Sông Cái is the first gin to be produced in Vietnam and the Spiced Roselle is its newest iteration. Inspired by the country’s Central Highland and red basalt forests, the ruby-colored gin is infused with rose myrtle berries and roselle buds, resulting in a full-bodied spirit that’s warm with cinnamon and star anise before giving way to the gentle sweetness of dried fruits.
Querencia de Sevilla, Autograph Collection—Marriott’s latest hotel in its prestigious Autograph Collection portfolio—has opened in the heart of one of Spain’s most charming, distinct cities. Here, travelers won’t just find a place to rest their heads but a team who view guests more like friends and family rather than temporary tenants, and aim to make their trip as bountiful as possible. “Querencia” translates to a feeling of home, and this concept really comes to life upon entering the property. In addition to vibrant dining options within the hotel itself, the property boasts a rooftop pool and bar with sweeping panoramic views of the city, as well as a relationship with Marriott Bonvoy Tours, which will arrange for explorations with some of the most compelling guides the city has to offer. Sunset drinks at the rooftop bar, which overlooks the Seville Cathedral, alone warrant a trip to the property.
To learn more after our stay, we spoke with Jennifer Connel (Global Brand Leader and Vice President of Marriott’s Autograph Collection) about the nuances within the building’s design and how to make the most of a visit to Seville.
How did Querencia de Sevilla incorporate local architecture and traditions into its design?
Every element of this hotel’s design is inspired by its history and sense of place, and is intended to create atmospheres that transport guests. This design approach is also pulled through in the hotel’s various art pieces, including handmade ceramics, pottery, paintings, books, wickerwork, fabrics and more. Every material has been thoughtfully selected from local Sevillian craftspeople. The colors throughout the hotel—from yellow to dark green—have a distinct role in the hotel’s aesthetic as they evoke the traditional tones of the land. Every detail—down to the tableware in the hotel’s restaurant, La Maestría—takes cues from the locale’s traditional craftsmanship, to provide guests with an authentic experience that is “exactly like nothing else.”
How was it made to feel bright and spacious?
The hotel comes to life in a storied location in the heart of the city. The hotel building, which was the former headquarters of Banco Andalucía, was remodeled to offer guests a true Sevillian experience while restoring the beauty of the historical architecture. The hotel’s open spaces have been designed so that the sunlight can illuminate every corner, including the two beautiful terraces and the atrium that provides light to the restaurant area on the second floor. The terraces are inspired by the “patio” characteristic of Andalusian architecture and are decorated with plants and traditional tiles that make guests feel like they’re in a Sevillian house with the most personalized service.
There is a running bull motif throughout the hotel—can you speak on that?
In Spain, the bull is seen as a symbol of confidence and strength, and represents a major part of Seville’s history, especially La Fiesta de los Toros. The hotel has a special piece on display—a matador’s costume that belongs to the son of one of the hotel’s owners. Throughout the property, guests will uncover nods to the bull motif, which is undeniably characteristic of the locale’s culture.
Can you tell us more about the Marriott Bonvoy tour guides through the city?
The platform offers experiences that truly embrace the transformative power of travel and a way to discover the world everyone shares. In Seville, one of the experiences is a private monumental walking tour, where travelers can discover the city’s most spectacular monuments. The intimate walking tour features Seville’s iconic sights, which are steps away from the hotel itself, including the Seville Cathedral, the Giralda tower, the Royal Alcazar, Plaza de España and more.
Can you explain further what “querencia” means to the team. It takes on its own life here.
The word “querencia” refers to the tendency of human beings to return to the place where they have been raised or are used to going. The hotel has truly taken this to heart, extending the soul and feeling of querencia throughout the property in order to establish a return to the deepest tradition of Seville. This mindset and commitment could not be fully conveyed to travelers without the hotel team’s indescribable passion, which invites guests to immerse themselves in the querencia experience.
Images courtesy of Marriott
New Orleans architecture studio Eskew Dumez Ripple has unveiled plans for a welcome centre at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge that will feature a sloped roof, glass walls and a sunken central courtyard.
