Identity - November 2010

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Gang architecture: Chicago on a high
Counter culture: beyond the culinary
Deira revisited: crossing the creek
Latin duo: The Campana’s eco beat
Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone Authority
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INSIDE
identity
NOVEMBER 2010
Cover: Studio Gang’s Aqua

Tower. Photography: Eric
Hausman.
SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGE. PHOTOGRAPHY: STEVE HALL © HEDRICH BLESSING
AL QARAOUIYINE MOSQUE
BOLON FLOORING
24 28
80 86
FEATURES
24 Sparking interest 80 Gang leader

An exploding car installation, NASA-inspired art and human-centric Jeanne Gang speaks about reaching new heights through the
designs were on show at London’s Tramshed exhibition. Studio Gang-designed Aqua Tower in Chicago.
30 Urban renewal 86 Designs for life

Architectural concepts in Sydney, New York, Arizona and The Agha Khan Architectural Awards recognise works fostering the
California display some leading-edge green initiatives. greater good, with a number of MENA projects shortlisted in 2010.
68 Monochrome magic 124 A family affair

Über-modern design and panoramic views define this Miami Internationally-renowned Brazilian brothers Fernando and
beach apartment from Florida’s Nieto Designs. Humberto Campana are guests at this year’s Abu Dhabi Art show.
74 Inorganic elegance
Rodolfo Dordoni talks to identity about his latest project for
Kettal, his refined style and why he loves his work so much.
November 2010 19
Furnishing is the outer expression of our inner style.
Philipp Selva Home.
Foto: Vogelsänger Studios, Germany
Selva Middle East L.L.C.

Sheikh Zayed Road, 4th interchange, Dubai
Tel. +971 4 3411933 Fax +971 4 3411799 info@selva-me.ae
Home Design Store, Mall of Emirates,1st Floor, Shop F8, Dubai
www.selva.com
INSIDE
identity
®
DESIGN FORMULA
ISSUE 86
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Obaid Humaid Al Tayer
GROUP EDITOR & MANAGING PARTNER
Ian Fairservice
GROUP SENIOR EDITOR
Gina Johnson | gina@motivate.ae
GROUP EDITOR
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FEATURES EDITOR
ALESSI
Dorothy Waldman | dorothy@motivate.ae
CHIEF SUB-EDITOR
Iain Smith | iains@motivate.ae
43 A taste of tomorrow
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Modern kitchens combine functionality, technology,
Belinda Igaya | belinda@motivate.ae
eco-friendly materials and smart design in reimagining
ART DIRECTOR the multi-use nature of this space, which goes well
Karen Evans | karene@motivate.ae
beyond simple culinary utility.
GENERAL MANAGER – PRODUCTION AND CIRCULATION
S Sasidharan | sasidharan@motivate.ae
MANAGER – PRODUCTION
C Sudhakar | sudhakar@motivate.ae
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November 2010 21
EDITORIAL
Talent recognition
The UAE’s leading architectural practices, design firms and developers
walked away clutching the lion’s share at this year’s International Property
Awards (Arabia).
Burj Khalifa, Dubai’s 700 metre-plus mega multi-use tower designed by SOM
of Chicago, was unsurprisingly among this year’s winners, as was Ferrari World,
the world’s largest indoor amusement park, Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Beach Golf
Course and the iconic Yas Hotel. WA interior architects, creators of Emaar’s
flagship hotel The Address, took the prize for best hotel interior.
The Woods Bagot-designed Qatar Science and Technology Park was
recognised as the Best Commercial Building and Architecture – the concept is
expected to set a new global benchmark for science parks. Part of the Qatar
Foundation’s Education City, the architecturally striking Emerging Technology
building has a floor area of 98,500 square metres.
The design sector remains upbeat as numerous projects are handed over and
a number of new schemes are being tendered. Work continues at a feverish
pace at the WA-designed One&Only The Palm Jumeirah, which is gearing up to
welcome its first guests in mid-November. Clockwise from top left: Patrick Frey, Beau McClellan;
There has been much design excitement at The Dubai Mall, where a number Ferrari World.
of Comité Colbert luxury product design events have been held, which saw
the likes of Patrick Frey mingling with clients old and new. Active in the Middle
East for the past 40 years, the family owned company’s Pierre Frey, Braquenie,
Fadini Borghi and Boussac collections are now available at Bloomingdales.
Across at Mall of the Emirate’s new Fashion Dome, the new 360 square
metre Bottega Veneta store is yet another example of the increasing importance
designers are placing on retail interiors in the region and beyond. Using the
finest leathers, wools, woods and metals, creative director Tomas Maier
custom-designed everything, from the aerodynamically shaped window louvers
of palm wood to the enormous VIP suite.
Sustainability remains the buzz word in just about every sector, including
lighting. This formed the focus for much of the annual Light Middle East show,
which attracted an impressive line-up of speakers, including Beau McClellan, the
Scottish designer who created the world’s largest chandelier that enjoys pride
of place in Doha’s Hitmi Building. McClellan spoke about how sustainability
concerns should not affect the scale of design.
Jonathan Speirs, among the world’s most respected light architects, also
spoke at the show, presenting on the challenges of lighting one of the world’s
largest mosques, the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nayan mosque in Abu Dhabi.
PHOTOGRAPHY: VIKRAM GAWDE
Interiors are very much on people’s minds as Dubai prepared to host the
20th annual INDEX show, which organisers hope will raise the standard of
design shows in the region. Visit the id stand and meet the id team from
November 8 to11.
Group Editor Catherine Belbin.
November 2010 23
Sparking interest
Exploding cars and emotional design were on show in a disused East
London tram shed during the London Design Festival. TEXT: RICHARD WARREN
In the late 1980s, Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and other young British Deborah Spencer and the design distributor De la Espada, with creative
artists used redundant warehouses in East London to exhibit their work direction by Andrew Figueira, The Tramshed formed part of the London
and, in 2000, the Tate Modern Art Gallery opened in the former Bankside Design Festival. Encouraged by having received 6,000 visitors during the
Power Station on the south bank of the River Thames. So it seems natural five-day exhibition, the organisers will run an event for next year’s design
for a contemporary design exhibition to be held in a building used to festival, but at a different venue. “We intend to move venues each year to
generate electricity for trams 100 years ago, especially since it is in an area keep the show fresh and invigorating,” Spencer says.
overflowing with creative energy. Tramshed highlights included bespoke furniture maker Benchmark’s
Held in the century-old former Shoreditch tram system power station craftsmen completing orders at a temporary workshop in front of visitors.
in east London, The Tramshed exhibition showcased 25 international Human Made, an exhibition of “emotional design” by six designers focused
design brands, between September 22 and 26. It was a fitting setting as on human involvement with furniture, from conceiving an idea for a piece,
Shoreditch and neighbouring Hoxton have become home to many artists to making it, and finally to using it. Dwelling Lab, a sculpture centred on a
and creative businesses over the past decade. Organised by Alice Breed, BMW car, was the third showpiece.
Scin deep
British company SCIN (pronounced skin) showcased surfaces and
other materials they source for customers. The company was founded
by Annabelle Filer and Graham Cox, who developed an interest in
materials research through their work as designers, and to find new
techniques and products they work with materials experts from
across the world, including NASA researchers and PHD students.
Their discoveries range from printing on water to Russian birch
bark wallpaper to urethane “soft gem” panels. “We fundamentally
believe that environmental or sustainable design heralds a new era in
architecture and design, and one that has not been so exciting since
the introduction of concrete,” Filer and Cox says.
24 identity [interior/design/property]
TRENDS
Against the grain

Award-winning British designer Matthew Hilton specialises in producing
wood furniture. He launched two pieces at the show, Different Trains,
a modular cabinet with sliding doors, (pictured), and the Hide chair,
which was created with a single folded hide. They formed part of the
Human Made showcase. Hilton considers “beauty” and function equally
important in design, an approach applauded by The Royal Society of
Arts, which describes his work as “sustained excellence in aesthetic
and efficient design for industry.” He has created a seating installation for
the Tate Modern Art Gallery’s Turbine Hall and also has work held in
permanent museum collections.
Winging it
Following a year in development, award-winning
contemporary British furniture brand James UK
premiered two new chair ranges. These included
the latest version of its Wing Chair, in a new walnut
finish, (pictured). A new style, fully upholstered
armchair and sofa were also presented. The
company mainly supplies furniture and interior
products, including tables and wall hooks, to the
upper end of the contract market. Furniture is either
hardwood or upholstered. All products are made in
Britain as the company’s founders, James Harrison
and James Kinmond, consider this is the best way
to ensure “an uncompromising approach to quality.”
Customers can choose fabrics and finishes.
Motoring on
An “exploding” car was a big attraction at the exhibition. The Dwelling everything that we can find in our cars after a long journey. Each
Lab installation was created by designers Patricia Urquiola and section is linked with yellow elements... warning elements, since
Giulio Ridolfo. “We decided to use monochromes to make the our desire was to give the feeling of a real construction site.”
environment more harmonic, cosy and as similar as possible to a real The installation was commissioned by German car maker BMW
living room,” Ridolfo says. “The ‘exploded’ surfaces are covered with and Danish designer-textile manufacturers Kvadrat.
November 2010 25
TRENDS
Beam weaver
Furniture made from beams was presented by VanHoffontwerpen, the
Dutch brand led by “industrial tailor” Dick Van Hoff. Showcased chairs
and cabinets were made in collaboration with De La Espada and form
part of the Beams furniture series, the designer’s “ode to modernism
in the early 20th century, referencing a time when the designer was a
craftsman, using his proficiency in materials, form and function.” The
idea of making furniture from beams appealed to the designer, because
Country living they are a “basic building block.” In addition to making wood furniture,
van Hoff makes ceramics, with several museums displaying his pieces.
Furniture that combines the style of British country kitchens
with woodworking traditions from Japan and Scandinavia
was displayed by Another Country. Made from oak,
the designs for these pieces were pared back to their
basic elements. Paul de Zwart, the founding publisher of
Wallpaper magazine, started Another Country because
he couldn’t find this type of furniture to buy. “The whole
collection is based on the concept of a family of pieces that
have grown out of the design of the stool and are all of
an archetypal design quality,” he says. It is the company’s
first collection and was made at the Wardour Workshop in
Dorset, England.
Anything goes
British designer Michael Sodeau and Japanese company
Suikosha presented their new brand ANYTHING, which
sold its collection of stationery products in a first London
pop-up shop at The Tramshed. The first phase of an ongoing
project, the stationery products have functionality at the
core of their design, the collaborators say. Products include
a tape dispenser, alarm clock, stapler, scissors, rubbers, rulers,
set squares and protractors, all offered in a choice of four
colours, black, white, yellow and orange. Further additions
are planned for the collection, after which the designers
plan to specialise in “anything”, working with their stationery
products, no doubt.
TRENDS
Flawless flooring
Swedish flooring company Bolon laid woven-vinyl supplied by Flooring
Concepts throughout the exhibition hall, integrating it into the exhibition’s
design scheme. Designed to looked like a textile floor covering, it is easy
to clean and maintain like vinyl flooring and with the same longevity,
the company says. Produced for public spaces, this flooring is used by
shops, hotels and offices, and is sold in 30 countries (Chanel, Armani
and Sheraton use it, as do designers and architects). The company has
developed environmentally friendly flooring under its Bolon Green
banner, which includes its Botanic collection, a type of woven vinyl
flooring made with a new vegetable-based plasticiser.
Perfect imperfections
Textile designer Charlene Mullen launched two collections of cushions, work she
produced in collaboration with De La Espada for the Human Made showcase. The
Atoms and Patterns collection features machine embroidered motifs, while Flock
includes hand embroidered figurative designs. Mullen considers the imperfections
of handmade work an extra aesthetic element that improves a design, she was
declared Best Newcomer at London’s 100% Design exhibition in 2008 and this year
she designed a cushion for the Lord Mayor of London to present as a gift to visiting
dignitaries. Having started out a fashion designer, sources of inspiration range from
Victorian christening gowns to prison tattoos.
Glass act
Vancouver-based studio Bocci presented its chandeliers and resulting in distorted sphere shapes forming within a collection of
pendants, which are designed by creative director Omer Arbel. larger glass spheres. This has the affect of making the larger spheres
It’s 28 Series chandelier, pictured here, was made by intermittently appear to implode and finished pieces are configured into hexagonal
blowing air in and out of a glass matrix that was heated then cooled. groupings to make chandeliers. In addition to its glass and lighting
Glass at different temperatures reacts to the creation of a vacuum, products, the company designs other products, including furniture.
Urban renewal
A dramatic vision of how New York could look in the future, the
expanding use of solar power at Walmart stores in California and
Arizona and a library/community centre in Sydney featuring an array
of environmental initiatives are put in the spotlight. TEXT: STEVE HILL
BOOK SMART
The new Surry Hills Library and Community Centre in Sydney sets new standards for integrated
sustainable design in public buildings.
Designed by Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp (fjmt), the two-level structure features an
environmental atrium which has a series of triangular, tapering airshafts that draw in clean outside
air and passively cool it.
Experimental use of plants to biofilter pollutants is integrated in the gardens of specially selected
plants within these glass enclosures. Natural daylight is filtered through layers of glass and garden
and flow deep into the interiors.
The array of environmental initiatives intrinsic to the design also include a thermal labyrinth for
passive filtering and tempering of the air, solar-tracking timber louvre systems, automated fabric
shading, mixed mode ventilation, an extensive photovoltaic array, geothermal cooling bores, green
roof, rainwater collection and recycling, and sustainable material selection.
Computerised building management and control systems automatically monitor and control
the internal environmental conditions of the building, adjusting the ventilation and sunshade
louvres throughout the day to control heat load, light and shade, and switching lights on and off
when required.
The project also includes significant
rainwater harvesting, storage,
treatment and re-use systems with
air cooled plant and water-efficient
environmental control systems to
significantly reduce water use.
Lace Hill.
ECO
November
March 2009
2010 31
ECO
Clockwise from above: Efficient Living Machine; Jamie Lim’s straw clutch;
WeWOOD watch.
SELF-SUFFICIENT METROPOLIS to a child in need in Cambodia. The company also helps support women
entrepreneurs in the developing world.
Efficient Living Machine is an imaginative and dramatic view of how New York This ‘one for one’ business model follows Kayu’s hugely successful range
could look in the not too distant future as an energy self-sufficient metropolis. of bamboo sunglasses, with each sale resulting in sight-restoring surgery for a
The firms of LEDarchitecturestudio and HIDDENOFFICE have collaborated young child in India.
to produce concept proposals of a world where virtually everything residents Lim, who was born in the United States but grew up in Asia, was inspired by
require would be within easy reach thanks to an overlapping grid system that the Toms footwear company, which donates a pair of shoes to a child in need
flows between buildings, becoming home to offices and residences as well as for every pair it sells.
generating new public spaces for parks, recreational facilities and even farms, Each of the new line of clutch bags is named after a woman who has inspired
improving the livability of the city. Lim, who worked in the field of investment management before establishing Kayu.
Residents would no longer need to have their own cars because the public
transport system would be so convenient and efficient. And the vertical CHAINLESS GANG
connections on the grid system – rising from stations on the city’s Metro lines
– would be crucial in overall design terms, helping generate enough electricity, Cycling is arguably the most environmentally friendly form of transportation and
food, heat and oxygen for the Efficient Living Machine to be completely is becoming increasingly popular thanks to the rising price of petrol and traffic-
self sufficient. clogged roads.
Electricity would be generated by the use of wind turbines plus highly This proliferation of bikes on city streets has inspired Biomega’s latest model,
concentrated photo voltaic and hydrogen systems. And the fermentation of the NYC, which reinvigorates the firm’s status as a pioneer of chainless bicycles.
organic waste from farms would help produce a source of heating for residents. A smooth, quiet carbon fibre belt drive makes the NYC stand out from the
Oxygen produced on these grids would be circulated throughout domestic crowd as well as a sleek, no-nonsense look that integrates a front mudguard in
buildings to enhance living comfort while rainwater would be collected and the aluminium down tube. It has been designed by the Danish group KiBiSi and
purified before being recirculated, ready to be consumed by residents. will be available in the spring.
BAGGED UP WAR ON WASTE
Jamie Lim’s San Francisco-based Kayu Design firm recently launched an Looptworks is an innovative business that takes abandoned materials and turns
ecological and ethical line of straw and shell clutches that are hand crafted them into meaningful, long-lasting and limited edition products. The Portland,
by a women’s cooperative in the Philippines. For every clutch sold featuring Oregon, company has a stated aim of ridding the world of waste while inspiring
sustainably harvested shell, Kayu donates one backpack and school supplies a generation to reduce their impact on the planet.
ECO
Clockwise from top: Walmart’s initiative to install solar technology; Looptworks T-shirt; Biomega’s
NYC chainless bicycle.
It aims to do this by taking high-quality excess materials and components that The Walmart projects are using both copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS)
already exist to produce small-run collections on an-going basis, including its and cadmium telluride thin film. The company’s large scale on-site installation
upcycled T-shirts. “From concept to your closet, we can assure you that no new of CIGS could help further the development of this technology and bring it to
materials were used to create our clothing and that each item is as individual as market quicker, while use of cadmium telluride thin film could help make the
the person who wears it,” says co-founder Gary Peck. case for other businesses to adopt the technology for on-site commercial use.
Traditional manufacturers can take more than a year to produce new
collections, but Looptworks has shortened this cycle to weeks and produces TIMELY DEVELOPMENT
no more than 500 items in any given style. Each is also numbered, adding to
its collectability. WeWOOD watches are made from carved silky-smooth toxin-free organic
But the major driving force behind its use of left over or discarded material is wood, creating some of the most stylish and sustainable timepieces to be
the fact that 400 gallons of water are needed to produce one organic T-shirt, found on the planet.
sparking an environmental responsibility not to waste any natural resources. The company, established in Florence, Italy, earlier this year and now
with a base in Los Angeles, uses four different types of wood in its unique
SOLAR STORES creations: Maple, black Ebony, a brown ‘Red Wing Celtis’ wood salvaged from
flooring material waste and an army green Guaiaco from South America,
Walmart is expanding its renewable energy efforts through lighter, lower cost, which is better known for its use in the pharmaceutical preparations of herbal
thin film solar technology, which is due to be utilised at between 20 and 30 sites teas. Wood is cherished because it is recyclable, biodegradable and requires
in California and Arizona. smaller amounts of fossil fuels than processing other materials, such as concrete
When complete, this project is expected to deliver 20-30 per cent of total and steel.
energy needs at each location, produce up to 22.5 million kilowatt hours of And WeWood has made a further commitment to the environment by
clean energy per year and add to the company’s current total of 31 solar announcing a partnership with American Forests under which it promises to
installations in California and Hawaii. plant one tree for every watch purchased.
Thin film solar panels look similar to the traditional crystalline panels but The oldest non-profit conservation organisation in the United States will this
require fewer raw materials to manufacture, resulting in a smaller environmental year alone have planted 4.8 million trees in 43 projects in 14 states and 10
impact over its life cycle. countries to help restore forests. ID
Fashion forward
Index, taking place this month from 8-11 November,
is celebrating its 20th anniversary with an ‘Innovation
Showcase’, displaying 20 ‘wow-factor’ design advances
from the world’s top brands. TEXT: LAURA COLLACOTT
VIP Sofa designed by Antonio Saturnino for Grassoler.
DESIGN@LARGE
Clockwise from above: Toshiro Alloy’s Moonlight collection; Museo sofa by Formenti;
Luca Schieppati designed the Ciclotte in collaboration with the Lamiflex Group.
“Visitors to INDEX 2010 are set to be wowed by a wide range of Selected for their highly-stylised and thought-provoking qualities, the furniture
contemporary designs, featuring an unparalleled line-up of high-end inspirational and fittings in the showcase will include a broad range of products. The Bloom
products,” says INDEX Vice President Lu Buchanan. “Leading exhibitors from chair by Filippino designer Kenneth Cabonpue is inspired by the blossom of a
around the globe – including countries such as Italy, Sweden, Brazil, Japan, flower, a sculpted, textural product with hundreds of fine stitches radiating from
Turkey and Russia – will be showcasing their latest product ranges, bringing a a central point of the seat. The Mow chair from the UAE’s Traffic design firm
world of design to Dubai. To mark the significance of being the leading Interior and created by Lebanese designer Fadi Sarieddine, is a simple wooden chair
Design Show in the region for 20 years, INDEX has sourced a stunning range that uses a bed of fresh green grass as its seat to bring a breath of the outdoors,
of 20 products as a showcase of a new era for the exhibition which is stamping inside and encourage viewers to reflect on nature. The Smooth and Smoothie
its mark as a world-class event with its distinct regional flavour. furniture collection by French designer Florent Degourc is inspired by the split
“The 20th Anniversary Innovation Showcase collection [is] sure to make a drinks of childhood in a wonderfully naïve design. Italian mosaic specialists Sicis
statement and have people talking.” will be showing their Audrey stiletto shaped mosaic bathtub which is styled on
November 2010 37
DESIGN@LARGE
Clockwise from above: Four Season’s table lamp designed by Jordi Mila;
Robert Allen; Audrey stiletto shaped mosaic bathtub by Sicis.
a high-heeled shoe and covered in precious glass mosaics. Water trickles down
from the top of the tub as you bathe to massage the shoulders.
Elsewhere in the exhibition, visitors will be able to see the latest products
from international design heavyweights such as Poggenpohl, Hansgrohe, Robert
Allen, Miele, Gaggenau, Elica, Dornbracht, Fosters, Brasslight International
and Bang & Olufsen. A VIP Design Tour, developed in partnership with Scarlet
Opus, will bring VIP buyers the opportunity to make direct introductions with
the top companies and visionary designers at the show.
Not to neglect local talent, which will be promoted and nurtured through a
series of features, The Al Habtoor & ISG Student Challenge invites students from
local universities to participate in an interactive design competition; the Fekra
Design Competition in conjunction with Al Ahli Holding Group and TASMENA
(a non-profit organisation committed to supporting innovation in art, graphic,
film, photography and architecture) awards prizes for local innovation; the
Contemporary Majlis Competition calls four UAE-based designers to compete to
design their own modern-day interpretation of the traditional Arabic majlis.
The seminar programme will encourage expert dialogue
on a selection of topics, including ‘High fashion meets
design’, ‘Sustainable wood – 21st century design solution’ and
‘Deconstructing a design project’.
Whilst positioned as a trade event, visitors looking to buy
the latest in design products from around the world can visit
INDEX from 4pm on the third day (November 10) and all
throughout the final day (November 11). ID
ADVERTISEMENT
THE ITALIAN TRADE COMMISSION

