located in the middle of the water—in the Salmon Eye art installation, which opened in 2022 and is a place to explore topics such as sustainable aquaculture. Created by Kvorning Design, the 14-metre-high structure is reminiscent of the eponymous fish eye and appears to float in the middle of the fjord surrounded by spectacular mountains. The 9,275 stainless steel scales that clad the building imitate the shiny, silvery skin of a salmon. The menu at Iris reads like a poetic homage to the rugged beauty of Norway. Wild herbs, foraged mushrooms and freshly caught seafood—Madsen’s main criterion when it comes to deciding which dishes to serve is quite simple. »When it comes to flavors, I end up cooking for myself, if I don’t like it, it doesn’t go on the menu.« Furthermore, Anika Madsen firmly believes in the combination of good craftsmanship, hard work and curiosity. Whereby the latter is not just about a curious and open approach to food and new taste experiences. »I also mean an open attitude towards one’s own environment, nature and people.« However, as an evening at Iris is so much more than just the food served, Madsen also emphasizes the importance of her team for the overall concept: »Each and every member of our team has unique talents. One employee may compose music, while another may have exceptional graphic design skills. We trust each other’s creative vision and this trust allows us to create and constantly develop.« Anika Madsen can therefore largely do without the services of external consultancies or creative agencies, despite the far-reaching, detailed concept, she explains.

However, creativity is not the only factor that matters in her job, the Danish-born chef and former head chef of Copenhagen’s Michelin-starred restaurant Fasangården is convinced. »A strong sense of responsibility is just as important.« She follows up: »As chefs, we not only influence what people eat, but also have an impact on how they think about food, its production and the environment. Iris should not only be a place that takes the restaurant experience itself to a new level, but should also play a pioneering role in terms of responsibility—not only in terms of how we handle food, but also in terms of how we define collaboration. Perhaps we will succeed in inspiring future generations.«

THEATRICAL POETRY OF FOOD

At the Alchemist restaurant in Copenhagen, under the aegis of Rasmus Munk, food becomes a medium for storytelling. The chef’s aim is to make his guests think through a sensory adventure. At Alchemist, every dish is a work of art, every moment in the restaurant is carefully orchestrated and nothing is left to chance. Munk explains that his approach, which he calls »Holistic Dining«, is a fusion of gastronomy, art, science and social responsibility: »Our aim is to create an experience that stimulates the senses and awakens memories.« The Alchemist is therefore not just about satisfying hedonistic cravings, Munk wants to use his platform to express his opinion on socially relevant topics and issues, and also sees provocation as an appropriate means of doing so. A visit to Alchemist should encourage people to think about globally relevant topics such as sustainability, food waste and ethics. »In particular, our mission is to drive change and influence the society in which we live. Artists can provoke, spark debate and raise awareness. Of course, the taste of each dish is always the focus, but our visual and verbal presentations can address subjects such as child labor in the chocolate industry or famine in the Global South«, Rasmus Munk emphasizes in an interview with Chapter.

At the Alchemist restaurant in Copenhagen, under the aegis of Rasmus Munk, food becomes a medium for storytelling.

Architecturally, Alchemist  is a universe in itself. The 50-course menu—no, you haven’t misread—is presented theatrically in the truest sense of the word, in several acts. A dome-shaped ceiling, reminiscent of a planetarium, bathes the room in surreal light, changing colors and various projections are coordinated with each course. Alchemist  was designed by London-based interior design studio Duncalf and is spread over three floors in a labyrinthine fashion, each with a slightly different spatial concept. The majority of the culinary journey takes place directly under the aforementioned dome with a total diameter of 18 meters. Around 200 tons of steel were used. The rooms in which Alchemist is located used to serve as a workshop for the construction of stage sets. To a certain extent, the theatricality of the place is inscribed in it. When he develops a dish, its history and meaning are initially in the foreground. »That is always the first step«, explains Munk and adds: »Of course, it is then also about perfecting the taste. If the taste isn’t what I want it to be, we won’t serve the dish—even if the idea is perfect and it looks exceptionally beautiful. On the other hand, I just love to develop something that has a strong message. So if the message is strong, I will always go to great lengths to bring the dish to that level in terms of taste.«

Rasmus Munk ensures with his Restaurant Alchemist has caused a worldwide sensation. His dishes are spectacular in both taste and appearance and are garnished with strong messages.

With a multidisciplinary team—experts from the fields of gastronomy, science, design, art, technology
and business are involved—Rasmus Munk is also responsible for the visionary Spora Innovation Center.

The fact that Alchemist is more than just a restaurant is also made clear by the composition of the staff. In addition to the gastronomic team, Munk employs three artists who design the special effects for the restaurant’s dome, as well as a composer, a scriptwriter and an industrial designer who creates the restaurant’s crockery and cutlery and various furnishings. But that’s not all: Rasmus Munk is also responsible for the Spora Innovation Centre, which specializes in initiating far-reaching changes in the catering and food industry. The project is managed by a multidisciplinary team—experts from the fields of gastronomy, science, design, art, technology and business are involved. »Spora is the natural evolution of the Alchemist. The creativity and innovative power that characterize our work in the restaurant also play a central role in our research work and contribute to the development of new, sustainable approaches«, explains Munk.

GREAT CINEMA FOR ALL SENSES

A secret place »Somewhere in Shanghai«, ten guests and 20 courses—these are the basic hard facts about Paul Pairet’s top restaurant Ultraviolet. However, on the foundation of these initially sober facts, something outstanding unfolds: an immersive dining experience that appeals to all the senses. At the center of a windowless room is a single table, surrounded by huge HD screens. However, it is not only the visual component that plays an elementary role in Ultraviolet, but also the smell, the music and the sound carpet on which the guests glide through the evening. »Each course is enveloped in an atmosphere that is defined by the projection, the sound and sometimes even the smell«, says Pairet in an interview with CNN. In some cases, the room temperature is also adapted to the atmosphere. A different world opens up with every walk—if you have just been in a place covered in glowing neon graffiti, the next moment you are part of an underground labyrinth.

Born in Perpignan, France, celebrity chef Paul Pairet currently runs four restaurants in Shanghai:
Mr & Mrs Bund, Polux, Charbon and Ultraviolet.

Paul Pairet’s innovative restaurant concept opened in May 2012, and Ultraviolet  was awarded three stars in the Michelin Guide in 2018. At the time of opening, however, the concept had already been in the mind of the French-born top chef for 15 years. In culinary terms, guests can expect an extremely sophisticated play with textures, temperatures and breaking with preconceived expectations. Naturally at the highest level. When Pairet develops new dishes, he is always looking for a connection to his own life—be it trips he has taken, certain memories or episodes from everyday life. Pairet’s aim is to really draw people into the individual courses so that they can fully engage with the experience and immerse themselves in what he understands by »Psycho Taste«: an exploration and questioning of our notions of taste, which are mostly based on memory, experience and culture. »We always hope that we have left a lasting impression on our guests—that our food has awakened and created memories. I don’t believe that something can be beautiful if it doesn’t leave a mark. We can’t control that, but we hope that these lasting impressions are created in the minds of the guests«, says Pairet. (Interview with Four Magazine https://www.four-magazine.com/chefs/paul-pairet-association-of-taste/)

»Psycho taste« is what Paul Pairet calls the multivision concept surrounding his avant-garde fine dining creations.

Iris, Alchemist and Ultraviolet—these gourmet restaurants are world-famous travel destinations in their own right for a reason, culinary experiences have been elevated to multi-sensory works of art. In each of these luxury restaurants, an outstanding dish is not just something you enjoy, but something you live. Architecture and visual design, acoustics, smells and textures become the main protagonists. A dinner at Alchemist, Iris or Ultraviolet may not be for every day, as impressions need to be processed, but by involving all the senses, dining here becomes a truly unforgettable experience and is well worth the trip.

It would actually be much more exciting to deal with what happens than with what is. Because that is immediately recognizable, static, defined. In contrast, our world and things are constantly moving and changing. Ancient Greece called this »metamorphosis« – and that’s what we’re talking about here.

»Lost in Translation«––who hasn’t seen the classic film starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, in which two people who don’t know each other meet by chance in Tokyo, a Japanese megacity that is unfathomable and untranslatable for them, which is presumably why they have sought it out. However, the intense feeling of being lost gives their encounter a common level on which they meet, talk and live as if in an intermediate world––for a few days. Watching the film, you enjoy entering this floating state with the two of them––light, open, liberated. You wish you had the courage or the sovereignty to be in-between, as the foreign metropolis allows the main characters in the film to do. Perhaps because it is something subconsciously important to our existence that we repeatedly suppress out of reason or convenience: an interim state of mind that applies to all people in the most diverse life situations and is typical of processes, evolutions and formations. It is the moment of change––sometimes short-lived, sometimes with a noticeable duration––that is expressed quite well in the concept of hovering. The Swiss artist couple Gerda Steiner and Jörg Lenzlinger achieved a congenial visualization of such a process with their touching »Giardino calante« installation at the 2003 Venice Biennale: in the nave of the church of San Staë, people move under a three-dimensional sphere of flowers and delicate natural elements that seem to fall down from the vault without reaching you directly. The beauty and vitality of what was otherwise painted on the ceiling as floral decoration in the Baroque period and stands for creation becomes physical and moving. This brings us closer to the miracle of the speaking church interior; we find ourselves, as it were, in the process of creation, from the ideal budding to the fullness of nature.

