le cercle # 8

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*Utterly rareThe objects that

fire collectors’ passions

*lighting but not as

you know it

*Checking inhot new

hotels

*inside oUtMuseum

architectureV show

Navy blue crepe mermaid gown with crystal-embellished interlaced circles neckline.Fall - Winter 2011-2012

Le Cercle BCD An Nahar Bldg . Martyrs’ Square . Downtown . Le Cercle SAIFI . +961 1 97 14 44 / 555 . www.kenzo.com

publisher:

City News Privilege

on behalf of Le Cercle Hitti

editor in chief :

Anastasia Nysten

managing editor: Helen Assaf

graphic design: Genia Kodash

printer:

RAIDY | www.raidy.com

contributors:

Dan Bratman

Karah Byrns

Miriam Dunn

Louis Parks

Nadine Makarem

Ahmed Ramadan

advertising:

[email protected]

t: +961 3 852 899

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t h e d e s i r e t o c a p t u r e something special, unique or

priceless inspires collectors, designers, museums and consumers the world over and

in this issue of Le Cercle we devote a special section to this

pursuit. Although museums are often lauded for what lies on their insides, Le Cercle is looking at the flipside of the coin to seek out some of the world’s finest examples of museum architecture. Whether in rural China or cosmopolitan Rome, in the hands of leading architects a museum’s environment and walls become a starting point for a dialogue between the visitor, the exhibits themselves and the nature of space.

Just as museums strive to evoke sensations, so hotels aspire to conjure a certain mood. The choice of décor and furnishings are crucial to create the right ambiance, harmonize emotions and leave guests with unforgettable memories. In the following pages we check in at three different hotels that have been given the master designer touch. In St Petersburg Russian decadence meets Italian flair with the help of B&B Italia, while in Paris two very different designers, Philippe Starck and Martin Margiela, work their contemporary magic on bastions of history.

And as the darker days of autumn draw in, we bring to light some exceptional lighting projects that take us from the Beirut Souks to a secret London garden. May you find this issue of Le Cercle illuminating in more ways than one.

PARK VIEW BUILDING, BOULEVARD DU PARC - BEIRUT T. +961 1 99 21 16 CHARLES MALEK AVE., ELLIPSE CENTER - ASHRAFIEH, LEBANON T. +961 1 20 00 01

WWW.WSAL A MOON.COM

wss_earrings_21x27_wss_earrings_21x27 8/22/11 3:02 AM Page 1

ACCESSORIES

The fALL wIShlISt

LeS100PASVinyl (PVC) with digitally-cut motif

w.85 x l.240cm

Vincent Olm

LIgne ROSeT

MOOOICARPeTPrinted nylon threads

300 x 200 cm

Marcel Wanders

MOOOI

MOOOICARPeTPrinted nylon threads

300 x 200 cm

Marcel Wanders

MOOOI

OvERSCAlEfLAMeSThree available sizes from 20 to 50 cm

Jean Marie Massaud

B&B ITALIA

fATAMORgAnTJ2Printed nylon threads

ø350 cm

Marcel Wanders

MOOOI

BOttlEVASeMilky white flabbergasted glass

ø 8 x h.33 cm

heRVe gAMBS

goes window shopping for

some of this season’s must-have purchases.

tABlES

gLAçOnenamel molded earthenware

w.33 x d. 33 x h. 34 cm

Lee West

LIgne ROSeT

ChESSTABLeVarious woods, internal steel

frame, high gloss lacquer

w.40 x d.40 x h.60 cm

MOOOI

ThOTSIdETABLeSatin-finish black ash or walnut

ø55 x h.50 cm

Pierre Paulin

LIgne ROSeT

lESfOReTSLacquered laser-cut steel with base

in mirror-polished stainless steel

w.55 x d.55 x h.40 cm

Pascal Mourgue

LIgne ROSeT

XILOS SIMplICE COLLeCTIOnhoneycomb and wood particle panels

w.150 x d.150 x h.40 cm

Antonio Citterio

B&B ITALIA

AnTIgOnelOwTABLeBase in natural or black-

stained solid beech

w.80 x d.26.5cm

Pierre Paulin

LIgne ROSeT

DIeSISDie-cast aluminum, varnished

steel, marble, leather

w.150 x d.98 x h.34 cm

Antonio Citterio

B&B ITALIA

MeTROPOLISLacquered glass top on

cast aluminum legs

w.105 x d.105 x h.18 cm

Massimo Iosa ghini

ROChe BOBOIS

SEAtIng

BISCIAPascal Mourgue

LIgne ROSeT

MARTAntonio Citterio

B&B ITALIA

feBOAptACOLLeCTIOn Antonio Citterio

B&B ITALIA

BeVeRLyAntonio Citterio

B&B ITALIA

LAnDSCAPeJeffrey Bernett

B&B ITALIA

OTIuMMario Ruiz

LA PALMA

SEAtIng

InlOvESeCTIOnALSOfAPhilippe Bouix

ROChe BOBOIS

CItyLOfTPascal Mourgue

CInnA

TufTy-tOOPatricia urquiola

B&B ITALIA

RAy Antonio Citterio

B&B ITALIA

JeAnAntonio Citterio

B&B ITALIA

LuTeTIAAntonio Citterio

MAXALTO

lIghtIng

heRACLeuMMetal wire frame, poly carbonate lenses

65 x 98 cm

Bertjan Pot & Marcel Wanders

MOOOI

OuVeRTuReLacquered steel finish, chintz shade

w.268 x d.65.5 x h.202 cm

Philippe Daney

LIgne ROSeT

nOnRAnDOMfiberglass soaked in epoxy resin

ø71 x 70cm

Bertjan Pot

MOOOI

DORSeTTurned wood finished in satin-

finish balck lacquer

ø35 x 60cm

eric Jourdan

LIgne ROSeT

vERyThInChromed metal

d.22 x h.17 cm

Arik Levy

LIgne ROSeT

lIghtIng

RAIMOndZAfuRaimond Puts in association with

OX-id stainless ‘spring steel’

