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Spotlight: Hospitality
An agritourism retreat, a water-inspired expresso bar, a vision for the future of leisure travel – and other destinations, real and imagined, for rest and relaxation. Plus, new furniture for the hospitality sector.
Farouche Tremblant triangular white guest cabins exterior
In Quebec, an Agri-Tourist Retreat Embraces the Great Outdoors
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Masquespacio Mo bakehouse silver interior
A Saudi Arabian Espresso Bar Emulates the Three States of Matter
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A Stay at Milan’s NH Hotel is a Religious Experience
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Aera Vertical Resort concept by OBMI
Two Innovative Proposals That Speculate the Future of Travel
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Nudo side table, console and lounge chair by Kelly Wearstler for Arca Wynwood
These Stone Furnishings are Inspired by the Ancient Practice of Weaving
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Ticino dining chairs by Living Divani around a black rectangular table
4 Dining Chairs That Merit a Seat at the Table
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Rut lounge seating by Blå Station
4 Lounge Seating Collections That Can Stand Up to Commercial Spaces
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Spotlight: Hospitality
Farouche Tremblant triangular white guest cabins exterior

In Quebec’s Laurentian Mountains, the snow can start falling as early as October and last into May. Blanketed in powder for much of the year, the region’s peaks are justifiably famous for skiing. But farming? Definitely not. It’s simply too cold. Jonathan Casaubon and Geneviève Côté are challenging that. They own Farouche Tremblant, a new agri-tourism destination that produces an impressive array of fresh (albeit hardy) produce: cabbage, kale, beets, carrots and more. For anyone curious about the couple’s Nordic farming methods, they have built a series of architectural guest cabins as well as a café that serves up much of their bounty.

Exterior of outdoor triangular guest cabins in a forest
Designed by Atelier L’Abri, the four A-frame micro-cabins have little impact on the...
Masquespacio Mo bakehouse silver interior

Groundbreaking aesthetics and a flexible space plan were the main asks when it came to MO, a bakehouse and espresso bar in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. The design, which aims to evoke an otherworldly feel, is the creation of Spanish firm Masquespacio, which has previously won hospitality awards for its highly experiential, thought-provoking public spaces.

To transform the space’s 400-square-metre shell, Masquespacio decided on a multi-faceted theme, exploring the three main states (solid, liquid and gas) of water — which is not only a key ingredient in MO’s pastries and espresso but also a magical medium able to distort perspective and reality, notes firm co-founder Christophe Penasse. For this reason, a material palette of reflective...

By rough estimates, there are nearly 100,000 churches in all of Italy. At the centre of each city, village and rural borgo lie ancient parishes constructed in varying degrees of architectural extravagance. But as the country’s demographics change and the number of people attending mass declines, it’s no wonder that these ornate ecclesiastical spaces have become coveted stock for adaptive re-use.

Such was the case for the architects at Milan-based Quattroassociati, who were commissioned to transform a small neighbourhood church in the Fiera district of the city into a contemporary business hotel. “Instead of demolishing the church, we proposed to preserve it and establish a relationship between the old and the new,” says...

Aera Vertical Resort concept by OBMI

Thrown into turmoil after the pandemic-related restrictions of the past couple of years (compounded more recently by labour shortages and inflation), the hospitality industry is on the rebound — and seeking out novel ways to attract those who have made travel a top priority in 2023. For global architecture firm OBMI, which has been advising hospitality brands for more than eight decades, the emphasis is on delivering one-of-a-kind moments that are sustainable and human-centric. “It’s become harder to find unique and off-the-beaten-track experiences that are also sensitive to the environment,” notes the practice’s chairman Tim Peck.

The firm’s innovation lab first “explores the desires of guests, as well as the challenges facing...

Nudo side table, console and lounge chair by Kelly Wearstler for Arca Wynwood

Not surprisingly, Kelly Wearstler’s first-ever presentation at Design Miami/Basel was highly provocative, expressive and elegant. It was revealed in Arca’s Wynwood showroom, in a setting reminiscent of a theatrical stage play, complete with yards of draped curtains and strategically placed mirrors; it also marked the first collaboration between the internationally renowned interior and product designer and the global purveyor of natural stone.

Called Nudo — the Spanish word for knot — Wearstler’s collection of marble furniture pieces upends the expectations of what can be achieved using solid stone as a medium. “Though I’ve worked with marble extensively throughout my career, this project presented a challenge to transform and bend...

Ticino dining chairs by Living Divani around a black rectangular table

From fast casual restaurants to luxurious fine dining, furnishings help to set the tone for hospitality spaces. These durable dining chairs by Living Divani, Pedrali, Karimoku and Inno are ready to imbue eateries with personality.

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Ticino by Living Divani
Ticino dining chairs by Living Divani around a black rectangular table

Compact and stackable, the Ticino dining chair by Zurich-based design studio Shibuleru emphasizes the simple lines of traditional farm chairs found in the southern Swiss region it’s named for and in nearby northern Italy. Upholstery options for the seat include leather, fabric or a woven cellulose rope that is at once rustic and refined; the wood structure is offered in natural or charcoal-dyed ash.

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Lamorisse by Pedrali
Lamorisse dining chair by Pedrali

Suitable for many scenarios...

Rut lounge seating by Blå Station

When specifying furniture for hospitality projects, comfort, flexibility and durability are all top of mind. These lounge seating collections by Blå Station, Flexform, Cassina and de Sede are ready to bring high style to high-traffic spaces.

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Rut by Blå Station
Rut lounge seating by Blå Station

The single square volume that is the basis of the Rut modular lounge seating system — designed by Thomas Bernstrand and Stefan Borselius for Blå Station — can be used multiple times in multiple directions to build linear, left- or right-turning, back-to-back and other compositions. Supported by a hefty steel H-beam and two or more solid oak girders, Rut can be equipped with armrests, writing tablets and electrical outlets.

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Ambroeus by Flexform
Ambroeus sofa by Flexform