Gerda Steiner & Jörg Lenzlinger, »Giardino calante« (installation), Church of San Staë, Biennale 2003, Venice

While the flanking states––i.e. the initial situation on the one hand and the new on the other––are tangible for us, as they can be clearly defined and also clearly perceived due to their stability, the in-between is a phenomenon whose nature and form is too fluid to »have a handle on«. Time and again, people are forced to accept this period of transformation, whereby they are confronted with it in the most diverse dimensions of life. Sometimes dreams revolve around those motifs of tense pauses, as we are dealing here with the most intense moments of our experience of the world––perhaps Paul Virilio’s famous formula of »frenzied standstill« fits quite well here? Ultimately, however, nature is behind all movement––from the cosmic to our planet. On the constantly rotating earth, vitality and life are defined by the movement and transformation of states: emergence, growth and decline. Symbols of this are the bud or the larva that develops into a butterfly––and this without being able to see the beautiful final stage of the original form, even if it is already within it. Reflections of this omnipresent metamorphosis, as this phenomenon of shape-shifting was called in ancient Greece, can be found in the culture that humans developed as a living being typical of their species from the earliest epochs of history.

Marina Abramović, »The Artist is Present«, MoMA New York, 2010

So it’s no wonder that, alongside philosophy, art is also interested in those slow-motion tipping points, those short periods of time in which one situation leads to the next. Impressive examples are easy to find: For his Florentine sculpture from the story of David, Michelangelo chooses exactly the minute in which the boy develops the courage to hurl the stone he is weighing in his hand at the giant Goliath; Marina Abramović’s performances lead those present into an uncomfortable situation, forcing them to constantly resist the pressure to avoid the exhausting or upsetting confrontation with the art action––only those who can stand the artist sitting in front of them in silence for hours, for example, will ultimately take part. The South African William Kentridge could also be mentioned with his animated films, mostly drawn in charcoal. When you see them, you can’t take your eyes off them, because unlike conventional films with separate individual images, you experience the process of change and the traces of what has gone before always remain at least briefly present in the current film still. »In this way, each sequence carries the story of its development within it. What the technology itself brings with it is a sense of time«, according to the artist. The cases listed demonstrate the intention of art to really and tangibly bring the recipients into its sphere––by subversively placing them in a precarious situation. A routine or emotionally protective perception is not possible in this way. Instead, one must surrender oneself to the experience of this ambivalent situation.

William Kentridge, »Monument« (Stills), 1990

But why is this so fascinating? Human beings actually strive for order, which in a practical and cognitive sense would only give life a before and after. Immediately before the introduction of change and also in between, there is ambivalence, hesitation and dithering about changing a safe situation, the fear of an uncertain outcome––and that is unpleasant at first. That’s why we analyze and plan wherever possible so that everything runs smoothly and the results don’t come as a surprise or create unforeseeable problems. However, transitions are fundamentally unavoidable in an organic, metabolic system in which we live. The nature of the matter always includes its ability to change, even the certain change of what we are currently experiencing. And humanity has always reacted to this: In archaic societies, for example, initiation and sanctification rituals arose in which a specific period of time, a symbolic act and special objects performatively accompany the transition into a new quality, such as the admission of young men into the circle of adults. The ancient Egyptian cult of the sun god Ra worked with the barque as a real embodiment of his journey across the sky and through the underworld. People celebrated this in processions in which a Nile barge charged with a mystical aura was moved from the water to the holy place. Christian theology also had to grapple with the zone between secular reality and the sacred sphere. It developed the concept of limbo––a non-real waiting room for the souls for the temporally unmeasurable but unimaginable intermediate state until redemption.

Norman Foster, Reichstag Dome Berlin, 1999

In factual life on earth, on the other hand, which is constantly and often inexplicably changing, cultic and individual rituals give people more time and sensory influences to empathize and understand––which is why sacred places such as altars or graves have been circled since time immemorial. Turning around something makes you think, see more sides, experience a small effect of the endless in the circular movement, which is typical of the permanent mobility of the cosmos. In this respect, it is not only children who love walking around in circles, adults also enjoy the formal constraint of a circular path, especially when, as with a spiral, the perspective changes subtly with every step. Norman Foster’s architectural concept, who was commissioned to redesign the dome above the Reichstag in Berlin in 1995, also operates with a complex implementation of this motif. Visitors not only walk upwards in a spiral movement along the edge of the transparent roof structure, where they can look out over the country, which is governed from within the building. They can also look down into the plenary chamber and watch their deputies making their case and taking decisions. The discursive process of the legislature is reflected in the movement of the citizens in the iconically towering dome and thus becomes conscious in the performative movement of all.

Refik Anadol Studio for Bvlgari, Milan: »Serpenti Metamorphosis« (installation), 2021

The project »Serpenti Metamorphosis« by media artist Refik Anadol does not use architecture, but visual effects to address the motif discussed here. The large spatial installation, realized in Milan in 2021, creates wall-filling, constantly reconfiguring surfaces that are composed of 200 million varying images of nature in 3D and are connected to animal protagonists––snakes. These are generated by an immersive computer program: »… as poetic imagery mimicking natural transformations and snakes that seemed to slither and change throughout the installation«. Anadol has a concrete goal: »I welcome the machine as a collaborator, it allows me to make the invisible visible. Metamorphosis is really the perfect symbol to represent overarching ideas of evolution, growth, and precision in the world that surrounds us.« The use of AI also makes it possible, depending on the situation, to emit a fragrance that makes the experience synaesthetic. The phenomenon of permanent change in nature is transformed into an equally volatile visualization, which in turn has an emotional effect and changes through the reactive actions of the audience within it.

Rei Naito, »Matrix«, permanent installation Teshima Art Museum, 2010

While Anadol’s media installation is in principle an artificial setting, in another artistic work nature actually appears as an active player and can thus be experienced in its metabolic movement. The Japanese artist Rei Naito worked on the floor of a specially constructed grotto-like concrete architecture––the Teshima Art Museum––using a special surface shape and punctured holes so that the natural spring water in the area forces its way up onto the artificial surface in small drops, which then move freely: »Following the inclination of the floor they seem to race, overtaking each other and occasionally colliding and combining in larger puddles. Dancing in unexpected patterns, they finally gather and are drained through other holes. This splendid movement makes the water look lively, and not only a source of life but alive itself.« Unlike when looking at a stream or lake, the water is not perceived as an element of the landscape, but as a visible and tangible indicator of the vital force of nature, of pushing and becoming––experiencing the process of life, the seemingly eternal cycle of the creation and decay of natural forms in the forming and draining of these small ponds. »Is there anything more moving than this moment of transformation?«, the artist asks rhetorically.

The young Berlin CGI studio PALAM is also exploring this fascinating phenomenon, skillfully bringing it into the reality-based sphere of the product world alongside artistic aspects. Their immersive installation »Metamorphosis« (from page 80), which took nine months to create, gains its appeal not only through a strong aesthetic characterized by intense orange tones, but also through the visionary power of computer-generated imagery. The magical presence of the automotive object is created in a technoid setting, on an active »stage«, which is geared towards both production and presentation and plays on this with its robotic moves: »The stage becomes a canvas where the fluidity of life is explored, offering an intellectual and sensory journey that captures the essence of transformative beauty.« In terms of product design, it is therefore not about a design as the form generated from a material through a transformation process, regardless of whether this is created in a controlled manner as in an assembly, printing or casting process. Ultimately, this thematizes nothing other than the end product. The virulence of the process, i.e. the transformation process itself, and the fact that this metamorphosis is part of the concept and remains present in the form, is much more interesting than the path and period of production.

After all this, what is the conclusion of these considerations, what is the latent and explicit message of these impressive projects and works of art? At any rate, it is based on the insight that the impression that something is standing still is often based on imagination or misinterpretation––although at the same time it is also a cognitive strategy of our brain, which knows that we need a certain order and structure in our analysis of the environment in order to be able to perceive something in peace. This is perfectly fine as long as we have such talented creatives around us, who––like Rei Naito or Anadol––are able to combine the visual, emotional and ultimately also intellectual floating of changing states into wonderful and enlightening spaces of experience.

ARTICLE FIRST PUBLISHED IN CHAPTER №X »STATE OF THE ART« — SUMMER 2023/24

The third volume in the series »Homes for Our Time« presents 59 contemporary projects in 25 countries, from the USA to Japan, accompanied by immersive photographs that provide an emotional level of spatial experience and illustrate different styles, from minimalist and functional approaches to opulent architecture and artistic interior design. What remains striking, however, is that despite unique concepts and creative approaches to (spatial) design, ultimately almost always uses nature as a timeless model.

Regardless of the technological level of implementation—when it comes to creating harmonious living spaces, it seems that architects and designers are guided by three central, nature-loving approaches. One of these is the seamless transition and connection between the interior and the landscape, i.e. houses that open up to nature. Definitely not a new idea, but one that has stood the test of time. If you look to Los Angeles, exceptional architects such as Richard Neutra promoted design ideas from the mid-20th century onwards that not only enabled a deeper connection to nature, but were also intended to bring a sense of space and freedom into living spaces.

This long tradition also includes a contemporary residential example, which can be found on the very first pages of »Homes for Our Time 3«: The Arkell project (Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, 2022) by Miguel Ángel Aragonés and Rafael Aragonés. Built on a gently sloping hillside, the house opens up to the outside with its open-plan design and generous window fronts, providing a view of the breathtaking, famous surrounding landscape, with the main roof greened with an extensive roof garden.

