The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon, over the almost six decades since its opening in 1969, had undergone changes and alterations that had taken it away from its original vision. It was nothing incredibly dramatic, explains Lisbon-based architect Teresa Nunes da Ponte, who worked on the restoration alongside French conservation architect and museum specialist Frédéric Ladonne, but the effect was cumulative. 'A lot of bigger and smaller renovations over 60 years meant that a lot of original details had been lost along the way.'

So when the decision was made to renovate and update the museum, the plan was not to expand or radically reinvent the museum she says, but rather to 'return it to the principles and rules of the original project' and amplify what had always been so unique and rewarding about the building and its spaces; its relationship with the 18-acre lush woodland and landscaped grounds of the Gulbenkian Foundation around it.

Discover the restored Gulbenkian Museum in Portugal

The museum is built around a private collection that is extraordinary in scope, explains Gulbenkian Museum Director Xavier Francesco Solomon, ranging as it does from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia via China, Japan and the Islamic world to 18th-century French art and impressionist masterpieces.

Unlike many great museum buildings that ignore their future contents, this one, designed by architects Ruy Jervis d’Athouguia, Pedro Cid and Alberto Pessoa, was purpose-built for the collection. 'Every part of the building was thought out very carefully in response to it,' says Solomon.

One of the museum’s most unique features, and one that makes it different from most of its modernist counterparts, continues Solomon, is 'the relationship between the architecture, the collection and nature.' In the Gulbenkian museum, this means you can pore over one of the world’s most important collections of 14th-century Mamluk glass from Egypt and Syria against a backdrop of plants and trees, and you can admire Jean-Antoine Houdon’s Diana statue as the leaves of neighbouring trees create seductive dappled shapes across her plinth and the wall behind her in the afternoon sun.

But this many floor-to-ceiling windows also came at a cost, says Solomon. 'It became a nightmare in terms of conservation, and we could write a whole book about the different types of shutters and curtains that were put on the windows to deal with it.'

One of the first things the architects did was replace these curtains and shutters with several layers of subtler and more advanced protection. The bronze-tinted glass was covered in a UV-filtering film, and a micro-perforated fabric screen was placed inside the windows. These can be pulled up when there is no direct sun, but even when they are down, they allow for full and unhindered views of the landscape.

Specific trees and shrubs were also planted in the museum’s two courtyards and around the building that will create shade as they grow, especially in the section with the 18th-century paintings, explains Nunes da Ponte. The result is that the connection with the surrounding landscape has not only been restored but improved. As Solomon says: 'All the negative aspects of natural light are blocked so you can actually enjoy the original vision better than you would have in 1969.'

Similar technological improvements have been made to the glass vitrines and display cases, which have now been fitted with anti-reflective glass that allows for deep views without any glare. The lighting has also been upgraded by French lighting design agency ACL to recreate the warm golden glow that was a feature when the museum opened and to create a soft illumination of the walls and individual pieces from rails and cutouts in the ceilings.

In terms of spatial flow, several partition walls have been removed in the European galleries, and the display walls have been designed not to join up so that no rooms within rooms are created. These gaps between the walls create a sense of transparency and permeability that was very present in the original concept, says Nunes da Ponte, and can also be seen in the Foundation HQ building next door.

'The idea is that you are always getting a preview of what is coming next, which creates surprise and anticipation,' she says. In the same vein, the original slatted wooden screen between the Asian and European galleries, which allowed for tantalising glimpses of the Rubens’ and Rembrandts from the Japan and China gallery, had been replaced by an opaque wall during one of the renovations, creating a division between the sections. A slatted metal and wood screen has now been put back, reinstating that sense of a sequence and connection between the rooms.

A few hero materials are used to great effect throughout the project, including timber, concrete, bronze, stone, leather and silk (the latter on the walls and even ceilings in two of the rooms, including the magnificent and more contemporary Lalique gallery). There are no painted walls, so the colour always comes from the material itself, explains Nunes da Ponte. And a lot of care and attention has gone into material combinations. 'A rule of the original project was that you never had a granite plinth on top of a granite floor,' explains Nunes da Ponte. 'It would have to be a granite plinth on a Lioz marble floor or the other way around.'

The most controversial part of the project appears to have been the decision to reinstate the fitted carpet throughout the Europe galleries that had been removed in 2000 and replaced with hardwood flooring. It’s a slightly lighter colour than the original carpet, a greenish beige instead of a dark green, but it is a game-changer according to Solomon.

'The experience of walking on it is much more pleasant, and there’s a sense that after the more monumental Islamic and Asian galleries you are now in a much more domestic setting,' he says. 'With the previous polished wood floor you could see all the lights and paintings reflected in the floor.' Unusually for a major museum with a significant and very varied collection, the experience of visiting the Gulbenkian museum is refreshingly peaceful and soul-nurturing. Even more so since this thoughtful and deeply considered restoration.

gulbenkian.pt

A Lisbon townhouse, in the heart of the Portuguese capital, has been transformed into a calm oasis. The refresh was spearheaded by UK-based architects McLean Quinlan, who worked with the client, a couple with two children, who wanted a home centred on wellbeing.

Inside a wellness-inspired Lisbon townhouse

‘We wanted to create instant tranquillity, the moment you step through the front door,’ explains Will Mouland, associate architect and project lead at McLean Quinlan. ‘The space is enveloped by natural textures, diffused light and soft tones – I think it’s hard not to exhale deeply when you step into a space like that, particularly when it’s in contrast to the busy urban context.’

The client, the co-founder of a wellness company, asked McLean Quinlan to create an interior using natural materials and incorporate flexible family spaces; the façade must remain the same.

The firm began by reconfiguring the once uninspiring property. The residence was originally a series of subdivided homes that had been carved out of the property in the 1990s. During the process, McLean Quinlan discovered problems with the split-level floors, which left the house with echoes and bad acoustics.

Says Mouland, ‘The driving force behind the design was creating appropriately scaled spaces with an intentional flow. The aesthetic approach came from wanting to create a true oasis of calm, with an almost ethereal quality, distilled to the most limited palette of pale wood, stone, and natural plaster.’

The architectural firm settled on arranging the townhouse into a four-bedroom main house and a separate self-contained apartment above. The ground floor is centred on the client’s interest in wellness and meditation. This was achieved by creating distinct zones, including a massage room, a dedicated yoga space, and a gym.

However, it was important to step away from the functional feeling of a commercial gym, which led to the introduction of curtains and warm spotlighting for a more domestic atmosphere. There is also an additional custom cold plunge pool and an infrared sauna.

The use of Douglas fir throughout gives each room a cabin-like quality. The first floor is the main home entry and family area. A new kitchen, with a pantry, overlooks the garden, while Portuguese materials such as local tiles and lime-washed wall finishes are scattered throughout. The second floor, which is accessed by a repurposed Douglas fir staircase, accommodates family bedrooms.

‘There are so many spaces I love in this home,’ says Mouland. ‘The stairs, the wellness space, the pool changing garden room – but perhaps the space I’m most proud of is the relationship between the principal dressing room and bathroom.

'The dressing room is naturally lit, solely by borrowed light from other spaces, and yet it doesn’t feel dark. The chamfered wall to the bedroom and the glazed partition between the bathroom and dressing room, screened with the translucent linen curtains, are more successful than I anticipated.’

Stepping into this Lisbon townhouse, visitors are greeted with a moment of decompression. The light and soothing atmosphere that results from its organic materiality helps create a calming cocoon from the bustle of city life.

mcleanquinlan.com

There are certain European cities that seem to have undergone a remarkable reinvention over the past decade. Places that have somehow managed to retain their soul while embracing a renewed sense of confidence and creativity. Porto is one of them.

Portugal's second city has long lived in the shadow of Lisbon, quietly going about its business on the banks of the River Douro. Yet today, Porto feels like one of Europe's most exciting urban destinations: a city alive with energy, culture and a renewed appreciation of its own remarkable heritage.

Walk its steep cobbled streets down to the sun-kissed banks of the Douro and you'll discover a place where centuries-old architecture rubs shoulders with contemporary galleries; where sleek modern European restaurants occupy historic buildings, and where a youthful creative spirit breathes fresh life into traditions that stretch back hundreds of years.

At the heart of that story sits one of the world's most famous-yet-arguably-misunderstood drinks: Port.

For centuries, Porto and Port have been inseparable. The relationship between the city and its namesake wine has shaped its history, architecture and identity. The grand lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia, lining the southern banks of the Douro, stand as monuments to generations of merchants, winemakers and traders who built a global industry from this remarkable fortified wine.

What makes Port especially fascinating is the role Britain has played in that story. Few drinks illustrate the relationship between Britain and Portugal quite so elegantly as Port. British merchants were instrumental in establishing many of the great Port houses, while generations of British drinkers embraced the wine as an essential part of festive gatherings and after-dinner rituals.

Yet what makes Porto feel so compelling today is how seamlessly it balances that British influence with an unmistakable Portuguese soulfulness. The city has never felt trapped by its history. Instead, it wears it lightly, allowing tradition to provide a foundation rather than a constraint. And perhaps nowhere is that evolution more evident than in the changing fortunes of Port itself.

For many years, Port suffered from a major image problem. To younger drinkers, it often seemed like a relic of another era; a drink associated with the wheel of Christmas Stilton, ageing decanters and older generations gathered around the dining table after dessert.

However, that perception is rapidly changing. A new generation of consumers has begun to rediscover Port through an entirely different lens. Rather than viewing it as a formal, almost ceremonial drink, they're embracing it for what it has always possessed in abundance: flavour, versatility and character. Whereas vintage ports are all about tannic structure and ageing potential, younger, more vibrant ruby ports are awash with immediate potential: fruit-driven; softer and finely balanced – and perfect for mixing: not sipping in quiet contemplation at room temperature.

Port, it turns out, is perfectly suited to this modern mindset, especially when served ice cold, on the rocks and topped up with tonic water. If I may be so brazen for a second: consider it Portugal's glorious contribution to the Aperitivo movement: more approachable than Aperol, yet still in possession of all the heritage and romance to truly fall in love with.

Few producers have recognised this shift more effectively than Cockburn's. Since 1815, the brand has been something of an outlier with a maverick streak, arguably a deep-rooted attitude that its founders, Scottish brothers Robert and John Cockburn, instilled into its way of thinking.

Thumbing their nose at the traditional Merchant's Fair (the traditional way to buy grapes back in the day,) the brothers went direct to the farmers deep in the Douro valley. Cockburn's declared vintages when it felt like the quality was perfect, rather than following its competitors and in 1969, launched Special Reserve, a bold, richly layered market trailblazer, which revived the long forgotten native Touriga Nacional grape variety, now once again a mainstay of the industry, thanks largely to the research done by Cockburn's.

Today, Special Reserve is the UK's best-selling port: as at home in a small glass, toasting the King's Christmas speech, as it is in a modern twist on a Negroni, in place of the regular Vermouth. Cockburn's current owners, the Symington family, (owners of Graham's Port, and, one of the category's most historic and significant names,) have played a leading role in demonstrating how Port can thrive in contemporary drinking culture without sacrificing the traditions that made it famous in the first place.

Using Cockburn's as its test-bed, The Symington family recently created a range of Ports specifically for mixed serves and cocktails: the lighter, fruitier Ruby Soho, a drier and more oak/citrus driven Tawny Eyes, and a floral, and deeply aromatic white variety called White Heights - and in doing so, it has effectively highlighted the immense versatility that the category has to offer.

Perhaps this is nowhere more apparent than in the rise of White Port and Tonic. Spend any amount of time in Porto during the warmer months and you'll quickly discover that this deceptively simple serve has become an almost integral part of the city's lifeblood: a drink that feels entirely at home in its surroundings, it somehow captures the essence of modern Porto itself. It is elegant without being pretentious, rooted in tradition, yet perfectly suited to contemporary tastes.

The growing popularity of the serve has been impossible to ignore, and Cockburn's has continued to push the category forward through a series of innovative activations and partnerships.

Earlier in June, the brand partnered with Primavera Sound, arguably one of Europe's most vibrant and influential music festivals, this year headlined by Damon Albarn's purveyors of perennial cool, Gorillaz.

The collaboration feels entirely appropriate. Primavera Sound Porto attracts a culturally curious, youthfully-minded audience that values creativity, authenticity and discovery: precisely the qualities helping to drive Port's renaissance. Perhaps most impressively, festival-goers were treated to on-site bars serving Port and Tonic on tap: a concept that feels very much destined to travel well beyond Porto soon, especially as European consumers continue to search for alternatives to established aperitif serves.

Despite all the innovation and modernisation on offer, Porto itself remains wonderfully grounded - and that may be its greatest and most appealing feature. Old-school charm and modern vibrancy rarely sit together quite so comfortably. In Porto, they feel entirely inseparable.

Staying in Porto

Neil stayed at the PortoBay Flores hotel - portobay.com

Fine Dining: O Gaveto: Established in 1984 and one of Porto's most celebrated seafood restaurants, O Gaveto is found in the Matosinhos area of the city, recently becoming a member of the exclusive Krug Ambassade Network.

Port History: For an unrivalled glance into Port's rich heritage, a visit to The Factory House building is a must: this enduring landmark, established in 1785 has recently opened to the public for the first time in 240 years and houses over 15,000 bottles of vintage port in its historical cellars.

Palácio Príncipe Real is a boutique Lisbon hotel with a backstory – tied to Portugal's aristocracy and the changing tides of the capital – and is infused with a sense of historic hedonism. Constructed in 1877 as a mansion for Diario de Noticias, co-founder of a Lisbon newspaper, the private residence was soon passed to the Teixeira da Mota family, who made it a centrepiece of Lisbon’s high society – famed for extravagant, decadent parties hosted in its lavish rooms – and would own it for more than a century.

Palácio Príncipe Real

The grand building is right at home in the surrounding Príncipe Real neighbourhood, an area established in the mid-19th century as a leafy residential haven for Lisbon’s aristocracy, and named in honour of King Dom Pedro V (Príncipe Real meaning ‘Royal Prince’), who reigned from 1853 to 1861.

After the Teixeira da Mota family moved out in 1980, the building slowly began to fall into disrepair. That was until retired British couple Miles and Gail Curley discovered the derelict building in 2015. Over the course of several years, they restored the classical architecture and ornate stucco, down to the hand-painted arabesque ceilings and azulejos (Portuguese tiles). Their attention to detail helped make the property into an award-winning boutique hotel, where historic glamour and contemporary craftsmanship meet.

Amid the grandeur, an unlikely, recurring motif throughout the hotel is the Indian runner duck – a nod to the small ecological farming business in Mallorca that the Curleys owned more than 20 years ago. Two Indian runner ducks, gifted by a friend, captivated the owners at the time, and are now suitably honoured.

At the heart of the hotel is a cascading stairway. Sunlight streams through a skylight, illuminating the pink walls. Up these stairs, are 25 restored rooms and suites. You might choose to sleep in the former family ballroom, or perhaps to soak up the views of a jacaranda tree from a window-side Drummonds roll-top bath.

Outside, the hotel opens up to a soothing oasis with a pool. The 1,400 sq m garden includes wisteria that climbs up the outside staircase, while deep-pink bougainvillea tumbles down the walls, and jasmine and lemon blossom add fragrance.

The residence’s Gatsby-esque grandeur nods to high-society parties past, but in its latest incarnation, this former palace has transitioned into a calming retreat where a more restrained elegance is the relaxing order of the day. Sip a glass of rosé in the grounds, peruse the neighbourhood shops (there are hilly, cobblestoned streets – pack comfortable shoes), or daydream beneath a jacaranda tree about the wild parties once hosted in the ballroom.

palacioprincipereal.com

At Wallpaper*, we love spotlighting incredible homes from every corner of the globe that span the spectrum of modern design.

To ensure you don’t miss a thing – and to showcase the scope of residential architecture today – we present our monthly series: The Architecture Edit. Each instalment will feature our favourite houses of the month: buildings that demonstrate creative planning, innovative methods and, of course, design excellence.

This month, we head to Mexico, North London and Norway, to name but a few, to visit several homes that are doing things differently.

Join us on our world tour as we highlight the best houses of May 2026.

An urban retreat in Mexico

Architect Taller Segovia Molina designed this family home in Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico, as a pocket of calm in an urban environment. Its street-facing facade is almost hermetic, giving nothing away, while the interior opens onto a rear courtyard garden. Inside spaces flow across levels connected visually and acoustically, with a barrel-vaulted staircase leading to private upper floors. Natural light, seasonal change and views of greenery anchor residents to nature despite the dense surrounding neighbourhood.

A reimagined care home

Formwork Architects transformed a dilapidated Edwardian care home in north London back into a generous family residence. Substantial basement excavations created a new kitchen-diner opening onto a sunken courtyard, topped by a bespoke open-tread metal staircase leading to a sitting room above. Original features – namely the stained glass and impressive main staircase – were carefully restored, while a double-height rear extension and new rooflights flood the interior with light.

A Viking-inspired cabin

This coastal cabin in Norway draws on Viking boat-building traditions, using whole tree trunks and roots as structural columns that simultaneously serve as shelves, benches, stairs and room dividers. Helen & Hard designed the undulating roof to mirror the surrounding topography, while panoramic glazing frames the ocean and locally-sourced stone forms the base. The result is a sensory space where timber scent, sea sounds and shifting daylight become central to the experience.

Brutalism in Milan

This brutalist family home in Cusano Milanino, designed in the 1970s by Francesco Castiglioni, stands apart from its Art Nouveau suburban neighbours through its raw concrete construction and sculptural massing. A monumental double-height living room dominates, with a sloping ceiling, dramatic internal ramp and double-sided fireplace. Glazed walls connect to expansive gardens, covered loggias wrap the exterior, and a 20-metre basement pool sits below. Owned by the original family, it is now listed for sale.

