Buffer than the Oscars, slightly naughtier than the Nobels, the Wallpaper* Design Awards anoints the people, places and particular things of the year. We invite an elite panel to sit in judgement over 11 special award categories – see the competition-crushing podium toppers who stood taller, aimed higher and thought bigger and better than the rest
Lisbon
Best city
The Portuguese capital is on a cultural and architectural roll after a programme of regeneration stretching from the centre to the Baixa waterfront. The Amanda Levete-designed Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology is a new icon for the city, which has also seen the inaugural edition of the ARCOLisboa art fair and the Lisbon Architecture Triennale, featuring the work of Johnston Marklee, Nuno Brandão Costa and Office KGDVS. This year, the EXD Biennale will turn up Lisbon’s design credentials another notch. Luxury boutique hotel openings include the Memmo Príncipe Real, while the new Cruise Terminal by João Luís Carrilho da Graça, completing this year, will double the capacity of the port.
The Wallpaper* City Guide to Lisbon is published by Phaidon, £6.95
Pictured: Lisbon’s waterfront now features the curving form of Amanda Levete’s Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology. Inspired by portugal’s rich material heritage, the building’s skin is made from glazed tiles. Photography: Francisco Nogueira
‘Supersonic’ hairdryer, by Dyson
Best new grooming product
James Dyson continues to engineer air in entrancing ways. His new ‘Supersonic’ hairdryer is a triumph built on £50m of research, 6,000 miles of hair and 600 prototypes. Lightweight and quiet, with the motor housed in the handle for improved ergonomics, it works beautifully. The standard drying time is halved, the stay-cool smoothing nozzle allows for an intuitive straight blow-dry and the air stream won’t heat beyond 150°C – the point at which heat can damage hair cuticles. Best of all is its clean, minimal form.
Jasper Morrison
Designer of the year
After a full 30 years of service, British designer Jasper Morrison is perhaps more influential than ever, with his emphasis on functionality and clarity of purpose adopted as an industry-wide mission statement. Morrison’s first ever retrospective, ‘Thingness’, which ran at the Tate Modern’s new Switch House extension last year, revealed the sheer breadth of his work since 1986, showcasing everything from tech to tumblers. The designer’s output in 2016 included the ‘Bankside’ seating range for B&B Italia, designed for the Tate Modern members’ room, plus the ‘Soft’ modular sofa for Vitra and the curved ‘Orla’ sofa for Cappellini. He also celebrated his very first kitchen design, the simple yet sophisticated ‘Lepic’ for Schiffini, launched at Salone del Mobile.
Konieczny’s Ark, Poland, by KWK Promes
Best new private house
Southern Poland’s picturesque, mountainous landscape was a key inspiration for Konieczny’s Ark, a new house in the hills of Brenna by Katowice-based firm KWK Promes. The tough, faceted concrete looks as if it has just landed on this grassy meadow, but its appearance belies a clever structural arrangement that treats the home like a bridge over the landscape, allowing rainwater to flow harmlessly underneath. The bulk of the pitched-roof building, reminiscent of the region’s gabled barns, is raised high off the ground for security, with a drawbridge-style entranceway at one end. The boat-like feel is enhanced by sloping concrete walls that enclose the underfloor storage area, creating spectacular, unencumbered views from within and making the house seem as if it’s launching itself from the hillside. An open-plan central living space is bookended by three bedrooms and a terrace.
Pictured: Konieczny’s Ark was built for the owner of KWK Promes, Robert Konieczny. Situated on a hillside, the ‘floating’ structure allows water and mud to flow underneath freely. Photography: Jakub Certowicz
‘PF1000U’ ultra short-throw projector, by LG
Life-enhancer of the year
LG’s latest high-tech projector squeezes a vast cinematic experience into the most bijou living space. Designed to nestle as close as 5in to the projection screen, it can still throw out an impressive 60in-wide picture. Shift the device back a foot or so and the full-HD image will stretch to 100in. Compact, unobtrusive and stuffed with the requisite connectors, both wired and wireless, the projector has an LED lamp life of 30,000 hours. Dim the lights and let space shine forth.
Odette, Singapore
Best new restaurant
Almost lost in the excitement surrounding the opening of the National Gallery Singapore was the quiet debut of chef Julien Royer’s new restaurant on the gallery’s ground floor. Named after his grandmother, Odette channels Royer’s bent for seasonal produce harvested from around the world into a menu of modern French fine dining in the tropics. Cheeses from Vieux Ferrette, black truffles from Manjimup, grass-fed beef from Scotland and seafood from Hokkaido are served in a dazzling room created by London-based Universal Design Studio. Singapore-based artist Dawn Ng’s whimsical mobile centrepiece adds fluttering distraction.
Pictured: the interiors of Odette, by Universal Design Studio, combine shades of white with pink terrazzo, brass and timber, while a mobile by artist Dawn Ng acts as a centrepiece. Photography: Jovian Lim
Raf Simons
Best men’s fashion collection A/W16
This collection, marking the 20th anniversary of Raf Simons’ namesake menswear brand, made clear that the Belgian designer is as innovative as ever. The show took place within a wooden maze and featured oversized, distressed V-neck jumpers in a range of colours, from Flemish blue to American red. These were layered under coats of equally XL proportions, including gleaming puffer jackets and checked virgin-wool coats.
He wears coat, €4,500; shirt, €600; trousers, €650; boots, €987, all by Raf Simons. Photography: Phil Dunlop. Fashion: Lune Kuipers. Interiors: Matthew Morris. Set design: Cloud and Horse
Céline
Best woman’s fashion collection A/W16
The world’s most referenced fashion brand is still the one to watch. Trousers were long, lean, languid and cut into fluid bell-bottoms. The exaggerated silhouette was completed by boxy sleeveless coats and shirts with oversize collars and cuffs. But the collection’s standouts were the knits, including bulbous sweaters that Phoebe Philo gathered like evening gowns or elegantly draped. These were layered against clingy daytime roll-necks in sugary pastel yellow.