ø75 cm

MOOOI

SOMeRSeTMatt opal glass, chromed metal

ø16 x h.32 cm

eric Jourdan

LIgne ROSeT

RAIMOndraimond puts in association with

oX-id stainless ‘spring steel’

ø163 cm

MOOOI

fRIngePVC/cotton on metal frame

ø80 x h.32 cm

edward Van Vliet

MOOOI

pOSItIOnLAMPSolid maple wood

w.40 x d.42 x h.155 cm

Rooms

MOOOI

lAMp06Metal black wire

ø40 x h.69

nathalie Dewez

LIgne ROSeT

BLOOMShade in sculpted foam

ø55 x h.150 cm

hiroshi Kawano

LIgne ROSeT

AwAy fROM thE CIty, thE yAn ZhEnQIng

museum is deliberately designed for contemplation

of art and nature. housing the works of 8th century

Chinese calligrapher yan ZhenQing, the museum rises

above its surrounding beautiful landscape through

the means of three terraces. The aim is to emphasize

the distinct world of the museum and its surrounding

garden. A border colonnade, or langfang as it is

referred to in Chinese gardens, is set on levels, creating

both a boundary and a main route to circulate through

the museum. The harmonious order of the garden’s

design and composition of its views also define the

garden as a space in its own right. exhibition rooms

are separated into pavilions encouraging visitors to

meander rather than follow a prescribed route.

linyi, shandong province, china SeRIe ARChITeCTS

wAllS thAt IntERSECt And SEpARAtE tO

create interior and exterior spaces are integral to Zaha

hadid’s MAXXI – national museum of XXI century art,

located in Rome. The design won hadid the 2010

Sterling Prize for the best building designed by a British

architect and completed in that year. While on the

outside the museum has a fairly modest appearance,

it is inside that hadid’s visionary approach really

comes into play. flooded with daylight, stairways and

passageways snake through the museum to intriguing,

labyrinthine effect; concrete ribs hanging from the

ceiling provide flexibility for floating walls to be added

as required. essentially five separate buildings leaning

together, the MAXXI also opens out onto a plaza.

rome ZAhA hADID

COnSIdEREd nOt Only An ExhIBItIOn space but a work of art in itself, Daniel Libeskind’s

architecture for the new Museum of Contemporary

Art in Milan consists of a five-floor vertical structure

(including one underground) that twists as it

rises, culminating in a circular terrace. effectively

representing a square that becomes a circle the

building is regarded as part homage to Leonardo da

Vinci’s ‘Vetruvian Man’ masterpiece, while also denoting

the evolutionary nature of art itself. Cutting-edge

materials and techniques have been integrated into

the museum’s development, to ensure environmental

compatibility. Inside an eight-meter high atrium

connects the museum’s levels providing natural

ventilation while bringing a flexibility to the height limits

of exhibition space.

milan DAnIeL LIBeSKInD

InSpIREd By ItS SEttIng, In A dESERt

landscape surrounded on three sides by water,

architect frank gehry set out to design the

guggenheim Abu Dhabi as a “new invention”, an edifice

that would not have been possible in the uS or europe.

The result, the largest museum in the Saadiyat Island

Cultural District and the guggenheim foundation’s

largest facility, incorporates unconventional gallery

spaces of varying horizontal and vertical dimensions

connected by catwalks and set around a central

covered courtyard. As the gallery space fans out from

its core, so the nature of it becomes less finished,

providing a hub for art beyond the scale that could be

achieved in conventional museums. Sustainability is

an integral element of the development, with natural

cooling and ventilation taking their cue from traditional

wind towers of the Middle east.

abu dhabi fRAnK gehRy

St. PeterSburg

the

W o r d s : m i r i a m d u n n

LOCATeD In RuSSIA’S fORMeR CAPITAL CITy, ThIS MAJeSTIC hOTeL PROVIDeS A

hAVen Of LuXuRIOuS TRAnQuILLITy fOR DISCeRnIng TRAVeLeRS

t he magical history of Russia’s former capital city is brought together perfectly with the elegance of Italian decor and design at

the luxury w hotel in St petersburg.

The hotel stands majestically in the heart

of the city which is often affectionately referred to as

the ‘Venice of the north’ thanks to the vibrant mix of

glamour, fashion and culture that it offers visitors.

The city’s richly diverse surroundings of

old and new are beautifully captured in the W hotel’s

interior design and furnishings which have been

conceptualized by the award-winning Milan-based

architects and designers Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel

and Partners S.r.l and the luxury furniture line with

whom Citterio collaborates, B&B Italia.

The rooms of the W hotel cleverly draw

on Russia’s fascinating history in the sumptuous and

elegant interiors, taking the famed jeweled eggs from

the house of faberge as one source of inspiration. A

crisp, linear white chaise lounge that is trademark B&B

Italia is juxtaposed with a richly daring purple armchair,

while in a further avant-garde twist, a Terzani Orten’zia’s

Very Very gold disco ball lamps add a fun touch.

The rooms offer varying views through

full-length windows, ranging from the hotel’s

tranquil courtyard to the breathtaking architecture

of St Petersburg close to the spectacular neva River.

unwinding is made easy courtesy of the signature W

beds which are bedecked in 350-thread-count linens,

pillow-top mattress, and fluffy goose-down duvet

PReVIOuS PAgeS:

Lounge, miXup bar

ABOVe: Lounge, miXup bar

RIghT: exterior

Colla

ge S

tudi

o

For Viola every story always begins with Tufty-Time. Tufty-Time is designed by Patricia Urquiola.

bordered by custom headboards and

plush carpeting. Business travelers and

gadget lovers can make use of the latest

hi-tech, state-of-the-art entertainment,

while spacious bathrooms provide an

opportunity to relax or re-energise.