An Albuquerque desert home

Antoine Predock's final residential project – nicknamed the ‘dinodactyl’ – is a low-slung concrete home perched on a New Mexico desert ridge with extraordinary eastward views across the badlands. Five bedroom suites radiate from a central ‘amphitheatre’ living space, each functioning as a self-contained casita with its own terrace and fire pit. The building's orientation and form were carefully calibrated against extreme temperature swings, high winds and intense sunlight, while steel roof shingles will patinate naturally into the landscape over time.

A renovated painter’s house

Atelier Vens Vanbelle renovated this former home and studio of Belgian painter Antoon De Clerck, situated between Bruges and Ghent, into a vibrant residence befitting its artistic provenance. Drawing on De Clerck's De Stijl-rooted palette of primary colours and clean geometry, the architects layered Bauhaus and midcentury aesthetics with contemporary touches, including metallic roof detailing and a white brick fireplace. Each room carries its own distinct character within a cohesive whole.

Tetris-like Oaxaca apartments

S-AR's three-storey apartment building in Puerto Escondido treats its concrete, wood and steel grid structure as an inhabitable spatial system. Each of the three 180-square-metre apartments occupies one floor, with translucent wooden boxes providing bedroom privacy within an otherwise open framework. Each unit includes two bedrooms, social areas and a private plunge pool, with geometric detailing punctuating stairs, kitchens and storage, and few external walls interrupting the connection to the surrounding jungle canopy.

An off-grid, on-the-market home 

This off-grid prefab home in California's Eastern Sierra, designed by Linda Taalman and built over eight years by its owners, embodies the architect's desert modernism ethos, comprising open glass-and-steel forms, modular construction and minimal site disturbance. Set between Death Valley and the Sierra Nevada, the house frames sweeping vistas of surrounding peaks, including Lone Pine Peak and the Alabama Hills. Its sustainable design, wildfire preparedness and connection to the landscape reflect both the Taalman's principles and the clients' family ties to the region.

A forgotten Portuguese ruin

Pablo Pita Arquitectos rebuilt a derelict olive press in the Douro wine region into a pared-back country retreat, preserving the original footprint while dividing the plan into four quadrants – living, terrace, pool and courtyard. The house steps down the hillside, with raw concrete interiors paired with stone schist walls and timber cladding – it is deliberately minimal, material-led and rooted in the ruin's memory. Four bedrooms occupy the lowest level, while the uppermost floor offers views across the Douro River.

A robust coastal home

Hollaway Studio reimagined an existing cottage on Kent's otherworldly shingle headland, retaining its original silhouette while completely rethinking its interior orientation. Charred timber with white coating echoes the previous building, complemented by corrugated metal and Corten steel, while a salt-and-pepper concrete floor extends the shingle landscape indoors. The robust facade is built to withstand the coastal exposure of one of England's most distinctive – and challenging – landscapes.

Set in the green-clad hills above Melides, this rammed earth sanctuary, designed by Manuel Aires Mateus, offers solitude, natural beauty, sea views and, at its core, a healing stillness. Here, hospitality, in the true sense of caring for your guest, runs deep.

Wallpaper* checks in at RockRose Melides

What’s on your doorstep?

Expect a carpet of sand, studded with sea rose flowers and purple milk thistles, their tall heads waving in the wind. Beyond, across the private 25 acres that surround the house, are pine trees and medronheiro, the strawberry trees whose fruit makes the popular, potent firewater, and oak trees, which sustain the rich biodiversity of the Alentejo forests, their thick trunks yielding the cork so woven into Portugal’s economic and cultural heritage.

In less than ten minutes by car, you reach the beaches this region is famous for; long stretches of white sand, washed by turquoise waters, as far as the eye can see. The nearest town is Melides; little more than one street, it is nevertheless charming, with its white-washed church, squat bell tower and enticing shops like Noemina and Vida Dura. The latter, brimming with pottery and attractive homeware, is where the plates at RockRose came from; white with a gentle green trim, they were specially made for the house.

Who is behind the design?

Owners Marta Alvim (a visual artist) and her husband Vasco Maya (a TAP Air pilot) spent almost two decades searching Portugal for a location which met their criteria: no visible agriculture, native vegetation and a sense of stillness, which here, both inside and outside the house, is profound. They always knew that once they had the location, they would ask the renowned Portuguese architect Manuel Aires Mateus to do the house for them.

They knew exactly what kind of house they wanted: something thick-walled that captured the silence, monastic in its simplicity yet generous in both space and its interaction with light – a contemporary rammed-earth building. Aires Mateus had restored one before, but never built one from scratch. It is something best done with vast resources, due to its labour-intensive methods and long construction time. Aires Mateus agreed to do it, but it took six years from start to finish. Each of the 60-centimetre walls (whose thickness naturally regulates temperature) was completed earth layer by earth layer, with workers compacting each one to precise thickness and densities, assisted by Tania Teixeira from Atelier Cru.

The room to book

All of the five suites open out onto the landscape, on the horizon of which is the shimmering sea. Four are clustered together at one end of the house, with en-suite bathrooms. One suite is at the other end with a bathroom next door (not en-suite), where an impressive stand-alone tub comes in smooth Lioz stone. There is also a little library which encourages guests to sit and delve into books like Water of the Sky; A dictionary of 2,000 Japanese rain words, and a meditation room. In the centre of the house is a fire-room, offering space for contemplation around the open fireplace and a Roman-bath inspired spa room.

Materials used throughout, within the rammed earth and Venetian stucco walls, are Santa Catarina handmade terracotta tiles and European oak, chiming perfectly with the owners’ wish for quality and authenticity above all.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

There are no mini-bars in rooms, but a fridge hidden behind heavy oak panels in the kitchen reveals whatever you may have requested on booking, with the addition of lots of fresh, healthy, seasonal ingredients to plunder and the building blocks for the three different organic breakfast menus, conceived in collaboration with Florence Rolando, a gut-health and nutritionist specialist. One is a fully anti-inflammatory breakfast with overnight oats, green juices and even functional mushroom drops developed in partnership with Portuguese brand VeryChaga.

In addition, a variety of private chefs are on standby for those who want that luxury. Emphasis is on local, with chefs who specialise in sustainable fishing on the Atlantic coast. A wood oven inside the house and BBQ outside is often the centre of the meal. The lovely House Manager who can come in to prepare breakfast is also happy to do a shop for you so that those who enjoy cooking can do so without the chore of first shopping.

Where to switch off

RockRose Melides encourages you to lean into the resounding peace and silence. The spa offers massages and infrared light therapy, and as the partnership between RockRose and a Lisbon-based Longevity Clinic progresses, there will be ozone therapies, vitamin infusions and more.

The verdict

An extraordinary and unique addition to this highly sought-after region of Portugal, RockRose offers a restorative stay with its magical stillness, amid a wild and natural landscape.

RockRose Melides is located at 7570-695 Melides, Portugal. Rates: from €14,000 to €19,000 per week

Leading a wave of new international openings in Portugal’s ancient capital, to include this autumn, The Standard and next year the Six Senses, Andaz Lisbon, designed by Patricia Urquiola, is a triumph of colour and carefully curated art, perfectly reflecting the city’s vibrant cultural melting pot.

Wallpaper* checks in at Andaz Lisbon

What’s on your doorstep?

Everything you might want really, starting with Lisbon’s most impressive square, the Praça do Comércio. Open to the water, this was once the gateway to Lisbon, where the grand caravels arrived in the Golden Age of Discovery to unload the gold and exotic spices from their travels or visiting dignitaries alighted to meet the King. Between this square and the hotel is the imposing Rua Augusta Arch, built to commemorate the city’s reconstruction after the devastating 1755 earthquake. Several of the hotel’s rooms look directly onto the arch, topped with, among other figures, the great explorer, Vasco de Gama; a unique view to wake up to.

Opposite it, along one side, is Lisbon’s Design Museum, MUDA, which houses fashion and design from the 19th century to the present day. A little further afield, but visible from the hotel, is Lisbon’s 12th-century cathedral and the even older Castle of St. George, which dominates the city’s skyline.

Who is behind the design?

Patricia Urquiola, leading her acclaimed design studio, Studio Urquiola, was responsible for the entire interior design concept, which immediately immerses the visitor in colour, warmth and creative detail. Inspiration came from Lisbon’s rich heritage, where past influences from Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde, Goa, Brazil, Japan and Macau are all woven into today’s Portugal. This is writ large in rooftop restaurant Luzzi, where blue floors represent the Ocean which connects these countries, vibrant African designs clad the ceilings, and wall décor mixes rope masks from Japan with bold murals.

Over-layering the vivid colours and textures used, art, curated brilliantly by Federica Sala, grounds us closer to home with the traditional Portuguese materials of local Lioz stone, cork, textiles, ceramics and tiles, much in evidence. Vibrant cork artwork by Beatrice Bonafini decorates the walls in the Andaz Lounge, the hub of the hotel, where the bar is a contemporary reinterpretation of Lisbon’s famous street kiosks. In the rooms and suites, bespoke furniture from Studio Urquiola and contemporary art, such as a geometric textile work in yellow, blue and white by Rosarinho Andrade or colourful abstract dyptychs by Farinha Rosa hang on the tactile wood panelling, adding yet more depth to rooms which come with a strong sense of place.

The room to book

I loved my Arch Suite, one of only four in the hotel, from where, through the Rua Augusta Arch, I could watch the wonderful Lisbon light rise on the shimmering water. But all the 170 rooms are charming. Filled with light, many with views on a quintessential Lisbon landmark, they come in calming tones with art which reflects the surrounding Lisbon streets, their vivid colours, gleaming tiles, and pottery, such an integral part of Portugal’s culture. The capital’s red roofs might well have been the departure point for the glossy red walls in the bathrooms, where red and white tiles also feature, with Lioz stone square basins. Mine came with a tub to sink into and a generous double shower. Amenities are Eleventh Hour from Byredo.

Minibar high?

Championing the best of Portugal, the mini-bar offers white port from the north, Ginja, a sweet and sour cherry liqueur from Obidos, beer from Sagres in the Algarve and a Portuguese gin, Sharish. Elegant, ribbed bottles of tonic water and lemonade come from the Spanish Tribute brand, and there is, of course, water and Coke. There is a Nespresso machine, capsule coffee and a variety of teas. A nice touch is the coffee cups, which come from Vista Alegre and are an interpretation of the famous Lisbon pavement mosaics.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

You definitely should, for the concept in the rooftop restaurant, Luzzi is an interesting one, and the food here is a serious delight. The menu, created by Bruno Alves, is billed as ‘modern Lusitanian cuisine’ and draws on the countries that are part of Portugal’s culinary heritage but uses ingredients essential to these countries’ cuisines today. Goa, Macau, Mozambique, Japan, Cape Verde, Angola and Brazil are all represented with dishes like kibbeh, a Levantine dish popular in Brazil served here with bulgur and a citrus tahini sauce, or the tuna tartare, which nods to the simple tuna pie loved in Cape Verde. Reimagined anew here, it is elevated with fresh rather than canned tuna, cream from the Azores, spices from Japan and piri-piri from Angola. Guinea Fowl might come in a clay pot with cachupa, another Cape Verdean dish, while puddings include a traditional, conventional layered cake from Goa, with a roasted coconut sorbet and a Port glaze, from the vineyards of the Douro further north.

Drinks, at the Bar in Luzzi or across the rooftop in the terrace where live music and the warm Lisbon breeze blow, are equally creative as are cocktails at the Andaz Lounge, on the ground floor, where home-made pennyroyal (an herb much used in the Alentejo) soda is mixed into Mojitos. There, too, Portuguese wines can be explored from a list which represents the best female winemakers; a nice touch. Soak it all up with the ‘street food’ served here, the kind of popular snacks that can be found in the iconic kiosks which dot Lisbon’s squares and avenidas. Cod fritters, chicken empanadas and meaty croquettes. Save room, though, for the Basque cheesecake made with sheep’s cheese from Portugal’s mountain range, the Serra da Estrela. It is a triumph.

Where to switch off

As yet, the spa has not been opened, but there will be both a spa and a gym in the future. Currently, there is a room on the ground floor which has been equipped to serve as a temporary gym with weights and treadmills. Meanwhile, the rooftop overlooking the Rua Augusta Arch (there is a little niche with a table in it, which has a bird’s eye view) is as good as it gets for downtime.

The verdict

This is the first Andaz to open since it has been rebranded by Hyatt, after their acquisition of another lifestyle brand, The Standard, and its more upscale positioning is evident. Visually compelling, it dazzles with warmth, storytelling and respect for its location.

Andaz Lisbon is located at R. do Comércio 132, 1100-060 Lisbon, Portugal

Faro modernism may not be the obvious first pick when thinking of global cities rich in midcentury architecture history. Dessau and its Bauhaus offerings may come to mind; perhaps New York with its Frank Lloyd Wright Guggenheim Museum and the recently reborn Breuer Building; or even Marseille and the Wallpaper* favourite, the Unité d’Habitation by Le Corbusier. However, a new book by Batsford has now come to challenge these perceptions, putting forward Faro in southern Portugal as an important, if not unlikely, contender for such a list.

'Faro Modernism' by Richard Walker

Faro Modernism by photographer Richard Walker charts the city's heritage and culture through the author's particular artistic lens. Surprisingly, perhaps, to those who haven't visited, there are more than 500 modernist buildings in Faro – the highest concentration of this type of architecture in southern Europe.

Modernist architecture is often characterised by geometric forms and flat roofs, and built around functionality. Le Corbusier’s famous five principles of architecture, which note the use of pilotis, a flat roof, strip windows, free-form façades and an open-plan interior, acted as a foundation for the movement worldwide in the 20th century. The genre grew, resulting in a wealth of crisp compositions across the globe, adapting and responding to regional styles and climates.

In Faro, architect Manuel Gomes da Costa helped spearhead modernism locally. Having moved from Portugal to South America, he returned in the 1950s, inspired by the architecture of Oscar Niemeyer, and his work would go on to help transform the city.

Faro is now referred to as southern Europe’s ‘Palm Springs’, and the city has a specific area full of modernist buildings, from detached and semi-detached grand houses to large-scale apartment blocks and streets of terraced houses and maisonettes.

The new book offers a chance to explore Faro's rich midcentury architectural heritage in beautifully photographed detail. With his visual portfolio, Walker captures the essence of a modernist paradise under the southern European sun, shaped by Costa and ready to explore.

batsfordbooks.com

For city dwellers, silence and solitude are a luxury. That burning desire to escape civilisation is a shared experience, surfacing the moment you step into a sensory-overloading mode of transport. It’s hard not to be lured by the idea of a change of scenery on a daily basis. In recent years, hospitality has leaned into this instinct; we've seen hotels expand their portfolios with sprawling villas and private residences. It’s a winning formula: combining the calm of a private home with the unrivalled allure of five-star service.

We’ve rounded up our favourite retreats, not only for their astonishing design and architecture, but for their generous sense of space, to inspire your next escape. It won’t take much convincing, though.

8 of the best design-led villas to rent this season

Amanoi Ocean Pool Residence (Vietnam)

In a secluded coastal area within Vietnam’s Núi Chúa National Park, a Unesco Biosphere Reserve an hour’s flight north-east of Ho Chi Minh City, Amanoi has been (like its name indicates) a ‘place of peace’ for over a decade. Last year (2025), the Jean-Michel Gathy-designed property began a tony new chapter with the unveiling of its 9,957 sq ft gracious Amanoi Ocean Pool Residence, featuring not only a private beach but also its own spa house. Accommodating up to eight guests, the architectural feat can be configured with two or three contemporary bedrooms, subtly camouflaged amid the lush, rugged surroundings. With a fully stocked minibar, daily champagne afternoon tea and other complimentary experiences such as a private barbecue, a Vietnamese cultural dinner, and a nightly movie screening by the pool with popcorn and ice cream, being a homebody may never feel this good again.

Amanoi is located at Commune, Vĩnh Hy, Vĩnh Hải, Khánh Hòa, Vietnam

Read our full review of Amanoi’s Ocean Pool Residence

.Here

Perched on a long sandbank within the Baa Atoll, a UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve, .Here takes the Maldivian resort in a more private, design-led direction, unfolding as Somewhere and Nowhere, two distinct stays with different intentions. Somewhere comprises seven expansive villas, while the soon-to-open Nowhere is reserved for full private hire with just two residences and its own dedicated facilities. Both sit within the Seaside Collection portfolio and are accessed via its sister property Finolhu, by a short boat transfer along the connecting sandbank. Rather than separating beach and overwater villas, the residences at Somewhere span the width of the sandbank, combining both in a single footprint. Guests can also choose to linger at Safar, the resort’s only restaurant and bar.

.Here is located at Kanufushi, Baa Atoll, 21002, Maldives

Read our full review of .Here

Magugu Suite at Mount Nelson (South Africa)

A couple of months ago, South African fashion designer Thebe Magugu, who founded his eponymous label in 2016, inaugurated a landmark collaboration with Belmond: the unveiling of the Thebe Magugu Suite and next-door Magugu House, a concept store and cultural space for creative exchange. The secluded two-storey suite unfolds as a visually charged Afro-modernist sanctuary, with views across Lion’s Head, the hotel gardens and Palm Avenue. A palette of invigorating greens, deep indigos, warm neutrals and earthy ochres anchors the space. Guests staying here can enjoy the wider amenities and facilities of Cape Town’s legendary ‘Pink Lady,’ from its two pools, tennis courts and a spa housed inside a trio of restored Victorian heritage homes.

Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, is located at 76 Orange St, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa

Read our full review of Magugu Suite

Santani (Sri Lanka)

Around an hour’s drive from Sri Lanka’s sacred city of Kandy sits Santani, the country’s leading wellness retreat designed by two-time winner of the Geoffrey Bawa Award for Excellence in Architecture, Thisara Thanapathy. Spanning 48 acres of hilly terrain, Santani’s paradisical grounds are cut through by the Hulu River, where daily swims are encouraged. This hilltop sanctuary recently added two villas to its esteemed lineup: a two-bedroom suite and a three-bedroom residence featuring self-contained kitchens, indoor and outdoor lounge spaces, and individual private infinity pools overlooking far-reaching valleys and pristine forests. Both structures utilise natural ventilation through careful design that eliminates the need for air conditioning. The result? Pure silence.