NETWORKING EVENT - DUBAI
28 November 2010, 5.30pm at the Armani Hotel
The Italian Trade Commission (I.C.E., Istituto nazionale per il Commercio Estero) is the Italian government agency
entrusted with the promotion of trade, business opportunities and industrial co-operation between Italian and foreign
companies. It supports the internationalisation of Italian firms and their consolidation in foreign markets.
The event will see the organisation of a seminary dedicated to Italian contractors, including the presentation of the
portal and a group of Italian designers/companies with extensive experience in contract working. This will be followed
by an informal networking event to give participants the opportunity to meet the main local contacts (architects/interior
designers and UAE customers) invited by the local Italian Trade Commission offices.
If you are interested in visiting our

launch event at the Armani Hotel
please contact us to be registered at
dubai@ice.it
For more information, logon to

www.contractitaliano.com
id limited
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Sparks! Lighting the way forward
Bowled over: striking new venues
Retro-spectives:fashion + architecture
Moorish charm + majlis magic
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Books
“I take every opportunity to
live with nature and have
realized that its palette gives
energy to all types of rooms.
Nature, obviously, plays the
lead role in my interior story.”
What is your story?

Amelie 32 years, Naturalist
CREATE YOUR OWN WALL COVERING SHOWING YOUR PERSONALITY.
Design: Fantasy Bouquet from the Urban Nature Collection.

Browse through the complete collection or create your own
story at www.mrperswall.com
KITCHENS | DESIGN FORMULA
A taste of tomorrow
In the new kitchen, avant-garde product
makers mix the ingredients of maximum
functionality, ultimate convenience and
eco-driven design to create some stylish
and chic dishes that address the needs
of the future. TEXT: LISA VINCENTI
D ES IG N FO RM UL A
CONTENTS:
44 Symbiotic style
52 Sensory experience
54 Coloured in
56 Green is gold
60 Breakthrough technologies Rustic touches, such as iittala’s five-knife
block, fuse function and personality.
November 2010 43
DESIGN FORMULA | KITCHENS
Bulthaup’s latest introduction re-engineers the kitchen and floating elements add an architectural, sculptural dimension.
The Bauhaus credo of “form follows function” rings a bit clearer today. “The trend towards individualised living, free from set structures and specific
In homes, where the walls have literally come down and where space permits functions, will continue,” says Hadi Teherani of Hamburg-based architects
the kitchen has morphed into the hub of the home – a mantra repeated over Bothe Richter Teherani. “Whether sleeping, working, cooking, receiving guests,
and over again at Milan’s Eurocucina 2010, a fair dedicated to highlighting major exercising or taking a shower, the focus will remain on the vision of a home
design trends in the culinary corner of the home. liberated from all constraints. The more ingeniously this flexibility is provided
Cutting-edge kitchen designs are not only opening up to the abutting living through easy-to-change furniture systems, the less it will be necessary to define
area, they are seen as an integral part of it. What’s more, 2011 looks set to subliminal functional boundaries through architectural means.”
continue along a similar trajectory to 2010 while also offering something new: Avant-garde designs are focused on rethinking kitchen elements to make
the raison d’être of all kitchen items needs to be improved functionality and them look as elegant as anything found in the surrounding areas of the home.
increased eco-smarts but without sacrificing style. Some of Europe’s most established designers have begun, over the past couple
Over the past several years, the home has witnessed unprecedented of years, to include doors that could be used to slide over the working portion
change as all areas have been liberated from early limitations on usage and of the kitchen, instantly converting it into a sophisticated wall system that also
boundaries – the bathroom has morphed into a spa; the master suite has happens to be the kitchen.
changed from mere sleep quarters to a private sanctuary; and the kitchen has Two years ago, these designs were niche products or the stuff dreams are
moved on from being just a cooking area to be at the core of family life. made of. Well, not anymore, the concept has gone mainstream, but the design
The kitchen’s transformation to a multi-use room has altered the conception envelope continues to be pushed.
and needs of the space. Who would have thought, even five years ago, that the
growing legions of telecommuters conducting business from home, would be SYMBIOTIC STYLE
hosting virtual meetings from the kitchen counter rather than the home office?
Or, that the new symbol of luxury would be preparing a culinary feast for friends The top kitchen ateliers in Europe are paring technology and function for an
from a well-appointed kitchen replete with all the requisite bells and whistles? aesthetic that reinterprets the space in some non-conventional ways. Pieces
The instruments of perfection
Miele Appliances Ltd.,

T : 800 - MIELE
E : info@miele.ae
W : www.miele.ae
The curvaceous profiles that showed up in other regions of
the home now arrive in the kitchen via Pedini’s Dune system.
“Wall mount cabinets and handles are

being replaced with sophisticated wall
systems that hide everything a chef needs”
November 2010 47
Clockwise from above: Form and function are married in Poggenpohl’s

soon-to-be-released Artesio kitchen system; Franke expands the range
of its Largo collection with this new under-mount version; this set of
mouth-blown glasses designed by Norway Says for Muuto marries
playfulness and sophistication.
such as cabinets free of handles, quite often motorised, or designed as a “Right down to [the] table and chair, the entire kitchen, with its innovative
wall system move the kitchen beyond earlier design limitations and blur the style, is so easy to live in that kitchen is almost the wrong word for it. Using
boundary between living and eating even more. different element sizes, material qualities and colours, the kitchen provides a
“For me, the kitchen is a living space within the home environment – not a composition that embraces every space and fulfills every expectation – even
workshop, not a laboratory and certainly not an ancillary room. Only when the through to the ceiling as the kitchen upper interior surface. The kitchen itself is
drama of cooking begins does the stage come into view,” Teherani says. space-creating architecture.”
Premier designs coming to market are meant to flow seamlessly into adjacent Likewise, bulthaup, also based in Germany, radically re-engineered the
regions. Hence, wall-mount cabinets and handles are being replaced with kitchen space in its most recent concepts, b2 and b3. In b3, the superlative
sophisticated wall systems that hide everything a chef needs in the smartest minimalism of its design combines solid and filigree shapes, floating elements and
of ways. In fact, among the haute kitchen ateliers of Europe, the kitchen has floor-standing blocks. The range of timeless surfaces stretches from aluminum
become the showpiece of the home. and paint to the finest wood, and the system can conceal water, electricity and
This is the concept behind the visually striking Artesio kitchen that Teherani gas connections.
designed for German cabinet-maker Poggenpohl. Like many of the latest crop Consequently, it makes the kitchen appear to float, while individual objects
of introductions, sleek countertops and kitchen cabinet faces are pared with make a statement like sculptures in the room. The b3 design system responds
integrated lighting and state-of-the-art storage spaces. Teherani’s all-embracing to its surrounding architecture and opens up storage space that can be used for
concept fuses architecture, home living and kitchen, building a visual bridge multiple purposes. Pocket doors powered by precision mechanisms disappear
between cooking and living. The floor, walls and ceiling, all come into play gently to one side when opened, providing clarity without compromise.
in Artesio. The b2 concentrates on three functional elements: a workbench with work
“What’s important to me with this kitchen is the whole home, what it’s like area, hob and water point, and two tool cabinets for appliances, crockery,
to live there,” the architect notes. “This kitchen creates an exciting living space tools and ingredients, but with the focus on mobility. Bulthaup collaborated
with three-dimensional transitions and boundaries that can be defined by the with the Vienna-based EOOS design house, which used its “Poetical Analysis”
individual. It’s somewhere you can also read a book or paint a picture in. method to create b2. Influenced by archetypal images, rituals and stories, the
Clockwise from top: Ufesa’s MaxiChef tabletop grill

makes healthy meal prep a snap; Miele’s built-in
coffee system and plate and cup warmer are smart
solutions for coffee lovers; from high-end Italian
cookware-maker Lagostina comes the vivid La
Rossa Collection; Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec’s
Ovale series for Alessi.
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Above and below: The new Vitrini storage collection from iittala offers a playful place to put things on show.
result of their study presented a new evolutionary branch of the open kitchen choices that contribute to a more sustainable future. Today is about a focus on
with each element designed as an item of furniture to be moved, added to and essentials, not on excess, and the 21st century concept of happiness is about
re-combined. When the cabinets are open, the whole cosmos of the kitchen being able to slow down and savour life.
unfurls at a glance; when the doors are closed and the workbench cleared, the The financial restraints imposed by the recession has meant that many eat at
three pieces of furniture transform into pure, stand-alone features. home instead of going to a restaurant, or watch films at home instead of go to
SieMatic, at this year’s fairs, took its award-winning S1 kitchen to another the cinema – all large trends that have shifted the focus to life in the home. With
technical level by adding a compact touch-screen to control all the multi- the increase in culinary TV shows, the current obsession with food and cooking
media functions of the kitchen. In addition, S1 is an astonishing design, with an in many urban centres continues, and even the increased traffic at the local
intelligent and comprehensive storage system that also plays host to integrated farmers’ markets signal a growing desire to return to our culinary roots, while
lighting and a built-in entertainment system, including a flat screen TV, internet helping out local producers and the environment.
connection and sophisticated acoustics. Hence the renaissance in items such as bakeware, as consumers turn toward
nostalgic pastimes during these still uncertain times. Nonetheless do not
expect to see your grandmother’s out-of-date kitchen tools and accessories:
SENSORY EXPERIENCE the kitchen and all of the accouterments required to turn out a four-star meal
deliver a strong personal message about the owner, so while sleek finishes and
“Mega Trends” like individualisation, emotionalisation and mobility permeate the lines predominate, sterility is oh-so 20th century.
latest kitchen designs. The way we live has changed and the home has become Primal shapes, reworked classic forms and bold artwork inject the kitchen
the central focus of life, so each area needs to meet not only its functional zone with life. There is no shame in leaving a Timo Sarpaneva cast iron pot by
purpose but deliver a sensual experience as well. New lifestyles aren’t merely iitala or the modern Irony kettle by architect Masayuki Kurokawa on the cook
about the latest products and designs, but about creating a user experience that top, or of displaying your professional cutlery in plain sight. The significance of
allows for recuperation and rejuvenation, as well as transport and longing. these finishing touches convert the kitchen from showpiece to show-stopper.
Even meal preparation has shed its status as a daily chore and cooking is Stylistic definition and originality have been the buzz words throughout the
increasingly becoming a symbol of social affluence – time for oneself and others. home in 2010 and this is expected to make an even stronger showing at the
In addition, it has become another tool to connect to the world and make top furnishings fairs in Europe during the early half of 2011. Inspiration can be
Top to bottom: Japan-based Toyo Kitchen’s dramatic, cantilevered Linea, with its Venetian glass mosaics and etchings, transforms the kitchen to objet d’art;
Siemens’ coffee-maker by Porsche Design, with its integrated thermos, is great for coffee on the go.
gleaned from the presentations among stalwart European kitchen makers and Modern homes are adjusting to this desire for invention and flexibility, creating
how they opt to showcase their current introductions. multipurpose living areas which are continuously able to adjust to changing
Varenna, which now offers everything from recipe ideas to music tips in its moods and whims, whether to warmly welcome friends or offer a quiet, inviting
My Life catalogue, chose the British flag as inspiration for its new My Planet. The place to read, think and work.
cabinet finishes, in glossy white acrylic and dark pine melamine, combined with “We are predicting that as consumer attitudes become more upbeat, starting
Prussian blue and quartzite, create a fresh approach and serve as the backdrop from the summer of 2010 onwards, this increased optimism will be reflected in a
to a simple, yet dramatic, setting. An oversize Union Jack rug sets the mood yearning for a greater use of colour and pattern,” says Victoria Redshaw, director
and shores up the color palette of the space, which, though largely relying on of UK trend consultancy Scarlet Opus. “Consumers will be ready to be more
neutral tones, adds oomph via a adventurous and open to the idea of creating bolder interior statements. The will
handful or carefully placed pieces now desire interior schemes that intrigue, enchant, delight and surprise them.”
in red (a barstool, a well-placed
tray and an antique tin jar). COLOURED IN
My Planet, like a handful
of other designs, speaks to a Colour, one of the simplest ways to express personality, is making a comeback
younger, highly multi-dimensional, in 2011. Though white, predominately white and a neutral palette remain
sensual experience. After stalwarts, the kitchen’s colour scheme is becoming richer and more nuanced
all, younger generations, through a selection of multiple cabinet faces, paring wood finishes with glossy
weaned on a diet of whites, and a judicious use of colour. Vivid hues are also becoming a key
iPods and Facebook, statement for a handful of kitchen units, as consumers cautiously demonstrate
are accustomed to confidence with colour.
a dynamic lifestyle, So while the key materials are still wood or wood-effects and high gloss
and rely on new white, some are offering bright flashes of colour in unexpected places, such as
technologies and on the insides of drawers and cupboards, as seen in Kitchen Window by WIS
solutions designed to Design, where cabinets with cut-out windows display a series of colours from
improve individual well-being and lavender to deep blue.
social relations – they also crave Nonetheless, many homeowners aren’t certain of how to execute such
brilliance and novelty. colourful gestures into their home, says Redshaw, who recently took part in an
White continues to reign in the kitchen but sterility