The hotel’s top floor takes

luxurious and sumptuous getaway

living to a new level with its e-WOW

suites. With spectacular views of

St. Isaac’s cathedral and beyond,

the suites are beautifully spacious

offering a wealth of world-class

amenities combined with B&B

Italia’s inspirational, creative

trademark decor. The suites tick

every box of what the most

discerning guest could ask

for, ranging from a classy,

contemporary chrome kitchen, an

eight-seating dining room table, luxury

living space with a custom sofa and

armchairs around a beautifully-crafted

fireplace, together with a state-of-

the-art entertainment system. The

bedroom houses a luxurious kingsize

bed, while the hugely spacious

bathrooms offer a double rainforest

shower and separate corner Jacuzzi.

The magical combination

of Italian design and Russia warmth

permeates the hotel in delightful

style as guests will discover, from

the haven of the Bliss Spa to the

edgy signature restaurant ‘miX’

which has been inspired by

leading chef Alain Ducasse.

TOP LefT: guestroom,

Wonderful Room

TOP RIghT: guest

Bathroom, W Suite

Bathroom

BeLOW LefT: Bliss

Spa Lounge

BeLOW RIghT:

guestroom, WOW Suite

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Votre Banque Privée dans le glamour de Monaco.Dès aujourd’hui, nos services de Banque Privée sont à votre disposition à Monaco. Bank Audi SAM – Audi Saradar Group a le plaisir de vous offrir la même qualité de services personnalisés proposés par le Groupe. Que vous soyez en vacances sur la Côte d’Azur ou désiriez simplement profiter de nos services de Banque Privée, vous pouvez nous contacter au +37797701701 ou nous rendre visite au 24 Boulevard des Moulins, Monaco.

Monaco 21x27 Fr.indd 1 8/9/11 12:54 PM

W o r d s : d a n b r a t m a n

hISTORyREvISItEd

hISTORyREvISItEd

h istory—a retrospective tool used in the future, to evaluate the controversial, the innovative, the disputed

genius of today. It tells a story of patterns

seen only in hindsight. except for those

able to think outside of convention, the

true visionaries, the makers of history. We

watch as the brave race ahead, sometimes

stumbling, sometimes soaring, giving us a

glimpse of what is possible…and beyond.

Paris—a word that evokes

history. fashion, food, romance,

revolution—this is where style begins. Over

the years, the patterns of history have

unfolded here, sending ripples of design,

style and fashion throughout the world.

And, at its center is the Royal Monceau

hotel. Recently reborn at the hands of

design iconoclast, Phillipe Starck, this

landmark hotel has shed its history

and redefined Parisian luxury design.

from its red carpet

Belle Époque entryway, guests are

reminded of the ghosts of the

Royal Monceau. from its original

opening in 1928, Josephine

Baker, ernest hemmingway,

Maurice Chevalier and Michael

Jackson have all passed its

threshold. But, only today’s

guests are privy to this

eclectically appointed

reception. A mixture of

escher-like carpeting

below and the canopy

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of chandeliers above foretells of a new style, ushered in

by opulence and a truly “Starck” style luxury.

A curving staircase rises above a small

herd of moose (a sculptural installation by nicolas

Polissky) and leads, through striped and floor lit

hallways, to 149 opulent rooms of singular design.

Although each of them is individual in style, they all

capture a certain whimsicality, a poetry of diversity,

a diversion from the expected. Bedrooms are an

insurrection of thread count and down, the bathrooms,

an explosion of mirrors, steel and convenience, leaving

no luxury spared. In rooms like these, one could be

tempted to forgo the city of lights outside in favor of

the Paris Stark has created inside these walls.

history is made by those bold

enough to trust their internal vision and create it

in the outside world. Three years after the Royal

Monceau closed its doors for renovation, it re-

emerges, molded by the hands of Phillipe Starck,

a man bold enough to make history now.

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Derviche Haddad StreetBeirut Port District

+961 (0)1 570 572www.karenchekerdjian.com

Derviche Haddad StreetBeirut Port District

+961 (0)1 570 572www.karenchekerdjian.com

Min

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hoto: N

ad

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Cake StandA slender tray balanced on top of a gently inclined cylindrical base, this generous cake stand comes decorated in a variety of

hand-etched geometric patterns and graceful Arabesques.

Supper potRobust, heat-resistant, this collection of elegantly proportioned containers are designed to serve both as serving dishes and cooking implements and

take as their inspiration the cooking utensils of the Subcontinent.

hISTORICAL AnD AVAnT gARDe DeSIgnS ARe BeAuTIfuLLy fuSeD AT The MAISOn ChAMPS eLySÉeS

a gem

in the golden

triangle


P h o t o s : m a r t i n e h o u g h t o n

s tanding majestically in one of paris’s most sought-after locations is an exquisitely-renovated hotel that has the

most intriguing of tales to tell.Steeped in history, the Maison

Champs elysées exudes a contemporary

elegance which is fitting for its location in

Paris’s golden Triangle, just a stone’s throw

from the city’s most famous landmarks and

luxury boutiques.

The townhouse was originally

built for Princess essling, Mistress of the

household to the empress eugénie before

it was sold in 1919 to the Association of

Students of the ecole Centrale and became

their meeting place.

Just over two decades

ago, the Maison des Centraliens

was expanded to include a hotel.

Today, the Maison Champs

elysées hotel proudly displays an

exceptional renovation carried

out by the leading Belgian

fashion and interior designer

Martin Margiela.

