Ravello, a resort town set 365 meters above the Tyrrhenian Sea by Italy’s Amalfi Coast, is home to iconic cliffside gardens. The 13th-century, Moorish-style Villa Rufolo offers far-reaching views from its terraced gardens, and hosts indoor and outdoor concerts during the popular summertime Ravello Festival. Villa Cimbrone, a medieval-style estate perched on a steep outcrop, is surrounded by another celebrated garden.
Category Archives: Videos
Historic French Views: Château de Maintenon
This French Renaissance-style castle would probably have remained largely unknown if it hadn’t become home to the secret wife of Louis XIV, Madame de Maintenon. Françoise d’Aubigné – her real name – was a woman of humble origins who is often compared to Cinderella.
After Louis secretly married her, the Château de Maintenon underwent numerous transformations as she put her own stamp on it. Meanwhile, the French-style garden was designed by renowned landscape architect André Le Nôtre but was only laid out in 2013.
City Walks: Rotterdam In Southwest Netherlands
Rotterdam is a major port city in the Dutch province of South Holland. The Maritime Museum’s vintage ships and exhibits trace the city’s seafaring history. The 17th-century Delfshaven neighborhood is home to canalside shopping and Pilgrim Fathers Church, where pilgrims worshiped before sailing to America. After being almost completely reconstructed following WWII, the city is now known for bold, modern architecture.
Architecture: La Casa Rosa, Randwick, Australia
A modern house designed by Luigi Rosselli Architects, La Casa Rosa is the romantic reimagination of a heritage property. Combining architecture from the late 19th century with contemporary additions, the renovated home forms a considered and contemporary home.
Video timeline: 00:00 – The Local Project Print Publication 00:10 – Introduction to the Modern House 00:58 – Entering the House 01:57 – Maintaining the Existing Home 02:53 – Utilising Fluid Lines 03:25 – The Pool 04:18 – Selecting the House Colour 05:02 – What the Architect is Most Proud Of 05:41 – The Local Project Print Publication Subscription
Settled on an escarpment overlooking the Pacific Ocean, La Casa Rosa is accompanied by many other Victorian buildings. The steep roof of the modern house testifies to its roots, obviously referring to the architecture of its time. In materiality, La Casa Rosa pays homage to its past. Bricks, timber and sandstone reference the palette of the built surrounds, whilst some of the original roof tiles are used to make a tile screen.
To the rear, the tile screen breaks the western sun, but is also used in connected the original and modern roof structures. Entering through the front of the modern house, the small, original rooms are immediately revealed as the children’s bedrooms. The back of the modern house represents the contemporary addition. An open-plan living space encapsulates the kitchen, dining and sitting area, with a staircase that leads to the first floor.
Outdoors, Luigi Rosselli Architects also retains the pre-existing pool, a peanut-shaped feature that complements the landscaping concept. Incorporating the fluid lines that have become synonymous with the work of Luigi Rosselli Architects, La Casa Rosa is undoubtedly a modern house. However, the completed project sees historic architectural elements subtly blended with the latest features, establishing a cohesive dwelling that proudly represents its past.
Historic Views: Chouara Tannery In Fez, Morocco
Tanners at the Chouara Tannery have been transforming animal hides into leather since the 11th century. The tanning process has gone unchanged since then, but it relies on heavy chemicals that threaten the health of workers. Some say they are not willing to take that risk. We traveled to the world’s oldest leather tannery in Fez, Morocco, to find out how this ancient craft is still standing.
360° Africa: Okavango Delta In Botswana (5K)
Glide through the waterways of Botswana’s Okavango Delta and come face to face with its wildlife in this immersive 360 experience. Through Okavango Eternal, work is underway to help protect the source waters of this one-of-a-kind region, and support tourism that benefits local communities.
The Okavango Delta is a vast inland river delta in northern Botswana. It’s known for its sprawling grassy plains, which flood seasonally, becoming a lush animal habitat. The Moremi Game Reserve occupies the east and central areas of the region. Here, dugout canoes are used to navigate past hippos, elephants and crocodiles. On dry land, wildlife includes lions, leopards, giraffes and rhinos.
Summer Walks: Venice In Northeastern Italy (2022)
Venice, the capital of northern Italy’s Veneto region, is built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea. It has no roads, just canals – including the Grand Canal thoroughfare – lined with Renaissance and Gothic palaces. The central square, Piazza San Marco, contains St. Mark’s Basilica, which is tiled with Byzantine mosaics, and the Campanile bell tower offering views of the city’s red roofs.
RECORDED On 23/JUNE/2022
Views: Galerie d’Apollon In The Louvre Museum, Paris
King Louis XIV famously identified himself with the sun god Apollo and this splendid gallery was the first tangible representation of that image. To create this masterpiece of architectural decoration, he summoned the greatest painters, gilders and sculptors of the day, who later worked on the Hall of Mirrors at the Château de Versailles. Today, the Galerie d’Apollon is home to the royal collection of hardstone vessels and the French Crown Jewels.
The French Crown Jewels
The royal collection also includes the Crown Jewels. The so-called ‘Côte de Bretagne’ spinel, which once belonged to Anne de Bretagne, is the oldest of the gems to have survived a tumultuous history involving theft, dispersal and sale. Three historical diamonds – the Regent, the Sancy and the Hortensia – formerly adorned royal crowns or garments. The spectacular 19th-century jewellery sets in the collection include emerald and diamond pieces that once belonged to Empress Marie Louise.
The 60-meter-long Apollo Gallery contains 105 extraordinary pieces, the most famous being the Crown Jewels of France. “This generic term covers not just the jewels that belonged to the kings of France but all the regalia as well: the precious stones and glyptic pieces,” says Pierre Rainero, director of style and heritage with the jeweler Cartier, which has sponsored the renovation work.
Summer Walks: Oslo In Southern Norway (4K)
Oslo, the capital of Norway, sits on the country’s southern coast at the head of the Oslofjord. It’s known for its green spaces and museums. Many of these are on the Bygdøy Peninsula, including the waterside Norwegian Maritime Museum and the Viking Ship Museum, with Viking ships from the 9th century. The Holmenkollbakken is a ski-jumping hill with panoramic views of the fjord. It also has a ski museum.
Tours: An ‘Artists Cottage’ In East Devon, England
Natalie Silk and Tom Baker have worked on many projects together, the best known of which is Field Day festival, which they co-founded in 2007. As individuals, Natalie now produces regenerative food and craft events that celebrates links between the city and countryside as part of Village Mentality; Tom runs Eat Your Own Ears, which has been a part of London’s music scene since 2001.
But the couple’s latest project is an altogether quieter and slower-going one: the sensitive renovation and extension of an old cottage in the bucolic hills of East Devon, which you can explore in our latest film.
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