Plans for the pavilion in Baton Rouge – the capital city of Louisiana – show a square building with roofs that slope inward towards an expansive courtyard.
The Burden Center will serve as a welcome centre for various biology-oriented spaces on the campus including the Botanic Gardens, Rural Life Museum, and the Louisiana State University (LSU) AgCenter.
Renderings show a continuous roof that covers a walkway and connects a collection of enclosed structures surrounding a sunken courtyard.
Sloped at the rear and front of the structure, the roof will level out on the sides, mirroring the decrease in elevation at the centre of the project.
The structures will be clad in light-coloured wood and have expansive glass walls facing the courtyard.
Totalling 28,625 square feet (2659 metres), the Burden Center will have a stepped entry that leads to a patio space. Wooden louvres will reach from the roof edge and connect to the ground, creating a screen between the facade and the exterior.
Located between forest, wetlands, pastures and a garden, the structure was designed to open up to its surroundings.
“In honoring this conception of the center as a contemplative retreat to nature, the design team looked to create a liminal space that would provoke curiosity and excitement for the surrounding scenery while simultaneously providing a legible point of arrival and orientation,” said Eskew Dumez Ripple.
“As such, the design of the center will unfold from the landscape – a welcome center not so much sitting on the land but embedded in it.”
According to the studio, the structure will also have an accessible green roof.
Inside, the building will hold an events space, exhibition spaces and offices for the staff of the botanical gardens. A small cafe will also be included in the program and the spaces will take advantage of the extensive covered areas created between the enclosed structures.
Eskew Dumez Ripple was founded in Louisiana in 1989. The studio recently designed master plan for the Thaden School in Arkansas, which teaches students about sustainability in structures based on vernacular architecture.
Other projects in Baton Rouge include international architecture studio Perkins+Will’s Water Center, which sits on pylons that hold it above the water, making it fully functional during the floods common in the area.
The post Eskew Dumez Ripple designs courtyard pavilion for Burden Center in Baton Rouge appeared first on Dezeen.
Utilizing a painting process inspired by the stage sets of David Hockney, London-based ceramicist Katie Moore crafts decorated, sculptural clay objects like the Medium Wobble Pot. Hand-built and fired at a low temperature to preserve vibrancy, the vase combines a whimsical tilt with theatrical, colorful patterns. Each one is made to order and unique in shape and design. Price is in Pounds.
For audiophiles, headphones are like owning a new pair of shoes – you buy one and then after a year or so, a new one arrives, and the insatiable urge to get them leads to burning more money on a new pair of cans. The process is infinite for audio lovers as they are always seeking those god-level headphones that are the perfect balance of sound, ergonomic comfort and style.
More often than not, this complete package (if you ever find one) comes at a steep price tag, and the probability of it going obsolete over the years due to developments in audio technologies is even greater. Case-in-point, audio driver technology graduates over time, and mostly, new drivers bring new possibilities in how audio would sound. So, why not have a pair of headphones, that can have swappable drivers?
Designer: German Shustovskij
These are the Nautilus headphones that give audiophiles the freedom to swap drivers for an upgrade without investing in a new pair of headphones which eventually leads to the old ones losing their relevance over time. This makes complete sense as the modular freedom lets the audio listeners keep their super comfy and stylish headphones without losing out on audio tech development over the years.
I personally am an audiophile and like to stick to a pair that is the most comfortable to wear while sounding good. Even though I have a couple of buddies who spend exorbitant money in getting those new elusive headphones, I find the money-burning practice a bit too much. That makes, these headphones with swappable drivers even more intriguing.
The designer proposes a housing that fits isodynamic and electrostatic drivers without much fizz. Their size is similar, even though the principle mechanism of generating sound is different. This gives the freedom to use different drivers with different audio input sources as well. For example, the isodynamic driver doesn’t require much amplification and works well with simple analog or digital sources while on the other hand, electrostatic drivers use different amplifiers to achieve premium-quality sound from high-powered output DACs.
The post These next-gen headphones have swappable audio drivers to never make you feel underwhelmed first appeared on Yanko Design.