Margiela has

carved out an impressive

track record since

graduating from the Royal

Academy of fine Arts

in Antwerp, setting up

a gem

in the golden

triangle

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his own stores worldwide and

working with both Jean-Paul

gaultier and hermès.

his creative genius has

undoubtedly breathed new

life into the Maison Champs

elysees, combining classical

and avant-garde designs in

his trademark sophisticated

yet playful and offbeat style

that will delight the modern

international guest while

continuing to provide the

students of the ecole Centrale

with a warm, welcoming venue.

While the hotel’s fine

haussmann-era façade has

been retained, Margiela has

brought a contemporary feel to

the interiors, from the elegant

french-style Mareuil flagstone

paving with black marble to

the pristine White Lounge and

majestic staircase.

guests will also delight

at the scorched wood cigar

bar, restaurant and guestrooms

which provide a tranquil haven

through Margiela’s favored use

of white and trompe l’oeil.

Margiela has made known

his desire to create a magical

decor in Maison Champs

elysees that will match the

generous hospitality of the

hotel and encourage guests

to return. And with so much

to marvel at and enjoy, the

clientele will undoubtedly be

tempted to revisit this unique

piece of Parisian history.

www.phoeniciabeirut.com

An anniversary is only as special as the people you celebrate with ...thank you Beirut.

In September 2011, from Thursday 15th to Sunday 19th, the Phoenicia hosted a festival of creative arts in all its

genres and forms. The Phoenicia was proud to celebrate its golden jubilee with Beirut’s community and offered

the true essence of this city to all its honored guests. Without all of you, the last 50 years would never have been

so special. We thank you for keeping us “Younger than Ever” and for sharing this anniversary with us.

Phoenicia 50th 21x27.5.indd 1 9/23/11 6:36 PM

Complex SimPlicity

W o r d s : l o u i s p a r k s

divided into large blocks, clearly delineated

from one another are staples of his style,

“Colors are secondary for me, firstly it’s

about the architectural and interior details,”

he says. I ask him to define his style and he

throws it back at me, “you tell me”. I reply

with the words clean, elegant, modern,

simple. “I like simple,” he says with a smile.

Simple it is, but simple it is

anything but. “Volumetric, clean lines,

simple, but not plain. I like to place pieces

within it, because I don’t want it to be

“i didn’t choose minimalism, I found myself here,” so says dori hitti, head of leading lebanese architecture and

design firm Cercle hitti. hitti’s riding the

crest of a wave and is in the enviable position

of being able to choose his clients when it

comes to his upmarket residential work; he’s

reveling in the task.

hitti’s designs scream

modernity and there’s a striking lack of fuss

about his work. Clean lines, and surfaces

dori hitti

too simple. Simple is difficult. People can

understand that simple is actually complex,

but only after a while. you look back at

your work and it can seem crowded, but

at the time you were looking for simple.

It’s difficult. next time you’ll know how to

avoid the crowd,” he says.

If simplicity is the overarching

theme, then the end result might appear

a little out of place, and yet it’s not.

Achingly modern interiors, clever plays

on light and space, clutter-free living

areas, refined, concise design, all are

individually, straightforward and easy

to process, but together blend into

something altogether complex. It’s difficult

to appreciate, but the complexity lies, in

many ways, in the lack of intricacy.

If hitti found himself within

minimalism there was a good reason

for it. “I want to live happily, in a good

environment, and comfortably. you

wear jeans or a T-shirt because it’s

comfortable, a suit and tie, sure, for a

gala dinner, for two hours and then you

take it off,” he says. It’s this concept of

comfort, allied with style, which defines

hitti’s work.

Standing apart from regional,

traditional design hitti’s works are at

once simple and complex, though the

complexity requires a discerning eye to

be fully appreciated. And there’s the key,

to many it might all seem a little bare,

but therein lies the enigma.

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B eirut has moved one step closer to welcoming two new architectural gems in the high-end Solidere

district with construction under way on the two plus towers.

plUstowerS

projeCtunder

wayAnOTheR lE CERClE

PROJeCT By dori hitti BegInS TO TAKe ShAPe In

DOWnTOWn BeIRuTW o r d s : M I R I A M D u n n

The 14-floor

Towers are earmarked to be

one of the most exclusive

residential developments in

Downtown Beirut. Zerok has

been appointed as primary

contractor for Plus Tower

1 while Abniya will lead

operations on Plus Tower 2.

With the

construction phase now in

progress, the spotlight is also

on the interior conceptual

design of the Towers which

will be overseen by Le Cercle’s

renowned architect Dori hitti.

Widely viewed

as an iconic modernist hitti is

known for his subtle, simple

and elegant styles which give

importance to both beauty and

comfort. hitti said that the aim

would be to conceive a design

that combines luxury and

distinctiveness.

georges

Chehwane, the CeO of

Plus Properties, said he was

confident the Towers would

take their place as two of the

city’s most beautiful icons

when completed in 2013.

W o r d s : L O u I S P A R K S

a cross a number of series and having been reimagined by some of the

most recognizable designers at Roche Bobois, the Mah Jong celebrates its fortieth birthday this year. The

inspiration for this most modern

of designs comes, ironically

perhaps, from that most ancient

of Chinese table top games,

Mahjong, where players seek

to create a recognized pattern

using a shifting collection of

exchangeable tiles.

It all started with

designer hans hopfer, the

inspiration behind so many

of Roche Bobois’ signature

pieces. hopfer was something

of a guru at the time, the

1970’s was an era of free-

form, relaxed, and informal

settings when it came to

interior design and hopfer’s

unconventional approach

began to attract attention.

As part of his collection he

invented the Mah Jong.