Unlike his mid-century role models, however, the possibilities of modern lighting concepts play a key role here alongside natural light—the trademark of the Aragonés father-and-son duo. The highlighting and influencing of (spatial) perception in architecture through innovative lighting technologies and direction has rarely been implemented so consistently and forcefully in buildings that serve as living spaces. In the intimate setting of one’s own home, the colorful, targeted lighting transforms supposedly everyday places into transformative and meditative spaces of experience.

The desire to create sustainable and inspiring living spaces that are not merely in connection with nature, but in deep harmony with it, goes one step further. »The starting point was the realization that architecture should adapt to the terrain and not the other way around«, according to the architecture studio Tetro—founded in 2008 by Carlos Maia, Débpra Mendes and Igor Macedo—quoted in the book and presented with their project Açucena House (Nova Lima, Brazil, 2021).

The unusual shape of the house, which is located in the Atlantic rainforest, the second largest tropical forest in Brazil, is partly due to the conscious effort to preserve the local nature, for example by not cutting down any trees during construction. Thin black support columns visually blend seamlessly into the forest area. Their main purpose is to lift the house off the ground and thus minimize the impact on the ecosystem.

Modern architecture that creates sustainable and unprecedented living spaces using highly developed technological possibilities can almost be seen as a mission. These are then no longer merely in connection or harmonious harmony, but in close partnership with nature. An outstanding example of this is the research project TECLA — Technology and Clay (Ravenna, Italy, 2021) by Mario Cucinella presented in the book.

According to Cucinella’s accompanying text, it is the first ecologically sustainable house to be printed in 3D from raw earth — a mixture of local soil, water and natural fibers from rice. As spartan as the prototype may seem at first glance, the demands on the technical possibilities are seemingly proportional to the desire and longing to be close to nature. Thanks to state-of-the-art printing techniques and materials, the building is virtually emission-free. And as if that wasn’t thought through enough, the shape of the architecture is based on typical local building styles— with the aim of maintaining structural balance.

»Homes for Our Time 3 — Contemporary Houses Around the World« is a study of contemporary living that reflects the desires of modern people. This includes not only, as one might think at first glance, the satisfaction of aesthetic sensibilities, but also, as volume 3 of the series clearly shows, the seemingly universal demand for peace and refuge that people have always sought and found through connection and access to nature. [DM]

Homes for Our Time. Contemporary Houses around the World. Vol. 3
Hardcover, 24.6 x 37.2 cm, 3.84 kg, 488 pages
taschen.com

Whether the Porsche Design Tower, the ICONIC Tower by Pininfarina, Mercedes-Benz Places or real estate projects by Bentley and Aston Martin — more and more automotive brands are deciding to outdo themselves with luxuriously futuristic residential projects, whereby the design principles of the skyscrapers are usually closely linked to the design philosophies of the car manufacturers.

There is hardly a car brand that would not claim to aim high. In the figurative sense, of course. With Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Bentley, Aston Martin and several other luxury car manufacturers, however, there have also been brands for some years now that have literally committed themselves to this — admittedly somewhat hackneyed — phrase. Since Porsche set an (all) outstanding starting point with the Porsche Design Tower in Miami, which was completed in 2017, so-called branded residences, which bear the names of these luxury car manufacturers and were also (co-)developed by them, have been springing up like mushrooms. The two metropolises of Miami and Dubai have emerged as particularly fertile areas in this respect.

Mercedes-Benz’ first real estate project in the USA is being built in Brickell, Miami, and is being developed in cooperation with the real estate development group JDS Development Group.

The German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has set up shop in both hotspots with its ambitious and unusual Mercedes-Benz Places real estate project. “Both buildings are unmistakably characterized by our design philosophy of “Sensual Purity” and thus the bipolarity of emotion and intelligence. With its unmistakable elliptical shape and flowing lines, Dubai appeals more to the emotion — the heart. Miami stands more for rationality and thus the intelligent pole of our design philosophy. Its simple cubic bodies, artfully linked together, form a striking skyscraper that stands out from Miami’s architectural landscape,” says Gorden Wagener, Chief Designer at Mercedes-Benz, who played a leading role in the design of the two skyscrapers. As a designer, he always strives to create something new and unique, but only time will tell whether the work he and his team have created will one day achieve iconic status, says Wagener. “But icons make the difference, because they define luxury and embody certain characteristics: they are timeless and unmistakable. They are also based on a strong idea that can polarize,” the designer continues. However, the emotional core of every design is clearly beauty. “Everything we do must be aesthetic. What is beautiful fascinates people and exerts a great attraction. But that alone is not enough for us: we also strive to give beauty the brilliance of the extraordinary — be it in a Mercedes-Benz model or a property.”

Mercedes-Benz Places Dubai is a joint project between Mercedes-Benz and Binghatti Developers.

THE NEW STAR ON THE HOUSING MARKET

Attractiveness is a good keyword, because there is not enough interest in the 150 luxury apartments in the 365-metre-high building. Mercedes-Benz skyscraper in Dubai the German car manufacturer can’t complain, says Florian Haffa in Tom Junkersdorf’s “Tomorrow” podcast. As Founder and CEO of Brand Labs International, Haffa builds bridges between brands and real estate. This is also the case with Mercedes-Benz. “Branding gives the properties a form of seal of approval,” says Haffa. However, the high demand is also the result of an undeniable brand fetishism, which, in his opinion, almost all people carry within them. On average, customers are willing to pay 30 percent more for a property from their “love brand”. Around 700 projects of this type have been completed worldwide by 2023, with a further 600 in the pipeline and due to be completed by 2030. In the past ten years, the number of branded residences worldwide has risen by more than 160 percent. While the sector was dominated by luxury hotel chains in the past, there are now more and more lifestyle brands that are shaking up the sector with their projects. In addition to the automotive industry, these are primarily fashion brands and jewelry manufacturers. Although it seems to be a phenomenon that has only really taken off in the last ten years, the beginnings of branded residences date back almost 100 years. The opening of the New York apartment hotel The Sherry Netherland Hotel in 1927 is usually cited as the concrete starting point. The tallest hotel in the city at the time, it was the first property to offer 165 luxury apartments for sale. At the same time, the new owners had all the amenities of a luxury hotel at their disposal.

BEAM ME UP, PORSCHE

The fact that Gorden Wagener, as mentioned at the beginning, was at the forefront of the development of the two Mercedes-Benz skyscrapers says a lot about the role that design plays in transferring the brand identity to the real estate sector. A very big one. It is also fitting that many major automotive brands are increasingly relying on their design departments to help shape the overall brand identity. The term design now means much more than just the design of individual vehicles. “I find it incredibly exciting that we designers are becoming more and more involved in shaping the entire brand image. This has also changed the significance of design as a whole. In management positions, you suddenly become part of the overall corporate strategy,” says Porsche Head of Design Michael Mauer.

One of the highlights of the Porsche Design Tower Miami are the automated car elevators. The technically complex “Dezervator” has made it possible to integrate the car parking space into the living area.

With the Porsche Design Tower Miami, Porsche Design aims to transfer the characteristic attributes of the brand — functional design, technical innovation and pioneering technologies — to a residential real estate project.

In 2017, the manufacturer from Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen set the first standards in an area that had barely been explored with the 60-storey Porsche Design Tower in Miami. At Porsche, too, the design principles that apply to the cars span all areas belonging to the brand, explains Stefan Büscher, Chairman of the Management Board of Porsche LifestyleGmbH Co. GmbH Co KG. Functionality, reduction and timelessness — in conjunction with technical excellence — are at the heart of this. There are some parallels between the world of real estate and that of automotive development, he adds. “Both areas are united by the fact that they are technically very demanding. In addition to the design performance, i.e. the pure appearance, the focus is on the technical-functional aspect. Engineering performance therefore plays a much greater role than in other product categories. In addition, vehicles and even more so buildings have a very long life cycle. In addition to the enormous technical challenges, this also has a considerable influence on the design. This must inevitably be timeless and still up to date decades from now. In product categories with shorter life cycles, on the other hand, you can be more experimental and react more quickly to trends.” A third similarity is the high visibility in the public eye. “Outstanding and striking buildings as well as vehicles have a fundamental impact on the image of modern cities,” he concludes.

For Stefan Büscher, the Porsche Design Tower Miami is not only a symbol of architectural excellence, but also a testimony to the brand’s commitment to offering its customers ultra-exclusive experiences. “The idea of community is also central to this,” Büscher interjects, adding: “In English, they say: ‘It’s not about what you buy but what you buy into. We are very lucky that no automotive brand in the world has gained such a large, loyal and emotional community as Porsche over the decades. As Porsche Design, we take this on board and carry it forward with our products and projects. So it was not just about a technical and architectural achievement that offers dream spaces for its residents, but about a lighthouse and a unique community hub.”

At the design level, the company has remained true to the “form-follows-function” approach. He explains what this means in concrete terms as follows: “In line with our identity, we deliberately decided against design elements that have no function other than pure showmanship. Such an element does have a strong recognition value, but you quickly get tired of it, which clashes with the building’s long life cycle. An additional challenge with a building is that it is located in a public space and therefore has a relationship with its surroundings that we cannot influence, but which we have to take into account.” The highlight of the 60-storey tower is, of course, the patented, revolutionary car elevator system, which takes residents sitting in their vehicle to their luxurious home “in the clouds” — the “Dezervator” developed by Dezer Development. “Dezervator” developed byDezer Development. “The complexity of the system presented the developers and engineers with a number of novel design challenges,” says Büscher.