She wears dress, €1,780; top, €920; trousers, €950, all by Céline. Photography: Phil Dunlop. Fashion: Lune Kuipers. Interiors: Matthew Morris. Set design: Cloud and Horse
‘AK70’ music player, by Astell & Kern
Best domestic design
Astell & Kern is an audio company that believes in physical things. Its ‘AK70’ is a personal music player offering the best of Walkman-era design: a feeling of solid metal heft, with dedicated physical ‘play’ and volume controls, and a pleasingly squared-off form. Everything else is bang up to date, from integral Wi-Fi to an Android-based touchscreen, 64GB of storage (expandable with a memory card) and support for streaming services such as Tidal. Most important of all, the superior high-res audio will ensure you never listen on your smartphone again.
Amanera, Cabrera
Best new hotel
Overlooking Playa Grande beach in the Dominican Republic, and set against a spectacular jungle and mountain backdrop, the Aman group’s 29th retreat has 25 casitas crafted from local, natural materials, some with private pools. Alongside a signature spa, there’s an 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones and his son Rees.
Pictured: from its cliff-top position, Amanera offers views of the mile-long stretch of Playa Grande beach. Its interiors, designed by architect John Heah, feature local stone, handmade Aguayo tiles and Dominican art and artefacts
Naoshima Hall, Japan, by Hiroshi Sambuichi
Best new public building
Spread across three islands in the Seto Inland Sea, the Benesse Art Site Naoshima has evolved into one of Japan’s most cohesive architectural commissions. Even the community architecture is upping its game. Joining structures by the likes of Tadao Ando and SANAA is Hiroshi Sambuichi’s subtly grand Naoshima Hall. His 1,000 sq m structure uses an eco-friendly variation of the traditional irimoya hip-and-gable roof to control airflow, while a 300 sq m community centre is cooled by water pumped through the roof. The spaces were built from materials such as hinoki cypress and handmade washi paper, with quality carpentry, traditional shikkui plastering, earthen walls and stamped floors. The end result is calming and serene. Photography: Shigeo Ogawa
‘Collar’ coffee set, by Something, for Stelton
Best domestic design
A visual delight, the ‘Collar’ coffee set, by Daniel Debiasi and Federico Sandri of Italian design studio Something, is sure to reinvigorate the coffee aficionado’s love of the brewing process through its sheer good looks. Danish brand Stelton has produced the smart, modern set – comprising a coffee grinder, a stove-top espresso maker, a milk jug and a sugar bowl – in a contemporary matte black Teflon-coated steel finish with sleek oak handles. Italian coffee-making prowess meets a Scandinavian aesthetic.
Key features: Simple, unadorned, four-piece coffee set with solid wood handles
Materials: Teflon-coated steel and oak
Price: From £30 for a sugar bowl
‘AK70’ music player, by Astell & Kern
Best domestic design
Astell & Kern has revolutionised personal listening with its ‘AK70’ music player, packing high-resolution sound into a pocket-sized model. The device includes USB input, DAC, Wi-Fi and a CD ripper, and it can be connected to speakers, headphones and your car. The compact player, with a mint-green aluminium body shaped like a retro cassette, features a circular volume control and a touchscreen. With 64GB of storage, plus the option of an additional microchip, it could spell the end of listening to music on your smartphone.
Key features: Digital music player offering Wi-Fi, high-resolution sound, CD ripper and 64GB storage
Materials: Aluminium and plastic
Price: £499
‘HomeLift’ elevator, by Alexander Lervik, for Aritco
Best domestic design
Swedish designer Alexander Lervik had a clear brief from Aritco: to design a domestic lift as if it were a piece of furniture. Clean, compact and adaptable, the ‘HomeLift’ is available in five sizes, accommodating two to five people, and offers bespoke interior finishes. Customers can choose from a range of colours, glass finishes and flooring options, and select a work by a Scandinavian artist or designer for the lift’s acrylic glass DesignWall. The controls are set into a niche in the wall, while mood lighting is programmable via an app.
Key features: Compact domestic lift with a range of customisable finishes
Materials: Steel, toughened glass, and sisal or carpet
Price: On request
‘Cultured Manners’ cutlery, by Octave Vandeweghe, for Valerie Traan
Best domestic design
Semi-precious spoons may become ‘a thing’ thanks to Belgian designer Octave Vandeweghe, who used gemstones to create faceted cutlery that resembles ancient tools or geological wonders. The set is the result of a commission by Antwerp gallery Valerie Traan, who invited a number of artists and designers to bring new life and new beauty to the eating tool. Through his research on the appearance and usage of utensils through the ages, Vandeweghe has merged the art and culinary worlds to spectacular effect.
Key features: Faceted, semi-precious cutlery
Materials: Gemstones.
Price: On request
‘Kiyola’ digital piano, by Roland and Karimoku
Best domestic design
Electronic instrument brand Roland collaborated with furniture maker Karimoku to transform the traditional upright piano into a statement piece of Japanese craft. The sensual ‘Kiyola’ is handmade from oak or walnut, with a matching ergonomic stool and neat pedals. Beyond the instrument’s organic aesthetic, Roland’s discreet digital technology – including dynamic sensing on the PHA-50 keyboard, Bluetooth connectivity and powerful speakers – makes ‘Kiyola’ an exceptional machine.
Key features: Upright piano handcrafted from timber, with state-of-the-art digital technology
Materials: Oak or walnut
Price: From £3,300
Doshi Levien
Designer of the year
Anglo-Indian duo Jonathan Levien and Nipa Doshi are known for the sinuous, architecture-inspired aesthetics. This year they explored bold curves in new furniture collections for Moroso and B&B Italia, and experimented with their technical side in a creative campaign for Bolon and a curtain collection for Kvadrat inspired by dynamic solid surfaces. They also continued their exploration of Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh with the silk jacquard ‘Object of Devotion’ daybed for Galerie Kreo.
Established: 2001
Based: London
Key projects: ‘Bolon by You’ creative campaign; Kvadrat curtain collection; ‘Open Home’ furniture collection for John Lewis
Jasper Morrison
Designer of the year
Jasper Morrison’s first ever retrospective, ‘Thingness’, which opened at the Tate Modern’s new Switch House extension earlier this year, revealed the sheer breadth of the British designer’s work since 1986, showcasing everything from technology to tumblers. Morrison’s creations this year include the ‘Bankside’ seating range for B&B Italia, designed for the Tate Modern members’ room, and the curved ‘Orla’ sofa for Cappellini. He also celebrated his first kitchen design, the simple yet sophisticated ‘Lepic’ for Schiffini.