A sofa, yet one

quite unlike anything that

was around at the time and

designed with freedom of

function and form in mind, the

Mah Jong began simply, with

three sections or blocks that

can be positioned however

the owner desires, at angles,

overlapping one another, or

used as separate pieces, one

piece of furniture, limitless

possibilities. A bed, a sofa, a

pouf, an area in which to have

fun, or simply relax, the Mah

Jong is all about flexibility,

utility and, of course, style. Its

ability to completely change

a living area simply by being

repositioned into a new

configuration encourages

people to play around with

interior layouts.

handmade in a

dedicated workshop in Italy,

the processes and techniques

used are similar to those found

in the haute couture fashion

industry. each component is

individually hand-stitched and

only the most exclusive fabrics

are used, making each Mah

Jong a one-off creation.

It’s only natural

that such an iconic design

will be tinkered with and

adapted by any number of

famous designers, and so is

the case with the Mah Jong.

Over the years Roche Bobois

has invited world famous

designers and companies to

try their hand at this famous

design. Created exclusively

for Roche Bobois, Missoni’s

iconic zigzag lines allied with

floral fabric create a truly

warm, natural and joyful piece

of furniture echoing the class

and sophistication of the

house.

Kenzo Maison’s

offering to the collection is, as

one would expect from this

exuberant house, strikingly

eye-catching. An audacious

use of color, ethnic patterns

and the ever-present Kenzo

floral prints have created a

breath-taking, almost poetic

piece of furniture that’s not

for the faint of heart.

finally, Jean-

Paul gautier’s design features

his famous sailor stripes

alongside an upholstered

version of his haute

couture fashion collections

replete with tattoos and

other poetic imagery. his

creativity, elegance and

sophistication break the rules

of convention, in much the

same way that hans hopfer

did back in 1971 when he

designed the Mah Jong.

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illustrez vos pensées

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as the name succinctly suggests,

in precisely one minute clay is turned into quirky shapes, capturing “frozen moments of fingers” in their wake. finished with a gold luster, the sculptures are a vibrant eXpression of creativity and time.

OnE MInuTe

SCulptuRES

limited EdItIOn

D e s i g n e r : M A R C e L W A n D e R S

Design: Norbert Beck

If you listen to your senses,

you’ll experienceall that’s beautiful and exhilarating

in this world.Rolf Benz MIO, where i feel good.

coryza, influenza, ozaena, pollinosis

and sinusitis are the individual

names of these five vases, each different from the other, but all based on a 3d

scan of airborne phlegm and produced in polyamide using a digital prototyping

technology. yet another quirky design idea from marcel wanders, the airborne

snotty vase was first introduced

by cappellini in milan 2001, and

this collection of five went on to be

purchased by the stedelijk museum

amsterdam.

AIRBORnESnOTTyvASES

limited EdItIOn


LIMITeD EdItIOn

BlACklIght TABLe

the blacklight billiard table is the first to be made of steel and can be created to a client’s specifications, with an unlimited number of bespoke options available. each table is therefore unique and made to measure, taking approXimately two months to produce. meeting competition quality requirements, the blacklight can also be ordered with a wooden tabletop to transform it into a poker or dining table at whim.

P r o d u c e d b y B I L L A R D S T O u L e T

if a sharkskin provides the

ultimate surface for swimming,

so shiny, glass stones should

be the perfect surface for a

dream holiday car. such was

the thinking of marcel

wanders with the antelope, a car

designed from his imagination,

brought to life and then covered

in bisazza tiles.

AntElOpE

limited EdItIOn


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in celebration of a prolific 19-year career cut short by suicide, earlier this year the metropolitan museum of art hosted an eXhibition of the late aleXander mcqueen’s contributions to fashion. more than

100 ensembles as well as accessories went on display in the show titled

“savage beauty”, paying homage to mcqueen’s brilliance as an artist.

LIMITeD EdItIOn

SAvAgE BeAuTy

i oscillate betWeen life and death,

haPPiness and sadness, good and evil.

alexander McQueen

in celebration of a prolific 19-year career cut short by suicide, earlier this year the metropolitan museum of art hosted an eXhibition of the late aleXander mcqueen’s contributions to fashion. more than

100 ensembles as well as accessories went on display in the show titled

“savage beauty”, paying homage to mcqueen’s brilliance as an artist.

reading betweentheStitcheS

limited EdItIOn

W o r d s : D A n B R A T M A n

t hey are not merely objects of fashion to be worn and discarded when the season changes. They are architecture.

They are stories, structures, unsettling

yet familiar, recalling dreams of forgotten

function leaving behind only the beauty

and a haunting memory. hussein Chalayan

makes dreams to wear, stories in ephemeral

silk and steel. until november 21, for his

show, “hussein Chalayan: fashion narratives”

at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, Mr.

Chalayan has been given a free hand to bring

forth his vision in fabric, video, sculpture and

anything else that serves him.

Born in Cyprus and expatriated

to england, hussein first gained the

attention of the fashion world straight out

of Central Saint Martins College of Art and

Design in London. his graduate project,

titled “The Tangent flows” was a series

of dresses made and then buried in his

back yard. An instant sensation, the whole

collection was purchased and displayed in

luxury designer store Browns in London.

While many designers use

the runway to showcase their collection,

Chalayan builds tableaus, drawing the

audience into his world. Rich in visual

invention, he communicates through

images like the 1998 “airplane” dress made

of fibreglass and resin that slowly opens its

“wings”, or the extraordinary film vision of a

woman’s hair changing in cut, with the wig

and its myriad technological connections

also on view.

Some pieces must be

studied to reveal their true intent. Like

the printed dresses from 2004 that, on

closer inspection, show images

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of battle scenes from the 1950s in

Mr. Chalayan’s native Cyprus.

