DW Travel (November 10, 2024): Here are 5 secrets hidden within France’s famous Versailles palace! At the beginning of the 17th century, the palace was just a small hunting lodge in the forest. But then came Louis XIV.
Video timeline: 00:00 Intro 00:24 Practical information for your visit 01:10 Secret #1 – a secret door 02:22 Secret #2 – hygiene at Versailles Palace 03:34 Secret #3 – a hidden office for secret diplomacy 04:16 Secret #4 – a private library 05:00 Secret #5 – a hidden room for chemical experiments
The so-called Sun King transformed it into a fairytale palace. Today, it attracts millions of visitors. We show you 5 things that you might not know yet about the Palace of Versailles.
The Local Project (July 26, 2024): Inspired by structures found near New Zealand’s Southern Alps, The Shepherd’s Hut is the worlds most secret home. The minimalist house – designed by Fearon Hay in collaboration with interior designer Paul Kennedy – sits comfortably in the landscape while offering a flexible set of interiors.
Video timeline:00:00 – Introduction to the World’s Most Secret Home 01:07 – Behind the Design and Name 02:31 – The Arrival Sequence 02:58 – A Playful and Relaxed Brief 04:29 – The Floor Plan and Layout 06:25 – The Interior Material Palette 07:59 – The Exterior Material Palette 08:48 – Proud Moments
Settled on the Wānaka lakefront, the worlds most secret home is often in the path of cold wind crossing from Makarora. “When there are storms, you can feel very alone, but with the warmth of the fires, my two dogs rugged up with sheepskin, you essentially become a shepherd,” says Matt Chapman, custodian of the property. “When we created the home, I didn’t want too much space for an abundance of possessions. I’d reached a point in my life where minimalism and simplicity were the ways I wanted to exist.”
While maintaining a minimalist focus, the design brief for the project proposed a spatially flexible home that enables new experiences. “When we encountered the site, it was an opportunity to build a structure with length,” says Tim Hay, architect at Fearon Hay. “We liked the idea of a very simple silhouette … we wanted the building to have a sense of retreat and integration with the landscape.”
JOURNEYS (October 14, 2024): The weekend begins in the city center, the busy Gran Via boulevard, which connects the city’s east end, home to Madrid’s famous Golden Triangle of art museums and El Retiro Park, with the western side, where the opulent Royal Palace sits.
DW Travel (October 13, 2024): Come with us to Cambridge! DW reporter Clare will show you all the must-sees in the famous English university town. From punting on the Cam river alongside the tradition-rich colleges to the Fitzwilliam Museum.
Video timeline: 00:00 Intro 00:30 Breakfast at Fitzbillies bakery 01:27 Stroll around the town, Corpus Christi College 01:50 Corpus Clock 02:09 Punting on the river Cam 03:40 Ryder & Amies souvenir shop 04:20 British lunch with supermarket sandwiches 04:52 Fitzwillam Museum 05:40 Grantechester, Orchard Tea Room🍵 06:27 Ending the day in a pub
What’s more, Clare will show you how she takes a typical English midday break. So, would you like to come on an outing to Cambridge?
TRACKS – Travel Documentaries (October 12, 2024): Explore the vibrant blend of modernity and tradition in cities like Hong Kong, showcasing its futuristic skyline and cultural heritage. Throughout this 4 hour marathon, prepare to whisked away to other global cities like New York, Sydney, and Rome, highlighting their unique character, architectural feats, and rich histories.
The Local Project (October 11, 2024): Addressing the issue of connection deficit in vertical living, Upper House fosters a sense of community among residents. Crafted by Koichi Takada Architects on behalf of developer Aria, the ultimate penthouse and spacious apartment building proposes a new, healthier way of inhabiting a city. Set in South Brisbane, known widely as a social and cultural hub, Upper House sits close to art galleries, theatres, bars and cafes.
Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Ultimate Penthouse 01:22 – Including the Surrounding Culture 02:07 – The Facade Inspiration 02:48 – The Calm Interiors and Layout 03:59 – A Neutral Material Palette 04:35 – The World Class Design 05:37 – A Walkthrough of the Wellness Retreat 06:17 – Creating a Connective Space
The project takes cues from the suburb, inviting people to come together: while the building offers 1000 square metres of communal amenities, it also embodies a work of art and features the ultimate penthouse. Michael Hurley, development director at Aria, describes the design as “a series of dancing balconies” with timber ribbon running up the facade and a triple-height timber rooftop.
“[The design] just screamed out and said ‘world-class, never-been-done-before’. It was curvy, it was organic, it was unique, and it was Aria” he says. At the base of Upper House, a large podium displays work by Indigenous artist Judy Watson. The piece recognises the Turrbal people as the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which the project is built. Beyond the podium, the facade is inspired by Moreton Bay fig trees – what can be viewed as ribbons are timber ‘roots’ framing the main structure and the ultimate penthouse. Curling around the edges of the roof, the bold details form a pergola and shading device that protect the open wellness retreat.
Architectural Digest (September 24, 2024): “We just respond creatively to what humanity pushes aside.” Today AD is in Brooklyn, New York to tour a townhouse comprising 18 shipping containers.
Designers Ada Tolla and Giuseppe Lignano, founders of LOT-EK, have been using shipping containers in their work for 30 years, becoming pioneers in sustainable architecture.
Comprised of 18 containers from a yard in New Jersey, this townhouse exemplifies how humble materials can be turned into something extraordinary and pave the way for a more sustainable future.
Christie’s (September 23, 2024): The first ever Van Gogh exhibition at the National Gallery in London suggests that he was not so much a tortured genius as an artist who planned his work meticulously and thought deeply about its execution and meaning.
Christie’s Chairman, Europe, Giovanna Bertazzoni talks to curators Cornelia Homburg and Christopher Riopelle about the inspiration for the exhibition, which is supported by Christie’s.⠀
Featuring more than 60 works, the exhibition is focused on the years that Vincent van Gogh spent in the south of France — in Arles and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence — between February 1888 and May 1890.
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