Established: 1986
Based: London
Key projects: ‘Bankside’ seating for B&B Italia; ‘Soft’ modular sofa for Vitra; ‘Orla’ sofa for Cappellini; ‘Lepic’ kitchen for Schiffini; ‘O-Stool’ and ‘T1’ chair for Maruni
Mathieu Lehanneur
Designer of the year
Integrating technology with domestic design is key to Mathieu Lehanneur’s pioneering work, which this year included an eco-friendly boat that takes its cues from military vessels and 1970s living rooms. At the Louvre, his interiors for Café Mollien centred on a 4.5m-tall pink acrylic and glass lighting display. Meanwhile, the London outpost of Carpenters Workshop Gallery brought the designer’s ethereal works together in a solo show, ‘Spring’, which included his abstract, futuristic lighting and sculptural aluminium tables.
Established: 2001
Based: Paris
Key projects: Interiors of the Louvre’s Café Mollien; ‘Day’ boat; ‘Liquid Marble’ series; ‘Spring’ exhibition at Carpenters Workshop Gallery, London
Sebastian Herkner
Designer of the year
With his eye for colour and feel for textiles, Sebastian Herkner’s approach is as eclectic as it is imaginative. He designed this year’s Das Haus installation at IMM Cologne, using swathes of Nya Nordiska textiles to form a circular, labyrinthine space with almost no solid wall elements. At Salone del Mobile, innovative pieces for Linteloo, Moroso and Sancal demonstrated his love of a bold yet sophisticated colour palette, while his debut bathroom collection, ‘Plateau’ for Ex.t, has proved he still has plenty of surprises up his sleeve.
Established: 2006
Based: Offenbach am Main, Germany
Key projects: Das Haus 2016 at IMM Cologne; ‘Mark’ chair for Linteloo; ‘Plateau’ bathroom range for Ex.t
Vincent Van Duysen
Designer of the year
Vincent Van Duysen has taken his sensual minimalism to another level with his appointment as Molteni & C’s creative director earlier this year. Alongside the new role came a trio of products for the Italian brand: the ‘Paul’ sofa, the ‘Quinten’ cabinet and the ‘Jan’ table, all exhibiting the trademark Van Duysen finesse. The Belgian designer also produced his first tap collection for Fantini, reinterpreting the classic design in a subtle, modern way that showcases his cleverness with materials such as copper and nickel.
Established: 1990
Based: Antwerp
Key projects: ‘Paul’ sofa, ‘Jan’ table, and ‘Quinten’ cabinet for Molteni & C; ‘Infra-Structure’ and ‘Casting’ lighting for Flos; ‘Icona’ tap collection for Fantini
Beta Bar, Sydney
Best new restaurant
Part of Sydney’s Hellenic Club, Beta Bar was designed by Paul Papadopoulos in delicious confectionery hues. Metallic shimmers offset walls that are stripped to reveal original brickwork and layered rendering, while doors with delicate fretwork echo the curves of the Victorian arches. Lee Broom’s marble candlesticks and cocktail glasses with sculpted marble bases enhance this Grecian drama. Mezze plates deconstruct the classics; a highlight is the Greek salad with feta custard and accents of tomato and cucumber in a green sorbet.
Address: Level 1, 238 Castlereagh Street
Chef: Peter Conistis
Interiors: Paul Papadopoulos. betabarsydney.com.au
Kadeau, Copenhagen
Best new restaurant
Kadeau’s new space, designed by local studio OEO, is elegantly understated, with well-considered lighting and clean lines in a low-key palette. The herringbone flooring is made from Dinesen Douglas fir stained with dark oil, and touches such as crockery from Bornholm-based Lov i Listed nod to the restaurant’s seaside roots. The island of Bornholm was the location of the first Kadeau and helped inspire the menu – a visual feast of foraged fruits, herbs and flowers, which are pickled, dried and cured to produce wonderfully tasty dishes.
Address: Wildersgade 10b
Chef: Nicolai Nørregaard
Interiors: OEO Studio
Odette, Singapore
Best new restaurant
On the ground floor of the National Gallery Singapore, Julien Royer’s new restaurant channels his bent for seasonal produce harvested from around the world with a menu that includes cheeses from Vieux Ferrette, black truffles from Manjimup, grass-fed beef from Scotland, seafood from Hokkaido, and pigeon from Plounéour-Ménez, all served in a dazzling, cream-coloured dining room created by Universal Design Studio. Meanwhile, artist Dawn Ng’s whimsical mobile centrepiece brings to mind the work of Alexander Calder.
Address: 1 St Andrew’s Road
Chef: Julien Royer
Interiors: Universal Design Studio
Palácio Chiado, Lisbon
Best new restaurant
Built as a nobleman’s residence in the late 18th century, the Palácio Chiado has been transformed into a gastronomic emporium. Interior designer Catarina Cabral has highlighted the building’s grandeur with understated furnishings in gentle hues. Her selection harmoniously supports the lavish marbles, gold-leaf chandeliers, elaborate frescoes and stained-glass windows, while the seven restaurants offer something for all tastes, from traditional charcuterie to healthy dishes and even burgers.
Address: Rua do Alecrim 70
Chef: Various
Interiors: Catarina Cabral, with architect Frederico Valsassina
Swifts & Sons, Chicago
Best new restaurant
Housed in a former cold-storage facility in Chicago’s meatpacking district, Swift & Sons is a swanky steakhouse designed by New York outfit AvroKo. The interiors are unabashedly bold, with vaulted ceilings, mosaic marble floors and original cement columns. But thanks to thoughtful design choices, from leather-topped tables to custom brass lighting, the dining room feels more intimate than intimidating. The menu covers steakhouse classics like Caesar salad and surf ‘n’ turf, but also includes fresh options such as celery root agnolotti.
Address: 1000 W Fulton Market
Chef: Chris Pandel
Interiors: AvroKo
Ace Hotel, New Orleans
Best new hotel
A short hop from the French Quarter, the Ace Hotel’s New Orleans home is a nine-storey building that dates back to 1928. New York firm Roman and Williams has played up the building’s provenance by filling it with vintage colour tones and objects; in the lobby, original terrazzo floors are offset by a mix of custom and found lighting fixtures. Restaurant Josephine Estelle trades on the flavours of the American South, there’s an outpost of Stumptown Coffee Roasters, and cocktails and poolside grub are available at rooftop lounge Alto.