Chayalan’s work is fraught

with meaning. exploring concepts like

time, place, culture and perspective, he is

beyond judgment. his vision of the world

is powered by wonder and awe, seeking to

understand difference and communicate

mutuality. There is beauty in his view of

diversity, drawing the viewer into a world of

fascination and possibility, a fashion of the

spirit, an architecture of the soul.

Although Mr. Chalayan has

often received critical acclaim, he has also

struggled to keep his unique style alive. At

one time, he and his team had to close

their shop and work from his home. But

he never sacrificed his way of making

art. It is this commitment that has earned

him, at the age of 41, such an amazing

retrospective, diverse and eclectic, the

expression of a truly creative mind.

W o r d s : k a r a h b y r n s

P h o t o s : g i o r g i o d e v e c c h i

r enowned Swiss architect peter Zumthor and Italian master of light Mario nanni gave the busy British capital an introspective escape for the summer

peter zumthor, the swiss architect called quite simply “god” by some of his architectural contemporaries, won the honor of being the architect appointed to mount the much-awaited serpentine pavilion, the contemporary design installation hosted every year for the past decade in london’s hyde park. every summer, london welcomes a new architect to design the serpentine pavilion, nestled in the kensington gardens of hyde park. the pavilion is a temporary structure erected to be an engaging contemporary design space that doubles as a garden teahouse and place to take shelter from the city’s frequent summer showers.

perhaps the most difficult part of this task is the lack of any restraints. architects are free to pursue their wildest dreams, and last year’s 2010 pavilion designed by award-winning french architect jean

nouvel did just that, taking park-goers into a bright red, open-air “sun machine” where they could play frisbee, ping pong, and chess, or just chill out and lounge in the sun in a red hammock. “i want it to be a little place of warmth and delight,” said nouvel at the time, pleased with the zany result that he felt represented “architecture on holiday”.

zumthor’s minimalist interpretation of the pavilion in 2011 brought a darker, more introspective twist. in his version, the pavilion construction consisted of a lightweight timber frame, sheathed in black idenden and hessian scrim to protect it from the elements. the resulting jet black box rose up from the grass, passively discrete. its shadowy inner pathways all led back to a calm, central garden to create a meditative interior space where one can ponder the natural architecture of the plant world and absorb the silence of flowers growing, sun shining, and clouds passing. on a bright day, the black box brought about a stark contrast with the brilliant green grass and blue skies. on gray days, the experience bordered on what it would be like

to physically experience bright flowers blossoming in the darker, more sullen corners of one’s mind. the structure played with light in a contemplative and ethereal way, an effect achieved with the help of renowned italian light designer mario

nanni in collaboration with viabizzuno. the end result gave birth to a psychologically interactive space where light and architecture were inextricably intertwined, making the pavilion a joint signature of two men who are masters of their craft.

W o r d s : k a r a h b y r n s

BeIRuT’S COMIng enTeRTAInMenT CenTeR IS ABOuT TO LIghT uP The SOuKS, In MORe WAyS ThAn One

a rchitecture defines the form of space, creating permanent structures that remain rooted to the ground. Light, on the

other hand, travels through the air, temporary

and impossible to touch, yet able to touch our minds and

shape our moods. Light illuminates hidden angles and

spaces, transforming the physical into something magical.

It is perhaps for this reason that Beirut’s

most state-of-the-art entertainment complex soon

to arrive in the Beirut Souks will be unveiling a

contemporary form of cutting edge light design

when it opens its doors at the end of this year. This

entertainment complex that will be part of the north

Souks will include a 14-screen aboveground movie

theater that will be flanked by generous lounges

and concession areas, a multimedia, retail and

entertainment zone, international restaurants, an

arcade, and a pedestrian walkway that will link up

Allenby and Trablous streets.

To bring the entertainment center and its

cinemas truly to life, Lebanese light designer Maurice

Asso of the local light design firm hilights will be

teaming up with Italian light design house Viabizzuno

and internationally acclaimed light designer Mario

nanni. nanni is the creative genius behind the LIV – or

variable-image light bulb - that makes projection light

installations possible on a grand scale, casting colorful

and detailed images upon the length of a high interior

wall or exterior façade. his work can be seen in homes,

offices, museums, public squares, and even retail

showrooms, such as several giorgio Armani stores.

Together with nanni, Asso will be transforming Beirut’s

newest entertainment complex into an emotional

experience in light and design. he will quite literally be

taking the magic of the movies off of the screen and

bringing the spectacle of light into the space itself.

This year, the bold project was chosen

to be presented at the 2nd annual Viabizzuno

Worldwide Light Congress as a special feature

from the Middle east. In an exclusive interview

with Le Cercle, nanni revealed that this choice

was as much about the project’s design as the

people who will appreciate it: “We particularly

wanted to pay tribute to a Mediterranean country

like Lebanon, where the love of architecture and,

more generally, design is very strong.” Grazie.

delicate natUrei nspired by the delicate

intricacy of the plant of the same name, the heracleum by Moooi cleverly blends

modern, industrial touches with the lightness and delicacy of nature. this intriguingly styled lighting array is made up of over 50 individual led lights with polycarbonate lenses, a light metal frame and ultra-thin suspension wires. the heracleum instantly lights up a room and creates an effect not unlike a modern chandelier, only minus the crystal.

made from metal wires coated in a complex, conductive material, the structure is impossibly thin, with all the arms emanating from the central “branch” of the

piece. A process that defies belief

when viewed close up, the “stalks”

of the heracleum are something to

behold, a tribute to ingenious design.

It comes as no surprise

to see the curious name of Marcel

Wanders’ inspired Bertjan Pot

Powered Through electrosandwich

attached to the heracleum, it surely

is a piece worthy of Wanders’ talents.