A DIAMOND FOR BENTLEY FANS

At the English luxury brand Bentley, both vehicles and real estate projects are the result of a deep passion for design, craftsmanship and individualization. Steven de Ploey, Director of Product and Marketing, is convinced that both cars and real estate are about offering customers luxurious moments with the wow factor. Together with Dezer Development and Sieger Suarez Architects, Bentley is currently building a 61-storey skyscraper in Miami, which is due to be completed by 2026. It is obvious that this will be an absolute luxury property. After all, if it says Bentley on it, it contains luxury. But what does luxury actually mean in 2024? “In my opinion, luxury today means that sustainability — coupled with a life in harmony with nature — is not just a trend, but a guiding principle. For us, this applies to all areas, from the car to the sustainable materials we use for the interior design of the Bentley Residences. Surfaces such as wood, leather and glass have been carefully selected to reflect the coastal environment in which the property is located. In addition, we want our clients to feel that their luxury residences are an extension of their personality and that they recognize the values they stand for,” answers Steven de Ploey.

Bentley Residences Miami is a collaboration between Bentley, Sieger Suarez Architects and Dezer Development, a company specializing in luxury real estate, and is scheduled for completion in 2027.

The Bentley Residences Miami will also be home to the innovative, patented “Dezervator” car elevator – just one of the many amenities of the luxury real estate project.

Chris Cooke, Head of Design Collaborations at Bentley, is convinced that the key to success lies in the attention to detail. “There are numerous references to our cars in the property — for example, Bentley’s signature diamond motif is reflected in the diamond-shaped glass façade panels and the diamond-shaped tiles in the lobby. Enthusiasts and connoisseurs will recognize further allusions. And then, of course, there is the patented transparent car elevator (“Dezervator”, note), which makes it possible to literally integrate the cars into the living space.” For Chris Cooke, luxury means, among other things, being prepared to go beyond classic shapes and sculptures and using traditional materials in innovative ways, while maintaining attention to detail and an unconditional commitment to quality.

CREATIVITY MEETS CRAFTSMANSHIP

The Italian design company Pininfarina, which is building a luxury skyscraper comprising 311 residential units in Dubai, is also committed to attention to detail and high quality standards. In addition, as in the automotive sector, the company strives to design buildings that are not only functional but also visually impressive. Among other things, this means integrating state-of-the-art building technologies in such a way that they blend in with the overall aesthetic, says Giovanni de Niederhäusern, Senior Vice President Architecture. Redefining luxury in the real estate sector by committing to an “economy of creativity” is one of the declared goals, he adds. “For us, this concept means moving away from traditional luxury to one that emphasizes the maximization of creative potential and the appreciation of craftsmanship — values that have always been at the heart of Pininfarina’s philosophy.” On a design level, the ICONIC Tower, which already bears the design goal in its name, is characterized by the fact that the residential floors are divided into three blocks. “This breaks up the monotony, makes the structure more dynamic and raises the visual appeal of the building to a new level. It will also reflect the energetic soul of Dubai and its constantly evolving landscape,” says de Niederhäusern, who has declared the real estate sector to be an important cornerstone for the further development of the brand. “Through our multidisciplinary expertise, we will hopefully be able to create not just buildings, but entire environments that reflect our values. Above all, this means positively influencing these environments with the combination of beauty and technology.”

ASTON MARTIN SAILS INTO THE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS

In a duel between Dubai and Miami, British luxury and racing car manufacturer Aston Martin opted for the latter location. A 66-storey skyscraper with a sail-like shape was built there. The glass façade and the curved shape are a reference to the aerodynamics of the vehicles, according to the manufacturer. “We have incorporated the speed, flexibility and feeling of the Aston Martin brand into both the exterior design and the interior design. Even the door handles on the apartments are a tribute to the Aston Martin door handles,” explains lead architect Rodolfo Miani in an interview. In addition to a two-storey fitness center with a view of the Atlantic, there is an art gallery, two cinemas, a virtual golf simulator, a business center and a conference room as well as a spa area, a beauty salon and a hairdressing salon. “This remarkable new project realizes our long-term vision of entering the world of luxury real estate and is the latest expression of Aston Martin’s evolution into an ultra-luxury brand,” Aston Martin said enthusiastically.

The Aston Martin Residences are intended to reflect the development of Aston Martin into an ultra-luxury brand.

Three bespoke interior styles have been created by the Aston Martin design team for the project: The Timeless collection embodies classic Aston Martin design and draws on the heritage of the British luxury brand to create a contemporary style, while the Covert collection is inspired by the interiors of darker vehicle concepts. Residents looking for an extra dose of luxury can opt for the Indulgent collection, which combines natural materials in a softer, calming color palette with a touch of theatricality. A new real estate project from Aston Martin is already in the planning stages and is being built on the man-made Al Marjan archipelago, which belongs to the United Arab Emirates. The project is being implemented in cooperation with the Dubai-based real estate developer DarGlobal. “This is the first time that Aston Martin’s design team has applied its knowledge and reputation to a real estate project in collaboration with the Gulf Cooperation Council and taken responsibility for the interior design,” the company says.

The Aston Martin Residences Miami offer salons and lounges, a state-of-the-art fitness center with spa, an infinity pool on the 55th floor, a private marina and much more.

For more than a century, Aston Martin has stood for outstanding automotive design – now the brand wants to transfer its design expertise to exclusive real estate projects.

The fact that living and driving are growing ever closer together is therefore not only due to the fact that vehicle interiors are being designed to be ever more homely – partly as a result of developments in the field of autonomous driving. Anyone who wants to can now bring the feeling of driving a Bentley or a Porsche into their own four walls. In the truest sense of the word – because with the “Dezervator”, the vehicle lift developed by Dezer Development, you can stay very close to your vehicle even when you are in a luxury apartment above the clouds of Dubai. So one question that will probably be asked more and more frequently in future is: “Are you living or just driving?”, although the use of the adverb “just” in connection with car brands such as Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz and the like may seem somewhat inappropriate.

Chapter  What brought you to Brooklyn Heights?

Robert Rieger  Over the last two years, I’ve been to New York several times on business and then spent some time there privately. Brooklyn Heights was of course also on the list of places I absolutely had to see. I found it incredibly fascinating to suddenly come from the loud and hectic life of New York to this quiet district that had fallen out of time. It was important to me to convey this sense of time travel with the photographs, which is why I deliberately excluded many references to the present day—cars, CCTV cameras or air conditioning systems—from the photographs.

Chapter  What makes it exciting for you to photograph in a setting that already contains elements of your visual signature?

Robert Rieger It is probably the case with many photographers that they familiarize themselves with themes that also fit into their visual language. But that doesn’t make photography any less complex, because dealing with light and styling is not always easy, especially in public spaces. You have to work around cars, passers-by, billboards and, of course, respect the residents. In terms of light, it is either necessary to plan very precisely when you take photos or you have to be lucky with the desired light.

Chapter  As a photographer, what importance do you personally attach to traditional media such as illustrated books and print of all kinds?

Robert Rieger  For me, it is extremely fascinating to work with the medium of books, as I don’t do much analog photography and grew up in the digital age. This makes it all the more important for me to consider every little detail—from the curation of the works to the smell and feel of the paper. Another crucial point is that, unlike in the digital world, any errors can no longer be corrected. In my opinion, this is precisely where the special appeal lies.

Chapter  Since the consumption of images mostly takes place within a digital framework, do you think that illustrated books still have the power to give the works depicted a greater appreciation?

Robert Rieger  Illustrated books are being appreciated more than ever because we look at so many photographs on displays, reception on paper is a completely different experience. It was important for me to develop a beautiful cover with the designer Maximilian Mauracher so that the book could be staged in rooms as an aesthetic object.

Façades of Brooklyn Heights by Robert Rieger, Hardcover, published by POOL Publishing

]]> https://chapter.digital/en/sha-wellness-clinic/ Mon, 25 Mar 2024 13:32:28 +0000 https://chapter.digital/sha-wellness-clinic/ With SHA Mexico Costa Mujeres, the highly specialized SHA Wellness Clinic is opening another location in the Mexican Caribbean at the beginning of the year. A paradise within a paradise, in other words, that sees the health of people and the environment as being intertwined.

Located in the state of Quintana Roo in the eastern part of the Yucatán peninsula, the new wellness paradise SHA Mexico Costa Mujeres rises high into the sky, between the emerald green of the mangrove forests and the infinite blue tones of the Caribbean.
The Mexican destination of the SHA Wellness Clinic not only offers its visitors a relaxing stay, but also combines this with health-promoting measures. A concept that is becoming more and more popular – away from treading water in thermal springs towards all-encompassing prevention in health matters with the help of state-of-the-art medicine, highly effective and first-class therapies.

A modern architectural concept is used to generate the desired external experience and internal result on a holistic level. Designed by the renowned Mexican architecture firm Sordo Madaleno, the structure of the multi-storey façade, which nestles against the coast in an undulating shape, echoes the double-stranded human genome. To the unqualified eye, the open design and clean aesthetics certainly also point to the purpose of the building—a modern wellness paradise—but the actual, ambitious dimensions of the promise of relaxation are only revealed inside the spacious complex. The wellness resort not only offers its guests a comfortable and relaxing stay, but also a variety of medical practice rooms with different specializations, all of which offer a fascinating view of the sea or the mangrove forests.