Address: 600 Carondelet Street
Design: Roman and Williams
Room rates: From $189
Amanera Cabrera, Dominican Republic
Best new hotel
Artfully scattered atop cliffs overlooking Playa Grande beach, the Aman group’s 29th retreat is set against a backdrop of waterfalls, mountains and jungles. Inside each of the 25 casitas, architect John Heah’s interiors incorporate stone from local quarries, handmade Aguayo tiles and Dominican artefacts. Amanera is the first golf-integrated Aman, with an 18-hole course designed by Robert Trent Jones and his son Rees, and there’s also a signature spa, offering therapies based on traditional shamanic healing.
Address: Highway 5, Río San Juan
Design: John Heah
Room rates: From $794
Casa Fayette, Guadalajara, Mexico
Best new hotel
Casa Fayette is the latest addition to the Grupo Habita design hotel portfolio. Curated by Dimore Studio, the property injects an intoxicating mix of midcentury modern and Jalisco artisan into Guadalajara, the birthplace of architect Luis Barragán. The 37 rooms, pool and spa can be found in a new tower block, while the public areas are housed in an elegant white colonial house, where the vibe is more Carmen Miranda meets Hemingway, particularly in the bar, with its Barragán-inspired palette and brilliantly lush tropical prints.
Address: Lerdo de Tejada 2308
Design: Dimore Studio
Room rates: From $123
Emiliano, Rio de Janiero
Best new hotel
The second Emiliano outpost is a 90-room hotel with large windows that let in light and views of the entire stretch of Copacabana Beach, from the fort at one end to Sugar Loaf Mountain at the other. Articulated panels on the façade filter heat while providing privacy and ventilation. The lobby – clad in concrete and stone, and anchored by an original panel by Brazilian artist Roberto Burle Marx – leads into a restaurant with a huge vertical garden, while a rooftop infinity pool, gym and spa overlook the sea from the 11th and 12th floors.
Address: Avenida Atlântica 3804, Copacabana
Design: Studio Arthur Casas
Room rates: From €820
Il Sereno Lago di Como, Italy
Best new hotel
The sister hotel to the Christian Liaigre-designed Le Sereno Saint-Barthélemy in the Caribbean, Il Sereno features a series of loggias topped by a flat garden roof, with interiors that have a subtle link to the view. This is evident in the strong use of local stone Ceppo di Gré and Pietra di Fossena, and the walnut used for rough-cut wall panels. A walkway offers a bird’s-eye view of the restaurant and the 18m infinity pool, which, set along part of the resort’s 140m shoreline, drops directly into the lake and is complemented by a private beach.
Address: Via Torrazza 10, Torno
Design: Patricia Urquiola
Room rates: From $800
D House, Japan, by Ron Arad, with Issho
Best new private house
The sweeping curves of this house in Tokyo’s hip Shibuya neighbourhood feature London-based designer Ron Arad’s unmistakable signature of quality and experimentation. A ground floor hosts garage and utility areas, leading upstairs to an open-plan living, kitchen and dining space; two bedrooms, a bathroom and a roof terrace sit on the upper floor. Terraces are formed from the main elevation’s dynamic curves, made of a stack of patinated steel ribbons and designed to decrease in depth as they ascend, accentuating the curved form.
Key features: Patinated curved steel exterior
Location: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Architects’ previous work: Médiacité, Liege, Belgium; Tel Aviv Opera, Israel
Gotland underground house, Sweden, by Skälsö Arkitekter
Best new private house
Located on the Swedish island of Gotland, this house sits in an area that has been off limits to the public for more than 50 years, first as a quarry, then as military grounds. The project, a striking holiday home, is part of a master plan for the area’s reuse by local firm Skälsö Arkitekter. Built as a bunker, the underground structure is largely made from exposed concrete. Its austere, minimalist aesthetics continue inside, softened by luxurious touches such as the spa, which is nestled deep in the ground, creating an otherworldly atmosphere for its users.
Key features: Exposed concrete, underground/overground construction
Location: Bungenäs, Gotland, Sweden
Architects’ previous work: La Parrilla, Uppsala; Sahara 1, Bungenäs
Konieczny’s Ark, Poland, by KWK Promes
Best new private house
South Poland’s mountainous landscape was a key inspiration for Konieczny’s Ark, situated in the rolling hills of Brenna. Slopeside homes are vulnerable to landslides, which can be a frequent occurrence in this part of the country. So Katowice-based architect KWK Promes designed this concrete house – built for the firm’s owner, Robert Konieczny – to ‘float’ above ground. This gives the Ark its abstract, boat-like aesthetic, which allows for water and mud to flow underneath freely, without damaging the property.
Key features: Suspended concrete structure
Location: Brenna, Cieszyn, Poland
Architects’ previous work: Aatrial House, Silesia; Living-Garden House, Katowice
Michaelis House, UK, by Alex Michaelis
Best new private house
Hidden behind a narrow, off-white, Petersen brick-clad façade, architect Alex Michaelis’ home, built on an awkward inner-city plot in west London, is designed to maximise light. Two round towers sit on a base that contains a large living, kitchen and dining area, while a sliding glass door opens onto a courtyard and pool. The towers house eight bedrooms, linked by a slim bridge over a green roof, and mischievous details, such as a fireman’s pole and a slide, add a sense of playfulness to this family-friendly space.
Key features: Round towers, playful details
Location: West London, UK
Architects’ previous work: Soho House, Istanbul, Los Angeles and Berlin; Sandibe Okavango, Safari Lodge, Botswana
Sun Path House, US, by Studio Christian Wassmann
Best new private house
Made from cast-in-place concrete, this three-storey extension to a 1930s Miami Beach bungalow is designed to trace the sun’s path on the longest day of the year. This is reflected in its rounded core, from which the rest of the structure is cantilevered and which contains a staircase and chimney. The client, restaurateur Frank Prisinzano, asked architect Christian Wassmann for a tree house. The curving core acts as the trunk, while the glazed central storey, providing a bedroom, kitchen, dining space and roof deck, is surrounded by greenery.