At almost one meter wide and 65

centimeters deep, the heracleum

is a substantial piece, belying its

delicacy with the scale and scope of

the installation. upon reflection, with

its rotatable and dimmable lights, the

heracleum is more akin to a piece of

modern, interactive sculpture than a

chandelier of old.

W o r d s : L O u I S P A R K S

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Q isdesign’s Coral Reef lamp embraces the soft lines of one of Mother nature’s most stunningly beautiful creations, the coral. hand-crafted from aluminum alloy and cast using

zinc dies, the gentle curves and seamless joins appear uncontrived, creating a sense of effortless continuity throughout the piece.

polished until the aluminum glows, stand and light become one thanks to the ingenious use of a ball and socket joint allowing for full and free positioning of the light itself. form and function marry together to create something not only beautiful, but also practical. standing over 45 centimeters tall, the

coral reef lamp is a fully adjustable, practical desk light, while sitting at the apex of interior design.

dimming is controlled by simply tapping the base of the piece and the tactile curves invite users to constantly adjust and reposition the coral-shaped light itself. thankfully, the small size of the leds has led to a lightweight, cool lamp that’s easily handled and maneuvered, allowing the owner to seek out the ambience they’re looking for.

qisdesign’s organic shapes, innovative design and modern technologies have all come together in the coral reef lamp, a blend of minimalist beauty and nature’s most inspired design.

Soft lighT

W o r d s : l o u i s p a r k s

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chanelAuTuMn-WInTeR 2011

a somber mood took over chanel’s

autumn/winter ready to wear collection this year

with previously ubiquitous pretty pastels replaced

by a palette of grays and blacks. to a backdrop of

a volcanic island, models took to the runway in a

visual extravaganza of wide-cut jackets, dramatic

coats, cropped pants and belted dresses that

represented a statement of brooding glamour.

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Dior AuTuMn-WInTeR 2011

dior’s new silhouette for autumn-winter 2011 is created by the maxi cape and coat, the knickerbocker and the dior mitzahe tee. the layered silhouette evokes the dandyism of the english romantic poets. rich inky shades, velvets, cashmeres, chiffons and organza create a palette of textures and colors. soft leathers, suedes and furs, intricate luxe weaves, tapisserie and knitwear complete the look for day as embroidery, feathers, tulle and lace cut a new lyrical luxury for eveningwear.

AN NAHAR BLDG, +961 1 971 444/555 ZOUK HIGHWAY, +961 9 217 744/55 RING HIGHWAY, +961 1 971 573 555


an


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t he bold, innovative work of german-born artist godwin hoffman is as fresh today as it was at the beginning of his

career over five decades agocritics have long highlighted

the tight control and strict discipline which combine so well with the brush strokes and paint runs found in the work of german-born artist godwin hoffman.

contrast is an underlying theme in hoffman’s art, as he explains.

“on one side is my quest for knowledge and truth inherited from my education,

on the other side i look for the elementary, the origin, sensuality and the touch,” he says. “obtaining a thick black that seems to absorb all light, pretending to the absolute. this kind of work is very demanding.”

born in the municipality of büchenbeuren, the multidisciplinary artist was just a young boy when he developed a fascination with the great dutch masters of the 17th century such as vincent van gogh. visits to museums also led to hoffman discovering picasso and kandinsky, whose work, together

with the artists’ dedication and discipline, were to sow the seeds of his desire to paint.

inspired by what he had seen, hoffman chose to study art at the kunstakademie in düsseldorf before settling in france where he worked as a professor of art for almost 30 years while establishing himself as a pioneering painter, sculptor and etcher.

hoffman has produced a richly diverse collection of work which is filled with creative expression and tells the tale of the artistic evolution that he has gone through over the decades.

alongside the more traditional media of watercolour and charcoal, hoffman has created remarkable aquatint works, screenprints, and illustrations for artist books. during what he describes as his search for perfection and the

absolute, hoffman has also experimented with more unusual forms, choosing to paint on concrete and plexiglass.

hoffman’s work may be characterized by rigorous composition, as shown by his clean, bold lines and heavy use of black, but he also remains true to his belief of freedom of expression. it is perhaps no coincidence that during his career he has also developed another talent as a highly competent jazz saxophonist and still plays today.

over the years, hoffman has taken part in a number of individual and collective exhibitions, with numerous retrospectives devoted to his work. a limited edition of 50 prints titled 4-godwin hoffmann is currently on display at the trowbridge gallery in the united kingdom. today he still works in the village of neuwiller-lès-saverne , france, where he lives.

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01

w ith a light sense of humour and plenty of panache, the emerging design collective known as Beirutkon embraces the diverse, chaotic,

and colorful city of Beirut for what it is and not what it was, or what it aspires to be. from July 29

to October 1, the Beirut Art Center (BAC) featured an

intimate exhibition of contemporary, interactive souvenirs

and industrial design objects designed by an ambitious

collective of three passionate Beirutis - Anastasia nysten,

Marc Dibeh, and Carlo Massoud. The exhibition explores

the evolution of the city, while urging the audience to

take ownership of “your Beirut, your way”.

On the second level of the BAC, the

exhibition featured several pieces of functional art

from each designer and a group of products branded

with the name of the collective, BeIRuTKOn. The

BeIRuTKOn products are available in a series of five

convertible and interactive souvenirs that can be

customized to reflect a personal perception of Beirut.

graphic designer Joelle Achkar contributed detailed

illustrations for various products, including a set of six

double-faced storytelling cards entitled “Tell It your

Way” and a paper candle shade called “Light It your

Way”. The rest of the five-part series features a 10-piece

package of cardboard Lebanese tiles (“Tile It your Way”),

a white t-shirt (“Wear It your Way”), and a street map

(“Map It your Way”). After purchasing the products, one

can color in the candle shade, map, and tiles according

to personal preference, rearrange the storytelling cards

to illustrate an experience, and cut the t-shirt (which

is actually a floor-length garment with sleeves and a

hood) along one of the many dotted lines, depending

on the social dress code of a given area. “It’s stuff that

you can use for decoration as well as play with; it’s

a souvenir that requires your input to be functional,”

explained Dibeh.

