GOING DUTCH

Exciting transformation

By Daniela Bonetto

Piet Boon, a world-renowned master designer and craftsman, began his career as a building contractor, which gives him advantageous insight into the entire design and implementation process. His design philosophy is ‘simple sophistication’. His latest project, Oosten, makes a dramatic design statement in South Williamsburg. Metal-framed windows mingle with brick to create homage to the Williamsburg Bridge, as well as to the area’s rich structural heritage. From comfortable one-bedrooms to luxurious townhomes, Oosten residences are oversized in the Dutch tradition, which is unique to Williamsburg, an area Boon says is reminiscent of his native Holland. Drawing on the fundamentals that have made him an international design talent, Oosten residences are unquestionably modern, using pure, organic materials and a subdued palette. Oosten features floor-to-ceiling windows, offering panoramic views and an abundance of natural light. theoosten.com

SEXY FISH
Sexy Fish, a new Asian fish and seafood restaurant opens in Berkeley Square. The restaurant will pair contemporary cuisine with cutting-edge art and design to create a dynamic dining experience. The Asian-inspired menus will concentrate on fish and seafood, and will be overseen by young British-born Head Chef Ben Orpwood, previously Zuma. Martin Brudnizki Design Studio has masterminded the interiors. Art will play a vital role in the design and mood of the restaurant and bar, featuring collaborations with several impressive international artists. The result will be a showcase of extraordinary works by Frank Gehry. His installations will comprise the largest collection of his inimitable Fish Lamps in one venue – these beautiful shimmering fish will be hanging above the bar, softly glowing and undulating as if they were in the sea. A giant glossy black silicone mosaic crocodile crawls across the north wall of the dining room. World-renowned artist Damien Hirst has created three site-specific artworks for the restaurant. A pair of exquisitely cast bronze mermaids, rendered in blue patina, will be positioned on either end of the bar. Also featured will be a large bronze relief panel by the artist, in which a mermaid is presented alongside a shark, in reference to one of the most iconic artworks of the twentieth century: Hirst’s The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living (1991). A focal point of the restaurant will be a large ceiling mural created by Michael Roberts, one of fashion’s most respected figures. He is currently the Style Editor-at-Large of Vanity Fair, but has also worked as Fashion Director at The Sunday Times, Tatler and Vogue. The Coral Reef Room on the lower level will be an exclusive and dramatically designed private dining space with its own integral bar, largest live coral reef tank in the world. sexyfish.com

MOROCCAN GOLFING
Considering 18-hole greens commissioned by royalty and courses once favored by Churchill and Eisenhower, it’s no surprise Morocco is a top golf destination for those in the know. Royal Mansour brings guests to two of these renowned courses (from a choice of five) and provides four complimentary rounds of golf on greens all within a 20-minute drive of the property. After a long day of sunshine and sport, guests can settle into the spa for a Ceremonial marocMaroc Massage, soothing muscle aches with locally-sourced argan oil. Before heading back to the one-bedroom riad with a private rooftop plunge pool, La Grande Table Francaise treats guests to French cuisine created by Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alleno. Undoubtedly, Marrakech is a city deeply rooted in history. With bustling souks, quiet gardens, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there is something to discover around every corner. Royal Mansour, set within the walls of the old city and owned by King Mohammed VI, is at the heart of these celebrated sites. Personal riads, discreet yet polished service, and a hand-crafted three-story spa blend seamlessly into the centuries-old region to transport guests to bygone times. With Royal Mansour, soaking in this rich history is a certainty. royalmansour.com

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
It’s always a pleasure to discover a new ambitious designer on the block! So here is the French/Vietnamese designer Toan Nguyen. Toan began his career with Antonio Citterio, where he took over as head of design and over ten years co-signed more than forty products for B&B Italia, Flos, Iittala, Kartell and Vitra, amongst others, before founding his own studio in 2008. Since then he has designed specific collections with an elegance that hits the mark: the Bellows collection of occasional tables and poufs for Walter Knoll; the MU outdoor range for Dedon projecting sofa standards to a new level; the ambitious Lagunitas system with Coalesse; the profuse Contemporary Collection for Fendi Casa; the iconic Penta armchair for Viccarbe. Toan Nguyen’s new design 2015 is as usual essential as well as spectacular, a paradox that summarises forms and functions, pushing the details to their maximum. In 2015, he designed the innovative INO range in SaphirKeramik developed by Laufen, the architectural and complex Algorithm lighting system for Vibia and the Infinito lounge sofa and Masalla table collections for the new premium brand Teknion Studio addressing the needs of the contract market. ‘I like the direct and sometimes rudimentary aspect of objects that are open to immediate interpretation, not requiring any explanation or conceptual pretexts. I focus on reduction to achieve an object free from anything superfluous.’ toannguyenstudio.com

MULTIPLEX
This autumn Tom Dixon presents MULTIPLEX at Selfridges, an immersive, multi-sensory department store of tomorrow. At MULTIPLEX, Tom Dixon and his multi-disciplinary collaborators create a new kind of retail space – where powerful experiences, bespoke services and unique products come together. The event is hosted at The Old Selfridges Hotel, a 25,000 square foot site attached to the iconic Selfridges department store in central London. Visitors will be able to explore departments dedicated to technology, home, fashion, beauty, jewellery, as well as a food hall. The site also hosts an eclectic range of events, installations, pop-ups and interventions. MULTIPLEX will act as a magnet for Londoners and the creatives who flock to the capital across this month. Tom says: ‘The high streets are fighting a losing battle against the shift to online shopping, while eye-watering rents for prime locations squeeze traditional stores even further. It is time to radically rethink how these spaces can become relevant again in a digitally-defined future. The Multiplex is a prototype shop for the future, a multiple stage for new ideas. Just as in the modern world, the artificial distinctions between Designers, Artists, Manufacturers, Wholesalers and Retailers, Communicators, Entertainers and Customers blur, merge and get redefined. The space becomes a resource for working, playing and entertaining, for inspiration and for business, a platform for superior broadcasting of brands and ideas and a temporary central London entertainment space for new commerce.’ tomdixon.net

GARAGE RETROSPECTIVE
Garage Museum of Contemporary Art celebrated the opening of Louise Bourgeois. Structures of Existence: The Cells, the first comprehensive survey of Louise Bourgeois’ work in Moscow and second major exhibition since the grand re-opening in its first permanent home designed by OMA in Gorky Park. Organized in collaboration with Haus der Kunst in Munich, Structures of Existence: The Cells is the largest presentation of the iconic French-American sculptor’s Cell series to date. The exhibition focuses on the extraordinary series of sculptural environments Bourgeois created in the last two decades of her life. Also included in the exhibition are the early sculptures, paintings, and drawings that led to the development of this monumental and innovative body of work. Coinciding with the show, Garage has presented two large-scale sculptures: the monumental bronze spider Maman (1999) on the square in front of the Museum; and the international debut of Has the Day Invaded the Night or Has the Night Invaded the Day? (2007) as part of Garage’s Atrium Commission series. ‘When I began building the Cells, I wanted to create my own architecture and not depend on the museum space, not have to adapt my scale to it. I wanted to constitute a real space which you could enter and walk around in.’ garageccc.com (Photo credit: Egor Slizyak)