LA-based Brockhampton announced their indefinite hiatus earlier this year, but have returned with the joyfully chaotic “Big Pussy.” Beginning with a snippet that sounds like the Germs, it swiftly runs rampant with jazz samples before shapeshifting into a rap banger and then morphs again with a chill, funk-inflected beat that’s reminiscent of ’90s progressive hip-hop, briefly borrowing from a Smoothe Da Hustler track. It features vocals from group leader Kevin Abstract, was produced by Bearface and Nick Velez, and will appear on the upcoming album The Family.
Chell Fish is Brooklyn-based artist Michele Mirisola’s ceramics project, and from it comes a series of mosaic plates. Reminiscent of antique oyster plates and inspired by the forms of seashells, these handmade pieces are suffused with whimsy. They come in different shape and artwork variations but all are a unique way to serve oysters—or anything else.
Mighty Buildings has delivered what it claims to be the world’s first 3D-printed zero-net home in Desert Hot Springs, California, as part of a 40-unit community that explores environmental and economic development strategies.
The Oakland-based technology company completed the 1,171-square-foot (159-square metre) home in September 2022. Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects (EYRC) designed the two-bedroom, two-bath home, known as the Quatro, which the team says will produce as much energy as it consumes using Mighty Buildings‘ flexible, panelized kit of parts.
“We are excited to be the first company in the world to complete what we believe to be the sustainable housing standard of the future,” said Mighty Buildings CEO Slava Solonitsyn.
“As a result, housing developers will no longer have to choose between profitability, quality, design and protecting the planet,” he continued.
The exterior composite stone wall panels were 3D printed in a factory in Oakland. The proprietary material – known as Light Stone – is a concrete alternative with four times more tensile and flexural strength, 30 per cent less weight and less carbon dioxide, according to Mighty Buildings.
The home’s light-gauge steel roof cassettes and plumbing/mechanical core module were also prefabricated off-site, allowing the home’s components to be installed on its concrete slab foundation in less than a day.
Vertical floor-to-ceiling windows fit between the wall panels and offer views of the surrounding San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains, while black metal flashing caps the embedded parapet and conceals the foundation connection.
On the interior, the public-facing living and dining area is separated from the private bedrooms by a utility core with a kitchen, bathrooms, built-in cabinetry and mechanical equipment.
The home’s minimal material palette includes white oak casework and flooring, stainless steel fixtures, glazed white tile and quartz countertops. Recessed lighting and Brilliant smart home technology complete the interior detailing.
According to the company, Mighty Buildings has achieved net-zero design in three ways: efficient materials, integrated technologies and additional components.
According to Mighty Buildings, Light Stone has the characteristics of stone with better thermal performance, and the panel interiors are insulated to reduce the home’s energy consumption.
The design also accommodates solar technology and high-performance windows.
Additionally, the robotic coating application increases resistance to hurricane winds, high water, fire, mould, insects and extreme temperatures.
“Our manufacturing technology features a high-degree of automation and advanced robotics, enabling us to reduce the completion time by more than half,” Mighty Buildings said.
“In this way, the entire home can be constructed within 4-5 months, significantly accelerating onsite completion and resulting in happier home buyers, more productive onsite workers and higher returns for developers.”
When complete, each of the 20 homes in the community will feature an additional accessory dwelling unit – for a total of 40 3D-printing volumes – as well as a swimming pool, pergola, hot tub and fire pit.
The remainder of the panels will be printed in Mighty Buildings’ facility in Monterrey, Mexico.
Mighty Buildings also designed a 15-home 3D printed neighbourhood in Rancho Mirage, California with the Palari Group as developers. Meanwhile, in Houston, design studio Hannah is constructing the first multi-storey 3D-printed home to be created on-site in the United States.
Finished photography is by HANA Agency. Process photography is courtesy of Mighty Buildings.
Project credits:
Architect of Record: EYRC Works (Mathew Chaney, AIA, DBIA, LEED AP)
Engineer of Record: Buro Happold
The post Mighty Buildings completes 3D-printed net-zero home in southern California appeared first on Dezeen.