Key features: Curved concrete core
Location: Miami Beach, US
Architects’ previous work: Lisson Gallery, New York; Tetravillion, New York
Fondaco dei Tedeschi, Italy, by OMA, with Jamie Fobert Architects
Best new public building
OMA’s redesign of a Venetian palazzo, dating back to 1228 and located next to the Rialto Bridge, avoids nostalgic reconstruction, embracing each era in the structure’s history, while introducing new elements to bring it into the 21st century and adapt it for use as a department store. Interventions include dramatic red escalators, a large, inverted arch cut through the east atrium wall and a decked terrace offers spectacular views over Venice. London-based Jamie Fobert Architects developed the internal commercial vision.
Key features: Integration of old and new, bright red escalators
Location: Venice, Italy
Architects’ previous work: Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow; CCTV HQ, Beijing; Casa da Música, Porto
Photography: Marco Cappelletti/OMA
Harbin Opera House, China, by MAD Architects
Best new public building
Designed by Beijing-based MAD Architects, Harbin’s extraordinary new opera house is a combination of computer wizardry and engineering leaps. The 79,000 sq m project is anchored by a curlicue comprising a grand theatre that seats 1,600 and a smaller theatre for 400. Clad entirely in white aluminium panels, its form references the region’s harsh, cold climate and wild topography. Inside, vast volumes are formed out of huge curving glass windows, acres of polished stone floor and timber-clad walls that dip, rise and bend.
Key features: White aluminium-panelled façade, timber-clad interiors
Location: Harbin, China
Architects’ previous work: Absolute Towers, Canada; Ordos Museum, China
Photography: Delfino Sisto Legnani
Naoshima Hall, Japan, by Hiroshi Sambuichi
Best new public building
Hiroshi Sambuichi’s subtly grand Naoshima Hall, on the Japanese island of Naoshima, best known as the home of the Benesse Art Site. Commissioned by the town of Naoshima, the multipurpose hall measures roughly 1,000 sq m and uses a clever, eco-friendly variation of a traditional irimoya hip-and-gable roof to control airflow within the building. Inside, a large central area can be used for sports or seating. Materials used include hinoki cypress and handmade washi paper, as well as high-quality carpentry, traditional shikkui plastering, earthen walls and stamped floors.
Key features: Use of traditional Japanese materials and craft, roof tunnel to control airflow
Location: Naoshima, Japan
Architects’ previous work: Inujima Seirensho
Art Museum; Miyajima Misen Observatory
Photography: Shigeo Ogawa
SFMoMA, US, by Snøhetta
Best new public building
Snøhetta’s ten-storey extension to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art was inspired by the fog and water of the city’s Bay Area. The new edifice has a silvery façade made from 700 uniquely moulded, fibreglass-reinforced polymer panels, in stark contrast with the existing red-brick building, designed by Mario Botta. Snøhetta’s addition contains versatile exhibition spaces and, at 21,832 sq m, it more than doubles the museum’s total space. It also features the largest public living wall in the US, by Habitat Horticulture.
Key features: Façade made from moulded fibreglass-reinforced polymer panels
Location: San Francisco, US
Architects’ previous work: King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, Saudi Arabia; Norwegian banknotes; Oslo Opera House
Photography: Henrik Kam
Switch House, UK, by Herzog & de Meuron
Best new public building
On the bank of the River Thames, a towering chimney and imposing industrial form instantly mark out the Tate Modern, the world’s most popular platform for modern and contemporary art. The gallery now has a new extension courtesy of Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, the duo behind the transformation of the former Bankside Power Station into the Tate Modern in 2000. The extension on the gallery’s south side, called the Switch House, has been designed to help visitors better engage with art, providing areas for learning, discussion and new media, as well as for the collections themselves. The ten-storey building doubles the Tate Modern’s exhibition space and is wrapped in a brick ‘veil’, which is juxtaposed with raw concrete inside. The terrace on the tenth floor gives visitors a 360-degree view of London.
Key features: Brick ’veil’ facade, angular form
Location: London, UK
Architects’ previous work: Bird’s Nest, Beijing; CaixaForum, Madrid; Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg
Lisbon
Best city
Lisbon is on a roll after a programme of regeneration stretching from the Terreiro do Paço to the waterfront in the Baixa district. The new Cruise Terminal by João Luís Carrilho da Graça is doubling the capacity of the port and, signalling the rise of an upscale tourist market, several luxury hotels have recently opened, including the Palácio do Governador and the Memmo Príncipe Real. Meanwhile, Amanda Levete’s Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, which opened in late 2016, created an instant new contemporary icon for the city.
New architecture: Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, by Amanda Levete (2016); National Coach Museum, by Paulo Mendes da Rocha (2015)
Under construction: Cruise Terminal, by João Luís Carrilho da Graça (2016) Hotels and restaurants: Palácio Chiado; Palácio do Governador; Memmo Príncipe Real; Ânfora
Cultural draws: Gulbenkian Foundation; Tejo Power Station; Teatro Thalia; Cortiço & Netos
San Francisco
Best city
San Francisco is currently a hub of development: Snøhetta’s SFMoMA is the talk of the town, while César Pelli’s Salesforce Tower will be the city’s tallest building on completion in 2018. As well as riding the business boom, the city is investing in communities. Cycling infrastructure has been improved, with wider lanes and better connectivity. With an ongoing housing crisis, the city is at the forefront of investigations into future living: the first robotically responsive home was completed in 2016, designed by Yves Béhar.
New architecture: SFMoMA, by Snøhetta (2016); Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, by Diller Scofidio + Renfro (2016)
Under construction: Oceanwide Center, by Foster + Partners; Uber HQ, by SHoP Architects; Salesforce Tower, by Pelli Clarke Pelli
Hotels and restaurants: Axiom Hotel; The Buchanan; Boulettes Larder; Hotel G; Hotel Vitale
Cultural draws: Pier 24; St Mary’s Cathedral; Xanadu Gallery; de Young Museum
Shenzhen
Best city
Already established as an international powerhouse for consumer electronics, Shenzhen is finding its feet as a destination, characterised by technology start-ups, a strong work ethic and cheap production costs. And its energetic economy is causing culture to flourish. The Shekou Design Museum, partnered with London’s V&A, will open in 2017, along with the Shenzhen Art Museum and Library, while a vast cultural complex designed by Mecanoo, including a bookshop, gallery and science centre, will open the following year.