Santani is located at Arantenna Estate, Werapitiya, 20908, Sri Lanka

Read our full review of the new villas at Santani

Vale Palheiro (Portugal)

The Algarve’s beautifully wild, western corner has been smartening up its act with several new hotels and restaurants. Case in point is Vale Palheiro, an ‘Earth Resort’ designed with character and a real sense of place. The 13-villa property offers suites and casitas, each one different but all with glass-covered log fireplaces and outside spaces. Crowning the ensemble is the duplex Casa Taipa Villa 2, with a shower downstairs within exposed taipa, and a vast micro-cement bath upstairs, where you can wallow watching the shifting colours of the landscape. Guests get a real chance to switch off at Vale Palheiro: There is yoga and massage on request, and a large swimming pool with sun beds around it to while away the time. Its on-site restaurant, offering homespun local delights, is worth lingering in too.

Vale Palheiro Earth Resort is located at Rua Vale Palheiro, 8670-016 Aljezur, Portugal

Read our full review of Vale Palheiro Resort

Villas at Castiglion del Bosco, A Rosewood Hotel (Italy)

Over two decades ago, Massimo Ferragamo, the youngest son of Italian shoe designer Salvatore, and his wife Chiara chose the UNESCO-listed Val d’Orcia Natural Park in Tuscany for their passion project: transforming a 900-year-old country estate into a sensuous resort. Ancient castle ruins, a medieval church, and a borgo painted their perfect picture of a Tuscan paradise. Managed by Rosewood since 2015, the property today comprises 42 suites and 11 freestanding villas, which were restored from abandoned 17th- and 18th-century farmhouses and are dotted across the state. The largest one, Villa Biondi, is surrounded by cypress-lined fairways and includes Italy’s only private golf course. Guests can explore the expansive 5,000-acre property using the in-house Land Rover Defender, which connects various amenities, such as the Brunello di Montalcino winery, two restaurants, a cooking school, a tennis court, vast gardens, a spa, and a set of twin pools.

Castiglion del Bosco, A Rosewood Hotel is located at SP103, 53024 Castiglion del Bosco, Italy

Villas at Mas des Infermières (France)

In 1992, filmmaker Ridley Scott acquired Mas des Infermières, a 35-hectare wine estate in the sun-dappled commune of Oppède. Perched on the edge of a national park, at the foot of the Luberon massif, the estate introduced three rentable design-led villas in 2024. Originally farmhouses, the properties were meticulously restored by Scott alongside lead designers Pia Mclean and Chester Jones, who paid tribute to the region’s creative legacy. Across the residences – the three-bedroom Mas Marcou and Mas Gris, and five-bedroom Chênes Verts – Provençal warmth is conjured through reclaimed terracotta tiles, antique fireplaces salvaged from crumbling castles, and classic swing shutters. Each villa also benefits from its own private pool, outdoor seating and dining areas.

Mas des Infermières is located at 1575 Rte du Four Neuf, 84580 Oppède, France

Read our full review of the villas at Mas des Infermières

Vipp Pavilion (USA)

Danish lifestyle brand Vipp began offering bookable guesthouses around the world over a decade ago, from Denmark and Latvia to Mexico (winner of a Wallpaper* Design Award 2025) and Tasmania. Often located in spectacular remote settings, these retreats are furnished by Vipp and brim with the Scandinavian brand’s signature minimalism. The latest to join the roster is Vipp Pavilion, the group's first US property, located in the Upper Delaware River, a pristine 73-mile ribbon that separates New York state from Pennsylvania. The Johnston Marklee-designed two-bedroom guesthouse may total just 1,200 sq ft, but its clever layout, minimal decor and natural light pouring in through a series of skylights make it feel bright and airy. Naturally, Vipp’s monolithic ‘V3’ kitchen anchors the open-plan living space. There’s no television and no mobile phone reception (though there is WiFi), allowing visitors to completely shut themselves off from the world if they so choose.

Vipp Pavilion is located in Pond Eddy, New York

Read our full review of Vipp Pavilion

Bica is one of the first words that any caffeine-drinking visitor to Lisbon should learn, for it translates as ‘espresso’. Its origins aren’t clear: some say it stands for Beba Isto Com Açúcar, which means ‘Drink this with sugar’ and dates back to the early 20th century when coffee, a bitter drink, was first introduced to Portugal.

Others argue it means ‘spout’ as from a pot or a fountain, and that there was once one near here, which the restaurant drew on to name itself ‘the spout of the shoe’. One thing is certain, though, it is also the name for the tap used to pour a draught beer (imperial), and here, in this new incarnation of a legendary Lisbon spot, the taps are designed by Portuguese architect Manuel Aires Mateus.

Wallpaper* dines at Bica do Sapato, Lisbon

The mood: alluringly, unmistakably Lisbon

The newly opened Bica do Sapato is, quite simply, a homage to both its past and the soul of the city whose waterfront it graces. Launched originally in the early 2000s with John Malkovich as a partner (which inevitably raised its profile), it was then the place to go for a good night out. It offered an unusual level of sophistication, music and dancing, access to both politicians and creatives, good food and the scent of a promising future, one that Lisbon has indeed fulfilled.

In 2019, it closed for renovation and was almost lost to history, but a new group of investors have brought it back to the market. Where, in a much more competitive landscape, it not only holds its own, restaurant-wise, it delivers a slice of nostalgia to those who frequented it in their youth and a dazzling display of contemporary Portuguese design for those who are flocking to it now.

Although architect Francisco Tojal is the key player in this new reconfiguration of Bica do Sapato, ‘built by Portuguese matter, shaped by Portuguese hands’, he collaborated closely with Manuel Aires Mateus, honouring the soul of the original building while opening it up to new rhythms. Mateus designed the custom beer taps specifically for here, while the vast wine rack, an integral part of its first chapter and now taking centre stage in the main room, was created by one of the original owners, Manel Reis. The chairs, a legendary design by Daciano da Costa, are pulled up to tables, divided by curtains acting as permeable walls, designed by textile artist Maria Appleton.

Apart from the main restaurant, Bica do Sapato, which opens for breakfast and off where the Bar and dance floor run late into the night on a Friday and Saturday, there is also Trinca do Sapato, with more casual tapas fare on the Mezzanine and À Beira do Sapato, a takeaway counter, promising dishes which are ‘fast and flavourful, and grounded in local habits.’

The food: the best of Portugal’s culinary heritage

It is immediately evident that the chef, Milton Anes, at Bica do Sapato, cooks with real passion. Perhaps because he has come home to the food of his forefathers. Born in Paris, to a Portuguese family, these dishes are the flavours of his childhood, the aromas which coloured his memories. He ensures minimal food wastage, working with an in-house butcher and fishmonger to send prime cuts to one restaurant kitchen, but the flavourful bones and more humble cuts to the other.

Supplies are sourced locally, dishes dazzle, whether an unassuming plate of sautéed turnip greens with olive oil and garlic, a traditional seafood açorda (a kind of bread stew) or a roasted royal pigeon in rosemary butter and seeds, glazed with pomegranate molasses, truffled celeriac millefeuille, caramelised persimmons and kalamansi. Try his piri-piri quail, a twist on the classic chicken dish, here served with potato chips, chillies and lime or his Algarve prawn carpaccio with spinach salad and yuzu vinaigrette; fresh, zingy and more than memorable enough to pull you back through the door for more.

Bica do Sapato is located at Avenida Infante D. Henrique, Armazém B, Cais da Pedra, Santa Apolónia, Lisbon, 1950-376, Portugal

As 2025 draws to a close, Wallpaper* begins to plan next year’s adventures. From landmark restorations and adaptive re-use projects to remote wilderness lodges and long-awaited brand debuts, these are the new hotel openings that have caught our eye: places designed to relax, retreat and explore, and destinations around which to plan your next travels. Spanning Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia, the year ahead signals a particularly rich chapter for global hospitality, where thoughtful design, cultural context and a renewed emphasis on experience sit at the heart of the world’s most compelling new stays.

The hotel openings to know for 2026

Amanvari (Baja Peninsula, Mexico)

Next year, Aman will bring its laid-back lifestyle to the East Cape of Baja California, Mexico, with the opening of Amanvari: an 18-key retreat and collection of branded residences. Elastic Architects has designed thoughtfully considered villas that blur the boundary between indoors and out, showcasing Aman’s signature tranquil aesthetic through sandy-hued interiors, layers of natural stone and tropical woods, and bespoke Mexican ceramics and artworks. The Aman Spa will continue the brand’s focus on longevity, while multiple dining venues will celebrate Italian, Japanese and local cuisine.

aman.com

Black Sand Hotel (Ölfus, Iceland)

Sitting on a peninsula in the Ölfus region, Black Sand Hotel will be the first and only beachfront boutique hotel in Iceland, offering uninterrupted ocean views and interiors shaped by the country’s raw, elemental landscape. The 70 minimalist guest rooms and nine suites feature a restrained palette and layers of natural materials, with large windows framing sweeping views of the black volcanic beach, nearby mountains, and the North Atlantic, alongside the Ölfusá River. An expansive spa will share the same outlook across the black sands, while signature restaurant ÓMUR will celebrate seasonal Nordic cuisine.

blacksandhotel.is

Capella Kyoto (Japan)

Capella has tapped Kengo Kuma and Associates alongside Singapore-based Brewin Design Office to transform a former elementary school site into its next opening, Capella Kyoto. Located in Kyoto’s historic Miyagawa-chō district, the 89-room hotel draws its design cues from the city’s traditional wooden townhouses, known as machiya, unfolding as a series of inner courtyards and pared-back spaces that weave together classical Japanese elements such as shoji screens and tokonoma alcoves, anchored by a dramatic karahafu roof in the central courtyard. Three restaurants follow the rhythm of the seasons, while the spa is rooted in Japanese bathing rituals.

capellahotels.com

Chesa Marchetta (Sils Maria, Switzerland)

Chesa Marchetta will mark one of the first openings of 2026, and the second address from Swiss gallerists Iwan and Manuela Wirth, following the opening of Scotland’s much-loved Fife Arms. Formerly a celebrated restaurant in the heart of the Swiss cultural enclave of Sils Maria, the 13-key hotel has been reimagined by Argentinian, Paris-based architect Luis Laplace, while remaining firmly rooted in gastronomy through its seasonal restaurant. Next door, a three-bedroom house will be available for those seeking a more exclusive stay.

chesamarchetta.ch

Delano Miami Beach (USA)

An icon will be reborn next year with the reopening of the Delano Miami Beach. The South Beach landmark will emerge from an extensive renovation that restores its Art Deco glamour, preserving historic features while introducing a fresh, contemporary sensibility across the 171 rooms and suites. The hotel’s famed Delano Pool remains, joined by a new wellness studio and four new restaurants and bars, including a revival of Miami’s Rose Bar: the former epicentre of Hollywood royalty and the city’s high society.

delanohotels.com

Eha (Hiiumaa Island, Estonia)

Set within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve on the remote Estonian island of Hiiumaa, Eha is a boutique wellness retreat nestled between verdant pine forests and the Baltic Sea. Eight suites and three forest cabins are designed to blend seamlessly into the surrounding landscape, featuring minimalist interiors in soothing neutral tones. The wellness programme follows the island’s unique five-season calendar, with activities, treatments and ancient Estonian healing rituals guided by sustainable practices and the energy of each season.

eharetreat.com

Hoshinoya Nara Prison (Japan)

A former prison is an unlikely setting for a hotel, yet Nara Prison is regarded as an architectural masterpiece in Nara Prefecture and is officially recognised as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Next year will see it reborn as Hoshinoya Nara Prison, following a sensitive restoration that respectfully fuses its Meiji-era architecture with contemporary interiors. The hotel will also house a Japanese tea salon, restaurant and dining lounge, while the neighbouring Nara Prison Museum will preserve the site’s history, bridging past and present.

hoshinoresorts.com

Nihi Rote (Rote Island, Indonesia)

The founders of Nihi Sumba will deepen their commitment to sustainable, community-led development in Indonesia next year with the opening of Nihi Rote, the brand’s second hotel, located on Rote Island in Indonesia’s Nusa Tenggara Timur province. The retreat will feature 21 handcrafted villas that blend traditional Rotenese architecture with modern comforts, continuing Nihi’s Wild Wellness philosophy through outdoor adventure programmes, organic gardens and children’s initiatives that encourage learning through discovery. The hotel will open alongside the Namo Beach Club, as well as an academy dedicated to training the next generation of hospitality professionals.

nihi.com

Orient Express Venezia (Italy)

After breathing new life into the landmark Roman hotel La Minerva, Orient Express will open its second hotel in Venice within a 15th-century noble palace. Architect Aline Asmar d’Amman has overseen the eight-year restoration, reviving the mansion’s Neo-Gothic and Baroque grandeur while creating 47 guestrooms and suites luxuriously dressed in marble, Murano glass, rich velvets and Art Deco-inspired furnishings. The most spectacular suites elevate the experience further, featuring 19th-century frescoes of the goddess Minerva, gilded salons and sweeping canal views.

orient-express.com

Public West Hollywood (USA)

After launching his latest hotel brand, Public Hotels, in New York, legendary hotelier Ian Schrager will head to the West Coast to open his second address, Public West Hollywood. Set within a landmark building on the famed Sunset Strip, the 137-key hotel has been conceived by Schrager in collaboration with British architect John Pawson. Guest rooms make a deliberately understated statement, dressed in neutral tones, while furnishings in saturated hues inject a vivid counterpoint into the all-white lobby. Facilities will include three food, beverage and entertainment destinations, a pool, and a 16,000-square-foot open-air rooftop terrace with 360-degree views across Los Angeles.

publichotels.com

Singita Elela (Okavango Delta, Botswana)

Singita will embark on a new adventure next year with its first venture into the pristine wilderness of Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Named Elela, from the Setswana word meaning ‘to flow’, the new safari retreat will comprise eight circular camps that open in all directions, blurring the boundary between indoors and out to form a respectful extension of the natural surroundings. Inside, organic materials and handcrafted furnishings celebrate local craftsmanship. Each camp will be supported by its own dedicated team – a guide, tracker and host – leading guests through the Delta and its extraordinary wildlife, including more than 400 species of birds.

singita.com

Six Senses London (UK)

Six Senses will make its UK debut next year within the former Art Deco department store The Whiteley, in the heart of London’s Bayswater. Interiors will draw on the building’s heritage, blending classical detailing and new age elements with a contemporary sensibility, including a curated collection of modern British artworks. The expansive Six Senses Spa will be a highlight, while the opening will also mark the launch of the brand’s new private members’ club, Six Senses Place.

sixsenses.com

The Standard, Lisbon (Portgual)

The Standard has tapped architect Samuel Torres de Carvalho to oversee the design of its next European address, set atop the historic College of St Francis Xavier, formerly home to the Portuguese Royal Navy Hospital for more than 200 years. The 170 guestrooms and 24 long-stay apartments are finished in a palette of calming, earthy tones, while the lobby lounge, bar and all-day dining restaurant are imbued with The Standard’s signature boldness through sculptural forms and saturated hues. Upstairs, a rooftop bar shaded by striped parasols will offer sweeping views across the terracotta rooftops of the surrounding Alfama neighbourhood.

standardhotels.com

Vestige Namibia

Vestige will venture beyond Spain for the first time next year with the launch of Xaudum, one of four planned lodges in northern Namibia. Perched atop a prehistoric sand dune within the untouched wilderness of Khaudum National Park, Xaudum’s minimalist architecture is set to make a striking impression, with daily safari drives offering sightings of elephants, antelopes and African wild dogs. Three additional lodges will follow in 2027, each conceived with an equally bold – at times futuristic – design inspired by its natural surroundings.

vestigecollection.com

Waldorf Astoria Admiralty Arch (London, UK)

Waldorf Astoria will make a grand entrance onto London’s hotel scene next year with the highly anticipated opening of Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch, housed within the historic landmark originally commissioned by King Edward VII in memory of Queen Victoria. Positioned at the end of The Mall, directly opposite Buckingham Palace, the storied property has been sensitively restored and will offer 100 guest rooms and suites, restaurants overseen by celebrated chefs Clare Smyth MBE and Daniel Boulud, a state-of-the-art spa, and a presidential suite with views across Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square.

hilton.com

In the last 12 months, the most talked-about restaurants weren’t just about what was on the plate. Design took the lead, with new openings using architecture and interiors as part of the experience rather than polite scenery. Across cities and continents, former embassies, fortresses, office blocks and coastal sites were reworked into dining rooms with a clear point of view. The following Wallpaper* edit offers a snapshot of the spaces that redefined restaurant design this year.

The best restaurant design of 2025

Call Me Ten

Tucked within the refined, residential enclave of Vasant Vihar in New Delhi, Call Me Ten emerges as a 6,000 sq ft Japanese restaurant and bar. Designed by Renesa Architecture Design Interiors, the site is defined by a materially restrained but expressive language. Natural limestone plaster and stone aggregates anchor the space, while soft curves and muted tones create an interior that feels both serene and theatrical. Subtle nods to Japanese aesthetics run throughout, from Shoji-inspired partitions that diffuse light with gentle translucency to a layout informed by tatami logic, encouraging intimacy and order. Polished concrete floors lend contemporary clarity, offset by pockets of deep-toned, hand-crafted mosaic tiles. Complementing the design, the menu reinterprets Japanese tradition through a modern izakaya lens, pairing dishes such as miso black cod and pork belly with inventive, Asian-inflected cocktails.