Mighty Buildings has delivered what it claims to be the world’s first 3D-printed zero-net home in Desert Hot Springs, California, as part of a 40-unit community that explores environmental and economic development strategies.
The Oakland-based technology company completed the 1,171-square-foot (159-square metre) home in September 2022. Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects (EYRC) designed the two-bedroom, two-bath home, known as the Quatro, which the team says will produce as much energy as it consumes using Mighty Buildings‘ flexible, panelized kit of parts.
“We are excited to be the first company in the world to complete what we believe to be the sustainable housing standard of the future,” said Mighty Buildings CEO Slava Solonitsyn.
“As a result, housing developers will no longer have to choose between profitability, quality, design and protecting the planet,” he continued.
The exterior composite stone wall panels were 3D printed in a factory in Oakland. The proprietary material – known as Light Stone – is a concrete alternative with four times more tensile and flexural strength, 30 per cent less weight and less carbon dioxide, according to Mighty Buildings.
The home’s light-gauge steel roof cassettes and plumbing/mechanical core module were also prefabricated off-site, allowing the home’s components to be installed on its concrete slab foundation in less than a day.
Vertical floor-to-ceiling windows fit between the wall panels and offer views of the surrounding San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains, while black metal flashing caps the embedded parapet and conceals the foundation connection.
On the interior, the public-facing living and dining area is separated from the private bedrooms by a utility core with a kitchen, bathrooms, built-in cabinetry and mechanical equipment.
The home’s minimal material palette includes white oak casework and flooring, stainless steel fixtures, glazed white tile and quartz countertops. Recessed lighting and Brilliant smart home technology complete the interior detailing.
According to the company, Mighty Buildings has achieved net-zero design in three ways: efficient materials, integrated technologies and additional components.
According to Mighty Buildings, Light Stone has the characteristics of stone with better thermal performance, and the panel interiors are insulated to reduce the home’s energy consumption.
The design also accommodates solar technology and high-performance windows.
Additionally, the robotic coating application increases resistance to hurricane winds, high water, fire, mould, insects and extreme temperatures.
“Our manufacturing technology features a high-degree of automation and advanced robotics, enabling us to reduce the completion time by more than half,” Mighty Buildings said.
“In this way, the entire home can be constructed within 4-5 months, significantly accelerating onsite completion and resulting in happier home buyers, more productive onsite workers and higher returns for developers.”
When complete, each of the 20 homes in the community will feature an additional accessory dwelling unit – for a total of 40 3D-printing volumes – as well as a swimming pool, pergola, hot tub and fire pit.
The remainder of the panels will be printed in Mighty Buildings’ facility in Monterrey, Mexico.
Mighty Buildings also designed a 15-home 3D printed neighbourhood in Rancho Mirage, California with the Palari Group as developers. Meanwhile, in Houston, design studio Hannah is constructing the first multi-storey 3D-printed home to be created on-site in the United States.
Finished photography is by HANA Agency. Process photography is courtesy of Mighty Buildings.
Project credits:
Architect of Record: EYRC Works (Mathew Chaney, AIA, DBIA, LEED AP)
Engineer of Record: Buro Happold
The post Mighty Buildings completes 3D-printed net-zero home in southern California appeared first on Dezeen.
There are often times when I’m playing with my hula-hoop in front of our swimming pool, and I lament at how lame our standard radiator looks through the window. I didn’t realize, until seeing these photos, that I don’t have to suffer in this way.
An Italian company called Tubes Radiatori makes these designey wall and floor radiators, both electric or hydraulic. This one’s called the Milan, and it comes in both horizontal and vertical variants.
Their Kubik wall model uses square-section steel tubing for a more severe look. Again, both horizontal and vertical versions are on offer.
The Ixsteel model uses very thin (10mm diameter) round tubing for a more visually dense effect.
This Trame model has undulating steel tubes that “chase each other and draw soft scenographies on the wall.” You can choose the directionality of the tubes.
The Platform is a monolithic design that hides the tubes altogether.
The Add-On model allows you—or let’s be real, your interior designer—to choose the final configuration of the repeating modular components.
I like this one because it reminds me of an amino acid.
There’s plenty more designs to see here.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