is definitely out. From Ceramica Bardelli comes
the hand-painted, decorative ceramic panels of
Tuli to inject a dose of modern femininity.
November 2010 55
Italian tile maker Appiani’s Mix 2010 range of ceramic mosaics, shown in Tribal Chic, creates an energetic gesture.
expert panel at Grand Design Live, one of the UK’s most popular home shows. of the kitchen, simply painting an area, adding colourful shelving and a few
“It was amazing and refreshing that during our consultations with members of well-placed objects, whether crates, a wine rack, rubbish bin, or even new
the public, time and again they explained to us that they were reworking their cookware (such the red-clad La Rossa series by Lagoustina) displayed on a shelf,
separate kitchen, dining room and living room into an open plan space – and add instant pizzazz to the space.
although they wanted it to look clean and fresh, they didn’t want it to look
clinical and characterless,” she says. GREEN IS GOLD
“More than anything else, the public wanted to know how to successfully
incorporate colour back into their homes now that they are ‘doing up not 2010 proved that green is the new black. Consumers are clamouring for
selling up’. They clearly recognised that the bland beige boxes they had created eco-conscious products and continue to demand that companies reduce their
in their houses had no personality and they didn’t want to make this mistake carbon footprint and develop sustainability into their core business strategy.
again. We were thrilled that the public confirmed to us on mass that they are The excesses of the past decade and the toll this has taken on the environment
ready to be more daring and express their personalities… they just need some weighs heavily on the consciences of many. The result is that what many
direction to set them on their way.” perceived to be merely a passing fad or a niche concept has moved mainstream
For those not able to undertake a full-scale renovation, a look through the in Western societies.
catalogues of Europe’s top kitchen ateliers provides ample suggestions of how According to UK-based think-tank nef (the New Economics Foundation)
to introduce colour to the kitchen. A glance at Varenna’s My Planet illustrates and Global Footprint Network, it now takes one-and-a-half planets to meet
how a handful of additions (such as a rug, a barstool, and a few small storage the world’s demand for goods and services – society has moved beyond
items) can infuse a kitchen with a new vitality. Another concept, by Italian what the earth can renew on an annual basis and absorb in terms of waste,
kitchen maker Dada, pairs glossy white lacquer with cabinets and shelves in notably carbon emissions. But while predictions are dire, nonetheless optimism
orange. In existing homes where white or another neutral forms the basis abounds. Dubai has launched a massive programme in conjunction with
Aqua Cil table lamp by Ross Lovegrove
PURITY LLC Dubai T +971 4 334 9943 Bahrain T +973 17 583 392 purity.ae
environmental conservation group the World Wildlife Fund to reduce its ecological footprint, the
most destructive in the world, according to research organisation Global Footprint Network.
“Somehow we need to find a way to meet the needs of a growing and increasingly
prosperous population within the resources of this one planet,” notes Jim Leape, director
general of WWF International. “All of us have to find a way to make better choices in what
we consume and how we produce and use energy.”
The WWF has mounted a large campaign to get more governments and businesses
involved. Often innovation comes from the corporate world and groups such as nef
are re-educating business on the positive impact an environmentally friendly corporate
culture has on the bottom line.
“The pressure from around the globe for communities to become more aware is
making the local market listen,” says Julia Dickerson, an interior designer with Obegi
Home. “Many of the large companies here are from overseas anyway, so they
adhere to the laws of their homeland. So when it comes to kitchens from Poliform
Varenna, they are being produced in Italy following EU guidelines.”
Dickerson often tells clients to keep in mind that when they purchase a
well-made kitchen, although they are paying a premium, it will last, a refrain repeated
Top to bottom: Popular in Japan for more than 40

years, this mini, rubber clock by GOM keeps time
with style; Bulthaup’s b3 scenario illustrates the
seamless merger of kitchen and adjacent spaces.
Left to right: The stylish Luco corkscrew from Design Circle offers a fresh
approach to barware; the Peak sink by Franke features a sleek, modern profile
with its tight corners and square basket strainer.
again and again at the high-end furniture fairs during the past year. “You will not feature a line-up of green appliances. From Miele comes a stunning series of
have problems with the hardware failing or its quality not lasting the investment additions to its Design Worlds collection: White, Black, Fire and Ice. Fashion-
time you thought it would,” she says. “This is a very important concept in terms forward finishes, from pure-white and glossy black to the cool metallic hue of
of sustainability. Your kitchen will not end up in the landfill in a few years – it will Ice, offer a sophisticated alternative to stainless steel
last 20-plus years as you have purchased top quality and timeless design.” “Although stainless steel still remains popular, kitchen trends are currently
Some appliance makers have built sustainability into their corporate culture. centring on monochrome palettes and consumers are increasingly seeking to
Sweden-based household appliance maker Electrolux is one example. In Europe, blend excellent design with functionality in their kitchens,” says Neil Pooley of
according to the company, about two per cent of all CO2 emitted comes Miele. “We’re seeing kitchen design become crisper and cleaner – giving both
from the 630 million appliances currently in operation. Yet, modern appliances a modern and unique contemporary look to any home. The Brilliant White Plus
use only a fraction of the electricity they once did – today’s best refrigerator range has been heavily influenced by strong white colour cues in other markets,
consumes 70 per cent less energy compared to average 1990 models. including cars and consumer electronics.”
“Our foremost challenge in a world where population and economies are
growing exponentially is to continually reduce the impacts of our products BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGIES
while guiding the consumer on how to make further sustainability choices,”
states Henrik Sundstrom, head of sustainability at Electrolux, in the foreword of “In 30 years’ time, the kitchen will be so technologically advanced that it will
Product Design in the Sustainable Era, recently released by publisher Taschen. almost be alive, responding actively to our needs like only a mother could.
At this year’s Eurocucina, home appliance makers were finally admitted to Aromatherapy infused walls will be synced to your calendar, calming you before
the upper echelons of the fair, being invited in from the cold tents of a car park a big meeting or energising you before a gym session. The fridge will have
to dedicated exhibition spaces within. What they showed off in their impressive selected some breakfast options, identifying the essential vitamins for your day
displays were not only cool new designs and smart technologies (such as via sensors. When you get home, a hologrammed chef will be on hand for
intuitive touch-screens and displays) but also a commitment to green thinking. recipe inspiration. This kitchen will be intelligent, predicting its inhabitants’ needs
Whirlpool KitchenAid introduced a full line of appliances that use less energy, with smart technology,” states a report IKEA commissioned from The Future
either via induction cook tops or other means, and Samsung also chose to Laboratory to explore what the kitchen of the future could potentially look like.
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Clockwise from top left: Karim Rashid re-thinks the banal in his contemporary
interpretation of the hob for Gorenje; Rashid employs LED light stripes on this
Gorenje oven that features seven colors to suit your mood; Dornbracht’s hot
and cold Tara Ultra Water Dispenser offers near-boiling water for tea in a jiffy;
and architect Masayuki Kurokawa reworks the traditional Japanese tea kettle
in Irony.
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For 2011, the kitchen is all about personality.
Bardelli’s Tuli Art ceramics add a cheery vibe.
Poggenpohl’s Artesio system fuses architecture, home living and the kitchen into an all-embracing system that includes lighting, walls, floors and ceiling.
A glimmer of the future was already present at the recent show 100% refrigeration, air conditioning, lighting, and environmental design whilst reducing
Design London. The Electrolux Design Lab competition, which showcased space; and the space age Bio Robot Refrigerator by Yuriy Dmitriev from Russia,
innovative concepts at the show, asked industrial design students to offer a compact, cooling system that sees a biopolymer gel morphing around food
creative solutions for compact living. They were asked to consider how people items to create separate, chilled pods.
will prepare and store food, wash clothes and do dishes in the homes of 2050, This concept of compact living and kitchens addressed by the Electrolux
the year when urban populations will outweigh rural ones by a supermajority. competition has already begun to take hold at furnishings fairs, with several
Peter Alwin, a student at the National Institute of Design, India, won the kitchens that can be closed up into a box or mounted on the wall and hidden
competition with The Snail, a super-smart portable micro-induction heater. It discretely behind a door. One recent example is the Nolte Küchen Dynamic
can be stuck directly onto a pot, pan, or mug to heat the contents, reducing the Living Kitchen by Malin Kalesse, which converts from a comfy breakfast nook
amount of space required for conventional cooking while adding portability to to a sophisticated entertainment hob by simply rearranging the movable tables.
the process. However, the features that deliver a glimpse into what’s to come The Kit – Cub kitchen by Paul Maudit covers all the basics of a kitchen space.
is how The Snail converts the energy from the sugar to heating up the unit. It adopts a cubicle form and houses a fridge, microwave, sink, cutting table,
Integrated sensors detect the food type being heated so as to automatically modular storage cabinets, garbage bin and an electrical cooking top.
adjust the time and temperature. “It’s not the beauty of an individual property that’s important for me, but
Runners up to The Snail included Kitchen Hideaway by Australian designer giving space the right atmosphere and mood,” Hadi Teherani notes. “This is why
Daniel Dobrogorsky, who delivered a virtual reality concept that allows users solutions that only do justice to individual problems fall short and it is why design
to imagine being in the a kitchen preparing meals together without actually aficionados are often disappointed in their personal environment. With the
having to do so; All-In-One Kitchen Shelving by Matthew Gilbride from the US, home as people’s form of existence, that’s what counts most. Then, just being
a modular, wall-mounted appliance that provides flexible modes of cooking, able to cook in a kitchen is not enough.” ID
November 2010 65
These egg shakers from Design Circle beat eggs in a snap.
Design sources
appiani.it
bardelli.it
betterlifeuae.com; tel: (04) 330 9295
brt.de
bulthaup.com; tel: (04) 443 2615
d-circle.eu
dornbracht.com
electrolux.com; tel: (04) 330 9295
franke.com; tel: (04) 254 7671
gorenje.com; tel: (04) 886 0858
iittala.com tel +(04) 340 0191
knb.ae; tel: (04) 283 1331
lagostina.it; tel: (04) 330 9295
miele.ae; tel: (04) 398 9718
muuto.com
obegihome.com; tel: (04) 394 8161
pedini.it
poggenpohl.com; tel: (04) 283 1331
poliform.it; tel: (04) 394 8161
rem-life.com
samsung.com; tel: (04) 214 7777
siematic.com; tel: (04) 330 9295
siemens-home.com/ae; tel: (04) 3309295
toyokitchen.co.jp
ufesa.com; tel: (04) 330 9295
whirlpool.com; tel: (04) 345 3633
wisdesign.se
yankodesign.com
The living room features black glass slab floor,
custom circle sofa, custom desk in high gloss
white lacquer, polished stainless steel trim.
Monochrome magic
A luxurious condo in Miami makes the most of a dazzling
ocean panorama with a simple but über-modern design
scheme. TEXT: LAURA COLLACOTT PHOTOGRAPHY: KEN HAYDEN
INTERIORS
November 2010 69
INTERIORS
With a breathtaking view over the azure waters of Miami’s South Beach,
Clockwise from above left: The elevator foyer features Michael Jackson Invincible
you can see why the European owners of this condo wanted to leave it to the by Leonardo Hidalgo on white leather custom wall panels; Edward Nieto; The
sea to make the colour statement in their holiday home. They briefed their master bedroom features a black glass slab floor, white crocodile embossed
interior designer, Edward Nieto of Florida-based Nieto Designs, to create a leather Fendi king size bed, waterfall chandelier lamps, Alessandra chair custom
upholstered in Spinneybeck black & white leather, Drift bench in white gloss
home using an imposing all-black palette. polyurethane finish.
“Part of a designer’s process is to educate the client and help them to visualise
their concept for the greatest impact,” Nieto says. He convinced them of the
benefits of monochrome, largely eschewing colour for graphic, high-modern
décor. “In order to make the black stand out, it needed to be balanced with
white to increase the contrast and make the black elements more conspicuous,”
the designer says. handles reveals a Leonardo Hidalgo Michael Jackson Invincible glitter-encrusted
Compensating for the lack of tints, the design incorporates multilayered artwork – a rare splash of colour in the high-gloss apartment – mounted on a
textures and patterns, maximising impact. “The animal hides [both hair and white leather wall.
leather] add texture in a natural organic manner,” Nieto explains. Texture allows In the guest bedroom there is a queen-sized bed upholstered in black,
depth to be introduced where colours might usually be used, but it is also a crocodile embossed leather and draped with black otter fur bedding – this is
pragmatic reaction to one of the client’s allergy to wool and their request that not for the squeamish. Keeping with the fur theme, hair-on-hide wall panels and
cotton be limited to bed linens. white circular reliefs decorate the walls while subtle high-lacquer furniture keeps
Completely gutting the apartment at the start of the year-long renovation the theme crisp.
project meant that walls could be moved and rooms reconfigured to develop The master bedroom has larger dimensions, and a sun-drenched balcony
a plan that is unique to the building and conforms to the client’s lifestyle. The with views over the ocean and beach from the 30th floor vantage point. The
reshuffled interior partitions have been covered with luxury materials including bed here is a king-sized, white crocodile embossed leather number from
leather, hair-on-hide, modular arts and custom painted glass walls. The floors Fendi against a white wall of wave relief. Interest points are provided in a
throughout are glass slab with Venetian plaster ceilings and Kreon lighting. As dramatic, high-backed Alessandra chair finished in Spinneybeck black and white
you would expect, the furniture is top-end, including pieces by both Fendi and leather (what else?) and a large, sassy artwork from prominent Haitian fashion
Zaha Hadid. photographer Marc Baptiste.
Arriving at the elevator foyer, visitors are greeted by floor-to-ceiling zebra With such a prominent animal skin theme in evidence, it stands to reason
print – used throughout to unify the black and white theme – and a bespoke that the bathtub in the en suite is brash zebra-print, which forms the main focal
black lacquer pivot front door that is nearly two-and-a-half metres wide. point of a large, immaculate space. Drainage for both the bath and the shower
Opening it through the ritzy keyless entry system and stainless steel Italian are concealed beneath the bath platform to keep the theme streamlined. Three
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INTERIORS
Left to right: The master bathroom features bathtub with zebra print hair-on-hide
leather skirting; The study has an ocean view from the 30th floor and features a
Murphy sofa-bed system with custom high gloss black lacquer cabinets. Art is
Marilyn by Marcos Marin in water-jet cut stone.
rotating mirror storage cabinets line one wall, offering ample cupboard space to
ensure that clutter is cleared from the theatrical space.
The living room has at its heart a custom-made sweep of a desk
accompanied by two leather upholstered Fjord chairs in black and white, with
family photos, orchids and a torso sculpture on the counter adding a personal
touch. It is a space designed for the modern communications age; the desk
allows family members and guests to work or play on their laptop in a sociable
arena, while an enormous 103in Runco TV, set into the wall, means that other
people can simultaneously watch a movie. A semi-circular sofa and Fjord
ottomans face the seascape that stands on top of a patchwork rug of hair-on-
hide pelts and embossed leather.
Although carefully multi-functional, the space is large and the furniture risks
looking sparse and uninviting. Unsurprisingly, Nieto disagrees. “Together, this The owners travel frequently between their homes worldwide and need
furniture, along with the custom rug, is not only functional but also artistically allocated space in each for work, rest and play. However, they also – as you
minimalistic, whose clean lines are well suited to the client’s personal taste,” he can guess from their über-modern design tastes – like to entertain. The study
says. “The seating was created to take advantage not only of the views but also doubles as a third guest bedroom thanks to a Murphy bed that pulls down from
watch the TV, and yet create a sculptural statement that makes an impact along the wall. Personality is injected through spool-shaped tables, one the negative
with the custom desk that is molded into the shape of the sofa.” of the other, silk and cashmere crocodile embossed pillows and a portrait of
Next door, in the dedicated study, a prism-shaped white desk and Marilyn Monroe cut into stone.
ergonomically balanced Ashton desk chair face the ocean to stimulate reflection Polished surfaces, rough hide textures, bold modern art and hyper-designed
and rumination. The rectangular frame above the desk is a light fixture, which contemporary furniture collectively turn a simple colour directive into a glossy,
functions not only to provide lighting for the desk but also to add an angular avant-garde home fit for the fashion set of Miami’s Ocean Drive; and not a
element to the space. design vice in sight. ID
Inorganic elegance
Rodolfo Dordoni’s refined design style is always much in
demand. identity caught up with him to talk about his recent
project with Kettal, his passion for work and why he has no
time for himself. TEXT: RUBY ROGERS
Bitta collection for Kettal.
PROFILE
November 2010 75
PROFILE
Kitchen for Dada.
It’s Rodolfo Dordoni’s birthday (he was born in Milan in 1954) and his exhibition calendar. Dordoni has taken up temporary residence on the Kettal
phone has been ringing off the hook since we sat down. “I’m so sorry, all my stand to launch his Bitta outdoor furniture collection. It’s his first time designing
friends are calling to say happy birthday,” he explains. Does he mind that he has for the Barcelona-based company, whose bulging portfolio includes designs by
to work today? “Not at all,” he says with a smile. “I love it.” some of the most important names on the international design scene: Patricia
The fact that he has been a name on the design circuit since he graduated in Urquiola, Marcel Wanders and emiliana design studio.
1979 not only speaks of his enduring success but also his passion for his chosen “I don’t know why they called me,” Dordoni says modestly. “Perhaps it’s
profession. “One of my greatest challenges is finding time for my work as well because I have some experience designing outdoor furniture, not a lot, but
as for me. At the moment I probably spend more time working than anything some.” He admits that his initial impression of Kettal was cold metal furniture.
else.” Dordoni pauses to correct himself. “Actually I definitely spend more time “When we talked they told me that my impression was correct, but not exactly
working. Somehow I have to find a work/life balance.” correct,” he recalls. “Kettal’s motivation is the creation of timeless and functional
Achieving that elusive balance was never going to be easy in 2010 as it’s been furniture. They asked me to design something a little warmer for their collection
a busy year for Dordoni. Highlights include Eurocucina, where he unveiled his using more natural materials.”
debut kitchen design for Dada, a fresh take on a traditional kitchen (“I wanted to So how do you make metal appear warm? “Colour and taste,” Dordoni says.
create a new product where rational, technological innovation plays a primary “Do I mean taste?” Perhaps you mean texture? “Ah yes, texture!” he laughs.
role”); and the 606 series of wooden bedroom storage units for Molteni & C, “Colour and texture can transform a technical material like metal into a warmer
featuring painted side inserts and frosted glass tops in a range of colours that material.” Which brings us neatly to his Bitta collection, a series of aluminium
allow customers to create contrasts between the frame and drawers. structures either wrapped in braided polyester cord to create comfortable
Then there is the reason why we are here today, chatting about everything seating solutions or teamed with teak or stone, used for the tabletops.
from Dordoni’s favourite colour palette – “blue, grey, beige brown and black, “My aim was to create dense braiding that would still let the air through,
that’s it, I am boring in this way” – to his proactive work ethic: “I don’t see reminiscent of the braiding of the ropes used to moor boats,” says Dordoni,
difficulties as a problem, I simply find a way to solve them.” patting the sofa we are sitting on, which hails from the Bitta collection. “This
We are at the Parc des Expositions in Paris. It’s September and the second makes the pieces look lightweight but, at the same time, they look just like cosy
day of the twice-yearly trade show Maison & Objet, a big-hitter on the nests in natural colours to sit back and relax in.”
PROFILE
Left to right: Andersen slim set for Minotti; Rodolfo Dordoni.
He doesn’t like working with clients just once, prefering to develop strong,
long-lasting bonds (his history with the likes of Italian tastemaker Minotti spans
13 years). “I hope this relationship will be successful and interesting,” he says of
Kettal. How does he determine success? “I don’t mean it in terms of sales,” he
clarifies. “Success means that we understand each other and we like working
together. I hope this collection is the first step and we can develop it.”
I ask if it is easy to adapt to working with different companies. “It should be
easy,” he says. “I try to work with a maximum of two companies producing the
same type of product. I then try to get to know the company, to understand
its people, to talk to them, to listen to them. If you do this then it is not difficult
to work with different companies, you just have to spend more time getting to
know them before you start work.”
Treading a similar path to many Italian designers, Dordoni graduated in
architecture but swiftly moved into product design. Whether this was by luck
or design he does not say. Instead he explains how he studied with none other
than Giulio Cappellini and upon leaving university joined Cappellini’s family
business. Back then the company was producing furniture for the traditional
market and together the design duo set about transforming it into the cutting elegant signature style that permeates his vast repertoire of work. “I’m rational,
edge company it is today. I’m square. It is difficult for me to design something organic.“
“I worked as the art director from 1979 to 1989,” Dordoni recalls. “For 10 He admits to not being technical minded – “when we are working on
years I spent more time working with furniture than architecture.” Among the something architectural my contribution to the project is mood, shape and
numerous products he designed, standout pieces include the Aliante shelves proportion, my partner does the technical bit, not me” – and goes on to explain
(1980) and Cuba sofa (1986), which are still very much part of the Cappellini the importance of a solid team. Dordoni says his philosophy to life is never to
collection today. accept a compromise. “I don’t know if this is good because sometimes you get
We fast forward in time to talk about Dordoni Architects; established in 2005 very good results when you are more flexible, but I feel comfortable living like
together with Luca Zaniboni and Alessandro Acerbi, who died prematurely this,” he adds.
in 2007. He tells me that the studio specialises in architecture and interior To wrap-up I ask Dordoni what advice he would dispense to up-and-coming
design for the residential sector, although it also produces designs for offices, designers. “Be honest,” he says after some thought. “How can I explain this in
restaurants, hotels and yachts. English? What I mean is that you have to create something of your own. Don’t
“Product design, furniture design and architecture are different disciplines, but make a copy. You also have to believe in yourself and your ideas.”
the way I approach each project is the same,” Dordoni says of his refined and Great advice from a great designer. ID
Gang leader
As the principal architect of Studio Gang, the innovative
studio behind Aqua Tower, Chicago’s celebrated new
landmark, Jeanne Gang has reached new heights,
both vertically and sustainably. TEXT: ASHLEE BEARD
PHOTOGRAPHY: STEVE HALL © HEDRICH BLESSING
SOS Children’s Village community centre

