Don’t miss it. Go see the bricks.

Intimate, honest and sometimes raw. The images printed in the relatively new bi-annual interiors magazine Apartamento (issue 7 is on sale now) tell stories of real life interiors and to me, are quite reminiscent of Jürgen Teller’s photography (Teller being featured in this very issue is purely coincidental, I’m sure of it!).

No mis-en-scène, no gloss, no lavish or “casually” arranged minimalistic displays but inspiring interiors from all over the world which in their unique and lived-in state show us that style is at its most natural when it isn’t staged but when it occurs almost haphazardly, from our own particular individuality. Whilst this is not as easy to achieve as you may think, it certainly looks that way on the matte pages of this simplistic publication. Famously described by The New York Times as “the first post-materialistic interiors magazine”, Apartamento shows us that interiors are nothing without the people living inside them.  Strong and fascinating characters such as photographers, authors and other creative eccentrics are the perfect companions in these (their) featured spaces.  A clear emphasis on colour and simple composition, makes for some powerful imagery and brilliant reference material for either domestic dwellers or design lovers. Since its launch in 2009 the Barcelona-based magazine has regularly presented cultural and promotional events in line with its international distribution in cities such as Tokyo, New York, Berlin, London and Milan.

The concept for October’s event in Barcelona was conceived by Ana Dominquez and Omar Sosa and features a unique and exclusive collection of photographs shot by Nacho Alegre, photographer and founder of the magazine. The Apartamento Bricks Still Life exhibition brings to life a basic object like the builder’s brick and turns it into a surprisingly delicate and evocative sculpture. Don’t miss it. Go see the bricks. Go meet the people and get yourself a copy of Apartamento.

Exhibition runs from 29^th September to 21^st October 2011 at Otrascosas de Villarosàs, Via Laietana 65, Principal, Barcelona.

While in Barcelona, go see another honest and intimate gem in the city, White Line Hotels edit Hotel Omm. Don’t miss it.

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Contributing writer: Stefanie Soar

Photos courtesy Apartamento

Last Wednesday of the Month Architecture: Panagia Paraportiani

There’s one thing that you don’t always hear about the Greek island of Mykonos: they love their churches! So much so, in fact, that around the end of World War II people liked to say that there was a church for every day of the year, but even that wasn’t enough; the estimated number of churches on Mykonos is now close to 800, or enough for one per local family.

Of all these churches, the most famous is Panagia Paraportiani, and probably because it embodies the vision everyone holds in their heart of Cycladic architecture, but also the variations upon it that are unique to Mykonos. Typical cycladian architecture is a story of necessity. A scarcity in building materials, paired with strong winds, helped to create the cubic shapes and flat roofs so characteristic of the region. The whitewashing? A means to reflect the sun and keep interiors cool. How things got asymmetrical and more rounded on the island of Mykonos, however, is anyone’s guess. Maybe the island just always liked to do thing a little differently.

Panagia Paraportiani actually isn’t just a church; it’s 5-churches-in-1, built together during the period from 1425 until the 17th century. Built over 2 levels, the asymmetry of this conglomerate is especially highlighted from some angles by its ocean backdrop. Like with all things architectural, you just can’t fully experience it in photos. Why not go see Panagia Paraportiani for yourself? It’s just a 5 minute walk from White Line Hotels edit Mykonos Theoxenia Hotel.

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Photos: member photos by yrduba and MSPANAKIS on greeka.com

Last Wednesday of the Month Architecture: Alpine Capsule

Believe it or not (and personally I’m leaning towards “not”), August is at an end, and over here at the White Line Hotels Blog that means it’s time once again for the Last Wednesday of the Month Architecture feature. This month’s is a puzzler. Is it a product or is it a building? I’ll tell you now, though — no — it is not an Anish Kapoor.

You may be familiar with industrial designer Ross Lovegrove for any number of his organically shaped products. Solar Trees or Car On A Stick, anyone? It might seem like an unlikely pairing, but a few years ago when a private commission came along to find a way to sleep (protected, mind you) under the stars in Alta Badia, Lovegrove stepped in with a self-sustainable solution. Yes, you can say a lot of things about Lovegrove, but you have to give him credit for his unending dedication to environmental issues and sustainable energy.