The souvenirs are also intended to

inspire someone to think more deeply about his

or her connection to the city and what Beirut truly

means to them. “It’s more about the idea than the

object,” said Massoud. “This started as a workshop in

2008 with the aim to develop a souvenir that reflects

the true Beirut,” he added. The collective sprang

yOuR BeIRuT yOuR WAy

01_____ fROM LefT

TO RIghT: Carlo

Massoud, Anastasia

nysten, Marc Dibeh

02_____Light it your way

03_____BeIRuTKOn products

04_____Map it your way

05_____Wear it your way

02

02 03 04 05

from this desire to share a product that depicts

the city as it is today, instead of relying on artisanal

objects from the past or nightlife ads to represent

the culture of a complex capital to its modern-day

visitors. “I wanted to focus on something more

than what people expect, like nightlife and other

clichés,” said Achkar, in reference to her humorous

storytelling cards that use illustrations of animals to

represent stereotypical Beiruti characters. “Absurd

stories can happen on Lebanese streets and I wanted

to show this authentic, vibrant street life,” she said.

In addition to the contemporary souvenirs,

the other design objects on display also spoke of

present-day Beirut. Carlo Massoud’s metal sculptures

of backhoes make a statement about the state of

“deconstruction” that the city is facing as a result of

rampant construction. his sculptures are made to rust,

as a reflection of their transience and the futility of the

structures they are making space for.

for Anastasia nysten, a symbol of the city

was a simple wooden stool, which reflects the highly

social nature of Lebanese culture. “The stool represents

the custom of taking a chair from the house out into

the street to sit and talk with friends, especially in

Achrafieh,” she said. using different Lebanese design

techniques, she created the stool in three versions

using wicker, perforated wood, and an embroidered

cushion to create a unique seat for each stool.

Marc Dibeh also decided to focus on the

spontaneity of Lebanese social culture. he designed

modern, collapsible tables that easily adapt to an

unexpected increase in the number of visitors. “When

I have friends stopping by sometimes I need to add

some extra tables, so this is how the idea began. These

tables can be put together in seconds, look fantastic for

the night, then can be deconstructed and easily stored

under the couch once the party’s over,” he said. he

also designed another table, which blends the lines of

traditional Lebanese design with modern materials.

In a city of so many contrasts and lifestyles,

a collective like Beirutkon is a welcome addition to

an already booming local art and culture scene.

For more information, contact the Beirut Art Center:

+961 (0) 1 397 018 / +961 70 26 21 12.

01_____Biraz’s stool

02_____Tell it your way

03_____excavator

04_____Set of tables

01

02

03

04

dévorez l’opportunitéJ.B. Schmetterling. Une création Ingo Maurer.

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F or anyone a fifty year anniversary is an event worth celebration, but for Beirut’s leading hotel it was an occasion

for much, much more. To the casual

observer, the biggest tell-tale sign that

something special was underway came in

the form of the gigantic purple hued gift

wrapping bow hugging the exterior walls of

the Phoenicia hotel. This visual extravaganza

acted as a potent symbol of Phoenicia’s

gift to the city: its legacy of 50 years of

outstanding hospitality as well as its dynamic

rebirth for the many decades to come.

The festivities to mark this

auspicious half century took place over

four days beginning on September 14, and

brought together many of the country’s

leading artistic figures from the fields of

fashion, design, photography, art, jewellery,

architecture and music. Amine Boulos,

Phoenicia’s Creative Director, explained

that the brief given to all participating artists

was to come up with a concept “related to

Beirut that fits within the exhibition without

showing his or her work specifically”.

In other words, the challenge was to

contribute creatively in a way that went

fACIng PAge: Maison

Rabih Kayrouz installation

RIghT: Jewelry by

Rania Sarakbi

fAR RIghT: Art work

by Rima Saab

a thought provoking contrast between the

normally aggressive role of the billboard and

the eco-friendly message conveyed.

Almost every corner of the

hotel played host to installations and

exhibitions over the four-day period with

each day bringing new discoveries. for

music lovers, Amethyste was the setting

for a range of performances including

acclaimed pianist guy Manoukian and the

rising stars of the alternative Lebanese

music scene Mashrou3 Leila. As the

Phoenicia’s walls came alive with the

sound of music and the vision of the

cream of the country’s creative talents,

one thing was for sure: Beirut had never

seen anything quite like it before.

beyond any individual’s own work. for

fashion designer Rabih Kayrouz, it was the

concept of “Organic glamour” that provided

inspiration. In an installation created by

Lush flowers for Maison Rabih Kayrouz, the

themes of nature, minimalism and tranquility

in the midst of the city were brought to life

juxtaposing Kayrouz’s fashion designs with a

natural backdrop.

Architect youssef Tohme’s

installation in the hotel’s grand entrance

staircase took its inspiration from beyond

the Phoenicia’s walls. Playing on the

ubiquitous sight of advertising billboards

that plague Lebanon’s highways and byways,

Tohme brought billboards indoors but used

them for a strikingly different purpose: to

highlight the environment. The result was

01_____Bokja

02_____Art work

by Rima Saab

03_____Tabbah

04_____Milia M

01 02

03 04

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MAXALTO IS A B&B ITALIA BRAND. COLLECTION COORDINATED BY ANTONIO CITTERIO. [email protected] WWW.MAXALTO.IT

www.porschebeirut.com

Porsche Centre Lebanon s.a.l.Telephone 01 975 911, 03 901 911

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