A state-of-the-art gym, yoga and meditation rooms, spa and hydrotherapy area provide spaces for body and mind to increase energy, strength and longevity. The fitness facilities are also complemented by indoor and outdoor training areas, including four different gyms, high-tech fitness equipment with a virtual reality jogging track, guided meditation walks and tennis and padel tennis courts, to name but a few. Other amenities include a movie theater, art exhibitions, a library, conference rooms and a cooking studio where workshops on healthy living are offered.

In keeping with the holistic approach, interior designer Alejandro Escudero brings together the interior and exterior of the complex by using carefully selected natural materials such as Mexican ceramics, wickerwork, local textiles and marble. In addition, the project made extensive use of natural building materials and renewable energy sources in order to minimize the impact on the surrounding landscape.

The lush tropical gardens were designed and laid out by architecture studio Maat Handasa, taking into account the natural habitat of native species. With its own white sandy beach and a natural spring, a »cenote«, SHA Mexico Costa Mujeres is located directly opposite the largest coral reef in the northern hemisphere, a marine ecosystem under species protection.

Guests have the option of arriving privately by plane or boat. A discreet heliport and jetty take you directly to one of the 35 residences, 100 rooms and suites, all of which have private balconies with panoramic views. An infinity pool and a beach club make it possible to enjoy the simple pleasures of Mexico between consultations, treatments and experiences. [DM]

While the prestigious Aman Hotels have expanded far beyond the physical dimensions of the original vision of »modest, warm hospitality of a gracious private home« since their inception in 1988, they remain true to the approach of creating a collection of retreats with maximum privacy, exceptional design and unparalleled service.

Located at one of the world’s most prestigious addresses—at the intersection of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevard—the mega-project comprising an Aman hotel, exclusive residences and the Aman Club, Aman Beverly Hills continues the brand’s strategic vision for growth in global cities, following the opening of Aman New York in 2022.
As in the past, long-time Aman collaboration partner Kerry Hill Architects (KHA) was commissioned to create the designs for the project. Known for their signature design and mindful approach, KHA has developed a context-sensitive design for the Aman Hotel, Club and Residences in Los Angeles.

The design by the architecture studio based in Australia and Singapore reflects the vibrancy of the metropolis and the unique garden setting of the project by retaining the feeling of an oasis despite the incredible architectural radiance. This is made possible by the contemporary aesthetics, a neutral color palette in harmony with the Californian nature and the use of natural materials such as stone and wood, which provide the necessary warmth in the wide, open spaces from which guests, owners and club members can enjoy a sweeping view over the city.

Aman Beverly Hills will include a 78-suite hotel as well as a limited number of private residences located in two landmark residential towers adjacent to the hotel. In addition, the Aman Club will offer various wellness facilities over an area of 100,000 square meters. This makes it the first independent Aman Club in the brand’s constellation. [Red.]

Winston Churchill once said: »First man shapes space, then space shapes man.« A statement that also made the city in the Mojave Desert the subject of research by American architects Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown and Steven Izenour. In their 1972 book »Learning from Las Vegas«—now a key text and classic of architectural theory—they interpret the desert city as the epitome of commercially oriented American urban planning and development. In doing so, Scott Brown, Venturi and Izenour also attempt to conclusively comprehend social issues—an undisputed fundamental component of the Las Vegas system.

City of Entertainment

One of the most famous buildings on the Las Vegas Strip—the Bellagio Las Vegas—is a good example of the impact this has on hotels in a city that is geared towards round-the-clock entertainment.
It is no surprise that the multifaceted social aspect plays a key role in modern hotel operations. In the context of a mega hotel like the Bellagio, however, it is an extremely complex construct that goes far beyond friendly, attentive staff. This must be able to move flexibly through the entire microcosm and, depending on requirements and design, be adapted to the most diverse needs, social backgrounds and expectations. This creates a very complicated interaction between the business and its visitors, between space and psyche, which calls for a regulated system, for example by means of exterior and interior design.

A stage for everyone

The Bellagio is an impressive building, with the main façade arranged in a semi-circle around a three-hectare lake—the Fountains of Bellagio—which at certain times throughout the day puts on spectacular water shows. Inside, visitors find themselves in what feels like a self-contained ecosystem that is seemingly capable of fulfilling all their needs. Such a complex, in which people with the most diverse requirements but similar concerns come together, requires not only a solid construction, but above all many well thought-out control mechanisms tailored to the physical and psychological aspects of the guests.

At the lowest level of the Bellagio in a casino area of 10,800 m² that operates around the clock, this includes not only the gigantic ventilation systems that filter the air in the room, the targeted use of light or the muffling of ambient noise by means of carpets, these are just some of the effective little tricks to turn time upside down.

ON EVERY LEVEL

Those who experience a lot also have to process a lot and so people’s needs are being channeled by letting them flow from the bottom to the top of the building. In this sense, the upper levels of the Bellagio microcosm offer a place of retreat, if used as such.

Light again plays a central role and influences activity vs. relaxation, promoting a day and night rhythm in an ambience where the boundaries are often fluid. In addition to large floor-to-ceiling windows, the monumental casino resort offers its visitors an impressive 3,950 elegantly furnished rooms, including luxurious marble bathrooms and many other modern amenities. The suites are located on the highest levels of the hotel, offer a private elevator, separate sleeping and living areas, a whirlpool bathtub and a butler service, all other wishes can certainly be fulfilled after a direct conversation. Of course, the service reflects the budget of the guests, although it should be noted that the Bellagio also offers people with average financial means more than initially expected because very customer’s satisfaction pays off and in the case of Las Vegas, this statement can be taken literally.

It seems almost unnecessary to mention the extensive gastronomic offering, which, in addition to bars geared towards entertainment and amazement, also includes stylish, international restaurants, cafés and what feels like countless other »lower-threshold« options for the city’s diverse clientele.

In an unorthodox desert metropolis like Las Vegas and the example of the Bellagio Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, much can be seen of the psychological power and effect of architecture as a starting point for further purpose- and profit-oriented design processes. What emerges is an adventurous form of so-called human-centered architecture, in which people are no longer the focus, but instead become part of a beautiful overall illusion that has always brought so many visitors to Las Vegas and the Bellagio. [DM]

The white poisonous mushroom

Arne Jacobsen’s most famous design is probably the so-called Ant Chair, which has been produced in variations without interruption since 1952 and has now been sold millions of times. However, only a few people know that the Danish architect and product designer designed a petrol station back in 1936 that bears a certain resemblance to the cult chair in its design language.

The Skovshoved gas Station, located in a northern suburb of Copenhagen, with its oval roof for the petrol pumps and the almost square building attached to it, looks like something out of a textbook on geometric shapes. The ticket booth and dispenser roof are connected by a narrow, rectangular element so that you are protected by a continuous canopy when it rains.

The round petrol pump roof is supported by a single, centrally arranged column, which gave the petrol station its nickname »Paddehadden«, Danish for poisonous mushroom. Arne Jacobsen was one of the very first architects to use this construction method, now known as the »mushroom« or »umbrella structure«, before it became extremely popular in the modernist movement of the 1940s and 1950s. In the style of Jacobsen’s functionalism, the dispensing station is restrained in terms of color, gleaming in glossy white. The facades of the former ticket booth, which now houses an ice cream parlor, are clad with vertically laid Meissen tiles. Practical, various oil and petrol stains are easy to wash off.

Especially at night, the Skovshoved Petrol Station  skillfully attracts the attention of motorists. Three lights are mounted on the central concrete column in such a way that they illuminate the oval roof above from below, making it look like a hovering UFO from a distance.
The filling station was originally designed as a prototype by Arne Jacobsen for the US oil company Texaco and was actually intended to be built in series at various locations. Unfortunately, this did not happen, which is why you don’t see any of these decorative toadstools on roadsides outside Skovshoved.

Fill up greener

Can a place whose primary goal is to sell fossil fuels be called environmentally sustainable? In the case of Helios House in Los Angeles, this question should at least not be answered directly and exclusively in the negative. The gas station, designed by Office dA (Monica Ponce de Leon and Nader Tehrani) in cooperation with Johnston Marklee Architects, was largely built using recycled materials. Maximum energy efficiency during construction and operation were also important aspects for the developers. The declared aim was for Helios House  to be greener than all previous filling stations.

The various roofs of the petrol station are either green, a natural form of insulation that drastically reduces the use of heating and air conditioning, or covered with solar panels, which saves almost three tons of CO₂ per year. The aesthetic centerpiece of the filling station is a shiny silver stainless steel construction, under which the pumps are lined up.

No fewer than 1,653 triangular steel elements were arranged in such a way that they refract the sunlight in such a way that hardly any electric lighting is required for daytime operation. In conjunction with energy-saving lamps, this saves a further 16 percent of electricity. Visually, the futuristic-looking metal shell of the filling station with its triangles is reminiscent of an abstract honeycomb. In this way, Helios House ‘s  appreciation of nature is also subtly emphasized visually. One can only hope that not too many passing Californian Tesla drivers regret switching to the electric vehicle, because that would probably not be in the spirit of sustainability.

The grace of a highway service station

During his time in office, some of the decisions made by Georgia’s former president Mikheil Saakashvili were not without controversy, but the success with which he promoted modern architecture in the young republic east of the Black Sea must also be acknowledged by political opponents.