Lovegrove wanted to provide contrast to the traditional wood and stone architecture of the region, but remain respectful to its environment. The result was Alpine Capsule, an 8 meter wide…well…do you call it a structure? Pod? Drop-of-mercury-like blob? Whatever your preference, Lovegrove calls it an “ephemeral infinity space”. Reflective glass means that, once inside, your view is infinite nature. From outside, that same reflective glass renders it nearly invisible in some conditions. Alpine Capsule pays its respect to its environment by mirroring it, and when that mirroring means it nearly vanishes, it gives a whole new meaning to the idea of a low-impact building.

Although the exact location and how to get to it appears to have something in common with the holy grail, it might be worth the effort to take a gander. After searching, return for a dose of the good life at  the altogether more spacious Lagació Mountain Residence, as chosen by the team at White Line Hotels.

All photos www.rosslovegrove.com

Introducing a New Monthly Architecture Special with the Friendly Alien, Kunsthaus Graz

Wednesday. The middle of the week. “Hump day,” if you like. In the structure of the work week, it stands alone, neither early enough to be associated with freshness, nor late enough to be linked to the coming weekend. Whether you call him Hermes, Mercury or Woden, middle-of-the-road Wednesday is named for the God of travel, and from now on when we’re all at that mid-point of our last weekly journey of the month — the last Wednesday of the month — we’ll be featuring something you can only really and fully experience by traveling to be in it: a unique building or space.

Kicking off our new Last Wednesday of the Month Architecture feature is the “Friendly Alien” otherwise known as Kunsthaus Graz. One look and you understand why locals and even its own architects, Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, gave the structure its nickname, although at certain angles it could be said to look more like an internal organ of said alien. Before you say it looks like the Blob descending on Graz, the Kunsthaus is a perfect example of blob architecture, a movement with its origins in new software-aided experiments in the 90s that enabled architects to play with form in different ways. Although the organic forms of blob architecture can be historically linked to precedents like Antoni Gaudi’s work in Barcelona, they reflect a unique link to their own time through the undeniable visual reference to computer generated images.

They say photos are worth a thousand words, but in the case of understanding the impact and meaning of a great structure in its location, there’s just no substitute for seeing it firsthand. After checking out the exterior, head inside to see how the interior frames its use as an exhibition space. When you’re done with the Friendly Alien, head back to White Line Hotels edit Schlossberghotel; the architecture is completely different, but with 400 unique contemporary artworks, you may still feel like you’re at the Kunsthaus.

We found these great photos of Kunsthaus Graz here and here.

Twice as good as a Biennale: The Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space

Biennale fever has been running rampant for the last decade, so much so that it seems that hardly a city or region in the world has escaped its infectious cloud. Prague surely wasn’t immune; their 5^th Biennale is opening as I write this. Don’t get me wrong, I love the buzz and excitement of a Biennale. It’s just that when there’s so many, and they’re literally everywhere, sometimes it gets hard to remember they’re special. A Quadrennial, on the other hand, is something quite unique, and coming just every 4 years instead of the usual 2, could it even be twice as good?

Before I forget, there’s another unique thing about the Prague Quadrennial; its focus is performance and theatre. Here you can expect artists working across the contemporary disciplines of performance, visual arts, architecture, new media, lighting and sound design, fashion, installation, costuming and photography all exhibiting alongside each other towards one common aim: expanding the encompassing art form of sceneography. Now that’s a lot of art forms! Sure to be a highlight is the International Competitive Exhibition. Theatrical presentations will be made by over 60 participating countries and regions but best of all, spectators will be able to enter, see, touch and fully immerse themselves in any other way possible in these sceneographic environments and attend live performances. With further expositions of lighting and sound, architecture, and even “extreme costume”, there’s sure to be something to suit every taste.

Events will be taking place all over the city between June 16^th and June 26th and are far too many to list here, so go on and discover more about the Prague Quadrennial on their website, and then go discover Prague through the eyes of artists.

Images courtesy of the Prague Quadrennial