New architecture: Terminal 3 at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, by Studio Fuksas (2013); Stock Exchange, by OMA (2013)
Under construction: Shekou Design Museum, by Fumihiko Maki; Three Cultural Centers & One Book Mall, by Mecanoo
Hotels and restaurants: White Sail Hotel; Hui Hotel; OCT Clubhouse; Shenzhen Deli
Cultural draws: Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture; Artron Art Center; OCT Loft
Vienna
Best city
After a gradual phase of civic regeneration, Vienna is being hailed as the next big thing for property investors, with prime real estate in development along the Danube and on the Ringstrasse. Contemporary culture is influencing the art scene, with the growing success of the rebranded Viennacontemporary art fair attracting young galleries from around the world. The city is anticipating population growth with Europe’s largest urban development, Seestadt Aspern, a new district just 20 minutes by U-Bahn from the centre.
New architecture: Vienna University of Economics and Business, by Atelier Hitoshi Abe, Crab Studio, No.Mad and Zaha Hadid (2015); DC Tower 1, by Dominique Perrault (2014)
Under construction: Turm mit Taille, by MVRDV; DC Tower 2, by Dominique Perrault
Hotels and restaurants: Lingenhel; Grand Ferdinand Hotel; Steirereck; Hotel Sans Souci
Cultural draws: Galerie Georg Kargl; Lichterloh; Fluc; Generali Foundation; 21er Haus
Washington DC
Best city
The recent opening of the David Adjaye-designed National Museum of African American History and Culture created a new icon for Washington DC. The city was planned by French architect Pierre Charles L’Enfant in 1791, but its modern architecture is innovative: plans are currently under way for the 11th Street Bridge Park, a garden bridge designed by OMA and Olin, across the Anacostia river. DC is starting to build itself a dynamic metropolitan identity, preserving its heritage while also looking to the future.
New architecture: Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, by David Adjaye (2016)
Under construction: International Spy
Museum, by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners; 11th Street Bridge Park, by OMA and Olin
Hotels and restaurants: Watergate Hotel; Proof; Maketto; Kyirisan; Capella; Hotel Palomar; Barmini
Cultural draws: Connersmith; G Fine Art; United States Botanic Garden; National Gallery of Art
Balenciaga
Best women’s fashion collection (A/W 2016)
This collection was all about form, as new artistic director Demna Gvasalia placed Cristóbal Balenciaga’s couture methodology within a modern sportswear context. Hips were emphasised with lightly padded C-curve plaid, and silhouettes elongated with platformed leather boots in bright hues and punchy florals worn with co-ordinating floral brocade. Gvasalia also debuted a host of boxy shoulder bags that will no doubt refresh Balenciaga’s bag business, along with striped laundromat totes that echoed the more utilitarian vision he has cultivated at Vetements.
Key features: Lightly padded plaid, oversized, off-the-shoulder outerwear, platformed leather boots, boxy shoulder bags
Creative director: Demna Gvasalia
Brand based: Paris, France
Calvin Klein
Best women’s fashion collection (A/W 2016)
Francisco Costa called this collection for Calvin Klein ‘urban eroticism’. Focusing on the suit as his leitmotif, he developed his shapes throughout the show, alternating more severe trouser silhouettes with shifts worn underneath deconstructed overcoats. After a series of looks in various tartans, Costa turned animalistic. Fur came on collars and in the form of highly detailed animal prints on fabric, combined with plenty of luscious black. The show also referenced lingerie, with dresses and trousers in slinky silk, and straps hanging loose from dresses and coats.
Key features: Suits, shifts, tartan, animal print on silk
Creative director: Francisco Costa
Brand based: New York, US
Céline
Best women’s fashion collection (A/W 2016)
This season, Céline’s trousers were long, lean, languid and cut into fierce bell-bottoms. The exaggerated silhouette was completed by boxy sleeveless coats and shirts with oversize collars and cuffs. The coolest stuff was the knits, including bulbous sweaters gathered like evening gowns or elegantly draped. Bags were all flat in shape: blue leather ones accompanied matching trench coats, while simple cross-body bags came in cardinal red. Also new were flat beach sandals for winter, worn with elegant cocktail dresses – and there was a version with a tiny kitten heel, too.
Key features: Bell-bottom trousers, boxy sleeveless coats, draped knits, flat beach sandals
Creative director: Phoebe Philo
Brand based: Paris, France
Loewe
Best women’s fashion collection (A/W 2016)
A primal undercurrent was present in Jonathan Anderson’s presentation, felt in his leather corsets, tasselled tweeds, raw-edged handkerchief hems, looped chainmail skirts and fabrics that shifted from organic bamboo jersey to padded twill. Each heavily curated Loewe look was layered to the hilt, with accoutrements ranging from gold medallion-esque shoe details to witty resin cat pendants. Accessories included backless silver court shoes, three multi-pocketed spins on the classic Amazona bag, and the debut of the Joyce bag, complete with shiny gold logo plate.
Key features: Leather corsets, tasselled tweeds and cat necklaces
Creative director: Jonathan Anderson
Brand based: Madrid, Spain
Proenza Schouler
Best women’s fashion collection (A/W 2016)
The ability of Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough to create new forms out of familiar fabrics made for a truly memorable show. Inspired by American art from the 1960s and 1970s, soft knitted pieces expressed ideas of reconstruction, using different methods of tying and wrapping to give shape and form. Negative space was exploited by way of subtle cut-outs, which revealed hints of an arm or waist, and were then laced back together. Many looks took our breath away, like the embroidered dresses that seemed to be constructed from curling strips of ribbon.
Key features: Deconstructed knits, embroidered dresses, oversized laces
Creative directors: Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough
Brand based: New York, US
Bottega Veneta
Best men’s fashion collection (A/W 2016)
Tomas Maier’s collection renewed Bottega Veneta’s discourse on elegance. His models wore soft cashmere suits in black or navy with matching coats; they were proper but cool, discreet but impactful, dressed up but ready to get down. Also noteworthy were Maier’s bold colour plays, such as a pair of orange oversized trousers teamed with a deep burgundy coat. Maier crafted bowling shoes and square-toed leather booties had a whiff of the 1970s, while long ropes of wool scarves and sharp fedoras synthesised into a dandy look reminiscent of David Bowie.