Call Me Ten is located at 58, Market, Basant Lok, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi, Delhi 110057, India

Read our full review of Call Me Ten

Carbone London

Once Eero Saarinen’s modernist vision of American diplomacy, the former US Embassy reopened this year as The Chancery Rosewood. Appropriately, the Grade II-listed building now hosts Carbone, one of America’s most beloved restaurants, marking the brand’s first European outpost. Originating in New York’s Greenwich Village, Carbone is as renowned for its Italian-American classics as its A-list following. In London, designer Ken Fulk channels Rat Pack-era glamour across a two-level space rich in theatrical flourish: Carbone-blue panelling, hand-painted murals, burgundy velvet banquettes and marble mosaics set the scene. MoMA-calibre artworks, live music and an indulgent, ‘a piacere’, or ‘as you like it’ culinary approach complete an experience rooted in spectacle.

Carbone London is located at 30 Grosvenor Sq, London W1K 2LG, UK

Read our full review of Carbone London

Cento Raw Bar

Michelin-recognised Cento Pasta Bar has long been one of West Adams’ most elusive reservations; now, its sibling Cento Raw Bar opens next door, offering Angelenos a second, distinctly different experience from chef and co-owner Avner Levi. Designed by Brandon Miradi, also behind Somni, the space is defined by thickly plastered walls and ceilings, brushed into undulating waves that lend a quietly surreal, oceanic rhythm. The motif continues in curved ceilings, minimal metal barstools and custom tableware, while sculptural light fittings by Ukrainian studio ClayP add tactility overhead. At the centre, scallop-shaped seafood towers piled high with oysters, shrimp and lobster set the tone, alongside jewel-toned cocktails. Dessert leans playful, with mosaic cheesecake and a nostalgic chocolate cake finale.

Cento Raw Bar is located at 4919 W Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016, United States

Read our full review of Cento Raw Bar

Dévo Marseille

Designer Axel Chay’s totemic tubular steel forms have long embodied Marseille’s creative pulse; now, he and his wife Mélissa channel that energy into Dévo, a new restaurant and wine bar in the Préfecture neighbourhood. Named after the American new-wave band, it marks the duo’s first fully designed and art-directed space. Cocooning yet animated, the interior pairs contemporary lines with vintage patina: lime satin curtains sweep across concrete floors, offsetting a zinc bar and steel stools inspired by Italian cafés and Spanish vermuterias. Cinematic details abound: mirrored artworks by Aurélien Ciller, plaster seagulls in flight and bespoke lighting by Axel’s brother Aimeric. In the kitchen, chef Ferdinand Fravega serves relaxed Provençal dishes, paired with a 100-strong list of independent and natural wines.

Dévo Marseille is located at 22 Bd Paul Peytral, 13006 Marseille, France

Read our full review of Dévo Marseille

Elmina

In Washington DC, Elmina is the debut bricks-and-mortar venture of Ghanaian-American chef Eric Adjepong: a restaurant that celebrates modern Africa while acknowledging the complexities of its past. Its name carries weight, referencing the port that became the site of sub-Saharan Africa’s first European slave-trading post. Dreamt up by local studio Drummond Projects, the 3,720 sq ft, three-storey space reads as a fluid, immersive journey, with each space defined by material and colour references, unified by a sculptural curving stairwell and enriched with bespoke artworks, artisan textiles and warm, tactile finishes throughout. The food itself is deeply rooted in tradition, a love letter to Adjepong’s ancestors and recipes he grew up with. Experiences on offer span a five-course tasting menu, a chop bar selection and a hearty brunch, with standout dishes including the comfortingly smoky jollof duck pot.

Elmina is located at 2208 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009, United States

Read our full review of Elmina

Restaurant Esperit Roca

Set within a 19th-century fortress on the hills outside Girona, Esperit Roca evokes the beauty of raw materials with a rugged yet refined touch. Part of a remote gastronomic complex by the Roca brothers, which also houses a 16-bedroom hotel, the restaurant overlooks the mountains, woodland and sea of northern Catalonia. Designed by Girona-based Andreu Carulla, the interiors are pared-back and elemental, shaped from stone, concrete and wood in muted greys and greens. Locally quarried piedra de Girona limestone forms sculptural counters, lamps and monolithic sinks, echoing the fortress itself. Midcentury-inspired furniture, agricultural textiles and pockets of greenery reinforce the connection to place. In the kitchen, Joan and Jordi Roca deliver concept-driven tasting menus that reinterpret local produce with rigour, poetry and surprise. Don’t miss the tasting menu that offers two main courses and six desserts.

Restaurant Esperit Roca is located at Carrer Major, Entrada 1, 17481 Sant Julià de Ramis, Girona, Spain

Read our full review of Restaurant Esperit Roca

Finlandia Bistro

Alvar Aalto’s modernist landmark, Finlandia Hall, now houses a new restaurant that allows guests to dine in surroundings that gently echo the architect’s enduring design language. In contrast to the hall’s light, open spaces, the bistro is warmly cocooned in deeper tones, soft fabrics and tactile textures. Designed by Fyra, the interior blends Finnish modernist classics with contemporary pieces from Finnish Design Shop, alongside bespoke built-ins. Deep blue curtains recall Finlandia Hall’s cobalt accents, while wood and brass details nod to Aalto’s modernism. Led by head chef Mikko Puuronen, the 64-seat restaurant serves Nordic-inspired dishes with subtle Mediterranean inflexions.

Finlandia Bistro is located at Mannerheimintie 13e, 00100 Helsinki, Finland

Read our full review of Finlandia Bistro

Jncquoi Fish

‘Where food meets fashion meets hospitality’ underpins Jncquoi, the Lisbon lifestyle hub launched in 2017 by Paula Amorim and Miguel Guedes de Sousa of the Amorim Luxury Group. While the brand’s first hotel, Jncquoi House (designed by Vincent Van Duysen), will open in 2026, its newest restaurant, Jncquoi Fish, already signals the next chapter. Beneath a neo-Moorish façade, the space unfolds in Van Duysen’s restrained language of marble, limestone and ceramics, with dark clay floors by Viúva Lamego and bespoke furnishings and lighting made in Portugal. Tables cluster around the open kitchen, where chefs António Bóia and Filipe Carvalho celebrate Atlantic seafood through refined Portuguese flavours, from caviar-topped cod fritters to blue lobster rice, complemented by an astute, terroir-driven wine programme and assured, indulgent desserts.

Jncquoi Fish is located at Av. da Liberdade 189 1, 1250-096 Lisboa, Portugal

Read our full review of Jncquoi Fish

Milló

On the ground floor of the ADNBA-designed Millo Offices in Bucharest’s business area, Milló explores how contemporary design can converse with history. Responding to the building’s art deco undertones, local studio AÉ02 shaped an interior defined by light, texture and material warmth. At its centre hangs a dramatic ‘volcano of light’: an illuminated feature suspended above the main dining table, shifting in tone throughout the day. LED strips trace the ceiling edges, sharpening geometry through light and shadow, while the bar counter pairs stainless steel with cherry Levanto marble, concealing a discreet DJ booth. The Mediterranean-leaning menu – think baked artichoke, saffron risotto and miso-marinated cod – completes the experience, encouraging guests to linger from midday through to midnight.

Milló is located at Strada Ion Câmpineanu 19, Bucharest 030167, Romania.

Read our full review of Milló

Rubra

Hotel restaurants rarely transcend the orbit of the properties they inhabit, but on the northern edge of Banderas Bay, Rubra decisively breaks that pattern. Part of W Punta de Mita, the restaurant is led by Daniela Soto-Innes, who was named World’s Best Female Chef in 2019. At just 28, she was the youngest chef to earn the accolade. Designed by Ignacio Urquiza with interiors by Ana Paula de Alba, Rubra takes the form of a sand-toned concrete monolith, its restrained architecture softened by creeping greenery and expansive views towards the Sierra Madre. A pergola of wooden lattices filters light across an open, fluid dining room, blurring indoors and out. Soto-Innes’ ‘tropical cooking’ draws from seasonal produce, much of it grown on site, shaping menus that favour citrus, herbs and vivid coastal flavours, from scallops dressed in kombu aguachile to flower-crowned tuna tostadas.

Rubra is located at Carr. Federal la Cruz de Huanacaxtle - Punta de Mita Km 8.5, Desarrollo Costa, 63734 Corral del Risco, Nay., Mexico

Read our full review of Rubra

At Wallpaper*, movement is second nature, and savouring it is an art. Whether on assignment or off-duty, our editorial team is perpetually combing the globe, visiting places that are mind-expanding and spirit-lifting. This year, we paused to gather the places that truly stayed with us. Consider this selection of travel highlights, handpicked by our staff, as a starting point for the year ahead, compiled to spark curiosity and fuel your future travel plans.

As such, follow the sun to Mexico, Greece, Spain and Italy, or embrace the stark beauty of Finland and Iceland. Looking for adventure? Uzbekistan, Egypt and Kenya deliver. For a spiritual reset, Japan and South Korea offer ritual and depth. From European mainstays such as Vienna and Lisbon to American icons including Miami and Joshua Tree, let’s get globetrotting.

Amanohashidate, Japan

‘Last April, adding a few days to a long-haul work trip felt like the responsible thing to do, particularly when long-haul now extends to a 16-hour dog-leg to Osaka via Doha, which is how I came to visit one of Japan’s most revered destinations, Amanohashidate, site of a 3.6km sidebar known as ‘the staircase to heaven’ that cuts across Miayazu Bay in Kyoto prefecture. Amanohashidate itself is a quiet village with a national landmark at its heart and a well-run ryokan (Monjusou) to relax in, but the surrounding area is blessed with no less significant points of interest. Ine is a ‘floating village’ of 230 fishing cottages, protected as a heritage site, that offers good walking with splendid sea views and great coffee in one of its repurposed properties. Sometimes all you need is sea air, the odd stroll and the chance to indulge in something as silly as matanozoki, or peering between your legs atop Kasamatsu Park, at which point the now-inverted sandbar appears as a bridge across the sky.’

– Bill Prince, editor-in-chief

Athens, Greece

‘This past autumn, I celebrated a milestone birthday in Athens. The city feels as though it was shaped by accumulation rather than careful urban planning, its layers of typeface, texture and attitude stacked across eras, politics and glitzy inconsistencies. Visually, Athens is unrelenting: everything speaks loudly and constantly, and nothing is treated as too precious. Even the Acropolis feels unresolved, its original fragments scattered between the exquisitely built Acropolis Museum and far beyond Greece’s borders. I enjoyed long lunches with generous pours of Assyrtiko from aluminium jugs, and late nights drifting into hot spots like SMUT, where Athens’ spontaneity really kicks in. I chose Athens as my favourite of the year because it thrives in chaos, offering moments of beauty and excitement, and rewarding those who stay longer, pay attention and arrive hungry.’

– Gabriel Annouka, senior designer

Brittany, France

‘On something of a nostalgia trip to the south coast of Brittany, France – the destination of my first-ever trip abroad – now with my own teenagers in tow, I was relieved to find it a still-lovely, laidback and low-key escape with none of the hussle or hassle a beach break during the summer holidays can entail. The sea was utterly clear – too freezing for me, even in July, for more than one cold plunge, but perfect for kayaking or admiring endlessly from coastal walking paths. Bike hire in this cycling-obsessed nation was ubiquitous and the paths plentiful and well sign-posted; they even continued across estuaries, courtesy of short ferry hops on which bikes were not just bienvenue but (bafflingly for a Brit used to transport-network shortfalls) positively encouraged. And a day’s hire extended through to the evening, allowing ample time for a thoroughly civilised French lunch break en route with (savoury) galettes and (sweet) crêpes galore. Pancakes for all courses is a concept close to my heart.’

– Bridget Downing, executive editor

Cairo, Egypt

‘In November, I visited Cairo and spent a few warm, autumnal days watching the light shift over the Art D’Égypte installations, set in the sand beneath the pyramids of Giza. I was particularly drawn to SolidNature and Studio PROBA’s organically shaped, naturally coloured stone sculptures. Seeing them positioned against the pyramids was both wondrous and surreal: two forms of stone, prehistoric in material yet composed millennia apart, held in quiet dialogue with one another. The experience was utterly mesmerising, leaving me feeling incredibly small in the face of such magnificence and scale. Other highlights across the city included losing track of time in the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) and wandering through the calming gardens of Adam Henein’s gallery house.’

– Olly Mason, head of interiors

Évora, Portugal

‘When my sister moved to Lisbon in 2024, I dreamily imagined endless weekends of wandering, but life got in the way and it never quite happened; until this summer, when we managed to bring both our families together for ten scorching days in Alentejo, a more off-the-beaten-path part of Portugal, around 90 minutes east of Lisbon. We stayed in gloriously serene countryside, awash with olive groves and vineyards, occasionally popping into the medieval, walled UNESCO city of Évora for ice cream (Pezagno, delicious!). On one visit, we explored the Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones), a 16th-century chapel within the Church of St Francis, built by Franciscan monks as a memento mori to inspire reflection on the transience of life. Its walls and columns are clad with thousands of strikingly arranged human skulls and bones, previously buried in Évora’s medieval cemeteries. Above the door, an inscription reads: “We bones are here, waiting for yours.” At the entrance to this macabre chapel is a simple modern mural by Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira – a counterpoint to its meditation on mortality.’

– Anne Soward, production editor

Helsinki, Finland

‘While others escaped to hotter climes, last February, I decided to embrace the cold and wintry feel of Europe and headed further north, to Helsinki. It was one of the best travel decisions I ever made. The day was short, but the city was fun, and the cultural offerings were plentiful and welcoming. Helsinki was frozen – not that you would be bothered with the right clothes and shoes, especially in the city centre, where pavements are heated so that the snow doesn’t build up. A short ferry ride, breaking through the icy waters, took me to the magical Suomenlinna sea fortress - thank you, Laura Iloniemi, for the tip! I also explored the numerous art offerings the city has to offer, from the Amos Rex museum to the Temppeliaukio church of the rock. I stayed at a timber-framed hotel by the water, Solo Sokos Pier 4, paid a visit to the renovated Finlandia Hall, and enjoyed sticky Korvapuusti (Finnish cinnamon rolls) and warm and creamy salmon soup. As travel reviews often conclude, “would definitely recommend.”’

– Ellie Stathaki, architecture and environment director

Hydra, Greece

‘This year I’ve been lucky to visit great European capitals including Vienna, Paris and Athens, but somehow it’s my day on the small Greek island of Hydra that was most memorable. Big cities are filled with great things to do and see, but Hydra offers an escape from it all, with no cars, no museums, and practically no phone reception. And yet it still has everything you might possibly need on a nice autumn day: a lunch at a taverna followed by a dip in the sea, and a walk along the coastal path, suspended between the blue sky and the Mediterranean.’

– Léa Teuscher, sub-editor

Joshua Tree, USA

‘In May, I made the three-hour journey from Los Angeles into the Mojave Desert to Joshua Tree. It had long been on my list to visit, likely prompted by endless interviews with musicians who enthused about the desert’s mystical energy. There are no shortage of incredible architectural stays to book in the area, but after much deliberation, I settled on this geodesic dome, far enough away from civilisation to get the full experience (the drive back from dinner in the pitch black was a little hairy) but just twenty minutes from Joshua Tree National Park and the must-sees of the Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms. I loved every single thing about this trip. From the weird roadside stops along the route – a desert crochet museum? A shrine to fifties hairdressing? A park filled with many, many statues of Christ? – to dinner at The Copper Room, drinks at Mas o Menos and obligatory live music at Pioneertown institution, Pappy & Harriet’s (the nearby Red Dog Saloon was a little quieter when Pappy’s is packed). I can’t wait to return.’

– Charlotte Gunn, director of digital content

Kyoto, Japan

‘I loved visiting Kyoto this year, and discovering its rich history, gorgeous food and beautiful surroundings. The highlight, though, was being able to get to know some of the locals, who were as generous with their time as they are cultured, intelligent, and extremely kind.’

– Hannah Silver, art, culture, watches and jewellery editor

Lake Como, Italy

‘Until last year, I had never been to Italy; now, I can say I’ve been three times. A run of good fortune took me to Milan for Salone de Mobile, and Venice for an immersive exhibition hosted by Golden Goose. In addition, to mark the beginning of the summer season, I was invited to Lake Como to stay at Il Sereno’s new listening suite, designed by Patricia Urquiola. The lake in the foothills of the Alps took my breath away. It was scenery I had not seen before, and I was captivated by its beauty. There was an effortless air of Old Hollywood glamour and relaxed sophistication coupled with the calming nature of the lake, which makes the location entirely unique. I cannot wait to go back.’

– Tianna Williams, staff writer

Menorca, Spain

‘The Menorca Experimental hotel had been on my bucket list for years, and I finally made it there for a short break in September. Designed by Dorothée Meilichzon, the interiors strike a balance between playful colour and subtle Art Deco references, incorporating local designers and materials. It felt considered yet relaxed. The weather was still warm enough for sea swims in some of the clearest water I’ve seen in Europe, and it was easy to find quieter spots that felt untouched. There’s a quiet, understated rhythm to the island that encourages you to slow down, making it a perfect mid-season reset.’

– Cindy Parthonnaud, acting photography editor

Mérida, Mexico

‘I spent 10 days in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula this summer and enjoyed soaking up Mérida’s rich history, intense summer heat and xtabentún, the local firewater. The city is about 30 miles inland, meaning those craving a swim-up bar or large beach resort won’t find it here. Instead, they’ll discover a mix of unhurried streets, bustling markets, pretty boutiques and innovative cuisine that spotlights traditional Yucatec cooking. My husband and I checked in at Hotel Cigno, an elegant boutique property located in Mérida’s historic heart, before hiring a local guide to take us to Uxmal, one of the Mayan world’s most important sites, and an azure blue cenote, a naturally occurring limestone sinkhole that peppers the area. There was still an opportunity to hit the beach, though: an hour-ride taxi will take you straight to the coast, where you can take in tranquil waters, white sand beaches, bright-pink salt lakes and – my favourite – droves of flamingos.’