In order to beautify the country, Saakashvili launched an architecture program in which various buildings were realized by internationally renowned architects. The office of German star architect Jürgen Mayer H. was directly entrusted with several projects in this context, including a service area at the gates of the capital Tbilisi.

Mayer H.’s typical signature is also unmistakable in this project. Hardly anyone else in his profession would be able to give such a massive concrete steel construction the same lightness that the Gori rest station  radiates. The abstracted form of the concrete pillars, which branch out in various directions, makes the building material lose its heaviness. Moreover, it almost seems as if it is the recessed, tinted glass fronts that support the concrete structure. This reinforces the impression of lightness of the building.

Completed in 2011, the Gori  gas station houses a service station as well as a supermarket and exhibition space for local artists and cultural events. So it’s no wonder that the building is now a kind of pilgrimage site for Georgian and international architecture enthusiasts. [AD]

Photo Credits:

Skovshoved Petrol Station – NILS KOENNING
Helios House – ERIC STAUDENMAIER
Gori rest stop – JESKO M. JOHNSSON-ZAHN

Vienna – Los Angeles

Directly after studying architecture with Otto Wagner at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, Rudolph M. Schindler emigrated to the United States in 1914. Alongside his compatriot Richard Neutra and other illustrious names such as Gropius and Mies van der Rohe, he quickly became one of the most respected representatives of a new, progressive architectural development, the »Neues Bauen«.

Already in his manifesto of 1912 – later published under the title “Space Architecture« – he records his interpretation of space as the medium of an architect’s art and in this context also speaks of Frank Lloyd Wright as a »space architect”, who with his open space concept had a formative influence on Schindler’s practice and for whose architectural firm he worked for four years. Among Wright’s commissions, he supervised the construction of the legendary Hollyhock House in East Hollywood, built for oil heiress Aline Barnsdall.

PROTOTYP

Schindler’s philosophy of »spatial architecture« is probably best exemplified by his own home on Kings Road in West Hollywood. The structure now known as Schindler House can be seen as a model house of his work, which, with the exception of a manageable number of larger buildings, focuses exclusively on the single-family home.

If it was primarily Schindler’s wife Pauline Schindler who was interested in alternative models of living together, a stay in Yosemite National Park in California consequently inspired the architect to rethink the common model of a »residential house« as such and provided the final impetus for the realization of the building designed for two couples.

Schindler’s translation of the structures of the campground there expressed itself through the open space concept of living and open spaces that was so central to him. In the spirit of a modern form of living together is not only the attached guest apartment, but also the two overlapping L-shaped residential complexes, where the interlocking volumes of space were used as a common room and kitchen. Schindler’s new ideas for space are also evident in the way the interiors are structured with simple cubic forms, freestanding wall panels, and large window walls that open up the space to the garden area and connect them fluidly. He continues these clear design principles in the interior design as well – his simple furniture designs are an integral part of the overall concept, which is based above all on the pursuit of practicality.

In prestigious company

The formal spatial situation of the house allowed the Schindlers to live their idea of modern living together within a community. From the completion of the building in the early summer of 1922, they lived not only with the friendly couple, contractor Clyde Chace and his wife Marian Chace, until the summer of 1924, but also with his colleague Richard Neutra and his family for several years from 1925.

As a workspace and retreat for individual development, all residents had their own studio room at their disposal; there were four in total. The sleeping-porches, however, were located on the flat roof of the house, made possible by the mild Californian climate, and covered with canvas to protect them from sun and rain.

The complex natural conditions of nature were an aspect of building that Schindler always carefully considered in his planning. Originally, the house stood on extensive undeveloped land and was designed to be part of a large garden complex that corresponded with the typical expanse of the California landscape. A perfect backdrop, which over the years, despite numerous efforts to prevent this, had to give way to newly built apartment complexes.

MAK Center Los Angeles

Since 1994, the Schindler House has been operated as a dependence of the
MAK
Vienna since 1994. As a California branch, the MAK Center Los Angeles is based in three of Rudolph M. Schindler’s most architecturally significant houses. In addition to the Schindler House, the Fitzpatrick-Leland House (1936) and the Mackey Apartments (1939) will be used as sites for research, art production, and interdisciplinary dialogue. [DM]

Greta Magnusson Grossman’s footprint in the history of American mid-century design should actually be clearly defined and of impressive depth. It is therefore all the more astonishing that the Swedish-born designer, who emigrated to the USA with her husband in 1940 and caused a sensation there shortly after her arrival, was never really recognized as one of those designers who helped write the design and architectural history of the 20th century with a clear signature. Instead of clear footprints: tiny footnotes. However, if you embark on a search for clues, which is not always easy, you will discover the unique work of a far-sighted pioneer.

In 1906, Greta M. Grossman—then still Greta Magnusson—was born into a family of carpenters in the south of Sweden. The house she grew up in was built by her grandfather himself. Before studying at the renowned design and art academy Konstfack in Stockholm, she tried to continue this tradition and began training as a carpenter. Even decades later, she would always talk about how deeply rooted she felt in the craftsmanship of her parents’ and grandparents’ generation. »I have wood in my soul,« she once said in an interview with the American magazine House & Garden.

At the age of just 27, Grossman was the first woman ever to be awarded the prize for »Good Furniture Design« by the Swedish Society for Industrial Design, and she also decided to study architecture after attending Konstfack. In the meantime, she applied to join the design team of a well-known Swedish department store and was promptly rejected. The reason given was that they had no rooms for women. Grossman’s graduation, a travel scholarship that took her to Vienna, among other places, in 1931, and her start as a professional designer coincided ideally with the growing international interest in Swedish design. »The world will look up to Sweden as the supreme exponent of Modernism which has succeeded in finding its own soul and embellishing itself with a purely mechanistic grace«, declared the journalist and architecture critic Morton Shand on the occasion of the Stockholm Exhibition of 1930, which was extremely successful with around four million visitors.

SWEDISH DESIGN IN CALIFORNIA

In 1940, the designer and architect emigrated to the USA with her husband, the jazz musician Billy Grossman. As Billy Grossman was of Jewish origin and Sweden proclaimed neutrality to the outside world but maintained close economic ties with the Third Reich, the couple no longer felt safe in their home country. They traveled by plane and train through the Soviet Union, went by ship to Japan and then by ocean liner to San Francisco, where they arrived on July 27, 1940.

Interior view of Greta M. Grossman’s house on Claircrest Drive in Beverly Hills, 1956-57

She opened her first own store studio shortly after her arrival, where she showed her own designs as well as products by other Scandinavian designers, and set up shop on the world-famous Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles. Once she had built up a customer base and felt she had arrived on the Californian design scene, she decided to move her studio from the posh address to a more affordable location on North Highland Avenue in Hollywood. Her statement that she didn’t need much more than »a car and some shorts« for her new start in the USA not only became the title of a comprehensive retrospective in Stockholm (2010), but also allows conclusions to be drawn about her design philosophy. »Filling every inch of the room with furniture may seem to avoid wasted space—until you find much cannot be used anyway«, she explained with her typical clarity of expression in a 1949 interview with the LA Times. In 1945, she summed up her desire for simplicity: »Simplicity must be the keynote today in any development of the pattern of living. We cannot live in the Victorian style of yesteryear and expect to survive the pressures that go with modern life. We need to free ourselves from all décor that may hamper our outlook, if not our actions.«

Her thoughts on contemporary design were always characterized by a strong claim to functionality, which she occasionally added with a wink. In an interview with American Artist magazine, she pointed out the influence of the fact that most homeowners have to get by without employees. »So, the modern architect and designer must provide average modern housekeepers with an environment that can be kept clean without a retinue of butlers and maids… She requires simple, polished surfaces on her tables, chests, etc. No intricate carvings please, says the modern housekeeper who does her own work.« In theory, this left women, who were still much more stuck in the corset of traditional roles than they are today, more time to deal with things that were less about housework and more about self-fulfilment. Today, one could therefore say that this statement already contained a gently flickering feminist train of thought.

Coffee table Ironing Board, manufactured by Glenn of California, 1954

The success of her work was not long in coming, partly because the aesthetics of European modernism were at the top of the popularity scale in the USA at the time. In 1939, a year before her arrival, the Swedish pavilion at the New York World’s Fair had already attracted a great deal of attention. The architecture critic Lewis Mumford described it in the New Yorker as a »miracle of elegant simplicity«. According to the former director of the Isamu Noguchi Foundation and the Drawing Center Brett Littman, Grossman’s designs and her studio succeeded in merging Scandinavian Good Design with the American ideal of a Casual Lifestyle. »The Scandinavian Good Design movement really comes out of social thinking, about good design for people—we should make beautiful objects that are affordable, that people can put in their homes,« says Littman and continues: »The American modernist movement also has some of those same ideas, but maybe a little bit less of the kind of social democracy concept behind it.«

Scandinavian Good Design: Grossman’s designs, produced by Glenn of California, 1952

It wasn’t long before artists such as Frank Sinatra, Greta Garbo, Ingrid Bergman, Gracie Allen and Joan Fontaine were coming and going at Greta M. Grossman’s. She also managed to secure deals with well-known furniture companies such as Barker Brothers, Modern Line, Glenn of California and Sherman Bertram. Her work has also been shown in group exhibitions with other sought-after designers. Grossman was also known for her lavish parties and her networking skills.