in Chicago, one of Gang’s favourite projects.
PROFILE
The daughter of a civil engineer, Jeanne Gang spent her childhood

on family excursions visiting famous bridges and landmarks throughout the
United States. Little could she know that one day she would create her own
monument of modern engineering, the world’s tallest residential construction
designed by a woman.
Standing at 250 metres, the Aqua Tower ranks among the top 10 tallest
buildings in Chicago, the historic home of the skyscraper, alongside architectural
icons like The Seagram Building by Mies van der Rohe and Burnham & Root’s
Monadnock Building, a favourite of Gang. However, for the principal of the
38-strong Studio Gang Architects, this was not about making gender statements
or record attempts.
Trophy architecture is not her style. The stimulus behind each project, be it
a high-rise development in India or a local park project in downtown Chicago,
is more about the imprint it will leave. “We are very interested in environments
and how a building works with the environment, rather than overriding it,”
Gang explains.
When developer and executive architect of the Aqua development James
Loewenberg approached Gang and her team to come up with an interesting
take on his 1.9-million-square-foot commercial and residential tower.
Gang and her team rose to the challenge admirably. “My creative process is
to do the more cerebral, analytical stuff first, then turn that off to allow myself
and my team to draw. By doing that the information is embedded in the
product, so it brings more depth, or at least a deeper understanding and the
physics of it, as opposed to just applying the same form over and over,” the
architect says.
Residents’ views of local landmarks, wind patterns and bird flight paths were
just some of the considerations that have not only inspired Aqua’s unique form,
but also LEED certification (the industry standard in green building) and PETA’s
Proggy award for Most Compassionate Architecture Firm of 2009.
Inspired by the indoor/outdoor aspect of Chicago’s celebrated Marina City
Towers (a 65-storey mixed-use development and the world’s tallest residential
November 2010 81
PROFILE
PHOTOGRAPHY: DIANE TASHIMA

PHOTOGRAPHY: STEVE HALL © HEDRICH BLESSING
Left to right: Columbia College’s Media Production Center, Chicago; Jeanne

Gang, principal of Chicago’s Studio Gang.
building upon completion in 1964), in which the bedroom and living room low budget community centre dedicated to training and reuniting foster families
of each apartment boasted a balcony, Gang’s challenge was to incorporate in an impoverished neighbourhood in Chicago, remains the most fulfilling
outdoor spaces as high as 82 storeys. project of her career to date.
“In modern life there is a tendency to screen everything out, but on the top “What I’ve seen is a pride in the building. It’s used for very important life
floor you get the authentic feeling of being in a city. You get accustomed to the ceremonies, such as weddings and graduations, and it’s really respected. It has
height. It’s kind of thrilling to be looking out over Chicago from this perch,” also had an effect on the neighbourhood, where it has inspired improvements
she explains. around it. People have begun to take care of the pavement surrounding it. I’ve
To curb the effects of the elements, Gang came up with concrete cladding seen how it’s used and that feels great,” Gang explains.
in a swirling undulating form that is as functional as it is beautiful. The wave- Although she has not yet built anything in the UAE, Gang hints that a possible
like decks, each unique in shape, not only offer shading, reducing the need for second office in either the Middle East or Asia may be in the offing. The studio
ventilation in summer, they also act to confuse and break up the path of the is currently working with William F Baker, the structural engineer behind Burj
city’s infamous strong winds. Khalifa, although not on a tower, but an experimental lightweight home in
The studio is currently working on a development in Hyderabad in India for California’s notorious earthquake zone.
the burgeoning community of professionals within its growing IT sector and However, one imagines that the Gulf’s openness to innovation, married with
there’s also another tower in the offing, but Gang will only reveal that it will be a commitment to sustainable architecture would make it the ideal region to
an office block and that it could possibly be in New York or Shanghai. experiment with further groundbreaking technologies and take tower building
While working in India, Gang discovered the plight of the women in to an even higher level. Even so, she eschews the idea of joining the ranks of
Mumbai’s sex trade. “Last autumn, we set up a studio collaborating with an trophy architects in favour of more cultural challenges.
NGO in Mumbai. My students designed a safe house for sexually trafficked girls “I enjoy so many types of projects, but I would really enjoy something like
in the region. This was a way of learning how you can do something for the a museum or a performing arts centre, something where there’s a chance
community, bring some architectural thoughts to other problems,” she says. to make a strong connection to the culture,” Gang says. “With our process
This again boils down to her inquisitive approach and the desire to create of learning, our research, we’d like to bring a deeper understanding to the
buildings that perform socially as well as they do architecturally. And despite the architecture and become part of the environment. I think that would be really
accolades and fame that Aqua Tower has received, SOS Children’s Villages, a interesting for us.”
PROFILE
PHOTOGRAPHY: STUDIO GANG ARCHITECTS
PHOTOGRAPHY: GREG MURPHY

PHOTOGRAPHY: ERIC HAUSMAN
community during her youth? “I guess my mum was a kind of community

activist, she was completely involved and remains so, even in her 70s.
She was also a good seamstress, she had a craft that she developed over the
Clockwise from top left: The studio is currently renovating the South Pond of years and I really admire that,” Gang notes.
Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo, a 19th century city landmark; The award-winning As a highly successful female principal architect since founding Studio Gang
Bengt Sjostrom Starlight Theatre in Rockford, completed in 2003; Aqua Tower.
in 1997, she has become a role model for the women currently studying
architecture in the United States thanks to her studio’s audacious approach
to architecture, without losing sight of the founding reason behind building –
life. So why are so many women turning to architecture, particularly when,
according to the American Institute of Architects, only 17 per cent of women
who represent more than quarter of staff in architecture firms in the US are
In Chicago, the studio recently completed Columbia College’s new Media reaching principal level? Is the success of women like Gang and Pritzker-winner
Production Centre, a space dedicated to education within the arts and media. Zaha Hadid making it more accessible?
One of the biggest challenges for the team was the integration of high technology “I think that’s important in terms of visibility,” she acknowledges, although
into the architecture while adhering to Gang’s acclaimed green principles. Gang believes that gender is no longer relevant. “It’s a rewarding career.
“We found some really interesting ways to do it,” she says. “Take the sound There are technical, cultural and creative aspects. The act of creating
stages for example. The hot lights need cooling, but most of the time designers things is very engaging. For me it’s my whole lifestyle. Even when I’m on
deliver cold air from above. We dropped the supply of cold air to just below holiday I look at buildings, I don’t do architecture then go home and not
the light level and used fabric ductwork made of cloth, so it’s also very quiet. do architecture.
We discovered during the modelling stage that this would save a lot of energy “I don’t know if that’s something that’s especially appealing to women, but it is
because the hot light layer acts as an insulation, so you use much less air definitely rewarding. It’s a speciality, because you are required to know different
conditioning and you are delivering it directly to the space where the people aspects about everything you do and I love that aspect of it. It’s always about
are, as opposed to trying to overcome the hot lights.” learning something new and making things, and I love to make things, working
A green roof, which not only reduces water but also helps isolate the on projects around the world. I think that in response to Sartre’s theories on
acoustics within the building, and the use of recycled and low emitting materials why we exist, for me it’s to make things.”
have become standard practice among Studio Gang’s projects. From landscape projects aimed at preserving local wildlife, to structures
If the structural influences came from Gang’s father, could her social shaped by solar patterns, it is no wonder that Jeanne Gang has made such a
conscience be attributed to her mother’s strong role within the Belvidere huge imprint socially, as well as architecturally. ID
Designs for life
Projects that have contributed to improving the well-being
of communities across a variety of nations are being
recognised for their good work. TEXT: GLENN FREEMAN
Wadi Hanifa Wetlands.
DESIGN@LARGE
The 2010 Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA), which recognises
excellence in socially responsible architectural design, will be hosted by
Doha, Qatar, in October. Recognising architecture which reflects the pluralism
that characterises Muslim communities, it rewards projects that not only
exhibit architectural excellence, but also improve the overall quality of life
within communities.
The award honours the achievements of not only architects but also
municipalities, builders, clients, master craftsmen and engineers, who each play
important roles in the architectural process. Key criteria for selection include
excellence in contemporary design, social housing, community improvement
and development, historic preservation, reuse and area conservation, as well as
landscape design and improvement of the environment.
The host venue for this year’s AKAA, the Museum of Islamic Art, is an
architectural marvel in its own right, designed by IM Pei, the world-renowned
architect behind the Louvre in Pyramid in Paris. Representatives from the MENA
region are strongly represented among this year’s 19 nominees, which includes
projects from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Tunisia and Lebanon, along with a
number from Asia.
Projects and architectural firms from across the region have always featured
prominently in the award, which is held every three years. In 2007, two projects
from Yemen received top honours: the restoration of a 16th century madrasa in
Rada and a broad programme of rehabilitation for Shibam’s Old City. Projects
from Iran, Morocco and Jordan also rank among past winners.
Nominees are selected by a jury appointed by an AKAA steering committee
for each three-year award cycle. The nine members of the 2010 master jury
are senior architects, designers and other industry professionals from across the
Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the United States and the UK.
Among this year’s jury representatives from MENA are Omar Abdulaziz
Halaj, architect and chief executive officer of Syria Trust for Development,
Faryar Javaherian, architect and curator of Gamma Consultants in Iran and
Basem Al Shihabi, architect and managing partner of Omrania Associates in
Saudi Arabia. Projects shortlisted for the 2010 award include the following:
WADI HANIFA WETLANDS, RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA
The Wadi Hanifa (or Hanifa Valley) is the longest and most important valley near
Riyadh, a natural water drainage course for an area of more than 4,000sq/km
and a unique geographical feature in this dry region.
The Wadi Hanifa Wetlands project is an initiative of the Arriyadh Development
Authority and is designed to restore and develop the wadi as an environmental,
recreational and tourism resource. Having been exploited in an aggressive and
environmentally destructive manner in the past, the project aims to restore the
balance between the resources of the wadi and the people of the area.
Work so far has included the introduction of landscaping, the conservation of
the natural environment and the development of recreational areas. Another
key development is the creation of an eco-friendly wastewater treatment facility
that provides additional water resources for the rural and urban inhabitants of
the region.
November 2010 87
Clockwise from left: Al Qaraouiyine Mosque; The American University of Beirut;
Souk Waqif; Tulou housing, Beijing.
RESTORATION OF AL-QARAOUIYINE MOSQUE, FEZ, MOROCCO
Dating back to 859AD, the Al-Qaraouiyine Mosque is ingrained in the social and
religious fabric of Fez, as both a place of worship and a learning institution.
The project was undertaken by Mohammed Fikri Benabdallah for Morocco’s
Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, with the aim to preserve the
mosque’s history along with its important religious, cultural and social role in the
lives of the citizens of Fez.
Relying on Moroccan experts and professionals, the strategy involved rigorous
documentation, a careful readjustment of the haphazard interventions made on
the building in the past 60 years and a sensitivity to the continuing daily use of
the mosque by worshippers.
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY CAMPUS, BEIRUT, LEBANON
The American University of Beirut has a century-old campus perched on a hill