– Anna Fixsen, U.S. editor

Miami, USA

‘I came to Miami for the Grand Prix – where Lego had built ten fully drivable cars – but stayed for the art deco architecture, palm-lined boulevards and viscerally cinematic sunsets. Miami’s expansion in the 1920s and 30s left it with a remarkable concentration of art deco buildings, which I completely fell in love with. A stroll down Ocean Drive – one of the finest showcases of the style – took me hours, slowed by pastel façades and kitsch vintage cars that demanded to be photographed. Little Havana, shaped by Cuban émigrés after the 1959 revolution, is home to cigar shops, graffiti tributes to Celia Cruz and Old’s Havana Cuban Bar & Cocina, which, with its yellow walls and mojito production line, is an institution. So, too, is Delilah – swathed in pink velvet and favoured by A-listers – though in an entirely different vein. Miami is a place I’d return to in a heartbeat.’

– Anna Solomon, digital writer

Nesjavellir, Iceland

‘My yearly travel mainly comprises the movement between Milan, Paris and New York for fashion week (and the freneticism and overstimulation these trips bring), so when I’m not working I seem to be attracted towards the vast and the desolate – Lanzarote has become my go-to escape, and this spring I loved losing myself in its strange, moonlike landscapes once again. Though it was another otherworldly (and volcanic) island that was my favourite trip of 2025: Iceland, which I visited with 66 North last month (the outerwear brand was founded on the island a century ago). I have been a couple of times before, though each time it is surprising in its vastness and scale: speeding across the snow-covered mountain ridge Thórsmörk – named after the Norse god Thor – on off-roading buggies was a truly cinematic experience (and the perfect release). We spent the second night at the Ion Adventure Hotel, a Brutalist box on stilts that looks out over the geothermal fields of Nesjavellir – in the silence, it was my best night’s sleep of the year.’

– Jack Moss, fashion and beauty features director

Seoul, South Korea

‘About two hours from Seoul, in the mountains of Wonju, Museum SAN (Space Art Nature) heralds an architectural feat by Tadao Ando: a 25-metre-wide subterranean dome beneath the museum’s flower garden, topped with an oculus rising more than seven metres high. Titled Ground, it was commissioned to accompany Antony Gormley’s exhibition Drawing on Space.’

– Jason Hughes, creative director

Tashkent, Uzbekistan

‘I spend much of my year bouncing around beautiful design-led hotels. But at least once a year, I make it my mission to step out of this bubble as a reminder of why I love to travel in the first place. And this year, my trip to Uzbekistan was a welcome reset. It’s not a destination known for luxury, but with tourism on the rise, you can feel the energy in Tashkent’s creative pockets and across Samarkand and Bukhara, which just hosted its inaugural biennale. From the staggering detail of the Islamic architecture to the small, genuinely local boutique hotels, there’s an incredible history and a rawness that was not just compelling, but a reminder that stepping away from the familiar is not just refreshing, but important to keep your curiosity alive.’

– Lauren Ho, travel director

Tokyo, Japan

‘Tokyo had been calling for some time, and this October I was finally able to answer. Japan’s capital is an urban sprawl of ritual, contrast, beauty and tradition, where even the smallest details feel deliberate and meaningful. It was my first visit, and I tried to stay fully present, absorbing as much of the city’s energy as possible; yet I still feel I barely scratched the surface. There are countless moments I hold onto, but one stands out: waking to a bright, clear morning and, from my hotel room on the 34th floor of Fairmont Tokyo, spotting Mount Fuji in the distance. It appeared as a majestic presence on the horizon, wishing the city a good day.’

– Sofia de la Cruz, travel editor

Vienna, Austria

‘Vienna is a really great city for a short getaway, especially for those interested in design. The city is filled with hidden gems, such as the interiors and ambience of Café Prückel, located just across the street from the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK). Be sure to check out the numerous storefronts designed by Hans Hollein throughout the city, including the iconic façade of the Retti candle shop. One of the highlights for me was the Roman Catholic church depicted above, built in the late 1970s by architect Viktor Hufnagl.’

– Sebastian Jordahn, head of video

Watamu, Kenya

‘Earlier this year, I travelled to Kenya and spent time in Watamu, a coastal town known for stunning white-sand beaches, coral reefs, mangroves and a large marine life. I was there for a private yoga retreat with a yoga company called Pana and stayed in a one-of-a-kind treehouse, Watamu Tree House, near Watamu Beach. Our treehouse retreat, built by the family who runs it, rises through the landscape, from the ground to the top floor, with shimmering coloured glass mosaics. Each day in Watamu began with yoga in the studio at the top of the building, which offered quiet and perspective. Practising yoga above the ground, with the sea nearby and trees in the distance, felt grounding. Fresh vegetarian meals formed the core of each day, as each meal came with coconut water and juices made fresh each morning.’

– Jamilah Rose-Roberts, social media editor

Once seen as the preserve of those who dropped off the grid to spend their days surfing, the Algarve’s beautifully wild, western corner is smartening up its act with several new hotels and restaurants pulling in a crowd who would previously have headed to only the central or eastern side of the Faro District.

The owners of the new Vale Palheiro Earth Resort, Pedro and Madalena Rutkowski, fell hard for this landscape of raw beauty when passing through, purchasing the plot in 2011. Between slow bureaucracy and a halt for Covid, tracking down the right artisans to work on the project and finalising the complex architectural details, realising the property has been a long process. Only now has it opened as a 13-villa resort with a warm and welcoming restaurant.

Wallpaper* checks in at Vale Palheiro Earth Resort, Aljezur

What’s on your doorstep?

Literally on the doorstep, running through the resort is the Rota Vicentina, a network of walking trails across what is considered one of Europe’s most beautiful and well-preserved coastal areas. There are two main routes: The Fisherman’s Trail and the Historical Way; it is the latter that cuts through Vale Palheiro, taking hikers through rural valleys, clusters of cork oak trees and centuries of history visible in the ruins of ancient castles and fortresses.

For many, the key will be the proximity to Amoreira Beach, one of the Algarve’s loveliest and largest beaches with dramatic cliffs and soft golden sand. Despite its popularity with surfers, it is never too crowded. Neighbouring Vale Palheiro is the little town of Aljezur, whose tenth-century castle can be seen on the hill above the resort. It’s worth visiting the local market and eating in town at local bistro Cera(currently closed for winter).

Who is behind the design?

Leading the design was owner Madalena herself, an architect with decades of experience and former head of architecture at Portuguese practice GTA Gabinete Técnico de Arquitectura, who worked on the project alongside Lisbon-based Arkstudio. In addition, bringing his considerable knowledge into the mix and shaping the project was the late architect Henrique Schreck, a pioneering figure in the world of traditional earth construction techniques, particularly taipa, or rammed earth, evident in every corner of Vale Palheiro.

Seeing the Earth Resort from afar as you wind your way towards it allows an appreciation on another level. The different levels of the villas create the image of a small hamlet. The ochre colour of the buildings and the rammed earth, the pillars of rough schist stone that form buttresses, the old terracotta tiles that were sourced so painstakingly for the roofs and the chimneys, a perfect blend of Algarvian character and contemporary design, unite harmoniously in an aesthetic triumph.

The room to book

There are 13 villas, suites and casitas, each one different but all with glass-covered log fireplaces and outside spaces, whether with a table to eat at or a terrace with a sun lounger or both. As Madalena explained to me: ‘I wanted each space to feel grounded in its surroundings – using natural textures, earthy tones and handmade details. The layout of the villas and casitas was carefully thought out to encourage a fluid space – with open-plan living areas, large windows and transitional spaces that blur the line between indoors and out.’

The name of each villa enhances the sense of place, from Casa Lyra, named after the particular variety of sweet potatoes local to Aljezur, to Casa Vicentina, named for the surrounding region. All are lovely; which to book depends on whether you are there for a romantic weekend or to finish that novel. I loved my duplex Casa Taipa Villa 2 for its shower downstairs within exposed taipa, its vast micro-cement bath upstairs, where you could wallow watching the shifting colours of the landscape, and its terrace from where you could hear the tinkling of goat bells. The beds are superb, clad in Portuguese linen with Portuguese down and feather pillows. At turn-down, your log fire will be lit for the evening (depending on the season), and the many wooden shutters closed for the night.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

Softly illuminated at night, The Barn restaurant was warm and welcoming on my autumnal visit with an open kitchen, micro-cement floors and walls displaying wines and textile decorations. Outside, in summer, the terrace, lined with local rust-red, handmade Santa Catarina tiles, comes into its own with views over the large swimming pool and surrounding hills.

The menu is short, but the dishes deliver in terms of presentation and taste. Try the seabass with a rice of clams, prawns and lemon or an octopus salad with pomegranate and Parmesan. But save room for the superbly zingy pineapple carpaccio with lime and medronho, the local firewater. The wine list offers the best from all over Portugal and has been carefully curated by owner Pedro, for whom it is a great passion.

Where to switch off

Switching off is exactly what Vale Palheiro offers you the chance to do. There is yoga and massage on request, and a large swimming pool with sun beds around it to while away the time. There are trails to hike, and bikes to borrow to explore the surrounding area. The nearest beach is a 15-minute walk away. There are also terraces off most rooms with sun beds for you to just enjoy the views over the valley. It is a beautiful swathe of unspoilt countryside.

The Verdict

This is exactly the kind of hotel the Algarve needs more of. Impressively designed with character and a real sense of place, it champions the region, so long shaped by the neighbouring Atlantic Ocean, and offers visitors a chance to immerse themselves in its simple, rural authenticity.

Vale Palheiro Earth Resort is located at Rua Vale Palheiro , 8670-016 Aljezur. www.valepalheiro.com. Rates: from €330 inc. breakfast.

If there’s one thing that Wallpaper* does well, it’s houses – spotlighting architecturally arresting gems from around the globe and spanning the spectrum of modern design. Our inboxes are overflowing with news of the world’s most boundary-pushing architectural projects, and we strive to bring you the very best.

To ensure you don’t miss a thing – and to showcase the scope of residential architecture today – we’ve launched a monthly series: The Architecture Edit. Each instalment will highlight our favourite houses of the month: buildings that demonstrate creative planning, innovative methods and, of course, aesthetic excellence.

A Williamsburg loft

Brooklyn studio Of Possible has completed 103 Grand Street, a loft-style residential building containing two duplexes and a triplex. Each unit is defined by triple-height spaces, tall windows and abundant daylight, evoking the neighbourhood’s industrial-conversion past. Architect Vincent Appel prioritised not just floor area but vertical volume, seeking to elevate spatial quality. Meanwhile, interiors feature tactile materials – timber, stone and linen-like textures – for an organic, minimalist feel. While the street façade adopts classic Brooklyn brick, the rear reveals playful stacked volumes clad in custom fluted terracotta, creating terraces and outdoor rooms that encourage neighbourly interaction.

A Czech studio

Päivä Architekti’s Studio Above the Golden Canyon extends an existing home in the Czech village of Luka pod Medníkem with a new timber structure woven into a steep, wooded site. The addition, which overlooks the Sázava River, includes an open studio with mezzanine, an en-suite bedroom and a utility zone, linked to the original house by a covered walkway that incorporates a mature oak tree. Constructed from steel, tanned larch cladding, engineered spruce interiors and concrete flooring, part of the studio cantilevers over the landscape, with large sliding glass panels dissolving the boundary between interior and nature.

An Australian sanctuary

Amongst the Eucalypts by Jason Gibney Design Workshop is a New South Wales holiday home that sits lightly on its site, following the natural contours to form outdoor rooms and sheltered courtyards. Despite its serene minimalism, the house is engineered for bushfire resilience – developed with bushfire specialists and local craftspeople. The design incorporates pivoting façade panels, retractable mesh shutters and durable materials that allow the building to shift from openness to full protection. Its concrete and fibre-cement shell creates an ‘armoured’ yet contemporary aesthetic, demonstrating that fire-resistant architecture can be elegant and sustainable.

A Miami retreat

A couple in Miami commissioned Brillhart Architecture to create a home immersed in a lush, jungle-like double lot in historic Morningside – an approach inspired by the neighbourhood’s garden origins and Florida’s tropical modernism. Rather than clearing the hundreds of mature trees on site, the architects mapped the vegetation and arranged a 4,100 sq ft residence as four pavilions connected by glass corridors and open walkways. Elevated 30 inches above ground, the home appears to float among strangler figs, live oaks and gumbo-limbo trees, while shou sugi ban siding and ipe shutters merge with the greenery, and calm interiors of pale stone and wood frame continuous garden views.

A mid-century icon

The Stahl House – an icon of mid-century modernism perched in the Hollywood Hills – was listed for sale for $25 million this month. Designed by Pierre Koenig and immortalised in Julius Shulman’s 1960 photograph, its glass-walled design and cinematic views helped define California modernism. Though modest at 2,200 sq ft with two bedrooms, it has remained largely unchanged since completion, and retains its original open-plan kitchen, unrenovated bathrooms and legendary pool. The home has remained in the Stahl family for 65 years and was designated a Historic-Cultural Monument in 1999; it requires thoughtful stewardship, and the owners hope to find a buyer who appreciates its architectural legacy.

A renovated winery

Near Lisbon, Quinta do Álamo transforms the ruins of an old winery into a minimalist retreat for two musicians. Atelier Matteo Arnone organised the plan around symmetry, driven by the need for two identical recording studios. The long, linear structure is carved with voids and internal patios that draw daylight deep inside, while gentle curves introduce softness. The ground floor houses a combined living room, kitchen and bedroom; above, the twin studios are embedded within the building’s thick perimeter walls. Patios and passages thread through the home toward the pool, resulting in a serene, balanced composition defined by rhythm and light.

An Indian farmhouse

On a two-acre site in Karnataka, Taliesyn Design & Architecture’s House by the Grove reimagines a farmhouse as a porous, nature-immersed dwelling. The 5,400 sq ft home uses verandas, open walkways and sliding glass partitions to merge the indoors and out, while materials such as hand-finished cement, steel, Sira stone and Kota stone root the architecture in its boulder-strewn landscape. A soaring great room with operable façades forms the social heart, flanked by long verandas beneath a pitched roof clad in Mangalore tiles. Bedrooms feature open-to-sky bathrooms, and a second floor – accessed via an external stair – contains a library, another en-suite bedroom and walkways overlooking the great hall.

A London rooftop

Studio Felicity Bell has transformed a Clerkenwell rooftop into a minimalist home with sweeping views across London. Built atop a former industrial building once inhabited by the owners, the addition is set back from the street façade to form a wraparound terrace and reduce visual impact. The new structure’s columns align with the original building’s piers, creating a grid that alternates between open, pergola-like bays and glazed panels. Inside, a generous open-plan living space surrounded by glass frames views of the City and BT Tower. The adaptable interior to shifts between working, living and hosting, with a stained-oak monolith conceals a studio, desk and guest bed.

‘Where Food meets Fashion meets Hospitality’ is the guiding principle behind Jncquoi, the multi-destination lifestyle hub created by Paula Amorim and Miguel Guedes de Sousa of the Amorim Luxury Group, which launched in Lisbon in 2017. At its core are a men’s and a women’s ‘Fashion Clinic’, glossy multi-brand stores where Lisbon’s well-heeled come for international labels, homeware, fragrances and jewellery.

Yet, the experience stretches far beyond retail. Customers might drift between the Deli Bar for a lobster roll, the Lázaro Rosa-Violán-designed Jncquoi Avenida restaurant for white prawn carpaccio beneath its signature dinosaur, or Jncquoi Asia for grilled wagyu with ponzu.

The next chapter will arrive in spring 2026 with Jncquoi House, the group’s first hotel, occupying a separate townhouse and designed by Vincent Van Duysen. In the interim, on the building’s ground floor, the doors to new restaurant Jncquoi Fish are already open.

Wallpaper* dines at Jncquoi Fish, Lisbon

The mood: sophisticated, sexy and sea-centric

At this new outpost of the Jncquoi empire, dishes pay homage to the bounty of the Atlantic, the food taking centre stage, with many tables clustered around the open kitchen. But it is the design that sets the tone. Step through the neo-Moorish façade and a world crafted by Vincent Van Duysen opens up: a play of mirrors and white marble, ceramic and limestone.

Dark clay flooring is produced by Viúva Lamego, one of Portugal’s most historic ceramic factories, forming a perfect counterpoint to Lisbon’s local Lioz limestone and the ceramic wall tiles, whose palette and pattern draw inspiration from the kitchens of the National Palace of Sintra. The lighting fixtures – handmade in Portugal by Fátima Neto to Van Duysen’s design – are sculpted from Carrara marble, while the furniture was custom-made locally by Room2Fit. Bespoke tableware comes from Vista Alegre, founded in 1824 and one of Portugal’s most respected brands. And, in a gentle nod to the owners, quintessentially Portuguese cork – sourced from founder Paula’s Amorim Cork – appears as a salt cellar encasing glittering white crystals.

The food: Atlantic soul

With Jncquoi’s executive chef António Bóia and chef Filipe Carvalho (who earned a Michelin star at Lisbon’s 50 Seconds) at the helm, good food is a given. Equally assured are the ingredients, freshly sourced from the cold Atlantic waters that lap Lisbon’s shoreline. Carvalho has a deft touch, skilfully balancing traditional Portuguese flavours with the luxurious notes that 21st-century fine dining demands. Think cod fritters crowned with a spoon of tartare sauce and a generous dollop of caviar, or a hot starter of scarlet shrimps from the Algarve, served with garlic and fried quail eggs.

Main courses include Portuguese blue lobster rice with coriander, or oven-baked octopus à lagareiro, richly drenched in local olive oil. Sommelier Filipe Wang may reach for a prized Burgundy to pair with your choice, or a particularly compelling Portuguese bottle – do hear him out; he knows precisely what he’s talking about. Do save room – the chocolate mousse with olive oil and fleur de sel is impeccable, while the oven-baked pão de leite (a sweet, yeasted milk bread) served warm with custard and cream cheese, already seems to have gained a cult following.