COBRA AND GRASSHOPPER

During her early years in the USA, Greta M. Grossman initially concentrated on furniture and lighting design. Her designs always corresponded to the modern Scandinavian design language that American design enthusiasts were craving at the time, but at the same time always had a spark of stubbornness. The clearly recognizable influence of Mies van der Rohe and other Bauhaus artists did nothing to change the fundamental independence of her objects, the most famous of which include the two lamps Gräshoppa (1948) and Cobra (1949). The simplicity of her designs was also accompanied by a preference for technical sophistication, which can possibly be traced back to Grossman’s beginnings as a cabinetmaker. Some of their luminaires have flexible necks and swivel ball pins on the lampshades.

Gräshoppa lamp, produced by Ralph O. Smith, 1947-48

Unlike her luminaires, which can be adjusted in various ways, Grossman always remained true to her own stance. She countered the prevailing assumption at the time that women could not be assigned mechanically complex tasks, for example, in the following way: »The old idea that women are not as good as men at mechanical work is stuff and nonsense,« Grossman wrote in an issue of the American Artist Magazine. »The only advantage a man has in furniture designing is his greater physical strength.« The design of the furniture produced to this day Gräshoppa also suggests that Greta M. Grossman approached her profession with a sense of humor.

In 1952, Grossman designed a famous furniture series for Glenn of California, which she called the 62 Series because she was convinced that the series of tables and chests of drawers was easily ten years ahead of its time. The 62 Series is one of the designer and architect’s best-known designs. »What I like about her work is the kind of simplicity of it, the sophistication of the engineering, and aesthetically, sometimes they can kind of just disappear into the landscape of your apartment,« Littman notes. »They don’t necessarily call a lot of attention to themselves, but they’re all very functional and useful.«

Grossman’s architectural designs were mostly realized on structurally complicated hillside plots;

Claircrest Drive, Beverly Hills, 1956-57

At the end of the 1940s, Greta M. Grossman began to devote herself increasingly to architecture. Around 14 small houses were built in and around LA. Many of these houses, which were mostly built on structurally complicated hillside plots and of which only a few remain today, can be seen as harbingers of today’s Tiny House movement, as they were characterized by built-in features, multi-purpose rooms and numerous multifunctional interior and exterior designs. As an architect, she believed that a home should be a place of refuge and happiness, not a place to flee from. At least that’s how she summed it up in an interview with the LA Times.

MARGINAL FIGURE DESPITE REVIVAL

In 1966, Greta M. Grossman moved with her husband to Encinitas near San Diego and thus withdrew from the design scene. While she devoted herself to landscape painting, her work was increasingly forgotten. Even before her move, she repeatedly expressed disillusionment when it came to the world of architecture and furniture and product design. She said: »We have lost our searching for design that fits the time we are living in. And our design does not start from within, it starts from without. Current design is not thought through and it is not original.« Billy Grossman died in 1978, Greta M. Grossman 20 years later.

Today, Grossman’s designs are being reissued by Danish furniture manufacturer GUBI:

Gräshoppa table lamp, 2013
Gräshoppa floor lamps, 2011
62 Chest of drawers from the 62 Series, 2012

In 2012, her work experienced a small renaissance when Danish manufacturer GUBI decided to reissue some of her most iconic designs. These include the aforementioned 62 Series and the two luminaires Cobra and Gräshoppa. In the same year, one of her aluminum and brass lamps was sold at auction for 37,500 pounds. This small wave of attention did not, however, wash Greta Magnusson Grossman back into the design canon. Although she was the only female designer and architect to even run her own architecture and design studio at a time when the design and architecture scene was populated by only a handful of women, she was not declared an icon after her withdrawal from the world of design, but rather marginalized. In an article published in the magazine Art Papers essay published in 2013, author Arianna Schioldager poses the question that naturally arises: »Why has design pioneer Greta Magnusson Grossman so long remained a footnote in the annals of mid-century modern history, even in the midst of her own revival?«

Harriet Harriss & Naomi House: »Greta Magnusson Grossman. Modern Design from Sweden to California«.

Lund Humphries, 2021

In their essay »Greta Magnusson Grossman: Living in a modern way«, Harriet Harriss and Naomi House propose the following explanatory approach, among others: »In its very principles, modernism established a clear distinction between home and work, the private and the public—and so there is palpable discomfort in the non-binary position presented by professional women who occupy both spheres.« In addition, other—usually structurally anchored—factors also played a decisive role in the struggle for visibility, representation and recognition. Greta M. Grossman, who likes to dance at several weddings (and parties) and has already attended the Konstfack experimented with different art styles and materials and then also studied architecture did not seem to fit into the picture at the time, let alone into a fixed framework. One thing is certain in any case: it is worth uncovering their large footprints and not being satisfied with a few small footnotes.

In the heart of West Hollywood, between the legendary Santa Monica Boulevard nightlife district, prestigious Melrose Avenue and tranquil West Hollywood Park, rise the striking monolithic buildings of the Pacific Design Center (PDC). Designed in 1975 by renowned Argentine architect Cesar Pelli, the trio of postmodern glass buildings functioned for many years as the West Coast flagship of contemporary design. And even though the imposing building complex has struggled for many years with a high vacancy rate and a variety of image and acceptance problems, it is still considered an architecturally significant building with great relevance for the local design scene.

With its considerable size, which offers a total floor space of more than 14 hectares, the Pacific Design Center currently houses, in addition to countless office spaces, more than 70 design showrooms and presents more than 2,000 brands of the most diverse design directions, including the traditional British brands Farrow & Ball or George Smith, the design studio EuroConcept Kitchen, which presents quality brands such as Sub-Zero/Wolf or Miele, or the American Society of Interior Designers.

As early as 1975, the blue colossus, perceived by many as particularly disproportionate and quickly christened the »Blue Whale«, laid the ambitious foundation stone of the Pacific Design Center. With the »Green Building« in 1988 and the tapered modern office complex »Red Building« in 2012, the characteristic trio of buildings finally found its current form. The architecture of the PDC was always designed to combine minimalist aesthetics, form and function: Among other things, the primary-colored glass facades, which shine almost like gemstones in the characteristic Californian sunlight, are also intended to flood the spacious and openly designed interiors with sufficient light, create an appealing atmosphere and, in particular, also reduce energy consumption.

In any case, that use of glass, in combination with steel and concrete, still gives the complex an unmistakable industrial-minimalist touch, while in the interior, warm wood and marble elements have also been used in contrast to ensure a balanced, welcoming atmosphere. Between the three buildings, you’ll also find expansive courtyards designed as green oases lined with tall palm trees to offer peace and relaxation, and – like the myriad indoor event venues – serve as venues for a variety of cultural events.

Conceived as a hub for creativity and design, the enormous floor space and resulting occupancy problems over the years have also led to the arrival of many well-known companies outside the design industry as tenants, including outsourced laboratories of the nearby Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the L.A. branch of international coworking space pioneer WeWork, and offices of the dating platform Grindr. The PDC also features two restaurants, a fitness center designed by renowned designer and architect Michael Graves, and expansive event spaces that have been used for high-profile film premieres, exhibitions, conferences, and even parties (including Elton John’s legendary Oscar afterparty).

The creative use of the available space for companies outside the design industry and the nevertheless constant occupancy problems are mainly due to the demand for (physical) exhibition facilities and spaces for design products, which has been drastically decreasing for many years, explains a spokesperson for the PDC. Critics from the local (design) community in West Hollywood, on the other hand, complain that the Pacific Design Center was designed to be disproportionately large for its purpose right from the start – and that it lacks harmony with the surrounding architectural identity of West Hollywood. Moreover, it no longer meets the requirements of a modern center for contemporary design – the atmosphere is more like that of an eighties shopping mall than that of a creative hub for design innovation, it is said. While it was once bustling with activity, one can currently walk through aisles of the center and not see or hear another person.

The PDC‘s exclusive by-appointment-only concept, which restricts access to interested parties, also seems a somewhat curious contrast to the open architecture, the self-proclaimed concept of the international creative hub, and the ubiquitous, literally open-minded spirit of the City of West Hollywood. Probably for this reason, the current operators of the design center have recognized that the identity and concept of the PDC must be redefined in order to meet the demands of the market on the one hand and to create a new relevance in the design scene of L.A. and beyond on the other. Courage to reflect and broaden horizons towards an inclusive, cosmopolitan center for diversity and creativity – in keeping with the original intent. [Red.]

Vienna in transition

Loos Bar, originally titled Kärntner Bar  or American Bar, opened in 1908 as one of the first »American Bars« in Vienna. Thus, the bar was part of a movement that first introduced Viennese nightlife to American-style cocktail bars and British gentlemen’s clubs. Furthermore, the bar created an alternative space to the more sophisticated coffee house. Originally, Loos Bar  was exclusive to male visitors, but this changed just five weeks after the opening. As Claire Loos, Adolf Loos’ third wife, describes in her memoirs: »The women forced their way in.«

The beginning of the 20th century in Vienna was characterized not only by political and social tensions, but also by different artistic movements and conflicts. While the Wiener Werkstätte aesthetic dominated in art and architecture, Loos Bar exhibited avant-garde approaches in its design, which, however, could not entirely escape the influence of the Secessionists.