overlooking the Mediterranean, comprising more than 80 academic, residential
and administrative buildings. This joint project between Sasaki Associates and
Machado and Silvetti Associates followed a master plan encompassing both existing
and future architectural, landscape and urban design needs of the university.
Its improvements to the campus infrastructure combine renovation of existing
buildings with the preservation of historic structures, alongside the addition of
new buildings such as a sports centre, business school and other classroom
and parking facilities. An important aspect of the programme is the improved
pedestrian access, including the revival of promenades, plazas and green spaces.
SOUK WAQIF, DOHA, QATAR
Mohamed Ali Abdullah’s private engineering office undertook a major rejuvenation

project to revive the Souk Waqif, a heritage site dating back to the time when
DESIGN@LARGE
Nishorgo Oirabot Nature Interpretation Centre.
Doha was a village and its inhabitants gathered here to buy and sell goods. in the rural areas of China’s Fujian province.
Incorporating a comprehensive study of the site’s history, the project aimed Within a contemporary setting, the project uses the traditional design features
to reverse dilapidation and restore the original character, lost over the years of an outer circular block, a rectangular box within and connection to the
through inappropriate renovations and additions. outer ring by bridges and a courtyard. Resulting from research into current
Traditional materials and strategies combined with new, sophisticated features, urbanisation trends and the traditional houses of the region, the Tulou Collective
including heat management and lighting systems, were introduced, restoring it Housing project provides low rent housing to a large cross-section, particularly
to an open-air public space used by shoppers, tourists, merchants and residents. migrant workers.
The lower floors contain shops and other community facilities, with upper
NISHORGO OIRABOT NATURE INTERPRETATION CENTRE, floors dedicated to residential units. Individual apartments are positioned for
TEKNAF, BANGLADESH optimal natural light and ventilation, with a wooden and concrete wrapping
around the structure shading individual balconies that provide outdoor spaces.
Located in a protected forest and nature reserve in the Chittagong district
of south Bangladesh, a key theme of this project is nature education, the REVITALISATION OF RECENT HERITAGE, TUNIS, TUNISIA
promotion of biodiversity, conservation and eco-tourism. It combines viewing
platforms, an exhibition area and a dedicated space for the screening of Though there has been a drive to restore the historic centres of cities in North
educational and environmentally friendly films. Africa region, the 19th and early 20th century architectural heritage of these
Led by architects Vitti Sthapati Brindo and Ehsan Khan, the building places has often been overlooked.
sympathetically combines man-made and natural materials and structures. The Association de Sauvegarde de la Medina de Tunis (ASM) has undertaken
Concrete slabs are pierced by tree trunks where necessary and platforms float a long-term project, starting in 1998, to revitalise these areas which reflect
on unobtrusive structural walls, minimising their environmental impact and the important cultural exchange between the southern and northern
working with the natural landscape. Mediterranean.
One part of this extensive project includes the Ville Nouvelle of Tunis, built
TULOU COLLECTIVE HOUSING, NANHAI, GUANDONG, CHINA when Tunisia was a French Protectorate. ASM’s revitalisation plan involved
restructuring the public spaces and returning them to chiefly pedestrian access,
This pioneering prototype for affordable housing from URBANUS, Xiaodu Liu restoring key monuments and also guiding other public and private sector
and Yan Meng architects draws inspiration from traditional tulou structures found organisations in their preservation projects. ID
November 2010 89
idProperty
CONTENTS:
92 Chic niche
THE BOUTIQUE HOTEL, DEIRA
98 Enter the dragon

104 Antennae
107 Portfolio
110 Mix and match
November 2010 91
Chic niche
A thoroughly modern hotel in the heart of Old
Dubai’s Deira corniche delivers the very best
of both worlds. TEXT: LAURA COLLACOTT
The all-white rooftop lounge.
LOCAL | idProperty
November 2010 93
idProperty | LOCAL
Clockwise from top left: The bright skylight above the Jacuzzi; rooftop pool
by night; a section of the geometric bar design.
Dubai has long neglected the boutique hotel in favour of glitzy, polished white gloss of the solid surface allows us to change the colour and atmosphere,
five-star towers, and when one or two have opened up, they have been in as per the changing requirements,” explains Hatem Miladi, chief architect of
unlikely, though character-filled, backwaters. However, times are changing as Draw Link Group who designed the hotel.
hoteliers are switched on to the desirability of intimate, more stylised properties. The high-gloss, heavy-duty material provides a super-modern look compared
This is demonstrated by the city’s latest addition to the boutique family, which to the traditional white paintwork and unique welding, meaning it is easy to
can be found on Deira Corniche, near the wind-towers and coral houses of create a “monolith” appearance without any obvious joins. It is easy to maintain
original, pearl-trading Dubai. and clean, which may explain why it has been used so comprehensively, from
Although as yet without an official name, the Boutique Hotel will be a the lobby to the bar.
microcosm of this contrast, providing purpose-built, super-styled lodgings in the The lobby space is flooded with natural light from the large skylight above
midst of Old Dubai when it opens its doors over the November Eid al-Adha and is enriched with stripes of colour emanating from the balcony-style
celebrations. Set back from the road, the black glass frontage – highlighted with corridors. Low, flat sofas in a blush pink are arranged in the airy lobby against
illuminated, multi-coloured panels – adds a smoulderingly modern face to the a faux fireplace and bookshelf wall – whitewashed – to invite guests to sit and
otherwise fairly indistinct ranks of shops and apartments. read. A white, ground-to-roof relief artwork provides a centrepiece that mimics
The solid surface façade, normally used in working kitchens, is making its the furnishings of a classical house to counter the otherwise supremely modern
debut in the GCC having been specially tested by the manufacturers for its reception area. The glass banister of the staircase allows guests to enjoy the wall
suitability as external cladding in a hot, humid environment. The colours on the of blue light that it snakes around.
exterior hint at the separate colour schemes on each of the four floors within. Daousser Chennoufi, CEO and key architect of Draw Link Group, says the
Neutral colours – white, grey beige and black – and design staples of wood team wanted to bring a feel of contemporary luxury to the four-star property,
panels and marble surfaces are skilfully interwoven with flashes of orange, green, but without the five-star price tag. “Our focus was on the quality of the spaces,
blue and yellow to clearly distinguish each level. The lobby is awash with white, the freshness, and the atmosphere instead of over-use of luxury materials within
highlighted by a muted but heavily grained expanse of cherrywood reception a heavy design,” he says.
desk and polished marble finishes that subtly reflect bold, colourful lighting effects. It’s a philosophy that pervades the hotel. The common areas epitomise
The same solid-surface cladding used in black on the exterior has been simplistic chic, the business centre is minimalist without skimping on any
employed internally, this time in white, with the express purpose of providing a essential services, the dining room capitalises on texture and hints of colour
vast blank canvas for the lighting: “Directing RGB [red, green, blue] lights on the without being overpowering.
Think you know our wallcoverings?
PO Box 34625 • Dubai • Tel: 00971 4 3387399 • Fax: 00971 4 3387401 • Email: customerserviceuae@muraspec.com
idProperty | LOCAL
Clockwise from left: The subdued lobby showing hints of the colour schemes
on each floor above; entrance by night, showing the solid surface facade and
lighting to their best advantage; sitting room of the executive suite.
Up at the rooftop pool, you could be in Monaco. White furniture, a green- roof lantern that sits above it, letting you watch the stars as you soak in the
lined pool and dark slate tiles, with few other distracting accessories, provide a bubbles, almost redeems it.
crisp, clean backdrop to the sunbathing. Add purple bolts of light and it’s easy to The hotel’s 99 bedrooms and four suites feature clean, sharp lines in a more
see how this doubles as a hip nightspot, not just on the outdoor terrace but also calming two-tone palette, using white and rich wood grains to moderate the
at the adjoining inside bar. vibrant splashes (which vary in line with the theme of the floor). A feature wall
Here an angular frame fills the room. Painted entirely in white and behind the bed of brushed stainless steel is in keeping with the edgy approach
complemented by white furniture, it gives the sensation of being inside a cut and provides an exact counter point to the bedding below. Progressive
diamond. The bar itself continues the prism theme by mixing straight lines with automatic touch panels control the lighting, television and mirror. Move up to
angular shapes, encompassing everything from the bar to the colour-changing one of the four executive suites and you’ll add a sitting room and private bar,
light feature set into the ceiling. where cosy tweed sofas are smartened up with crocodile-skin leather cushions.
The spa and fitness centre on the top level is defined by the subtle glow of Colour combined with artistic lighting and the widespread use of solid
coloured glass, and shafts of natural light at considered intervals. Separate male surfaces are the key design facets that give the property a contemporary feel
and female changing areas are tiled with the same muted grey slate found at the throughout. Direct lighting has been avoided in order to enhance colour
pool, but colour is injected – as you’d expect – in the bright mosaic walls of the schemes with dashes of brightness, while transparent surfaces have been utilised
showers and steam rooms. to allow changing perspectives to maximise the design.
Unfortunately, the flower-patterned mosaic and garish orange alcoves in the Just a short walk from the rustic charms of the original coral homes and dhow
Jacuzzi room seem to have missed the mark, which is a shame given the careful wharfs of Deira, the Boutique Hotel offers guests a glimpse of the polar
contemporary feel cultivated in the rest of the hotel. However, the beautiful extremes of Dubai design. It’s an attractive contrast. ID
Enter the dragon
Hong Kong’s property market is feeling the full force of
China’s economic miracle, but will cash-laden Chinese
buyers be enough to keep the prices of luxury homes
sky-rocketing? TEXT: RICHARD WARREN
More from less: Architect Gary Chang’s small apartment

becomes a ‘20 room mansion’ thanks to a series of
moveable walls, bookcases, shower cubicles, and more.
INTERNATIONAL | idProperty
Hong Kong’s property market resembles a dangerous chemistry experiment,

all fizz and froth, excitement and speculation, a series of interconnected test-tubes,
Bunsen burners, petri dishes and jars shaking and teetering as their contents
boil and bubble. Either the world’s greatest property market bull-run will keep
on defying global trends, or the whole lot will come crashing down, destroying
dreams, fortunes and estate agents’ sincerest assurances.
Prices have nearly doubled for super luxury homes since the start of the year,
fuelled by an economic boom, near-zero interest rates and thousands of buyers
streaming across the border from the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Reeling from the reverberations of this housing boom, Hong Kong
newspapers scream that prices are “out of control”. Analysts compare the
market to a casino, politicians demand restrictions on Chinese buyers, first-time
buyers accuse developers of hoarding land and the Government is accused of
either being neglectful or interfering, depending on which side of the argument
you stand. Without doubt, rocketing property prices in Hong Kong is a hot topic
of conversation.
Hosts at dinner parties in Hong Kong’s most prestigious residential district,
The Peak, can mention casually to guests that they live close to the world’s
most expensive street. A survey by website Financial News reports it costs
Dhs257,000 per square metre to own a home on Severn Road, the 1.5
kilometre stretch winding its way up The Peak. A 74 per cent rise in prices
on the road over the past 12 months lifted it from eighth on the world’s most
expensive streets table in 2009, to number one today.
Guests at Severn Road dinner parties, however, won’t feel jealous of anyone,
because prices for their super-luxury homes have risen 88 per cent over the
past year, Savills estate agency reports. Driving up these prices is a stream of
incoming wealthy Chinese – two out of every five buyers. In the mass market,
where mainland buyers are few, prices have risen a relatively modest 35
per cent.
November 2010 99
idProperty | INTERNATIONAL
Top to bottom: Optimising space: Chang’s 32-square-metre apartment; one

of the six en-suite bedrooms from 33 Tung Tai Wan; hi-rise highlights of Hong
Kong’s Central and Admiralty districts.
Most Chinese buyers are entrepreneurs arriving in Hong Kong to launch their
businesses on its stock exchange or high net worth individuals looking for a safe
haven for their money. China’s strict capital controls mean investing in Hong
Kong is one of the few ways mainlanders can move money offshore legally –
although the Chinese flag flies over Hong Kong it remains semi-autonomous,
a Special Administrative Region, with its own immigration and tax policies and
currency, the Hong Kong Dollar.
A Chinese national can get permanent residency in Hong Kong if they buy a
home worth Dhs3.1m or more and about 9,000 residency applications from
PRC nationals have been received so far in 2010.
Unintentionally, the United States has helped push up prices. The Hong Kong
Dollar is pegged to the US Dollar, so Washington’s attempts to stimulate its own
economy with low interest rates means the cost of borrowing in Hong Kong is
low, too.
Peter Yuen, deputy managing director at Savills Hong Kong, says record low
interest rates are encouraging Chinese and Hong Kongers to buy. “The rate
of borrowing is only one per cent,” he says. “It was four or five per cent five
years ago. And the supply of property is really limited. For luxury property, in
the three years 2010 to 2012, only 90 units per annum will become available,
whereas for the 10 years before 2010 the average number of units built per
year was 413.” In the mass market, supply has been cut by tens of thousands of
units, he adds.
Underpinning high property values is a large population (seven million) living
in a small space, which, in practical house-building terms, is made smaller by
much of it being mountainous. The home of an average family of four (or more)
is a flat between 28 square metre to 46 square metre in size and only the lucky
few have a balcony. The north shore of Hong Kong Island, the photogenic, high
rise stretch that overlooks Victoria Harbour, is the most densely populated place
on the planet.

