Our cover story, on the rowers centre that architect Álvaro Fernandes Andrade has built in northern Portugal, is just the beginning. We also spend a night inside Jean Nouvel’s Renaissance Barcelona Fira Hotel – double-skyscraper with a vertical garden planted through its centre; and check into Werner Aisslinger’s 25hours Hotel Bikini in Berlin, with its hand-drawn wall designs and vibrant furnishings. In Montreal, we find sanctuary inside the Saint-Jude Spa, by architect Thomas Balaban.

We present 17 designs that turn such towns as Chicago, Copenhagen and Natal, Brazil, into cool destinations. We scout out the latest spots for architourists: Eduardo Souto de Moura’s cultural centre in Viana do Castelo, Portugal; Raimund Abraham’s art building in Düsseldorf; and Chiaki Arai’s Konan Ward Cultural Centre in Japan. We find out how Cape Town is celebrating its turn as World Design Capital. And we choose five essentials to bring with you on your next getaway.

Rounding out our product picks are the best in furnishings, lighting and installations from Toronto Design Week and IMM Cologne, plus an array of outdoor benches, seating and dinettes for making the most out of the great outdoors.