TRACKS – Travel Documentaries (September 21, 2024):Experience the thrilling journey through Egypt’s timeless allure, where you’ll discover ancient temples and pyramids while unravelling the secrets of mummification.
Witness how these grand traditions continue to resonate in modern Egypt, where ancient rituals blend seamlessly with contemporary faith, as the living pay tribute to the deceased with heartfelt prayers, vibrant processions, and the promise of a celestial afterlife.
MICHELIN Guide (September 20, 2024): An Unforgettable 2-Day Itinerary from Split to Dubrovnik on the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia! Kick off your adventure in the lively city of Split, soaking in its rich culture and history.
Day 1 – Starting in Split Lunch at Il Ponte Trogirn, MICHELIN selected restaurant Dinner at Zrno Soli, MICHELIN selected restaurant Stay for the night at Hotel Ambasador in Split, recommended by the MICHELIN Guide.
Day 2 – Ending in Dubrovnik Boat Tour along Mali Ston Bay picnic Dinner at Vapor Restaurant, attached to Hotel Bellevue in Dubrovnik Stay at Bellevue for the night, MICHELIN recommended hotel.
Take a scenic boat tour in the picturesque town of Trogir, where stunning coastal views await. Journey towards the enchanting Dubrovnik Riviera, with a delicious stop at Mali Ston Bay to savor fresh oysters for lunch, a local delicacy. Explore finally the magical city of Dubrovnik, known for its breathtaking beauty and historical charm.
Architectural Digest (September 19, 2024) – Michael Wyetzner of Michielli + Wyetzner Architects joins AD in New York as he returns to Central Park to explore the thousands of years of history found there.
Video timeline: 00:00 Intro 00:28 Columbus Circle 01:55 Glen Span Arch 03:44 Cleopatra’s Needle 05:45 The Blockhouse 06:41 The Arsenal 08:23 McGown’s Pass 10:40 Strangers’ Gate
Although Central Park itself would not have existed 200 years ago, you can track the use of the land back 13,000 years. From ancient Native American trails to billion-year-old rocks, take an in-depth look at the thousands of years of history housed inside this iconic park.
The Local Project (July 26, 2024): This home’s design facilitates a rare co-habitation with the forested landscape and represents a balance of modern architecture and the purity of nature. From a distance, Edition Office’s Federal House appears like a shadow nestled into the folding hills of the hinterland, a sharp contrast to the vibrant surrounds.
Video timeline:00:00 – Introduction to the Home 00:58 – The Initial Brief 02:11 – A Walkthrough of the Home 03:07 – Shaping Light Through Design 03:30 – The Warm Material Palette 04:01 – A Holistic Experience 04:57 – Thankful Moments
Upon approach, the textures of the exterior convey a distinct dialogue with nature. This home’s design acts to deepen relationships between people and the natural setting and intimately shows the inner machinations of the environment. The brief outlined a home that would act as a sanctuary and elemental respite from the clients’ high-pressure careers. The occupants of Federal House enjoy a relationship with the hillside, forest and grassland at the site’s rear as well as panoramic views over the forested horizon from the heavily inset living-zoned platform and sheltered pool.
A reverberation of settler colonial homesteads of the past, this home’s design inverts the front verandah typology, looking inward to orbit an internal courtyard and present a tightly controlled outer envelope. Federal House’s interior spaces act as an elevated stage, a refuge from which to observe the passing of time through the shifting weather and seasons of the Northern Rivers hinterland. The covered outdoor spaces welcome in the landscape, where modestly scaled living spaces and bedrooms lie.
TRACKS – Travel Documentaries (August 31, 2024): Travel down the Main-Danube Canal and immerse yourself in a breathtaking European adventure, where every river bend reveals a tapestry of history and culture.
Stroll the romantic streets of Salzburg, famous for the backdrop to the beloved ‘Sound Of Music’, to the historic town of Bamburg with it’s beautiful architecture.
Alvin Zhou Films (August 17, 2024): Hidden amidst the tranquil green setting of Kyoto, lies Kikunoi Honten, a world-renowned 3-Michelin Star kaiseki restaurant that has served guests traditional Japanese cuisine for over 100 years.
Housed in a mansion that resembles a samurai residence and teahouse, Kikunoi’s dining atmosphere is like something I’ve never seen. From traditional tatami mat rooms with unique flower arrangements and hanging scrolls, to the views of beautiful gardens that surround the estate, I was in awe the second I stepped inside. The food served at Kikunoi is on a level I couldn’t imagine.
Each course is prepared with ingredients that can only be harvested 10 days of out of the year, and the menu changes constantly to reflect the ebb and flow of nature and its seasons. 35 cooks fill the kitchen, each focused on a single task. It was a sight to behold.
I am beyond honored to have been able to spend time in such close quarters with the team inside their establishment – every second was a dream to film. Yoshihiro Murata is at the helm, leading his brigade of chefs and cooks to something exquisite and beautiful. I met and talked with many of the staff – they were all so kind, inviting, warm, and fiercely talented in the kitchen.
Architectural Digest (August 9, 2024) – Michael Wyetzner of Michielli + Wyetzner Architects returns to AD, this time breaking down four of the most common styles of college campus. Universities have been around for almost a thousand years and in that time have seen their designs evolve through the generations.
From the collegiate gothic halls of Yale to modern and brutalist buildings later added to the campuses of Harvard and UPenn, Wyetzner takes an in depth look at some of the most famous styles of college architecture to look out for this semester.
TRACKS – Travel Documentaries (August 6, 2024): Anagni, a medieval jewel in Italy’s crown, whispers the echoes of popes and ancient power through its storied streets and majestic cathedral. Its intricate Cosmatesque art and historical significance paint a vivid portrait of a city that has long been a beacon of spiritual and artistic heritage.
DW Travel (August 4, 2024): Mallorca experiences a constant flood of tourism. While it’s a major boon for the local economy, many locals resent the Spanish island’s growing popularity.
Now, they’re demanding a cap on tourists. How mass tourism become a blessing and a curse for Mallorca.
The Local Project (July 26, 2024): When designing an architects own home above their own workplace, Smart Design Studio thought of the industrial qualities of the surrounding precinct and how they could bring them into the design of the home of William Smart.
Video timeline:00:00 – Introduction to the Architects Own Home 01:05 – The Original 1950s Warehouse 01:54 – Creating Tranquility Through Shapes and Materials 02:49 – A Walkthrough of the Home 04:42 – Proud Moments
One particular element to the interior design and architecture of an architects own home are the four vaults that feature heavily throughout. Fascinated with how he could light the vaults in different ways, Smart looked into how they would allow light play to reveal the material texture and quality of the home. Originally attracted to the 1950s warehouse because of its endearing built form, the architect saw past its deteriorated exterior and knew that it could become more.
As typical with most warehouses, the front brick facade hid an office space and mezzanine that overlooked the warehouse. After demolishing the front half of the building, Smart Design Studio created a new structure that was seven metres wide for the whole 34-metre length of the building. This new structure was then designed to hold the reception, staff bathrooms, offices, meeting rooms, a boardroom and, importantly, the residence above. Moving the house tour of an architects own home upstairs, the interior design reveals a tranquil and quiet reprieve from the office below. The residence above allows its owners to come inside and feel disconnected from the city and working offices below.
News, Views and Reviews For The Intellectually Curious