Key features: Cashmere suits, tweed jackets in bright shades, orange oversized trousers, bowling shoes
Creative director: Tomas Maier
Brand based: Vicenza, Italy
Ermenegildo Zegna Couture
Best men’s fashion collection (A/W 2016)
The mood at Zegna was refined and regal yet understatedly wearable, from gently printed overcoats to precisely cut wool suiting that harked back to another era. Best of all were sweaters embellished with rich silver embroideries of flowers and crystals. Every detail was carefully considered, from the men’s perfectly combed hair to the leather number cuffs wrapped around their wrists as if they were old-fashioned salon models. Those numbers also popped up on hats and badges, and were paired with fuzzy shearling portfolio cases and leather gloves.
Key features: Printed overcoats, embellished knit sweaters, leather number cuffs
Creative director: Stefano Pilati
Brand based: Milan, Italy
Junya Watanabe
Best men’s fashion collection (A/W 2016)
Junya Watanabe’s presentation appeared relatively conservative, but closer inspection revealed he had rendered the archetypes of men’s tailoring in spongy, coated, modern fabrics. Shirts with appliquéd fronts inspired by motherboards conformed to the designer’s ‘techno couture’ approach, while long wool coats with stitched-on solar panels prompted guesswork about the show’s theme. Watanabe’s motive might have been more practical than philosophical: a discreet wire trailed from the panels, slipping neatly into a curiously iPhone-shaped pocket.
Key features: Shirts with motherboard-inspired appliqué, wool coats with solar panels, contemporary utilitarian details
Creative director: Junya Watanabe
Brand based: Tokyo, Japan
Prada
Best men’s fashion collection (A/W 2016)
Miuccia Prada steered her collection along a semi-naval course that turned the traditional sailor-boy image on its head. Models were elegant yet regimental in cropped trousers and snug jackets with Victorian-esque peplums. Also thrown into the mix were riffs on the 1940s: boxy short-sleeved shirts in printed silk, wide-lapel captain’s coats and cap-toe shoes with super-chunky soles. Better still were colourful bomber jackets that had the feel of a handmade quilt. Accessories included giant keys that rattled like silver charms from belt loops and cross-body camera bags.
Key features: Cropped trousers, boxy printed-silk shirts, wide-lapel coats, colourful knitted bomber jackets
Creative director: Miuccia Prada
Brand based: Milan, Italy
Raf Simons
Best men’s fashion collection (A/W 2016)
This collection marked the 20th anniversary of Raf Simons’ namesake menswear brand. The show took place within a wooden maze structure, the audience standing against each other so as to maintain the narrow runway marked only by a black line on the floor. Oversized, distressed jumper sleeves in a range of colours, from Flemish blue to American red, escaped from underneath neat, half-sleeve trench coats, while enormous, gleaming puffer jackets in aubergine, off-black and two-tone blue became increasingly appealing as temperatures fell below freezing in Paris.
Key features: Jumpers with distressed sleeves, half-sleeve trench coats, oversized puffer jackets
Creative director: Raf Simons
Brand based: Antwerp, Belgium
Bodycare range, by Will
Best new grooming product
Canadian bodycare brand is founded on the belief that the right grooming products can elevate athletic performance. To improve the workout experience, its essential oils are blended to protect and energise the body before exercise, and refresh and relax it afterwards. Developed by Will Tsang with aromatherapist Jean Liao, the range is 100 per cent natural and, seemingly, 100 per cent functional. Products include warm-up and soothing oils, mind-focusing or stimulating inhalers, foot and shoe deodorants and even a yoga-mat spray.
Key features: Products formulated to boost athletic performance; based on research into the effects of smell on the mind and body
Lipstick range, by Rodin
Best new grooming product
Linda Rodin, the New York stylist behind cult face oil Rodin Olio Lusso, has unveiled five luscious lipsticks – her first foray into colour cosmetics. The formula is infused with a bounty of lip-loving ingredients, such as vitamins C and E, to ensure soft smackers with a flawless finish, and the set consists of five versatile shades, including a cool-toned Hollywood red, a hot pink, and a rich violet berry. What has impressed us most is Rodin’s resolution to stick with this capsule collection and not endlessly expand the colour range.
Key features: Capsule collection of five lipstick shades, with a formula based on Rodin’s cult beauty oil
Skincare and make-up, by Too Cool for School
Best new grooming product
Too Cool for School is a playful make-up and skincare label based in New York but founded by industry veterans from South Korea. Its extensive make-up collection demonstrates intuitive product design, such as hydrating eye pencils with built-in sharpening and smudging tips, and artists have been enlisted to design the packaging for each range: ‘Dinoplatz’, for example, features illustrations by Hatori Sando, who has drawn witty interpretations of Big Apple landmarks such as the Chrysler Building and the Guggenheim Museum.
Key features: Pioneering beauty products with packaging designed by artists
Soaps, by Wary Meyers
Best new grooming product
Portland-based brand Wary Meyers makes soaps that chime brilliantly with good bathroom design. The glycerine blocks are handmade in small batches using a formula free from parabens, alcohol and phthalates, and they are available in a range of designs, with sensuous fragrances such as cedarwood and vanilla or lemon verbena. The latest additions to the range have bowled us over: a duo of speckled soaps titled ‘Astral Shower’ and ‘Cosmic Yuzu’, inspired by the terrazzo creations of the late Japanese designer Shiro Kuramata.
Key features: Design-conscious soaps made in small batches, free from parabens, phthalates and alcohol
‘Supersonic’ hairdryer, by Dyson
Best new grooming product
James Dyson pumped £50m into research and used 6,000 miles of hair and 600 prototypes to bring us the ‘Supersonic’ hairdryer. It’s lightweight and quiet, with a tiny but powerful motor housed in the handle. Compared with a regular hairdryer, the ergonomics are improved and the drying time is halved; the stay-cool smoothing nozzle aids a straight blow dry and the temperature of the air stream won’t go beyond 150°C, which is the point at which heat can damage hair. The form, too, earns it a place on our dressing table.