Jncquoi Fish is located at Av. da Liberdade 189 1, 1250-096 Lisbon, Portugal

Amid the rolling hills of Portugal’s Alto Douro Vinhateiro, where Unesco-protected vineyard terraces have been carved into the earth for millennia, Portuguese architect Sérgio Rebelo has created a winery that feels like it grew from the landscape itself. The recently completed Quinta de Adorigo, nestled 90km from Porto in the heart of the Douro Valley, unfolds across a 24-hectare estate as a sinuous structure that cleaves to the natural contours of the land.

A grape escape: Quinta de Adorigo

The client’s brief was refreshingly open, with the only stipulation being to design a hotel and a winery capable of producing 300,000 bottles. Mission accomplished; the property produces Port wines alongside a series of lush reds and perky whites from more than 40 grape varieties, spanning both heritage vines and new plantings.

Rebelo’s creative approach focused on honouring the past while embracing the future, a task complicated by the fact that the project sits in such a culturally and ecologically sensitive landscape. ‘How would we responsibly design a building that is both modern and iconic, and yet merged with this historic landscape?’ he asks. ‘The response was to develop a structure that is technically innovative, but expands the acquired knowledge of vernacular wine structures.’ To that end, Rebelo assembled a crack team of experts, including an oenologist and historian, to research how wineries and architecture have evolved in this region through the centuries.

A key challenge was to maintain perfect wine-ageing conditions year-round despite extreme temperature swings. ‘In the Douro Valley, temperatures range from -5 °C in winter to above 40°C in summer,’ he says. His solution was to bury most of the building, exposing only the north-facing façade for passive climate control, supplemented by geothermal systems. The result uses an eighth of the energy of a conventional winery. Elsewhere, water flows through the property in a cycle of collection and reuse, while native plants attract symbiotic insects to the vines.

The design follows the terroir, its gentle curves mirroring the patterns of surrounding vineyards, while avoiding direct mimicry so that the eye is drawn down the estate’s cultivated terraces. This harmonious progression shapes the building’s layout, a series of connected spaces that follow the existing slope, where each level plays a role in the grape-to-bottle journey. It’s a structural metaphor for the way wine flows through the production process by gravity – a practice as old as the way wine has been produced in this region since Roman times.

The soaring roof reimagines traditional Portuguese timber construction in a way that feels both grounded and ethereal, as the wooden frame turns into a sculptural canopy that seems to breathe with the surrounding hills. It’s easy to imagine that it will age beautifully, just like the wines it houses.

The material palette draws from the Douro landscape – warm pinkish browns, sage greens and soft greys through local schist and granite, while the façade uses specially crafted concrete panels made nearby. Choosing wood over concrete wherever possible cuts carbon emissions by 40 per cent.

Equally organic is the guest experience. From the welcoming entrance, with its curated wine shop, visitors ascend to a light-filled meeting room and spacious tasting gallery where floor-to-ceiling windows frame panoramic views of both the working cellars below and the vine-covered hills beyond.

The winery represents the first phase of Rebelo’s broader remit for the estate, which includes a 25-room hotel, adjacent to the winery, due for completion in December 2026. Rebelo envisions this as ‘a 21st-century monastery, a place of reconnection with the self, and with nature’, organised around a central courtyard with fragmented volumes that frame views of the striking Douro landscape between each building.

Quinta de Adorigo is located at Q.ta de Santo António, 5120-011 Tabuaço, Portugal.

This article appears in the December 2025 Entertaining Issue of Wallpaper* , available in print on newsstands, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News + from 6 November. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today

This Portuguese house, with its church-like silhouette, clean lines and whitewashed walls, is tucked away just 40 minutes from Lisbon. Conceived as a quiet retreat among vineyards, the project, titled Quinta do Álamo, was realised by architecture studio Atelier Matteo Arnone, which set out to honour the location’s winemaking tradition and adapt it for contemporary living.

Tour a minimalist Portuguese house for two musicians

Located in Carnota, in the municipality of Alenquer, Portugal, the house was designed for two DJs, who wanted a simple design, but with a very important musical addition, as practice founder Matteo Arnone explains. ‘The clients’ brief was very simple. They needed two functional spaces: a living room and a bedroom; and two identical recording studios.’ Focusing on this duality, Arnone naturally leaned into a symmetrical approach to his design.

The architecture firm used an existing ruin, an old winery building originally used for storing large barrels, as the foundation for the new home. ‘From the very beginning, the main idea was to create voids that carve into the original volume, introducing internal patios to bring natural light and spatial depth that could embrace the two identical spaces,’ says Arnone.

‘Looking from the inside out, the absence of corners in the patio geometry creates a very calm feeling – almost a sense of infinity. The continuous, curved geometry gently precludes a direct view to vineyards, allowing the landscape to reveal itself gradually, with a harmonious rhythm that soothes the space.’

As a result, the long floor plan is perfectly symmetrical. The main living spaces are located on the ground floor, including a living room/kitchen area and a bedroom. The pair of identical recording studios are on the upper floor, nestled into the curvature of the building.

The integration of thick perimeter walls serves more than a structural purpose. It acts as the backbone for the mirrored layout and brings with it intriguing architectural features, such as the curved staircase and built-in furniture.

A key design element is the patio passageways, which weave through the house. For Arnone, this feature offers a quiet transition between architectural intimacy and nature, and offers a curated trajectory towards the pool. The curved aesthetic adds to the soothing nature of the home.

Says Arnone: ‘​By placing all the main functions within the thickness of the walls, the interior is left pure and open. Visitors experience a sense of calm as they enter – every space feels harmonious, balanced, and free from visual noise.’

matteoarnone.com

The 2025 Lisbon Architecture Triennale has opened, themed around the question: ‘How Heavy is the City?’ Curators John Palmesino and Ann-Sofia Rönnskog of Territorial Agency say the question ‘addresses issues of magnitude, spatial organisation, form, technology, materiality, and the multiple relations that human spaces have with other entities’. In short, the triennale’s ambition covers the whole ’technosphere’ that humanity has created – our impact on the planet – which, the triennale organisers calculated, weighs a mind-blowing 30 trillion tonnes.

Explore the themes of the 2025 Lisbon Architecture Triennale

As part of the city-wide festival, as well as independent projects across the city (including in the Lisbon Architecture Triennale’s own headquarters in the atmospherically restored Palace of Sinel de Cordes), there are three major shows.

Lisbon’s old riverside power station, now part of MAAT, hosts ‘Fluxes’. We enter it through a black passage lined with enormous flowcharts mapping technological evolution from 1500 to today, conveying the sheer complexity of the technosphere. The show’s main part is presented on horizontal screens at knee height, suspended ingeniously by clear plastic bands from the cathedral-sized heights of the industrial space.

Subjects range from the cosmic dust constantly falling into our world, to the planetary cost of random numbers, essential to computing; Iwan Baan’s stunning photographic exploration of the vast oil shale extraction activities in Alberta, Canada; and Katherinne Fielder’s film Guardians, which takes us into a remote Peruvian desert facility, empty but for two healthy, wandering dogs (Chico and Uber). The last is a serene, charming and enigmatic work – and the monumental contemporary structure makes architecture as much its star as those dogs.

In the Belem district, famed for launching Portugal’s navigator-explorers and pastéis de nata, the CCB hosts ‘Lighter’. Palmesino and Rönnskog summarise its message as ‘more light, less mass’. The theme threads through this show, from photosynthesis to the technosphere’s albedo (reflective brightness). White, silky, ethereal drapes channel you through the exhibits, and ambient music fills the space. Green light filters through a beautiful screen by Alexandra Daisy Ginsburg.

In the adjacent Museum of Contemporary Art is a row of independent projects, including the film City + Dance, a dialogue between choreography and extraordinary Lithuanian and Estonian modernist architecture.

At MUDE, Lisbon’s design museum, the third major show, ‘Spectres’, offers 16 projects, mainly shown on another array of horizontal screens. They range from the plight of Tuvalu, the Pacific nation set to disappear under the waves, to Airbus’ global elevation investigation, which measures precisely those rising sea levels. Other subjects range far and wide, including digital twins, borders and barriers, and muons (sub-atomic particles) as a tool to see through buildings and rock.

MUDE’s highlight is Correspondences by Soundwalk Collective and Patti Smith, a film projected across two wide walls. Without explanatory text, it takes us across and under the oceans, into rocks, over ice flows, and circles over the tragic body of a beached whale. We see wildfires, and Smith’s voice lists their recent exponential spread with dates and numbers. As the imagery switches to purple trees, Smith delivers a haunting, delicate song that somehow bridges sadness and hope for the Earth.

Nowadays, environmental and social sustainability are embedded in architecture’s discourse, but with technology and more, the triennale goes further than ever. Architectural graphics and imagery remain woven into its offerings. And yes, there is even an actual building – and it may be the best independent project of all.

The Anthropocene Apartment by Lisbon-based Czech practice Atelier Holcnerová is a small duplex you can explore. Every element embodies sustainable principles, from a re-used ancient stone wall to lamps of tangled seaweed fibre and an animal trough adapted as a washbasin. The result is organic, contemporary, calm, and it looks refreshingly cool. To get a grip on the Anthropocene, we need to understand it. This Triennale is a tsunami of brilliantly presented insights. But we also need to be spiritually moved. Lisbon has projects that do that, from the sheer emotional intensity of Correspondences at MUDE to glimpses of a greener world we could make.

trienaldelisboa.com

Travellers are increasingly looking for authentic, sustainable ways to explore, and cycling has become one of the fastest-growing choices for both recreation and tourism. Responding to this trend, hospitality group Viceroy has teamed up with cycling brand Rapha to give guests the chance to discover destinations on two wheels.

Viceroy Hotel Group and Rapha announce partnership

The programme is currently available at three Viceroy hotels in the US — Santa Monica, Chicago and Washington D.C. — as well as at a fourth in Portugal’s Algarve. Rapha has created itineraries for all levels, from relaxed three-mile spins to endurance rides of more than 60 miles, accessible via a dedicated digital portal. Guests can use the hotels’ in-house bikes or tap into advanced road models through local partners. For those who prefer company on the road, Rapha also hosts group rides that guests are encouraged to join.

In Santa Monica, the route has been planned for a combination of urban and natural environments, from the city’s signature boardwalk and the eclectic neighbourhoods of Venice to the Hollywood Hills. In Washington, D.C., landmarks such as The White House and the Lincoln Memorial are combined with the greenery and history of the National Mall and President’s Park. Lakefront breeze and hotspots await in the Windy City, while in the Algarve, it’s all about rolling hills, quaint villages and coastal views.

For more information, viceroyhotelsandresorts.com

A captivating catch-up

Ellie Stathaki, Architecture & Environment Director

London always reaches peak business in September. Beyond the exciting events that come with the annual design happenings of the month, the start of autumn often also sees creatives from across the globe flocking to the capital to see, experience, and meet up. Concéntrico's director, Javier Peña Ibáñez, was in town this week, celebrating the launch of new book on the Logroño architectural festival – and, with it, marking the fair's ten-year anniversary. A breakfast catch-up with Javier offered the opportunity to reflect on the northern Spanish city's world event, which has grown stronger with each edition – and on architecture festivals and biennales as a whole. Looking forward to seeing what's in store for Concéntrico 2026.

A theatrical triumph

Hannah Silver, Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor

I loved watching Andrew Lincoln and Alicia Vikander in The Lady from the Sea at the Bridge Theatre this week. A retelling of the Ibsen classic, it is tense and beautifully constructed throughout, with one of the best and most surprising set designs I’ve seen in a long time.

Mexico comes to Sketch

Anna Solomon, Digital Staff Writer

I don’t need an excuse to visit the eccentric dreamscape that is Sketch in Soho, so when I heard that Ago Projects had taken residency for the dining destination’s (‘restaurant’ feels reductive) annual art and design exhibition, I jumped on the Central Line to have a look. With '¡hola, London!', Sketch has transformed its technicolour reception area into the semi-desert landscape of San Miguel de Allende. Installation pieces were created in collaboration with Mexican studio Mestiz, which has worked with local artisans to bring to life a fantastical, folklore-inspired collection of benches, lamps and objects. The highlight? As if Sketch’s ever-Instagrammable space-age toilet capsules weren’t surreal enough, they’re now home to two enormous snake sculptures. The installation will run until 11 November.

A taste of Spain

Sofia de la Cruz, Travel Editor

I’ve long admired Nieves Barragán Mohacho’s Sabor, a one-Michelin-starred institution in Mayfair and a benchmark of Spanish cuisine. The Basque chef's new venture, Legado, takes her proficiency and flavours east, tracing the Iberian Peninsula from Galicia to Andalusia, with stops in the islands.

Every meal begins with a ‘three sip serve’ – mine was a peach vermut in a beautiful custom ceramic, designed to sharpen the palate in three measured tastes. At the heart of the kitchen are two monumental traditional ovens, hand-built in Madrid by Jumaco & Maestro, that turn out milk-fed lamb from Zamora and suckling pig from Segovia.

I particularly loved Barragán Mohacho’s take on tortilla, reimagined with skate wing and a silken mojo verde – a Canarian coriander sauce that adds both brightness and bite. I also couldn’t resist the black fideuà with rock shrimp and alioli, which took me straight back to my childhood summers in Alicante. The monkfish tempura with chilli jam alioli was another standout – crisp, light, with just the right edge of heat. Barragán Mohacho herself was leading the pass when I visited, calm but ever-attentive. When I told her it felt like being at home, she smiled and said, ‘That’s exactly what we strive for.’

An island escape

Anna Fixsen, US Editor

Sweep over a map of the Atlantic Ocean and you might just miss the Azores, a cluster of nine volcanic islands about 1,000 miles off the coast of Portugal. While the archipelago may not be on your travel radar, it should be.

I’ve just returned from Ponta Delgada, the Azorean capital on the island of São Miguel – our home base while my husband and I explored the natural wonders the isle has to offer, from rolling countryside lined with the island’s famed hydrangea bushes, to ocean waters teeming with whales and dolphins, to geothermal hot springs (a first for this native Minnesotan: noshing on sweetcorn freshly boiled in a geyser).

We also spent lazy afternoons in Ponta Delgada’s historic core, sipping Especial – the local brew – stuffing ourselves with seafood, and checking out local historic sites. If you go, don’t miss Museu Carlos Machado, housed in a 16th-century convent and featuring an intriguing collection of 19th- and early-20th-century taxidermy that feels straight out of a Wes Anderson film. And to think – there are eight more islands to explore!

A beguiling book fair

Gabriel Annouka, Senior Designer

While out of the office, I ended up at the ICA for the Glue book fair – a welcome pause from the usual city chaos. Inside, spread across two floors, were friends, past colleagues and collaborators, and a dazzling spread of publishing projects everywhere you looked.

Highlights (and purchases) included The Scar as Archive by Stigmata Publishing; a zine on Le Grand Divertissement Royal à Versailles by Fiontán Moran; “ ” Quotation Mark Quotation Mark by Adam Gibbons and Eva Wilson; Outsider/s by Oli Raptor (Bonavarda); Doesn’t Exist: Fashion and Cinema, A Tribute to John Waters; and the new edition of A Line That Forms a Volume, the annual publication of the MA Graphic Media Design course at LCC.

In the gallery, across two walls and a glass cabinet, a collaborative project by Hot Potato – with posters designed by Studio Safar – took over the space. Their work invites the photography community to contribute and respond, tracing the shifting landscape of media coverage on Palestine and reflecting on how that coverage shapes the arts.

It’s no secret that Christian Louboutin has a quiet devotion to the Portuguese region of Alentejo. The French shoe designer – master of the red-lacquered sole – opened his first hospitality project in the local coastal town of Melides in 2023. The backstory reads almost like a fable: while sketching at his home in Comporta, 30km away, he injured himself, and on the journey back from the hospital, he happened upon the softly hued town. With its sweep of dunes, stone pines and ink-blue lagoon, Melides cast its spell, and before long, Louboutin had acquired a traditional fisherman’s shack and reimagined it as a maison de famille-style retreat.

Working with local architect Madalena Caiado, he shaped the Vermelho Hotel (meaning ‘red hotel’ in Portuguese), which comprises 13 rooms, each of singular and judicious character, a small wellness space, a hammered-silver bar, and Xtian, an in-house restaurant serving Alentejan staples on hand-thrown crockery. The hotel’s interiors are a conversation between Louboutin’s French and Egyptian heritage and the local vernacular, layering azulejos (glazed tiles), architectural ceramics and colour in a way that feels both rooted and inventive.

Louboutin’s Vermelho Hotel introduces two spectacular villas

The next chapter for Vermelho Hotel, managed by Marugal Hotel Management, has now arrived in the form of two villas nearby. In collaboration with Egyptian designer Tarek Shamma, La Salvada rises from a wildflower meadow in a muted shade of pink, its kasbah-like outline accommodating up to four guests. Inside, a sandy palette is punctuated with flashes of red and indigo – such as in a built-in bench upholstered in quatrefoil fabric, and a Jean-Louis Viard tapestry – while the skylit living room gathers antiques beneath high ceilings. Three rooftop terraces offer a place to catch the breeze, and listen to the cicadas and the gentle shift of the trees.

In a more rustic register, La Maison des Bateaux recalls a whitewashed Alentejan boathouse, hidden among rice fields. The mood here is pared back and maritime: think shell-cluster lamps, miniature boats pinned to the walls, a rhythm of white, deep blue and sun-baked terracotta. Works by various artists sit alongside furniture from Louboutin’s own collection. A garden path leads to a large, secluded pool, a sunlit counterpoint to the shade indoors.

Rates start from €2,200 per night at La Salvada, and from €1,700 per night at La Maison des Bateaux. Vermelho Hotel is located at R Dr Evaristo Sousa Gago 2, 7570-635 Melides, Portugal.

Throughout history, holidays have been closely tied to agriculture, offering respite after the harvest or marking seasonal transitions. With the Industrial Revolution came a shift: leisure time emerged as a necessary pause from the grind of factory labour, a moment for rest and recovery.