idProperty | INTERNATIONAL
Infinity pool with a view at 8 Tai Tam Road, Hong Kong Island.
However, Hong Kongers find ingenious ways to cope with their cramped rates will go up in the US, so our interest rate will go up, too,” Yuen says.
living conditions. Hong Kong architect Gary Chang turned the 32-square-metre Another factor is China’s inflation rate. If it rises too fast, Beijing may control
apartment where he grew up with his parents, three siblings and a tenant into a its economy more tightly, damaging GDP growth in China and Hong Kong, he
“20-room mansion” by creating a series of moveable, false walls that double as says. But despite these concerns, Yuen forecasts prices will rise 20 to 30 per
defined storage spaces, such as bar counter, bookcase and so forth. Pull out one cent in Hong Kong’s luxury housing market over the next 12 months, and 10 to
wall and a bathroom appears, put it back and your lounge returns. 20 per cent in the mass market.
While many in Hong Kong’s property business are cracking open the “The Government recently put up some sites for auction [to developers] and
champagne to celebrate the housing boom, others are developing Botox-beating competition for them is severe,” he says. “The bargaining price is already 20 per
frowns. Stephen Chung of Zeppelin Real Estate Analysis considers Hong Kong’s cent above market level, so I would say that the developers are all expecting 20
property market today to mirror that of 1997, just before prices crashed 60 per per cent growth.”
cent in a six-year slump. Hong Kongers just cannot afford to buy a home, he Yuen recommends that potential investors in Hong Kong property ought to
argues, so prices are unsustainable. aim high. “Go to the luxury market, because we believe there will be more
Many Hong Kong residents agree and their demands for the Government to PRC investors or end-users who will buy property in Hong Kong,” he says.
cool the market are growing louder. So far, its attempts to do this by releasing “Eighty-seven per cent of companies looking for an IPO listing in Hong Kong
more land onto the market for developers have failed and tightening mortgage are PRC companies, so you can see that, as time goes by, there will more PRC
restrictions is the latest plan. companies listed in Hong Kong and, obviously, it will be very natural for the
Yuen is sanguine, however. “We learned a big lesson in the Asian financial senior staff or the boss to have their own accommodation in Hong Kong.”
crisis [in 1997] when our leverage was 118 per cent, but now, the leverage Properties on the market include number 8 Tai Tam Road, a five-bedroom
ratio is only 35 per cent, so it is not that high, and we don’t foresee any big waterfront home with heated swimming pool in salubrious Southside, on
external shock coming in the region,” he says. Nowadays we are much more Hong Kong Island’s south coast. The price is available upon application, but will
integrated with our motherland. If you look at the PRC economy you can see probably run into the hundreds of millions of dirhams.
that it is very strong, we are talking about a GDP growth of around nine to Investors willing to ride Hong Kong’s helter-skelter property market will
11 per cent.” be pleased to know that website The Global Property Guide considers its
He does acknowledge there are risks though, for instance, an interest rate rental market pro-landlord, sales transaction costs low and rental income tax
rise could reduce demand and prices. “From the middle of next year interest moderate. Rental yields are a modest 3.25 per cent. ID

IF YOU LOVE STYLE, YOU’LL LOVE...
idProperty | ANTENNAE
They are grumbling in Britain, desperate in Taiwan and investor-friendly in Cuba, while China is hot,
hot, hot. TEXT: RICHARD WARREN
EAST MEETS WEST

IN FOR THE KILL UNHAPPY FAMILIES
The global housing recovery will continue in 2011,
“Seeking a murder house for residence” – this There’s much grumbling in Britain. Apparently, 96 reports estate agency Knight Frank. Its Global
internet ad has raised eyebrows across Taiwan and per cent of Britons think the country has housing Residential Market Forecast 2011 report shows
East Asia’s media. The Taipei office assistant who problems, according to a survey conducted by property prices rose rapidly in Hong Kong and
posted the advert hopes it will bag him a bargain the Council of Mortgage Lenders. Gripes include Singapore, steadily in China and Australia, but fell
in the Taiwan capital, where steeply rising property homes are too small, too expensive and too few in many Western markets, in 2010. However, this
prices are making it tough for lower earners to in number. To cap it all, most respondents believe East-West divide will narrow in 2011. Price rises
buy a home. Properties where a murder has been the Government cannot improve matters – and in the Asia-Pacific region will slow to more
committed are usually shunned by Taiwanese the public’s pain is shared by surveyors, estate sustainable levels, Knight Frank says, while in the
who fear troubled spirits will bring occupants bad agents and property developers. A survey by United States and European states like Britain,
luck. Sellers can face fines, even jail, if they do personnel recruiters Judd Farris found half of Switzerland, Monaco, Latvia and Lithuania, prices
not disclose that a murder or suicide took place those working in the property business want to will stop falling and even edge up slightly next
at their property. But, for Taiwanese priced out quit. Career advancement problems and a poor year. Some European states will continue to lag,
of the housing market, “murder houses” can be life-work balance are cited as the major reasons. notably Spain and Ireland, where prices will fall,
a lifeline to property ownership, because they Another survey may generate more dissatisfaction though less sharply than this year. Irish prices are
can cost half as much as other homes to buy. – according to Your Move estate agency, most already 31 per cent below their 2006 peak and
Homebuyers are less desperate in Thailand, women in relationships say they decide whether ongoing economic contraction means there is little
where prices are slipping backwards, though to buy a joint home, but most men think the cash to go round for home buying. The Spanish
demand at prestige developments like Royal decision is shared. “It seems clear that men don’t housing market will be drained of cash by
Marina Phuket, remains strong. realise they aren’t in control of the proceedings. Madrid’s deficit-busting austerity measures.

TASTY TURKEY
Turkey is flavour of the month and the year

for property pundits. Citing its rapid economic
recovery following the credit crunch, the
financial prudence of its government and its
booming tourism industry, The Global Property
Guide enthuses “we believe Turkey offers an
exceptional opportunity for property investors” in
its report Turkey: Europe’s Best Residential Property
EXPENSIVE TASTES Investment? Some encouraging stats: GDP is
forecast to grow five per cent in 2010, inflation
Property prices in China’s 70 major cities are rising at a rate of nine per cent a month. The China Real Estate is 5.7 per cent (its lowest level in 39 years) and
Association demands developers price their homes “more reasonably” and says that if they don’t, then the interest rates are down to 10 per cent – they
Government must control the market. Underpinning high prices is the voracious Chinese appetite for bricks were 60 per cent seven years ago. Turkey’s
and mortar – astonishingly, for a country that is still governed by a Communist party, 90 per cent of Chinese liberalised mortgage market is expanding, so that
own their own home and one quarter have a second home. The Government has already attempted to could help raise property values and, unlike some
cool price rises by raising interest rates and the deposit needed for a mortgage and the next step may be other places in the world, banks are keen to
a new property tax. The world’s property professionals must hope the boom continues because it is great lend. Much focus is on Turkey’s commercial hub,
for business. For example, London-based architectural practice PRP has just completed its masterplan for Istanbul, where rental yields reach 6.35 per cent
Chongqing, western China’s key industrial city of 9.5 million people. for 75 square metre flats in the Bakirkoy district.
DOUBLING UP PAIN STREET

BUILDING DEATHS
Cuba’s Government is making it easier for Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. In the
Next time you admire a beautiful building you foreigners to own property on its island. A new United States, house prices have hit a new low
may want to reflect on this sobering fact: as many law extending lease lengths from 50 years to in the current cycle, down 1.7 per cent in two
people are killed on construction sites throughout 99 years has been welcomed by international months. Another record – new home sales are
the world each year as die as a result of armed developers building leisure communities on the at a record low of 288,000 per month, a long,
conflict. According to the International Labour island. Extending lease lengths will make buying a long way down from the normal 900,000 level.
Organisation, 60,000 construction workers are home in Cuba more attractive, they say. The first Mortgage lending applications are only slightly
killed at work each year, that’s around one death hotel, golf course and holiday homes complex above the 14-year low recorded in August. “The
every 10 minutes. The building industry accounts under construction, The Carbonera Club, will upshot is that as long as unemployment remains
for almost one-in-five of all fatal workplace be completed in 2011 by its British developer, high and negative equity remains widespread,
accidents, with falls, crushes and electrocution Esencia Hotels and Resorts. Among other overall housing demand will remain weak,” warns
the main causes. To help reduce deaths and developers arriving on the island, Canadian firm Paul Dales, US economist at consultancy Capital
injuries, Britain’s National Examination Board in Leisure Canada plans to build two leisure resorts. Economics. He forecasts more repossessions
Occupational Health and Safety (NEBOSH) is Ten more golf courses are also planned. Cuba’s on the way. Main Street may be suffering, but
launching a new health and safety qualification leasehold reforms are timely as buyer interest in Wall Street is booming, and that means bankers
for overseas construction managers. “Our new the Caribbean is rising rapidly. According to website and stockbrokers are back in the money, some
qualification will equip supervisors and managers Rightmove, Caribbean holiday homes searches of which they are spending on homes in The
with the skills they need to control the major have doubled over the past 12 months, welcome Hamptons, the fashionable seaside towns on Long
hazards that affect this industry,” says Teresa news to the developer of The Landings, a resort Island, pushing sales back up to pre-credit crunch
Budworth, NEBOSH’s chief executive. scheme being marketed on the island of St Lucia. levels. Is that good news? You be the judge.
November 2010 105

Architecture
Interior Design
Engineering
www.lwdesigngroup.com
PORTFOLIO | idProperty
Green shoots of recovery

The region’s property sector is experiencing a new surge
of optimism, with encouraging signs from a number of
hotel and residential developments. TEXT: GLENN FREEMAN
Yellow Lounge at The Address Dubai Marina.
HELLO YELLOW tradition of the Ritz brand and complements DIFC’s urban design, which is also
by Gensler.
A new chic nightspot, Yellow Lounge, has opened at The Address Dubai A further expansion of another of the group’s hotels, Ritz-Carlton Dubai, will
Marina, one of Dubai’s most vibrant neighbourhoods. see 301 rooms on site by 2013. An extension containing 152 rooms is due to
Offering an elaborate menu of beverages and a trendy ambience with chilled open in the second quarter of 2012, whereupon the existing 138 rooms will
lounge tunes, Yellow Lounge is situated on the ground floor of The Address close ahead of the refurbishment’s completion. Additional hotels are earmarked
Rive Gauche restaurant. With a combination of tasteful design, casual dining for Abu Dhabi, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
areas and a sophisticated drinks selection, it suits either intimate occasions or
social gatherings. The Address Dubai Marina is one of five hotels under The BACK IN BUSINESS
Address Hotels + Resorts brand, which is owned and operated by Emaar
Hospitality Group. Nakheel, the beleaguered developer behind some of the most ambitious
developments in Dubai, has announced that work will soon resume on a
PUTTING ON THE RITZ number of projects stalled during the downturn.
Construction will recommence on Al Furjan, Jumeirah Village, Jumeirah Park,
The Ritz-Carlton DIFC, originally slated to launch in 2008, is due to open at the Jumeirah Heights Clusters, Veneto, Badhrah, Jumeirah Islands Mansions and
end of November, making it the brand’s sixth property in the region. International City residential developments, which were placed on hold in 2008
The hotel, directly connected to Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), and 2009.
contains 341 guestrooms and suites, including two Ritz-Carlton Suites and 124 According to a statement from Nakheel: “We expect that all short term
serviced apartments. Designed by Gensler architects, it reflects the longstanding projects will be fully mobilised by October 2010.”
November 2010 107

Clockwise from top left: Nakheel's Al Furjan; City Seasons Oman;
Radisson Blue Dubai Downtown lobby; Park Hyatt Dubai.
The company has also flagged new mall developments along with plans to
expand some of its existing retail properties, including Dragon Mart and Ibn FEELING BLU
Battuta Mall. It intends to construct up to five new malls near some of its existing
Dubai developments, including Discovery Gardens and Jumeirah Village, with Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Downtown, is one of the latest establishments to
these properties expected to be a combination of supermarkets and specialist capitalise on the exclusive address next door to the world’s tallest building,
retail stores. Burj Khalifa.
The positive announcements come after Nakheel’s restructuring of its Built by Rezidor Hotel Group, the 220-room property is scheduled for
considerable debt obligations, a process that began in March and is expected to a 2011 opening and is the fourth Dubai hotel property in the Radisson Blu
be complete by the end of the year. portfolio, joining its properties at Deira Creek, Media City and Dubai Marina.
Among some of the mega projects placed on hold at the height of the Located on the upper floors of a mixed-use building, some rooms in the
downturn were Nakheel’s The Universe, Palm Deira and Dubai Waterfront. property offer breathtaking views of the 828m Burj Khalifa.
There are no immediate plans for their recommencement. With a clean, modern design, all rooms enjoy Radisson Blu signature services,
including free high-speed internet. The hotel also has a fully equipped business
BEST OF THE BEST class lounge and conference facilities including six meeting rooms, two board
rooms and a business centre.
Park Hyatt Dubai has been named best Middle East hotel at the annual Condé
Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards in New York. EASY DOES IT
The Dubai hotel, which opened in 2005, finished first in its category ahead
of the Four Seasons, Doha and David Citadel Hotel, Jerusalem. It attracted The first Dubai hotel from Europe’s innovative, budget hotel group easyHotel
an average vote of 87.9, with more than 25,000 readers voting in the annual has opened in Jebel Ali.
awards, which has one of the highest participation rates in the United States. Part of the super-budget easyGroup, easyHotel is defined by its simple,
Each of Park Hyatt Dubai’s 225 rooms offer stunning views of Dubai Creek modern design and no-frills approach. The 216-room, six-storey hotel – decked
from their balconies or terraces. The luxuriously appointed rooms and interiors in trademark orange livery – is the first one-star addition to Dubai’s hotel sector
comprise a fusion of Moorish and Mediterranean influences from designers and also the first Gold LEED-certified hotel in the budget category.
Wilson Associates. Design on the project was provided by Hypsos Middle East, which
The Middle East winner was one of more than 915 winning resorts and collaborated in the creation of the basic amenities of each room, including en
hotels across various categories of the Readers’ Choice Awards. suite bathroom, wireless internet access and work desk space. It focuses on

PORTFOLIO | idProperty
Crystal Lagoons.
smart, basic yet strong materials, in line with the easyGroup strategy. being constructed by the same group. It features 264 rooms mixing traditional
Operated in Dubai by Istithmar Group, the easyHotel is constructed using Arabian design and hospitality with modern facilities.
a pod design, which centres around a compact, ergonomically-designed, Becoming the fifth UAE hotel for the Bin Ham Group, it joins its City Seasons
prefabricated room. Once completed, the pods are then connected using a Suites and City Seasons Hotel in Deira, Dubai, City Seasons Al Hamra Hotel in
novel “stack, connect and stick” building concept. This involves the pods being Abu Dhabi and City Seasons Hotel, Al Ain.
stacked on top of each other, connected by prefabricated corridors and lift-units,
and then finally “stuck” onto a concrete platform. LAGOON WITH A VIEW
DOUBLING UP Development of a different kind has seen Chile’s Crystal Lagoons Corp sign a
deal to build new lagoons in Oman.
Hotel JAL Tower Dubai is scheduled to open on Sheikh Zayed Road by early A Dhs1.83bn deal to construct a seven-hectare lagoon property in Oman
December, marking the company’s second property in the UAE, joining the was signed at the recent Cityscape Global conference in Dubai. In partnership
Hotel JAL Fujairah Resort & Spa. between the Chilean developer and Kuwaiti company Alargan, the development
The distinctive 471-room, 51-storey, slick glass tower, designed by German is also set to include three hotels, 400 villas and 800 apartments.
firm BRT Architekten, is located near the Dubai World Trade Centre and The Oman lagoon is one of 50 projects currently underway in the Middle
opposite Dubai International Financial Centre. East and North Africa, and one of a handful of lucrative deals signed recently.
It also features seven restaurants and bars, including the Japanese-themed These include Dhs18.3bn and Dhs4.4bn projects in Sharm El Sheikh and
Benkay and Icho Teppan Grill. A health club with gym, spa and rooftop pool is Hurghada, Egypt, and a Dhs918 metre “Dead Sea Lagoon” in Jordan.
also incorporated. Despite the grand scale of the lagoon projects, Crystal Lagoons Corp
maintains it adheres to principles of sustainability and environmental
HOTEL FOR ALL SEASONS consideration. All lagoons are filled with brackish water taken from shallow wells
in the desert.
The latest City Seasons Hotel, in Muscat, Oman, will be the newest addition The group’s Dhs4.4bn Dubai Crystal Lagoons project, located in Downtown
to the Al Ain-based hotel group’s portfolio and is slated for a 2011 opening. Dubai, is nearing completion of the first stage, comprising a pilot lagoon ahead
Located in Muscat’s Diplomatic area, the hotel is attached to a shopping mall of constructing the full range of water features. ID
November 2010 109

PHOTOGRAPHY: LUIZA SIGULEM
Piracicaba.