Key features: Ergonomic hairdryer with intelligent heat control, good looks and a fast drying time
Amazon Echo, by Amazon
Life-enhancer of the year
This compact speaker is also a personal assistant, thanks to the Alexa Voice Service: it can perform everything from turning off your bedside light to adjusting your thermostat, reading you the latest news, searching for restaurants and checking your diary for appointments. It’s a step up from other digital assistants, with far-field voice recognition that works even when loud music is playing. Plus, it delivers 360-degree sound and connects to Apple Music, Spotify and services such as Uber.
Key features: Voice-controlled, omni-directional speaker and digital assistant
Augmented Paper, by Montblanc
Life-enhancer of the year
German pen specialist Montblanc’s latest innovation brings the joy and romance of pen and paper to digital devices. The brand’s Augmented Paper notebook can be written on with a special ballpoint, and those words can be transferred to a mobile device via a digitiser and Bluetooth. Notes, sketches, doodles and musings may be edited in the Montblanc Hub app and shared with others. The Augmented Paper kit includes a lined notebook, a StarWalker ballpoint and refills, all housed in a neat leather case.
Key features: Traditional notebook, paired with a digitiser to transfer written notes and sketches to mobile devices
‘PF1000U’ ultra short-throw projector, by LG
Life-enhancer of the year
LG’s high-tech short-throw projector makes it possible to squeeze a cinematic viewing experience into a compact metropolitan apartment. This device can sit as close as 5in to the screen to give a 60in-wide picture and, at a distance of 15in, will create a whopping 100in picture. The compact module is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled, connects to a smart TV and comes with an intuitive Magic Remote, which uses voice, pointing, gesture and scrolling. It also has full HD resolution and an LED lamp life of 30,000 hours. Dim the lights and away you go.
Key features: Compact projector, ideal for small spaces, with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
and smart TV connectivity
‘KUFtwist’ screen system, by KUF Studios
Life-enhancer of the year
‘KUFtwist’ redefines the concept of the louvre blind. Developed by London-based Danish designer, goldsmith and bespoke luxury cake maker Kia Utzon-Frank while she was a student at the Royal College of Art, the system uses cordless comb modules that slide up and down individually, twisting a strip 90°. Modules can be moved to allow targeted shading or to create artful patterns. Designs can be created using an app, and the technology can also be used to provide room dividers and shelving, or developed into façade systems.
Key features: Flexible blinds, screens or dividers allowing bespoke designs that can be created using an app
Members only air travel, by Surf Air
Life-enhancer of the year
Surf Air takes luxury travel into the stratosphere with its business-friendly subscription model that allows the user unlimited monthly flights. The exclusive service addresses all the downsides of frequent flying: tickets take 30 seconds to book, rescheduling is easy and passengers need arrive only 15 minutes before departure. With private terminals and executive jets, Surf Air’s members-only service is perfect for the modern-day nomad. The no-queue, all-inclusive initiative took off in California before launching in Europe.
Key features: Flexible air-travel service that allows members unlimited flights for a set monthly fee, with access to private terminals and executive jets
Officine Panerai Next Generation Designer of the Year
Working closely with Wallpaper’s creative team, Officine Panerai has created a new category for the 2017 Design Awards. The Officine Panerai Next Generation Designer Award will champion the work of a young and prodigiously talented individual who has significantly contributed to the field of design during the past year, and looks set to create a lasting impact in years to come. To mark the announcement of the winner of this special award in March, Wallpaper* Editor-in-Chief Tony Chambers and Officine Panerai will co-host an intimate Design Awards dinner, with many other 2017 category winners and judges also in attendance. See the shortlisted designers ahead of the big reveal…
Gustavo Martini
Officine Panerai Next Generation Designer of the Year
Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1987, graduated in industrial design at PUC-Rio University, Gustavo Martini won the Idea Brazil award for his ’Woody Tricycle’, developed when he was still in college. After a masters graduation in Italian product design at Istituto Marangoni he now resides in Milan, creating distinctively graphic and architectural, grid-based furniture pieces that are ’something on the edge between design and installation... idea and reality.’
Germans Ermičs
Officine Panerai Next Generation Designer of the Year
Born in Riga, Latvia but now resident in The Netherlands, Germans Ermičs studied at the Design Academy, Eindhoven before co-founding the Latvian culture magazine Veto. Establishing his Amsterdam-based studio in 2014, Germans Ermičs has created diverse interior and graphic design projects for international clients experimenting with different materials and perceptions of space.
Marta Bakowski
Officine Panerai Next Generation Designer of the Year
Marta Bakowski’s designs follow simple and graphic, tactile shapes. By working with dualities and de-contextualisations, her designs are a game of oppositions, contrasts and hijacks. Natural and man made materials collide. Craft flirts with Industry and primitive inspirations transform into modern, pop translations.
Doganberk Demir and Yeşim Eröktem
Officine Panerai Next Generation Designer of the Year
DAY Studio was founded in Istanbul by Doğanberk and Yeşim in 2015. Working on furniture, lighting, table-top accessories and textile designs as well as industrial products and packaging design, the duo fuse their cultural background with a contemporary approach to create simple and functional everyday objects.
Olivier van Herpt
Officine Panerai Next Generation Designer of the Year
By pushing the limits of existing technologies, Van Herpt uses large format 3D printing machines to produce collections of objects that soften the precise and indifferent definition of industrial design. Vases seemingly handwoven by the hands of individual artisans are actually digitally fabricated ceramics crafted with random imperfections; pottery shaped by the environment in which they were made.
Hozan Zangana
Officine Panerai Next Generation Designer of the Year
Born and raised in Kirkuk, northern Iraq and educated in the Netherlands Hozan Zangana is inspired by the intangibles of language, tradition and ritual. Designing objects offer a new life to old heritages. Hozan works in ’meditative concentration’ crafting sculptural furniture pieces in brass, stone and wood.
Pedro Venzon
Officine Panerai Next Generation Designer of the Year
Creating objects and artefacts pieces that arise from a particular reading of the discussions surrounding contemporary and modem design in Brazil, Venzon is an industrial designer dedicated to producing a synthesis between personal work and projects aimed at industry. His elegant, ’Pudica’ furniture pieces were inspired by the curves and shapes found in architecture left over from Portugal’s colonisation of Brazil.