Today, however, a new kind of holiday is taking root. Rather than escaping to distance themselves from rural life, travellers are being drawn back to it. Screen-weary professionals seek reconnection with nature, while a generation of eco-conscious guests is increasingly curious about the origins of their food. In response, a wave of luxury hotels is weaving agriculture into the heart of the guest experience, offering immersive farm stays that nourish both body and mind.

Harvesting a new kind of luxury

Leading this movement is a new type of creative director: a ‘farmer-in-residence,’ who often manages both the farm’s operations and designs the guest-facing experiences, helping visitors find their zen knee-deep in soil before heading to the spa. ‘To me, the value of having farmers-in-residence lies in making farming visible and tangible for our guests,’ says Peter Quinion, group operations director of Heckfield Place and the expansive Heckfield Home Farm.

‘It’s not just about managing the farm behind the scenes, but about being on-hand to talk about regenerative agriculture, animal welfare, composting and helping people see how these choices influence the food they eat and the land itself.’ These agricultural roles have swiftly become vital to the hotels’ operational teams.

Regarding Hotel Corazón’s farmer-in-residence, Emma Phillips, formerly of LA’s Flamingo Estate and Big Sur’s renowned Esalen Institute, owner Kate Bellm couldn’t be more enthusiastic. ‘Emma has not only transformed the farm area into a wild paradise of edible beauty, but she’s an integral part of the energy, happiness, and soul of the hotel. You will find her walking through the property with bundles of flowers and herbs, delivering her produce to various departments that work with her – always wearing her signature hat and a big, beautiful smile,’ says Bellm. Phillips works closely with the hotel’s chef, Eliza Parchanska, at the hotel’s newly opened Tatjana von Stein-designed terrace restaurant.

Christiane Wassmann, owner of Rastrello in Umbria, which is home to over 2,000 olive trees and a 400-year-old farmhouse, states that participating in the hotel’s olive harvest in October is a highlight for many guests. ‘We have visitors who have been harvesting with us for four years already. They say they prefer working on holiday, giving back to the land, rather than visiting museums and sightseeing.’

In a world filled with endless options for luxury accommodation, what exactly is attracting people to these simpler experiences? ‘I think people are craving genuine connection,’ says Quinion. ‘So much of modern life is disconnected from the land; food appears on shelves without any story. Spending time on the farm allows them to slow down and remember that everything comes from somewhere.’

This idea is echoed by José Godinho, who is the general manager of all farming operations at Portugal’s São Lourenço do Barrocal. ‘This is a different kind of luxury,’ he states about the 40-room hotel set on a 780-hectare farm. ‘It’s waking up to birdsong, walking through open fields alongside cows, connecting directly with the vegetable garden, and feeling a deep sense of calm. That too is luxury.’

But who exactly is booking into these luxury farm stays? ‘The farm programming at Wildflower appeals to solo travellers, couples, families, and corporate guests alike,’ says Kristin Soong Rapoport, co-managing partner of Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection in Hudson Valley, which is home to a four-acre organic on-site farm. ‘We find these educational experiences are what our guests talk about most after visiting the property.’

To be clear, these experiences do not replace traditional wellness activities; they complement them. ‘The typical Wildflower Farms Leisure guest is highly educated and has stayed at the most luxurious places in the world. That guest demands high-quality fitness and wellness programmes as part of their daily routine,’ continues Soong Rapoport. ‘Their needs for wellness about nutrition and connection to the earth, family, and community are not always met, so we focus on this at the farm.’

Similarly, at Cap Karoso in Sumba, Indonesia, farm activities support the wellness experiences. ‘In fact, we moved to a farm-to-spa philosophy, and guests can experience harvesting plants that will be used during their treatments,’ says Teguh Wahyu Pramana, Cap Karoso’s head of agricultural operations. These robust farms play a critical role across many functions at the hotels, which of course includes the kitchen. Kobi Miterani, landscaping attendant for Six Senses Ibiza’s farm, noted that one of their most popular activities is a farm tour followed by breakfast or brunch.

‘During this activity, guests from the hotel spend about an hour walking through the fields, harvesting crops, and tasting vegetables directly from the soil and fruits straight from the trees,’ notes Miterani. ‘This experience gives them a deeper connection to nature and shows how Mother Earth dictates the way we function within our limitations, and how we can work in harmony with the natural world around us.’

Farm-led programmes aren’t just good for guests. If done properly, it can ripple out to benefit the surrounding community as well. Such is the case at Cap Karoso, which boasts a permaculture school where the farming team teaches locals how to increase their crop yield sustainably and runs community outreach programmes throughout the villages and schools.

‘The farm is proudly operated by a dedicated team of local Sumbanese employees,’ says Wahyu Pramana. ‘We envisage the farm becoming a centre for learning and knowledge sharing for the local Sumbanese community.’ In October, the hotel will host the first-ever Sumba Food Festival, with 600 guests to raise funds for local initiatives, such as clean water access and education.

Whether farming-led travel is a fad or the future, Wallpaper* asked Richard Christiansen, founder of Flamingo Estate, for his perspective. While guests can’t stay at Flamingo Estate (it’s Christiansen’s home and orchard), you can get a taste of the Flamingo Estate universe at select JW Marriott properties through the two brands’ recent collaboration on honey, curated playlists, and a signature scent.

‘In uncertain, difficult times, nature gives us hope and a sense of tradition and permanence, which is so important,’ says Christiansen. ‘We’ve always said that Mother Nature is the last great luxury house. I believe we need her more than ever now.’

It looks like the future of farm-led travel is ripe for even more growth.

In 2021, when Dutch couple Martijn Kleijwegt and Monique Snoeijen purchased what is now Quinta do Pinheiro, a 35-hectare estate near Ria Formosa Natural Park, they initially wanted to keep it in the family: a dreamy Algarvean hideaway that they can enjoy for generations. But as the couple worked with father-and-daughter Frederico (architect) and Marta (designer) Valsassina to revive the 19th century property, their vision for its future shifted.

In January 2025, they opened Quinta do Pinheiro as a hotel, featuring five multi-bedroom houses, a pool and lounge area, an outdoor space with tables and benches perfect for lingering, a fitness studio, and a massage room. All of it, surrounded by hectares of pine trees, olive groves, orchards, and vineyards (they’ve handed the responsibility of bottling wine from these grapes to a local vintner) that give it a sense of place. Because no matter how fine the details may be, you’re staying on a farm.

‘The place is simply too special not to share with others,’ Snoeijen recalls. ‘Then, we started dreaming. What if we could open this place for retreats for physical rejuvenation, creative expression, or intellectual stimulation? What if other families could create lifelong memories here, too? Our ambitions grew every day!’

Wallpaper* checks into Quinta do Pinheiro

What’s on your doorstep?

Portugal’s Algarve, the sunny south that has been the seaside escape of choice for locals and Northern Europeans for decades, is immense. Quinta do Pinheiro is located in the fringes of Ria Formosa Natural Park, and offers a much wilder experience that feels a world away from the area’s more established vacation hotspots. Quinta do Pinheiro, about 30 kilometres east of the airport in Faro and 10 kilometres west of the town of Tavira, aligns itself with the quiet, nature-first pace of life that you’ll find directly outside its doorsteps. You’re 10 minutes away from oyster farms, mom-and-pop seafood restaurants, walking and cycling trails (you can, in fact, borrow bikes from the hotel), and island beaches only accessible by boat.

Who is behind the design?

Renowned Portuguese architect Frederico Valsassina oversaw the structural renovation of the property, while his daughter Marta Valsassina took charge of the interior design. The goal here was to uphold the farmhouse origins while adding a contemporary flair to the guest experience. ‘Our design narrative was rooted in the idea of creating a space that is authentic, timeless, and deeply connected to its surroundings,’ says Valsassina. ‘Rather than imposing a new identity on the house, our goal was to reveal and enhance what was already present.’

Throughout, you’ll find details that serve to enhance the quinta’s heritage. After all, not all the houses that visitors can book now were previously built for lodging: One building was a winery, and another was for storage. But other existing structures were left alone, not only to serve as reminders of a history but also to celebrate what makes the property special. The former distillery (or an alambique), the bread oven, and an outdoor kitchen are kept as is; one day, the family may choose to start making their own medronho.

The room to book

There are only five two-to-three-bedroom houses on the property, and while room count and some decorative details differ, they mostly have very similar setups, with spacious living areas, full kitchens, and some outdoor areas. Sculptural blonde wood dining sets by Branca Lisboa, Futah wool blankets, and various lighting systems by brands like Anglepoise and Santa & Cole can be found in every house.

Admittedly, the best booking at Quinta do Pinheiro is the one that will suit the needs of who’s staying, because each casa has different perks. (Do you want a small private pool? Casa da Avó has that. Or maybe you want a working fireplace – Casa da Eira, Casa Grande, and Casa das Flores come with them.) But three-bedroom Casa Celeiro is perhaps the most structurally special: Previously a barn, the soaring ceiling in the living and dining area is stunning, and so is the arch-like shape of the ceiling in one of the bedrooms. Plus, it directly faces the pool, so it’s quite easy to go for a dip and then sunbathe in one of the private lounge chairs that come with this house.

Minibar high?

There is no minibar; there are, however, full-size Smeg fridges that can be stocked with your favourite grocery items ahead of your stay, whether that’s local wines, cheese, and charcuterie or dairy-free milk and tropical fruits. Upon arrival, there is usually homemade cake waiting at the dining table.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

There are currently no restaurants or bars on the property. The staff can serve breakfast (as well as light snacks throughout the day) in your dining room or outside. In addition, they can book local chefs to prepare in-home meals or to lead cooking classes. Maybe you’d like to learn how to make a cataplana?

This summer (through August), the quinta is hosting a culinary residency for Amsterdam-based chef Ben van Geelen, who will be preparing dinners for in-house guests. And when the new restaurant opens later this year, this exclusivity will remain. According to Snoeijen, this is what they want on their own holidays: intimacy and privacy.

Where to switch off

Local wellness practitioner Michele Surya can be brought in to provide stress-busting massages in your casa. There is a small movement studio now, where you can do some workouts. (This was previously storage for children’s toys!) But when the new wellness area is unveiled, there will be a much larger room dedicated to all sorts of fitness endeavours, including pilates and aerial yoga. Plus, there are plans for a hammam, too. These will all be adjacent to the water tank that’s soon-to-be a plunge pool. And if you want, the hotel team can also whisk you away by boat to Praia da Barra Velha where Michele will be waiting to lead waterfront yoga.

The verdict

It’s refreshing to find a hotel where owners are guided by a very specific perspective on hospitality. For those interested in a stay that is fundamentally independent, Quinta do Pinheiro delivers. But because the property is built around how Kleijwegt and Snoeijen, and their family, like to spend their own holidays, the experience feels intentional and personal. This also means that a lot of the people you interact with have been members of the couple’s network long before they entered the business. And as their ambitions continue to grow (they’ve already bought more of the surrounding land), the vision looks to expand but not at the expense of what they see as the point of the quinta, which Snoeijen describes as the absence of discomfort. And who could possibly want to leave a place like that?

Quinta do Pinheiro is located at 8800-108 Luz, Portugal. Rates: from 300 €.

A modest beach house in the Atlantic coast municipality of Matosinhos, Casa Lavra is a masterful blend of interior and exterior forms by the Porto-based WER Studio. Several years in the making, the home covers 184 square metres, with an additional 70 square metres of open space available on the expansive roof deck.

Explore this Portuguese beach house and its expansive ocean views

The house itself was designed to occupy a small, narrow but deep plot that runs parallel to the beach. To maximise sea views the plan was inverted, with bedrooms and an office located on the ground floor, arranged around a central courtyard, with social appears on the upper floor and rooftop deck. This stacked array is expressed via the layered façade, which combines the concrete and steel structure with the carefully composed wooded wraparound benches on the upper two floors.

The staircase at the core of the house is clad in traditional clay bricks, as are the floors, with vertical steel cables serving as both structural support and balustrade on the upper floors. Clay bricks are used on the ground floor exterior, right from the street entrance, giving the house a monolithic, rooted feel.

The architects have ensured the concrete and steel structure is evident through the space, from the shuttered concrete ceiling slab in the main living space to the slender I-beam that runs through the covered balcony. There are Brazilian influences here, according to the architects, particularly in the materiality of the various surface finishes, from terracotta to terrazzo to carefully delineated formwork patterns and wooden decking.

The main living space can be opened up on two sides, with the ‘sunken’ seating, dining and kitchen area completely cross-ventilated in the hot summers. Curtain tracks were carefully moulded into the concrete ceilings, allowing diaphanous material to shield against bugs and prying eyes. Sliding aluminium framed windows slot into place in the colder months.

Adjoining the living room and the top deck pavilion are a series of wrapround timber benches which also double up as guard rails. On the lower floor, the bedrooms are shielded with wooden shutters for both privacy and rebuffing solar gain, using moisture resistant Accoya wood to avoid the challenges of the seaside atmosphere.

Other traditional elements that have been upgraded and reinterpreted include the textured glass on the doors of the bathrooms. Storage and cabinetry is also carefully considered, all of it created especially for the house. Underfloor heating is provided for the colder months, whilst the profusion of opening windows for cross ventilation negates the need for mechanical air conditioning.

Finally, there’s the house’s pièce de résistance, an expansive roof deck complete with a built-in pool that overlooks the beach, ensuring the property is a year-round destination for the owners.

Lisbon’s hospitality scene has evolved enormously over the last decade. Charming boutique palaces such as Palacio Principe Real, Verride Palacio de Santa Catarina, and the six-room gem, Santa Clara, have challenged the status quo of grand dames like the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz, built by dictator Salazar to show the world luxury, Portuguese-style, or even the capital’s first boutique hotel, the Bairro Alto. Chains such as the Six Senses and The Standard are poised to open on Lisbon’s cobbled streets, but the first hotel in a museum in Portugal has swung open its doors.

Wallpaper* checks in at MACAM Hotel, Lisbon

What’s on your doorstep?

The district of Alcântara, where MACAM is located, comprises a former industrial zone and a grander residential area with several palaces and museums. The old industrial zone is now home to a vibrant mix of bars and restaurants in the docks under the Ponte 25 de April, the longest suspension bridge in Europe. A few minutes’ walk will bring you to the B-MAD, Berardo Museum Art Deco, with works by René Lalique, among others. Even nearer is the Renaissance chapel, Capela de Santo Amoro, with 17th-century wall tiles, which offers beautiful views over the bridge. Elsewhere, a short stroll along Rua da Junqueira will bring you to Canalha, a beloved neighbourhood restaurant led by acclaimed chef João Rodrigues.

Who is behind the design?

The palace was commissioned in 1701 by the Marquis of Nisa but was acquired in 1752 by the Count of Ribeira Grande who renamed it in his honour, remaining a palace until the early 20th century when it became used as a school. At the time of its acquisition by collector and now owner Armando Martins, it was abandoned. Local architects Metro Urbe have renovated it to include 2,000 sq m of exhibition space, an auditorium, a restaurant, a café, a bar and a hotel.

Interior design comes courtesy of Martins and his daughter Sophia, alongside Portuguese firm Andrez Andrez and is contemporary in feel, with floors of oak and Perlina Bianca stone. Several of the lighting installations are from Bybeau, based in the south of Portugal. A colour-changing kaleidoscope greets visitors upon their arrival in the palace lobby. Meanwhile, a dimple hangs over the monumental double staircase twisting upwards to a library housing 5,000 books from Martins’ private collection. Then there is the art: 600 pieces of modern and contemporary collections. Highlights in the galleries include work by Amadeo de Sousa Cardozo, Paula Rego, Thomas Struth and Marina Abramović.

The room to book

There are 64 rooms in the hotel: 44 rooms and six studios in the old palace and 14 rooms in the new wing. The last, accessed through the gardens behind the palace, looks out onto them and the four sculptures displayed there – from the spacious bedrooms, which come with oval tubs in the bathrooms and separate showers behind elegant reeded glass doors. Amenities throughout are from the Portuguese brand, Benamôr 1925.

The rooms in the palace have high ceilings, original shutters and oak floors, with many in sage green tones. There are seven different types; some open onto a terrace, where a vertical composition of five polyhedrons by Canadian artist Angela Bulloch stretches up to a blue sky. Others are studios equipped with kitchenettes and easy access to the honesty bar with its frescoed ceiling of cherubs in the top gallery of the deconsecrated chapel.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

Only hotel guests can access the chapel bar. Cocktails come with a side of art, namely, Spanish artist Carlos Aires’ mesmerising Trinity. In the niche behind the altar, a screen made up of images from Portuguese banknotes and amidst them, one of Armando Martins himself, can be slid back at the press of a button to reveal the body of Christ, suspended against a series of videos, from soaring flames to all-seeing eyes. Arts performances and concerts with bar service are held here regularly.

Dinner, across the gardens in Contemporâneo restaurant, highlights the wealth of Portugal’s culinary bounty courtesy of chef Tiago Valente. Vegetables come from the kitchen garden on site and at another of Martins’ palaces, outside Lisbon. Highlights include a caldeirada, a typical fish stew, featuring prawns from the Algarve, goose barnacles and cockles. My dinner was rounded off by young pastry chef Lara Figueiredo’s triumphant dish of textures of lemon and oranges, entitled ‘A Mulher da Laranja’ – an homage to the owner’s favourite painting in his collection, The Woman with the Orange, 1914, by Eduardo Viana.

The MACAM café serves light meals for gallery visitors and hotel residents, with a wide selection of breads and pastries available, including the much-loved Portuguese custard tarts, pasteis de nata.

Where to switch off

The rooftop hotel pool, set on top of the wing of new rooms, offers a swim with a view. A neighbouring bar will serve (hotel-only) guests. There is a small gym that looks onto the bell tower and the gardens beneath, and one treatment room, where massages can be had upon request. But the best place to switch off is the four galleries themselves. In the two temporary exhibitions and the two with Portuguese modern art and International and Portuguese contemporary art respectively, you can truly immerse yourself in another world.