Mix and match

A cinematographer’s eye helps Brazilian architect,
designer, film-maker and sometime analyst Isay
Weinfeld see the art in architecture. TEXT: ASHLEE BEARD
November 2010 111

PHOTOGRAPHY: LEONARDO FINOTTI
PHOTOGRAPHY: ALVARO POVOA
Left to right: Casa D’Agua; Livraria da Vila.
During the inaugural Architecture International Congress (AICO) a newspaper that my films were very architectonic and that my architecture is
at Oporto, Portugal, leading architects from Europe and South America took very cinematographic!,” Weinfeld laughs. “But it’s completely mixed, it’s exactly
part in a six-day conference at the Oporto Alfãndega Congress centre, a former the same thing for me, the process of doing each is very similar.”
customs building looking out from the north bank of Porto’s River Douro. The comparison is an easy one to make. Take his 2006 Iporanga house
As Brazilian architect Isay Weinfeld took to the stage, images of a sculpture in Guarujà, a two-level cubic structure where each room is like a stage set,
by Brazilian sculptor Sergio de Camargo, a scene from Stanley Kubrick’s a combination of perfect symmetry, vivified through the addition of carefully
Clockwork Orange and the mournful wailing of Ewa Fröling in Ingmar Bergman’s selected modern furniture pieces against textural backdrops. Weinfeld is a
Swedish classic Fanny and Alexander filled the auditorium. Not what you’d fervent advocate of sustainability, and the unfinished raw aspect of indigenous
expect of an architecture lecture, but as the deafening silence within the woods and organic materials contrast against the refinement of Brazilian design
auditorium throughout the 40-minute presentation attested, Weinfeld is not classics, such as Sergio Rodrigues’s Diz armchairs.
your average architect. Flashback to Weinfeld’s presentation, as he draws to a close, the exiguous
Though trained as an architect, at the outset of his career he happily straddled references of his “gallery of inspiration” end, leaving the viewer faced with
the worlds of architecture and film-making. And for more than a decade luxurious, glossy shots of completed projects, such as Iporanga, that seem to say
following his graduation from São Paulo’s Mackenzie School of Architecture volumes more than lengthy discussions or site plans.
in 1975, Weinfeld’s reputation grew for his celluloid works rather than his This sense of “cinematographic” drama pervades throughout Weinfeld’s
structures. His film career began with early works such as Sleeping Beauty work. He admits that, unlike many architecture students in Brazil, it was not the
from1975, which won the award for best plot in São Paulo, and eventually masterworks of Niemeyer or the Le Corbusier that inspired his career choice.
culminated with the highly acclaimed comedy Fogo e Paixào (Fire and Passion) “My decision came from other choices. I started with art, visual arts, then films,
in 1988, his first feature-length film. architecture then came from this, but not from anything specific,” he says. “I
Since then, despite the fact he is once again working on a short film, decided to go to university to study architecture, but I really didn’t know at that
Weinfeld’s focus has shifted back to his studied profession. However, in his eyes time exactly if this was my profession. I still don’t know to this day… but I don’t
it was never one or the other as the two are inextricably joined. “I once read in think that’s bad.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: NELSON KON
Iporanga.
Just as a script writer or an actor must know their characters inherently to outside of Brazil, Las Piedras Fasano. Meanwhile, in Belgrade the architect is
create convincing scenes, each prospective client must first undergo a “session” currently nearing completion of another family-owned boutique hotel, Square
with Weinfeld, an integral part of the process for the architect, who favours Nine. Although it too shares all the trappings of the luxury hotels that are
holistic projects over simply creating buildings. “The first thing, obviously, is to springing up in response to the city’s current boom, the characteristic use of rich
share an empathy and affinity with my client, this is very important. The second dark woods and stone creates a cosy ambience in contrast to the current wave
is respect for the client, which I put into my work. When I build a house, it’s not of minimal, trendy design hotels.
my house but their house, seen through my eyes. Each project is completely As Weinfeld admits: “I prefer to be in old places than in new ones because
different to the others because people are unique,” he explains. most of the new places are beautiful to see but completely uncomfortable.
“I have to talk a lot with clients to finally understand, to find the elements to Comfort is so important to me.” Set on one of the few remaining sites that
be projected. If I don’t feel that I have found enough, then I continue discussing allows for new construction within the city’s historic centre, Square Nine is part
with them until I have something to start with. My profession is 95 per cent of the massive regeneration within the Serbian capital.
psychoanalytical and five per cent architecture.” The architect has seen cities such as Belgrade and Brazil’s capital, Brasilia,
This approach has proved the foundation of some fruitful projects, such as grow, and has some advice for Dubai’s urban planners. “It’s important to keep
the luxury, family-owned Fasano hospitality chain, for which he has won much the scale of the city. If you see Brasilia, it has no corners for people to meet on.
acclaim (not to mention awards). As Rogerio Fasano says: “Isay is a friend There are no cafés or bars on the corner, but yet corner cafés and bars are a
and a person that understands my way of thinking, my sense of humour and good thing in the city, they are places to meet,” he says.
finally, the philosophy behind the Fasano brand. We have done many projects “With cities such as Venice, you have this surprise of the space, first you are in
together, so to choose him is the best way to go. Always.” a very narrow street, then all of a sudden it opens up to a beautiful piazza. This
Weinfield and his 30-strong team are currently juggling four Fasano hotels is the emotion of space in the city, the thrill of it, it makes you feel good. I hope
throughout Brazil, in addition to its more imminent opening, a new location you have this in Dubai, because we don’t have this in Brasilia. It is important to
in Uruguay. Stretched out across 480 hectares of rugged South American have people meeting on the streets, to make it a lively city. It’s important not to
landscape, 205 private villas will share the estate of Fasano’s first luxury hotel lose the human scale.” ID
November 2010 113

FORUM
Couch couture
Designer sofas, electronic tablets and Mini masterpieces feature
among this month’s best in design. TEXT: LAURA COLLACOTT
SITTING PRETTY
Dubai’s Al Quoz district, commonly used for warehousing and light manufacturing, is fast becoming
a hub for art and design. Sofa Studio has just opened here which designs, re-upholsters and
manufactures custom-made home products such as seat furniture, curtains, cushions, bedspreads
and lamps. Combining the design influences of its Indian and Dutch founders, the reasonably
priced studio offers customers freshly styled furniture with a European twist. Choose from fabrics
by the best design houses, such as Manuel Canovas, Pierre Frey, Boussac and Romo.
November 2010 115

FORUM
LET THERE BE LIGHT
Introducing the new Jallum light wand from Baccarat, which can
be used as a stand-alone light or in a grouping for a more striking
arrangement, inside or out. Designed by famous light artist Yann
Kersalé, the lamp is modular with an upper of cut crystal and a lower
unit of anodised aluminium set with electroluminescent diodes.
Bubbles and patterns within the glass cast a range of subtle and
evocative shadows after hours. The artist has previously worked with
major architects to illuminate buildings such as the Agbar Tower in
Barcelona, the Louvre in Abu Dhabi and the Musée du Quai Branly in
Paris. Sprinkle some of the same magic over your home.
ITALIAN BUZZ
Italian brand Palladio Interiors will be launching their presence in the Middle
East, using INDEX 2010 as a springboard. The suppliers of fine Italian
design, architecture and furniture believe there is an appetite for the same
daring design here in the Middle East as there is in its existing markets of
Italy, Russia and the Ukraine. Ennio Guzzo, General Director of Palladio
Interiors Worldwide, said: “We look forward to offering turn-key interior
solutions, unique designs and design services never seen before in this
region.” By which he means distinctive, exclusive architecture and bespoke
furniture and interiors.
WATCH THIS
Watchmakers Philip Stein, whose fans include Oprah Winfrey, Rupert Murdoch, Madonna
and Samuel L. Jackson, has launched its first automatic timepiece that incorporates natural
frequency technology. Wearers say this balances their ‘chi’ to give better sleep, less stress
and reduced jet lag. The Swiss-made movements are visible through the centre skeleton dial,
which is available in black and ivory. The Automatic Watch with genuine alligator strap retails
at Dhs8,965, but buyers can choose from a leather strap or metal bracelet.

INTERIOR DESIGN SHOW 2010
8 –11 NOVEMBER 2010, DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE
CREATING
E CELLENCE
A NEW DECADE OF DESIGN
INDEX DESIGN SHOW
8–11 NOVEMBER 2010

DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE
REGISTER ONLINE TODAY AT

www.indexexhibition.com
International Exhibitors - Innovation - Top Brands -

Latest Trends - Design Talks - Sustainable Design -
Product Sourcing - Inspiration - Networking -
Al Habtoor & ISG Student Challenge - Contemporary
Majlis Competition and much more… Exclusive Sponsor VIP Program: Official Media Partner: Co-located with:
ALL YOUR DESIGN NEEDS IN ONE PLACE OVER
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ACCESSORIES ART FLOORING FURNITURE INTERIOR DESIGN KITCHENS & LIGHTING TEXTILES &
SERVICES BATHROOMS UPHOLSTERY FABRICS
FORUM
COMFORT AND STYLE
A sleek new addition to the BoConcept family,

the Carmo sofa boasts low backs, wide seats and
refined details. Designed modularly and available in
more than 80 fabrics and leathers, the range can
be arranged in a number of different combinations
to fit any room. Danish designer Anders Nørgaard
explains: “I guess we gave the upholsterer an
interesting challenge when we added pipings to the
edges of the sofa. But they help define the shape of
the sofa. It’s an exclusive detail.”
CONNECTED
Samsung introduced the first of its new its new tablet device,
the Samsung Galaxy Tab at this year’s GITEX show. Users
will be able to experience PC-like web-browsing, multimedia
viewing, voice and video calls, SMS and social networks on
a convenient 7-inch display. And at just 380g, it won’t weigh
your pocket down. “Mobile is in our DNA,” said JK Shin,
President and Head of Mobile Communications Business
at Samsung. “The Samsung Galaxy Tab has been designed
to enable consumers to maximize their online experience
wherever they may be. This is only the beginning of its
innovations as a pioneer in smart media devices.” The Galaxy
Tab also offers access to literature, film and music libraries.
MUSIC DRIVE
Celebrated electronics designers Bang & Olufsen has signed a

partnership deal with car manufacturer BMW to blend ‘innovation
and tradition with cutting-edge technology and design’. Sharing values
and brand identities, the two companies have worked together to
produce an entertainment concept that combines the joy of driving
with the enjoyment of excellent sound quality. The new High-End
Surround Sound System, apparently a new age in car entertainment,
was demonstrated in the BMW 6 Series concept car at this year’s
Paris Motor Show. A hand-crafted acoustic lens at the centre of the
instrumental panel maximises the optimum sound in front of the
loudspeaker, improving the sense of space and realism for driver and
passengers, when compared to traditional baffle-designed speakers. The
hole patterns of each grille covering the 16 speakers were meticulously
drilled, so no matter which angle you look from, the holes are perfectly
aligned. All you need to know is that it sounds great.

FORUM
CLEAN FIRE
Brandoni’s bioethanol fireplace, launched at Cersaie

2010, delivers the ambience of a traditional fireplace
without the work or fitment of a smokestack.
Producing a fixating orange-yellow flame, it adds
a point of fascination in a stylish, elegant design.
The clean-burning ethanol combusts at around
400 degrees Celsius, emitting no toxic gases and
requiring no chimney, with the unit readily installed
in any interior.
TRUE METTLE
Looking for a foyer focus with a difference? Visit Marzorati Ronchetti,

exhibiting in Dubai for the first time at this year’s Index show. The
unusual metalworker creates custom-made, sculptural centrepieces
for public and private spaces. This example shows the company’s
work displayed as part of the stunning Missoni Store in Los Angeles
which is designed to imitate a woven fabric thanks to its interwoven
aluminium bands.
BREATHE IN
Celebrating the power of aromas in evoking different moods, THE

One has brought out a new range of scented candles in collaboration
with a series of international designers. We like fragrance master
Michael Loring-Probst’s, which use the cleanest, long-burning coconut
wax to fill homes with exotic aromas.

FORUM
ON THE WALL
Ever fancied designing your own wallpaper? Now you can with a
new website launched last month. Kollektion & Co in conjunction
Design agenda
with Mr Perswall – standing for Personal Walls - have developed a
site that allows customers to individualise existing patterns or upload
their own images. Printed in Sweden, Middle Eastern buyers can
expect to have their floor-to-ceiling murals delivered within a fortnight
of ordering. “The core idea of our brand is to invite the consumer
to tell their story by taking an active part in the design process and
creating personal homes with the help of wall coverings,” said Irene
Gimmersta, Co-founder of Mr Perswall.
BIGLIETTERIA
INDEX Interior Design Show, Dubai UAE, November 8-11
KEM Long Beach 2010, California, United States, November 17-18
JAPANTEX 2010, Tokyo, Japan, November 17-19
Sia Guest 2010, Rimini, Italy, November 20-23
The Big 5 2010, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, November 21-24
ZOW Moscow 2010, Moscow, Russia, November 22-26
IFFT Interior Lifestyle Living 2010, Japan, Tokyo,

November 24-26
The Sleep Event 2010, London, United Kingdom,

November 24-25
Saudi Office Expo 2010, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, December 12-15
NeoCon East 2010, Baltimore, United States, December 15-16
DAR DECO 2010, Tunis, Tunisia, December 17-26
Le Marche 2010, Cairo, Egypt, December 21-24
MINI MAKEOVER
Makers of the iconic MINI car unveiled a new model range at last operated through Apple that allows the phone, music player and
month’s Paris Motor show, featuring ‘chiselled body surfaces, a sporty, online functions, including a web radio, to be operated using a joystick,
stretched side view, short front and rear overhangs and large wheel steering wheel button or onboard monitor. Twitter and Facebook lovers
cut-outs.’ Inside, integration devices for iPods, mp3 players and mobile will also be able to view posts through the on-board monitor. Engine
phones have been upgraded to meet the most modern of technological adjustments in the form of direct petrol injection and a twin-scroll
needs. For those who choose the extra features, the MINI Visual Boost turbocharger (for all you petrol heads) have been introduced that will
radio and navigation system can access MINI Connected, a service make the car more fun and carbon efficient to drive.
November 2010 123

Stuffed animals hand-sewn onto canvas, in Campanas’ Cake Stool.

PROFILE
A family affair
The internationally renowned Campana brothers
combine class and cutting edge design to create
some truly memorable products. TEXT: GLENN FREEMAN
November 2010 125

PROFILE
Clockwise from above: The Vermelha chair designed for Edra; Favela chair,
inspird by Brazilian shanty towns; Humberto (left) and Fernando Campana
outside the Estudio Campana.
Since bursting onto the international design scene, brothers Fernando Portraying their Brazilian identity within their design is a key challenge
and Humberto Campana have worked with some of the world’s leading underpinning the Campanas’ work. Many of their projects are reinterpretations
brands and applied their quirky, avant-garde style to numerous projects across of what they describe as “lovely, unusual solutions” they have witnessed in some
various mediums. of the poor communities of their country. Working with sustainable materials
The eclectic duo are the founders of Estudio Campana, a Sao Paulo design and pursuing a minimalist approach is also a core theme of the brothers’ work.
studio internationally renowned for its cutting-edge furniture design and its “For us, material, form and function are articulated. At first, we decided
creation of intriguing objects. In addition to releasing work under their own to work with cheap materials because we lacked the money for the more
brand, their concepts have also been produced by companies including Edra, expensive ones – today this is a conscious choice due to our environmental
Alessi, Artecnica, Bernardaud, Corsi Design and Kreo. concerns,” Fernando says.
Recently they worked on a gloriette, a traditional French garden structure, for Their outlandish, artistic interpretations of chairs are among some of the
Veuve Clicquot, which was unveiled in Milan earlier this year. The mushroom- Campana brothers’ trademark works. These make use of recycled materials
shaped metal structure is surrounded by a swirl of Clicquot yellow metal, which including wood and metal, with the brothers commonly transposing everyday
in turn rests on arches of apuí, a resistant, natural fibre from – where else – the objects into the design. “We give simple and everyday objects a new lease of
Campana’s native Brazil. life, a new meaning,” is how they describe their method.
Also shown in Milan were their storage solutions designed for Edra. Called Fernando and Humberto see their work as bridging the divide between
Barbarians, these are storage units arranged around a central column supporting artisan and industrialist, establishing a dialogue between emotion and
five shelves. Made in aluminum and other metals, the supporting structures functionality and exploring the middle ground between craftsmanship and
are entirely concealed by dangling lengths of fireproofed raffia. The Campanas’ mass production.
pendant lights, assembled out of around 180 differently shaped pieces of laser cut, Their first artistic collaboration resulted in a collection of iron chairs in 1989
glossy anodised aluminum, were also revealed as part of the latest Edra collection. called Desconfortaveis. The first chair, made of heavy iron plates, was called

PROFILE
Clockwise from top left: The Vitoria Regia

stool; Cabana, part of the Barbarian-inspired
collection for Edra; Campanas’ reinterpretation
for Lacoste; the Harumaki chair is part of the
Sushi collection.
Positivo (positive) and, according to Humberto, was inspired by a dream.