Structures and breaks

Entering Loos Bar, an illuminated mosaic sign first tilts down from diagonally above at the entrance, revealing the words Kärntner Bar  against the backdrop of the U.S. flag. Four marble columns frame the windows and entrance, separating the outside from the inside of the bar. Inside, checkerboard-pattern floor tiles meet square panels of onyx over the entryway, a coffered ceiling, and dark marble columns that evenly texture the space. At approximately six by four meters, an intimate atmosphere is created through dark color schemes, targeted lighting and materials in their original state. While mahogany wood clads the lower half of the walls, the upper half of the room breaks with the limited space through visual expansiveness. The graphically uniform marble frieze repeats seemingly endlessly in the mirror covering. The furnishings consists of the bar that runs the length of the room, low seating in green leather and eye-catching tables with octagonal plates made from illuminated frosted glass.

Marianne Kohn, known as the »Queen of the Night« and manager of the Viennese cult club U4 in the Eighties, took over Loos Bar  as managing director in 1995. Under her management, the bar established itself as one of Vienna’s most important cultural spots – Kohn herself describes it as an institution. There is only one  bar in Vienna, people tend to say about Loos Bar. For one thing, its unique position is due to the incomparable atmosphere in a confined space, and then also to the diverse clientele, which ranges from well-known personalities and architecture lovers to curious admirers. [LM]

For the realization of the »Green City in the City« concept, the site of the abandoned Matarazzo Hospital was chosen, situated in a prime location near Avenida Paulista, one of the city’s most important boulevards. On a total of 45,000 square meters, 10,000 trees were planted, the existing hospital buildings were renovated and converted, and additional new buildings were also constructed to create a place of environmentally conscious well-being. Besides offices, apartments, restaurants and hotels, Cidade Matarazzo also includes cultural and conference centers, a campus and an organic supermarket. The project can claim to be Brazil’s largest monument restoration to date.

Mata Atlantic Tower by Jean Nouvel

The Cidade Matarazzo proves that ecological awareness and design standards are not necessarily mutually exclusive. The most striking building in the complex is probably the newly built Mata Atlantic Tower, a 32-story skyscraper designed by Pritzker Prize winner Jean Nouvel. With 200 trees up to 14 meters forming a vertical forest along the facade, the tower is not only an architectural work of art, but rather a political statement and a symbol of resistance against the destruction of nature, which has reached its sad climax in recent years under Bolsonaro. Rosewood Hotel São Paulo, one of the city’s most luxurious hotels, is located inside the vertical forest. None other than Philippe Starck is responsible for the interior design of the hotel, which includes Nouvel’s tower and a renovated villa that was formerly a maternity ward.

Starck’s signature is unmistakable, but in keeping with the project, it appears more nature-oriented than one is used to from him. This is probably due to the fact that Starck was encouraged by the inventor and founder of Cidade Matarazzo, Alexandre Allard, to work exclusively with Brazilian raw materials. Wood is omnipresent as a material, naturally deriving from sustainable and local cultivation. During the construction process it was already clear to keep the carbon footprint of the project as low as possible by avoiding long transport routes of materials.

A holistic concept

Cidade Matarazzo is not just about appearances, which is proven by the holistic approach in which the project was created. While star architects and innovation hubs generate the necessary public attention, it is the less obvious structures that significantly shape the project. What is not immediately apparent to visitors at first glance is that the entire facility is powered exclusively by renewable energy. Moreover, the company has invested in its own water reclamation system to save resources. In addition to a completely sustainable supply chain for the facility’s restaurants, a program has also been initiated to train farmers in organic farming and make them aware of the dangers of monoculture. In the near future, new sustainable methods and technologies will be tested and other farmers will be trained on a model farm belonging to Cidade Matarazzo. So there is no question of greenwashing in the luxury segment; Cidade Matarazzo is in fact a successful attempt to combine aesthetics, innovation, enjoyment and sustainability. [AD]

Whether as an actress in the theater or as a photographer, for Anastasiia Duvallie, telling a story credibly requires a mixture of an unconditional desire for personal expression and raw honesty. In her spontaneously created series of photographs, she takes a look at Philip Johnson’s Glass House shaped by the theater stage and, as the director of the series, intuitively follows the given architectural conditions. The result is a seemingly intimate work that also makes the presence of the person behind the camera palpable.

Chapter Originally being a theater actress, how has your background in drama shaped your visual aesthetics?

Anastasiia Duvallie Being in drama for almost 14 years, I feel like what it taught me is less about visual aesthetics and more about the internal reality. I learned a lot about myself and people in general. It made me become more comfortable with being uncomfortable––staying open and honest should be a goal in any form of art.

When it comes to photography my theater background helped me realize what »connection« actually means, in terms of how much you are able to feel and how deep you can dig. Sometimes it feels scary to know how much I’m telling through my work, especially photography, but it still feels safe in a way that nobody really knows about it. On the other hand, performing a story on stage you might think it is somebody else’s, but it is still you reacting to different circumstances. I think, photography in itself is even more vulnerably honest since you are the one creating it following your own story. In that sense, even commercial work feels personal to me. In conclusion, I think before creating anything we should just find the »human« inside us, not creativity but literally a human with its body and soul––and that’s the blurred line for me between theater and photography.

Chapter Your images of The Glass House built by Philip Johnson seem very much like an imaginative reflection of the actual architecture and linear composition of the interior––how did this series come to life?

Anastasiia Duvallie Thinking about it, I realized it is not easy for me to answer that question because at first it wasn’t about the house but me wanting to be surrounded by nature. The Glass House attracted me by its simplicity and quiet respectful interaction with nature––co-existing in balance, complementing and granting each other space to breathe. When I came there I did not have a plan as what to create, it was very intuitive and maybe that is why the outcome looks like a personal reflection of the actual architecture: I did not try to do something seemingly artistic––I was trusting the space and followed its geometry.

Chapter Being an autodidact in the field of photography, what role do intuition and emotion play in the process?

Anastasiia Duvallie I feel both intuition and emotion play a major part in the process. Without connecting and listening to your inner self, the creations are meaningless. In a modern world, following your intuition and trusting your emotions is risky and very scary which is why I feel like even photographers considered as being good at what they do sometimes are playing on the safe side by just offering trained skills. Transporting feelings comes from opening up and taking that emotional risk in your art. If the outcome isn’t what you intended it to be or even bad, at least you were honest with yourself which means you are being honest with others too.

Chapter In general, how much do you think the evolution of artistic expression is tied to personal growth?

Anastasiia Duvallie I think it is so deeply connected. When I look at my early photography starting 2017 I can tell how new to this world I was as my photography was very experimental. Thinking back, I feel like I just didn’t want to reveal too much of myself or maybe I just didn’t know how to do it. I believe that photography as art is about love and wisdom. Those two things take on different meanings throughout life, changing and evolving the artist’s work by reflecting the concept of it continuously.

Chapter Talks | Episode 19 | Host Timo Schmitt | Production Dzenana Mujadzic, Clemens Steinmüller | Music XTMPLX – “Mind Control”

Under the guiding principle »Health is Freedom,« Lanserhof has spent the past three decades combining naturopathy with cutting-edge medicine, placing particular emphasis on regeneration and, above all, prevention. Following the opening of its original location in Lans, Tyrol, in 1974, the luxury health resort expanded to Lake Tegernsee, Hamburg and London. Its Sylt location opened in August 2022 after an intensive five-year construction period.

Shared vision

As with the Lanserhof properties at Lake Tegernsee and in Lans, the Sylt project was led by internationally renowned Düsseldorf-based architect Christoph Ingenhoven. His firm, ingenhoven associates, was responsible not only for the design of the €130 million building, but also for the entire interior architecture and landscape planning. The central challenge was to develop a more environmentally sensitive architectural concept while complying with the island’s strict heritage and nature conservation requirements.

Creating a connection

Built on the site of a former military barracks, the complex comprises five buildings arranged around the preserved officers’ mess from the 1930s, which forms the heart of the ensemble. Understated yet striking, the main building’s traditional thatched roof rises organically from the surrounding dunes.

Reflecting the project’s aim to create harmony between people, nature and architecture, the design draws on a roofing technique deeply rooted in the North German coastal region and makes use of a locally available material. Covering a total area of 7,000 square metres, the roof is both an architectural statement and a clear expression of the project’s commitment to a sensitive relationship with its natural surroundings.

A subtle departure from traditional construction is introduced by the loggias, integrated into a thatched roof of this kind for the first time. They provide private outdoor spaces and panoramic views across List Harbour and the adjoining protected landscape. This contemporary yet cohesive approach continues in the continuous timber-and-glass façade, which lends the building an almost weightless appearance while creating a sense of openness and connection to the surroundings within.

The main building’s flowing, pared-back architecture takes its cue from the surrounding dunes, carrying its timeless, softly contoured design language into the interior. It culminates in the atrium, where a 14.3-metre-high, two-metre-wide circular open staircase forms the building’s central artery, connecting the corridors across all five floors.

On every level

The medical emphasis on prevention is reflected not only in the treatment concept, but also in the design and construction of the resort, together with its careful consideration of the environment. Energy-efficient, resource-conscious construction significantly reduces the building’s energy requirements, while ecological materials selected for their compatibility with human health were used throughout the complex.

A green cleaning system uses micro-dry steam to eliminate germs and viruses without chemical cleaning agents, while reducing water consumption, time, labour and costs. In cooperation with Mercedes-Benz, an electric saloon shuttle also provides guests with a comfortable, emission-free arrival and departure.

In March 2023, the exclusive health resort, which combines medical expertise with five-star comfort, received the prestigious MIPIM Award in the category Best Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Project. [DM]