Fernando soon followed this with a lighter and more functional chair called
Negativo (negative). “Forty other chairs followed them, exploring the artistic
potential of discomfort, the poetry of the distorted and the error,” Fernando says.
The Campanas’ skill in understanding the essence of brands, in recognising
and playing with brand origins and imbuing them with their own sense of
adventure, has seen them regularly called on to reinvent global brand identities. The creation of sets and costumes for the Marseille National Ballet
In fashion, the brothers partnered with Grendene shoes and purses in 2009 to production of Metamorphoses in 2007 was among their more recent artistic
reinterpret the traditional Lacoste polo shirt. They also released the Campana partnerships and they have also been curators of art exhibitions and collections,
collection for Brazilian jewellery brand H.Stern in 2001. both at home and abroad, such as the Jardim de Infancia (Kindergarten)
Interior design projects are a specialty of Estudio Campana, which is currently exhibition at the Sao Paulo Museum of Modern Art in 2009 and the
redesigning the D’Orsay Museum’s Café Hauteurs in Paris, due for completion Campana Brothers Select: Works from the Permanent Collection at New York’s
in 2011. Meanwhile, through another project, the former Olympic Hotel in Cooper-Hewitt Museum in 2008.
Athens, they are exploring ways to create a new ambience in the design of their Eight years separate Humberto and his younger sibling, Fernando. Both were
first signature hotel. born in Brotas, a city 250km from Sao Paulo with abundant natural resources,
Between 2006 and 2010, the Campana brothers also reinvented the to a primary school teacher mother and an agricultural engineer father.
international chain of Camper stores, starting with Berlin (2006), then Zaragoza The duo grew up in a house with an unpaved basement and a vast backyard,
and Barcelona (2007), Florence and London (2008), and most recently New surrounded by fruit trees and streams leading to the majestic waterfalls of the
York (2010). At home, the brothers are involved in a number of residential and Brotas region.
landscaping projects in Sao Paulo, along with an extensive renovation of the Sao Their early dreams hinted they were destined for extraordinary things:
Paulo Municipal Theater café bar. Humberto wanted to be an Amazonian Indian and Fernando wanted to be

PROFILE
Top to bottom: Cipria, a fake-fur creation for Edra;

a fruit bowl as part of the Fratelli collection for Alessi.
astronaut. While neither of them achieved these particular dreams, both In some ways, the two brothers describe themselves as being quite
initially pursued careers quite different to their ultimate vocation. different: Humberto sees himself as more intuitive, while Fernando regards
Humberto obtained a law degree and moved away from Sao Paulo, but, himself as more rational.
upon graduating, he began to research what had been his main interest In terms of design, art and architecture, they both appreciate the same
since childhood – the infinite possibilities of craftsmanship, before returning aesthetics – but diverge sharply in their appreciation of music, literature
to his home city in the late 1970s to attend iron and terracotta sculpture and movies. According to the brothers, among the most significant years
workshops and jewellery classes. in their artistic partnership are 1989, 1997, 1998 and 2009. Respectively,
Fernando studied architecture, taking an interest in the research of these are the dates of their first exhibition, their meeting with Italian
alternative methods of using materials. He also studied theories around the architect Massimo Morozzi, the launching of their first chair in a Milan
power of communication and outline synthesis, along with the construction exhibition and their retrospective exhibition at the Vitra Design Museum.
of small-scale objects. After graduating, he followed an internship at the Next the Campana brothers will be the standout guests at Abu
17th edition of Sao Paulo’s Art Biennial. Dhabi Art from November 4-7, participating in a series of talks and
The two began working together in 1983, by which time Humberto lectures during the four-day event. The event is part of the Abu Dhabi
had established a small studio of handcraft products and asked for Government’s vision to transform the emirate into a global crossroads for
Fernando’s help in filling a large holiday-season order. The younger brother arts and culture. It comprises a broad programme of events, combining
soon realised there was much more on which the two could collaborate interactive sessions and presentations from leading international figures in
and their artistic collaboration has continued until today. the art and design world. ID

ANTENNAE
A stylish addition to the Dar Es Salaam skyline, plans to expand Terminal One at Bangalore Airport and a
master plan for the West Knowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong make this month’s architectural headlines.
TEXT: STEVE HILL
6
3
8
4
3. EIDHOVEN
1. BANGALORE
2. DAR ES SALAAM SPORTING CHANCE
TAKING OFF
TOWERING AMBITION Construction work is underway on Mecanoo’s
Terminal One at Bangalore International Airport Fontys Sports College. Due to be completed in
– the gateway to Southern India – is to undergo The central business district of the largest city in August 2012, it will become a major focal point
a 62,000-square metre expansion to cater for Tanzania is now home to Exim Tower, a stylish for Dutch sports stars thanks to the provision
rapidly increasing passenger traffic expected to 15-storey structure by SPASM Design Architect. of five gymnasiums, a 15-metre climbing tower,
reach 17 million by 2015. HOK’s design for The services for the building are four structural classrooms and parking garage. A compact
the project unifies existing and new facilities masses that hold up clean floor plates which have building layout means that architects have been
under one dramatic swooping and curving roof been stretched in alternate directions to create able to provide a plinth, or stage, that draws
which will create a dramatic canopy to the main double height outdoor terraces on each floor. athletes to the structure’s interiors. The climbing
entrance. The new expanded terminal will The glazed body of the tower is protected from wall has been located in one of the centre’s
include 83 check-in desks, while the number solar gain and glare by a second skin of stainless corners, acting as a beacon, while huge glass
of baggage reclaim belts will be increased from steel mesh which acts like a veil, reducing windows enable climbers to be seen by the
nine to 13. Seating arrangements within the new power consumption by 18-22 per cent and also outside world. Teaching areas can be sealed off
terminal will also increase from 2,300 to 5,300. buffering ambient street noises. A water feature to ensure that only sports halls are accessible
Construction work is expected to last 18 months. acts as an open fire sprinkler reservoir. during athletic events.

5. OSLO
CENTRE OF ATTENTION
A new 67,000-square-metre Norwegian

research university on the outskirts of the
4. NANJING nation’s capital in Aas is being designed by a team
consisting of Henning Larsen Architects, Økaw
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN and several Danish and Norwegian specialists.
The Norwegian University of Life Sciences
BDP has won a competition to design a new Faculty of Medicine and an administrative building containing will be merged with the Norwegian School of
a museum and conference auditoria at Nanjing Medical University. The 70,000-square-metre project Veterinary Science and the National Veterinary
is the first on the campus by a foreign architect. The sustainable design of the buildings responds to the Institute of Norway into one large new university
specific climatic conditions of Jiangsu province while providing opportunities for students, staff and visitors and research campus, which is expected to open
to enjoy access to internal or external landscaped spaces throughout the year. BDP has also presented a in 2018. The winning team has been offered a
strong architectural form that unites the two new buildings, and responds to the landscape setting of the contract for sketch and outline plans while the
campus master plan. The project is due to start on site in spring 2011. construction phase is expected to begin in 2015.
PHOTOGRAPHY: FOSTER + PARTNERS
7. WEST KOWLOON
8. VENICE
6. STOKE-ON-TRENT PARK LIFE
PRIZE GUYS
TICKET TO RIDE Foster + Partners’ master plan for West
Kowloon Cultural District on a reclaimed The Anglo-German architectural company of
Construction work is due to begin in March on harbour-front site will have at its heart a Sauerbruch Hutton has won an international
a futuristic new bus station in this English city. 19-hectare great park and green avenue that competition to design M9, a new cultural centre
Grimshaw Architects, the designers of the Eden will provide a landscaped setting for a series in Mestre, Venice. Described as ‘a new museum
Project, are completing final blueprints for the of spectacular new cultural buildings. A total of for a new city,’ it will feature a new building with
city centre project which will replace a dated 17 cultural venues will include an opera house, 3,800 square metres of space to accommodate
1960s structure and become central to a huge concert halls and a 15,000-seat Arena with a permanent collection, 1,900 square metres
redevelopment of an existing shopping centre. Expo Centre below. Arts educational facilities, for temporary displays, a media centre and
A new department store, wide range of apartments, offices, shops and transport links auditorium. Judges were impressed by “a cutting-
shops, cafés, restaurants, public spaces and a will be fully integrated in the scheme while there edge structural and systems concept that is eco-
multi-screen cinema as well as a hotel and will also be two kilometres of harbour-front friendly and energy saving” and which “offers a
improved parking are also planned. Grimshaw promenade. City Park will achieve a carbon- first-class design solution and extremely flexible
beat off entries from five other companies to neutral rating with a synergistic system of high- use.” Work on the site is due to begin next year
win a competition to design the new station. efficiency and low-consumption infrastructure. and be complete in 2014.
November 2010 133

Inspirations

Inspirations
November 2010 135

BOOKS
This month’s titles offer tips on how to stylishly decorate your home and illustrate the much-changed
landscape of Dubai.
SMALL HOUSES ROOMS ISLAND LIVING GUEST ROOMS

NICHOLAS POPLE MOORE, HOLTZMAN (EDS.) LINDA LEE PAUL ANNA KASABIAN
UNIVERSE RIZZOLI UNIVERSE UNIVERSE
DHS150 DHS225 DHS55 DHS50
Diminutive houses, as the blurb says, Rooms is a largely photographic “Intrigue preserves our love affairs Everyone wants their guests to be
are no longer synonymous with collection of some of the world’s most with islands,” says author Linda Lee comfortable. Aside from planning
under-privilege but with a range of luxurious, bold and creative interiors. Paul. “Time spent on an island is a for their entertainment, this should
“culturally coded values: compactness, Most, if not all, are exaggerated, journey to the centre of a specific at a very basic level extend to
efficiency, discrimination, discreteness, eccentric and classical in their slant. and small compass.” To celebrate making their room comfortable and
minimalism.” Not to mention rising Photographer Derry Moore, also the peculiarities of island living, Paul inviting – with a comfortable bed
pressure on land in the world’s the 12th Earl of Drogheda and one of has captured 25 charismatic homes and a host of thoughtful extras that
crowded cities. Nicholas Pople opens Architectural Digest’s key contributors, found on islands or relevant shoreside make them wish they didn’t have
with a comprehensive exploration of has captured some of his famous locations. Most are just off the to leave. Candles, reading lamps,
the social and historical background friends them in their own rich settings. coast of the UAE and – though easy-read books and extra blankets
behind compact housing, which will See the creativity of interior designer the title may conjure images of feature highly. Author Anna Kasabian
be of interest to architecture buffs. He Elise de Wolfe, contemporary Swiss Family Robinson-esque is devoted to the notion: “The guest
then illustrates some 37 case studies designer Renzo Mongiardino and treehouses – not all are in sunny room is more than the extra room
that represent the best in this field, ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev manifest climes. Instead a variety of homes in the house. It is a space for you to
built worldwide over the last decade. itself in their homescape. Sneak a peek across a spectrum of locations and create memories, to extend warmth
It is astonishing that some of the at Charleston, the famed haunt of the scales are presented as best examples and comfort for another.” She has
photography made the final cut, Bloomsbury group, India’s Falaknuma of tailoring an island home to its site. compiled an anthology exemplifying
blurred and poorly framed as it is. Palace, Pauline de Rothschild’s London The author recognises that often “to good guest bedrooms. What counts
These detract from some of the residence and the grand English live on an island is to live a life apart,” as ‘good’ varies depending on the
professional imagery found elsewhere country residence of Chatsworth Hall, but highlights the fact that those demands of the location, so
in what is a pretty technically-minded Derbyshire. Collaborating with editor who live in remote settings may Kasabian has drawn examples from
book. Critics have said that the homes Joseph Holtzman of Nest magazine wish to feel more part of the world across the climatic variety of the
featured are for the wealthy who have fame, Rooms features a rich variety of or removed from the mainstream. Americas. Steering away from the
the luxury of being able to prioritise exquisite homes that in many cases And in that respect, their homes are dangerously close territory of hotel
style and substance over economy and look like period drama film sets. If precisely reflective. Many readers interior design, this book provides
a desire to minimise environmental you can look past the disappointingly will find the properties and their plenty of inspiration to help you
impact. There are certainly some gems clumsy layout and amateur entailed lifestyles alluring – we ensconce your visitors in the utmost
of insight to be found in the collection, typography, you will enjoy these particularly enjoyed ‘lava flow’ personable charm. Perfect for those
but it is more of an academic essay private homages to interior design as in Hawaii, ‘moonhole’ in the who love to entertain and very
than a guide to embedding the same much you’ll enjoy displaying it on your Grenadines, and ‘gulf islands’ on reasonably priced. ID
principles in a project of your own. coffee table. the Northwest shore of the UAE. BOOKS AVAILABLE FROM MAJOR UAE BOOKSTORES

“C OM IN G H OM E”
HANDWO VEN O UTDOOR FURNITURE CREAT ED WITH WEATHER-RESISTANT D EDON FIB ER
www.dedon.de/treehouse
Nakkash Gallery · Al Garhoud Street · P.O. Box 26767 · Dubai-UAE

Tel: 00971 4 2826767 · Fax: 00971 4 2827567
nakkashg@emirates.net.ae · www.nakkashgallery.com
ICON
Thonet S285
TEXT: STEVE HILL
Marcel Breuer is often referred to as one of the fathers of Modernism featuring hardwearing fabric in bright colours, and another for men in black,
and among the most influential furniture designers of the 20th century. Yet this with leather lining for the drawers.
Hungarian-born American architect might never have earned such a revered It says much for Breuer’s vision that his original design remains as relevant
reputation but for the fact that he was a keen cyclist. and effortlessly stylish today as when it first appeared in 1935, sparking
Riding one day to work at the Bauhaus, the famous German school of countless imitations and endless experiments with tubular steel to take
design, it dawned on Breuer that the mass-produced lightweight and strong furniture manufacturing into new and radical directions.
tubular steel bent into his handlebars could also be used to make furniture. He His use of a material that proved to be affordable to the masses has been
enthusiastically set to work on this revolutionary development, designing a series described as the single most important innovation in 20th century furniture
of chairs, most notably the B3 (1925), B33 (1927) and B32 (1928), ahead of design. And although Breuer went on to become a highly respected architect
conjuring up his S285 desk, which this year is celebrating its 75th anniversary. and interior designer, he will forever be associated with tubular steel furniture,
Thonet is marking the landmark by producing two versions of this instant as the thousands of people who sit on one of his chairs or at his S285 desk
classic, a ladies edition with a white open-pore finish tabletop and drawers will testify. ID

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K_\D`[[c\<XjkËjèk\i`fij#[\j`êgifg\ikpdX^Xqè\

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Design: Fantasy Bouquet from the Urban Nature Collection.

Miele Appliances Ltd.,

“Wall mount cabinets and handles are

Clockwise from above: Form and function are married in Poggenpohl’s

Clockwise from top: Ufesa’s MaxiChef tabletop grill

Award winning, contemporary kitchen collection

White continues to reign in the kitchen but sterility

Top to bottom: Popular in Japan for more than 40

These egg shakers from Design Circle beat eggs in a snap.

Bitta collection for Kettal.

Kitchen for Dada.

Left to right: Andersen slim set for Minotti; Rodolfo Dordoni.

SOS Children’s Village community centre

The daughter of a civil engineer, Jeanne Gang spent her childhood

PHOTOGRAPHY: DIANE TASHIMA

Left to right: Columbia College’s Media Production Center, Chicago; Jeanne

PHOTOGRAPHY: STUDIO GANG ARCHITECTS

PHOTOGRAPHY: GREG MURPHY

community during her youth? “I guess my mum was a kind of community

Wadi Hanifa Wetlands.

WADI HANIFA WETLANDS, RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA

RESTORATION OF AL-QARAOUIYINE MOSQUE, FEZ, MOROCCO

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY CAMPUS, BEIRUT, LEBANON

The American University of Beirut has a century-old campus perched on a hill

SOUK WAQIF, DOHA, QATAR

Mohamed Ali Abdullah’s private engineering office undertook a major rejuvenation

Nishorgo Oirabot Nature Interpretation Centre.

98 Enter the dragon

The all-white rooftop lounge.

More from less: Architect Gary Chang’s small apartment

Hong Kong’s property market resembles a dangerous chemistry experiment,

Top to bottom: Optimising space: Chang’s 32-square-metre apartment; one

100 identity [interior/design/property]

102 identity [interior/design/property]

EAST MEETS WEST

104 identity [interior/design/property]

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