The verdict

MACAM is an extraordinary achievement and the fulfilment of a lifetime dream for Armando Martins. While there are many hotels which house art, the opening of a hotel within a museum is certainly a first in Portugal. There is no doubt that the hotel, created with the same attention to detail and passion as the museum, will attract a number of guests in its own right and perhaps set one of them on their own path to collecting art.

MACAM Hotel is located at R. da Junqueira 66, 1300-343 Lisboa, Portugal; macam.pt

In Jeff Wall’s ‘Insomnia’ (1994), a man lies in a foetal position underneath a spindly kitchen table, his brow drenched in sweat as he stares intensely towards the photographer. ‘Event’ (2021) depicts one man jabbing another’s chest in the hallway of a theatrical building. Both images are included in the Canadian artist’s first survey show in Portugal. ‘Time Stands Still’ at MAAT brings together more than sixty works from the last four decades. These two pieces are shown alongside photographs of energetic figures dancing at gigs and tumbling in conflict in the street.

They beg to be read, their movements and tensions rich with narrative potential. But Wall holds back on providing a greater thematic meaning or throughline. These images, often printed to a vast scale, are inspired by fleeting moments he has witnessed in life, or that have come to his imagination. 'I sense an opportunity to make a picture I haven’t made before,' he tells me, when we speak ahead of the opening. 'I don’t define it any further than that. I’m not that interested in what I feel about the event or circumstance itself.'

While the artist takes a step back from defining his work, it frequently captures moods or events that resonate in the wider culture. He tells me that his iconic image ‘Dead Troops Talk (A Vision After an Ambush of a Red Army Patrol, Near Moqor, Afghanistan, Winter 1986)’ finds renewed interest whenever the subject of war is in the news. 'Once in a while my pictures do connect with what’s going on. Which is nice, but it’s never intended. Maybe somebody sees what I’ve done differently in that moment.' The image was created from his imagination, though it conveys a palpable, real horror, as a pile of zombie-like soldiers loll and glare at one another. 'It came out of my idyll thoughts, there was not anything ‘real’ there, in the sense of a witnessed occurrence. But the war was real, and like many people, I experienced it remotely.'

Reality and fiction are intricately intertwined in Wall’s pieces. Many are backlit, rendering his scenes with a rich depth. When printed at large scale, they feel like spaces that the viewer could walk into. His sets and compositions tend to be carefully considered, but moments of seemingly instinctive moment cut through them. 'I think my work is a bit misunderstood as being the outcome of very precise and controlled decisions, which is only partly true,' he says. 'Unexpected things happen all the time in the process of making something. All my pictures deal with accident, just as all of them are filled with fact.'

Wall’s images are taken using film, and the artist still prints his own works. 'I use a film camera as I think it’s better for what I do,' he says. 'I don’t think it’s behind the times in any way. The only thing that is not up to date about my photography is that it’s not circulating on the internet as its primary mode of appearance.' He has used the word ‘cinematography’ to describe his practice before, not to align it with the experience of watching cinema, but because it takes a more expanded form than the classical idea of photography. His work has also been compared with painting, with its dramatic compositions, awe-inspiring size, and focus on the in-person, original experience. 'Like many people, I have learned a lot from painting,' he says, noting the freedom of scale that comes with painted works, and its independence from the publishing industry. 'For a while, photography accepted that it was a reproduction medium. I have nothing against that, but that isn’t the whole story.'

Jeff Wall. Time Stands Still. Photographs, 1980-2023 is at MAAT, Portugal, until 1 September 2025

maat.pt

As the weather gets warmer, the pull of a European break gets stronger, promising azure archipelagos and sunny cities. Like always, Wallpaper* has the inside scoop on the most distinctive and distinguished stays in Europe. These destinations are practically guaranteed spring sun. They are also spots that, come summer, will be heaving with tourists, so savvy travellers should get in before high season.

If you’re a design lover, look no further than our collection of European hotels to book now.

The best European destinations to visit in spring

Meraki Studios, Crete, Greece

Meraki Studios offers Mediterranean minimalism in the nature-rich valley of Kissos. The six simple studios by Sigurd Larsen Design blend indoor and outdoor living, sitting within a 6,500 sq m garden filled with olive, oak and fig trees, which is also home to a vegetable garden. Each accommodation boasts either a shaded patio or infinity pool; inside, expect functional comfort and well-equipped kitchens. The nearby village of Kissos is a quiet, secluded escape from the crowds of Crete’s major towns, and the local beaches of Ligres and Triopetra are as beautiful as any.

merakistudios.gr

This Time Tomorrow in Florence, Italy

This Time Tomorrow offers experiences in Florence and Marrakech; its Italian travellers stay in the Abitazione building, a modern tribute to Florentine art situated on the city’s northern edge. The fresco-filled building, restored by SpaceStudio and RecDi8 Living, is home to eight curved-ceiling residences filled with baroque portraits and velvet furniture. Enjoy off-menu cuisine and unseen exhibitions while you stay here courtesy of This Time Tomorrow’s resident curators.

This Time Tomorrow in Florence is located at Viale Don Giovanni Minzoni, 3, 50129 Florence, Italy; thistimetomorrow.io

The Verse, Lisbon, Portugal

The Verse offers the chance to experience local living in design-led surroundings. Fifteen residences designed by Studio Astolfi, from a pastel-pink loft with soaring ceilings to an apartment with a private walled garden, are housed in a historic building. They boast marble-clad kitchens, midcentury furnishings and a palette inspired by a Portuguese landscape, and are populated with local handcrafts, metalwork and hand-painted Azulima tiles. As well as five-star hotel amenities, The Verse also offers a home-away-from-home experience with fully-equipped cooking setups, work areas and hosting spaces.

The Verse is located at R. de São Bento 39, 1200-109 Lisbon, Portugal; theverse.com

The Bodrum Edition, Turkey

Get in before the summer crowds on Turkey’s Turquoise Coast with a stay at the Bodrum Edition, a boutique hotel in one of the twin bays of the Bodrum Peninsula. The 110-rooms, suites and villas feature custom furnishings, marble bathrooms, warm wood finishes, light fabrics, and a private plunge pool, balcony or garden. The Bodrum Edition is also home to a spa, Turkish hammam and beach club, all mere moments from the glittering Aegean Sea and a stone’s throw from the medieval Bodrum Castle.

The Bodrum Edition is located at Dirmil, Balyek Cd. No 5A, 48400 Bodrum/Muğla, Turkey; editionhotels.com

La Residencia, a Belmond Hotel, Mallorca, Spain

Nestled in the mountain enclave of Deià, a centuries-old spiritual home of artists and musicians, La Residencia captures the area’s bohemian spirit. The hotel, which recently unveiled the Studio Ashby renovation of its Villa Robert Graves, sits across twin manor houses among olive and citrus groves. La Residencia offers an award-winning spa and art classes for guests, while local exploration can be done on foot via local hiking trails, by Vespa, or even with the hotel’s donkeys transporting your picnic.

La Residencia, A Belmond Hotel, Mallorca is located at Carrer son Canals, 07179 Deià, Balearic Islands, Spain; belmond.com

La Fondation Paris, France

It’s always a good time for Paris, but the city is especially lovely in the spring. Stay at La Fondation, which is cocooned from its 17th arrondissement surroundings inside brutalist volumes by Philippe Chiambaretta Architecte, breaking from the city’s wedding-cake Hausmann aesthetic. Interiors, including 58 rooms, a brasserie and a bistronomic restaurant, are designed by Roman and Williams; La Fondation is also home to rooftop offices, a semi-Olympic pool and a climbing wall.

La Fondation is located at 40 Rue Legendre, 75017 Paris, France; lafondationhotel.com

‘Astrotourism’ refers to traveling to destinations which boast the most bewitching night skies in the world. These spots, often located in Dark Sky Reserves, are removed from civilisation and the accompanying light pollution, allowing for awe-inducing activities like stargazing, aurora viewing and eclipse chasing. In addition to becoming one with the heavens, astrotourism allows travellers to discover the most beautiful, far-flung spots on the planet.

There's no better time for astrotourism. Last year saw an uptick in Northern Lights sightings and there's even more in store in 2025 via astronomical alignments known as 'planetary parades.' According to Skyscanner, this year has seen a 53 per cent increase in travellers seeking to see the Northern Lights, with 28 per cent planning to visit Dark Sky Reserves.

A cohort of hotels, resorts and lodges have answered the call, all optimally positioned to reveal meteor showers including the Lyrids, Eta Aquariids, Perseids, Orionids and Geminids throughout the year; Saturn’s rings this spring; and the supermoon trifecta this autumn.

Want to take it all in? These seven astrotourism destinations will leave you starry-eyed.

Portugal: São Lourenço do Barrocal

Nestled among meadows, olive groves and vineyards, this Portuguese estate has been in the same family for 200 years. Eighth-generation owner, José Antonio, spent 14 years refurbishing the property; it is now sleek and elegant while retaining its old-world soul. The hotel sits within Portugal’s 3,000 square-kilometre Dark Sky Alqueva Reserve; here, you can visit the official observatory and view nebulae, galaxies, Saturn and the Moon, or take a private astronomy lesson in the hotel garden.

barrocal.pt

USA: Primland, Auberge Resorts Collection

There are few places in the world where you can get closer to nature than Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, the home of the Primland Resort, which sits on a private 12,000-acre mountain estate. The lodge and its cottages is surrounded by winding trails and trout-filled streams, as well as an unusually clear sky which can be viewed in its splendour from the property’s very own observatory. As darkness cloaks Primland Resort, guests marvel at stars, planets, nebulae and other celestial phenomena year-round.

aubergeresorts.com

Chile: Our Habitas Atacama

Deserts are some of the most sparsely-populated places on the planet, and the best places to stargaze. Our Habitas Atacama is situated in Chile’s Atacama Desert, which not only boasts a low population density, but the convergence of a number of other factors that makes it optimal: high altitude, dry climate, stable air and clear skies almost year-round. The hotel has just introduced a five-night stargazing package, ‘Explorer’s Delight’, designed to coincide with 2025’s celestial events, which includes discovering constellations, planets and the Milky Way with an in-house astronomer.

ourhabitas.com

Wales: Celestia

At Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales the mountains seem to climb to meet the stars, and the Milky Way can clearly be seen crossing the skies on moonless nights. The park became a Dark Sky Reserve in 2012, and local accommodation provides plenty of ‘stay-and-gaze’ options such as the wonderfully isolated Celestia. This converted farmhouse and barn is situated in a private clearing reached via waterfall-filled valleys and tangled woodland.

uniquehomestays.com

Saudi Arabia: Banyan Tree AlUla

There are few things more surreal than gazing at the cosmos from the already-Martian landscape of the Ashar Valley in Saudi Arabia. Banyan Tree AlUla is located far from the city lights within a vast open desert, which is conducive to some of the world’s most enviable dark skies. Here, tented villas blend seamlessly with the sweeping sands, sandstone cliffs and rugged rock formations, and a hotel astronomer guides guests through the constellations aided by state-of-the-art telescopes.

banyantree.com

Australia: Longitude 131°

The remote nature of the Australian outback makes for spectacular stargazing, but luxury camp Longitude 131° is particularly privileged, with its low humidity and minimal artificial light. At its alfresco dining venue, Table 131°, guides share Aboriginal stories of the constellations under the glittering canopy, and the lodge’s resident astronomer decodes the southern night sky. This truly is Australia’s heartland, with 16 tented pavilions dotted among rust-red dunes with views to Uluru rock.

longitude131.com.au

Namibia: &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge

The NamibRand Dark Skies Reserve, 140km from the nearest town, enjoys Gold Tier status, meaning that it is one of the darkest places in the world. &Beyond Sossusvlei, which neighbours the reserve, is home to its own observatory and resident astronomers who, every evening, invite guests to use the Celestron telescope to unlock the wonders of the universe. The lodge is situated on its own 12,715-hectare reserve—an ocean of dunes, rocky outcrops and gravel plains under a perfectly clear sky.

andbeyond.com

The Albuquerque Foundation, a new cultural destination in Portugal, is about to open its doors. The space, a complex that mixes old and new architecture, overseen by Brazilian studio Bernardes Arquitetura, is located in Sintra, a short trip from the country's capital of Lisbon – and is dedicated to celebrating the art of ceramics.

Explore the new Albuquerque Foundation

The brand-new Albuquerque Foundation was envisioned by Brazilian collector Renato de Albuquerque and his granddaughter Mariana Teixeira de Carvalho. Conceived as a permanent home for ceramics from all corners of the earth, the institution hosts and displays the renowned Albuquerque Collection of Chinese Ceramics, one of the world’s most significant collections of Ming and Qing dynasties export porcelain.

Renato de Albuquerque is a former civil engineer with a remarkable collection in his hands. It consists of more than 2,600 pieces, some loaned to seminal international institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Now, on public show together for the first time, the precious items will be available to enjoy after the foundation's opening on 22 February 2025.

Temporary shows will include a contemporary programme, bridging old and new art and craft. The opening show, overseen by director Jacopo Crivelli Visconti, will be a solo exhibition by acclaimed US artist Theaster Gates.

In a similar way, the new complex's architecture also combines past and present. The design, master-planned by the Brazilian practice, blends traditional elements and historical fabric with a modern new wing. The campus, of course, features exhibition areas but also a specialist library, a restaurant serving sustainable local produce, a concept store, and a garden that is open to visitors.

albuquerquefoundation.pt

Ours is the most well-travelled generation in history. So much so that the industry is reported to be worth $11.1 trillion, with 790 million of us packing our suitcases to go galavanting in the first seven months of 2024 alone. More than 2.5 million people made their way up the Empire State Building, and the Peruvian authorities have increased Machu Picchu’s capacity by around 1,000 extra visitors per day for 2025.

While frantically dashing around a destination and ticking off a bucket list might appeal to some, many are now searching for meaningful adventures that minimise environmental impact and offer a deeper connection with themselves and the destination.

This is why wellness remains firmly on the travel agenda, with the Global Wellness Institute projecting spending to reach $8.5 trillion by 2027. In the coming year, expect to see hotels targeting leisure travellers and road warriors alike with sleep therapy and organic vegan meals. Hotels such as One & Only’s new Siro One Za’abeel in Dubai are the benchmark to watch.

Not surprisingly, slow travel is, if you’ll excuse the mixed metaphor, fast becoming the norm, whether extending our stay in select destinations or taking our time getting there. Operators are stepping up to meet the challenge, not least those in the cruising, train and yachting sectors. Meanwhile, savvy hoteliers like Locke are championing the rise of apartment hotels, such as its recently opened Locke de Santa Joana in Lisbon.

The Orient Express has just launched its first sailing yacht, the Corinthian, a precursor to next year’s relaunch of 17 original train cars dating from the 1920s. Nipping at its heels is Belmond’s new Britannic Explorer, the marque’s first luxury sleeper train in England and Wales. Airlines are also taking off with upgraded products, beginning with swankier lounges (thanks, Finnair) and refreshed upper cabins, such as British Airways’ first-class seat, Turkish Airlines’ Crystal business-class cabins, and the new Aria suite by Cathay Pacific.

Luxury travel has, of course, long been a touchstone, but, increasingly, how we capture the essence of ‘luxury’ is becoming more fractured. Sustainability is key at Wallpaper* HQ and we avoid destinations that are plagued by overtourism – preferring, say, Santa Monica Beach, where a soothing pastel-hued Regent has just landed, over Beverly Hills – and check into hotels that are not just ecologically conscious, but which also give back to the community.

All-inclusive hotels are on the rise, with luxury resorts revolutionising what was once considered a somewhat low-brow concept with an elevated offering that covers everything from exclusive wines to diverse excursions. Kudadoo in the Maldives, for example, prides itself on its triple-A concept, where ‘anything’ is available ‘anytime’ or ‘anywhere’, from massages and watersports to champagne on tap. The same goes for The Emory, London’s first all-suite hotel, where just about everything – including helicopter transfers – is available around the clock.

If there is a common thread to what 2025 has to offer the intrepid globetrotter, then it is that travelling well – with all the nuances that phrase encompasses – is the golden ticket to hold. Lauren Ho

Wallpaper* Design Awards 2025 travel winners

Judged by Wallpaper* travel director Lauren Ho, alongside travel editor Sofia de la Cruz, the travel winners of the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2025 shed light on the industry’s need for ‘deeper connections’ and slower journeys. Read on to find out who is top of their game.

Best opening

Locke de Santa Joana, Lisbon

‘A much-loved Portuguese city welcomes Locke de Santa Joana, a new accommodation offering from a design-focused hotel group.’ Lauren Ho

Locke de Santa Joana is located at R. Camilo Castelo Branco 18, 1150-084 Lisboa, Portugal; lockeliving.com

Best suites

The Emory, London

‘Belgravia hotel The Emory showcases the creative aesthetic of a host of world-class designers.’ Lauren Ho

The Emory is located at Old Barrack Yard, London SW1X 7NP, UK; the-emory.co.uk

Best slow journey

L'Observatoire Suite by JR at the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

‘L'Observatoire Suite is an artist’s vision for a famous train that encourages its passengers to be curious and adventurous.’ Sofia de la Cruz

belmond.com

Best social hub

The Wilde, Milan

‘The Wilde is a next-generation member’s club that perfectly reflects the cosmopolitan Milanese spirit.’ Sofia de la Cruz

The Wilde is located at Via dei Giardini, 16, 20121 Milano, Italy; thewilde.com

Best home away from home

Vipp Todos Santos

‘Vipp Todos Santos is a new guesthouse from the Danish design brand that brings a Scandinavian aesthetic to a desert location.’ Sofia de la Cruz

vipp.com

Find more Wallpaper* Design Awards winners in the February 2025 issue of Wallpaper* is available in print on newsstands from 9 January 2025, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today

It’s not exactly easy to pinpoint where the Wallpaper* editors will be. From design festivals to fashion weeks and OOO adventures, there’s always something exciting on our team’s calendars. Keep reading to find out where the magazine’s staff members will be heading in the new year.

Wallpaper* editors’ 2025 getaway plans

LA: Charlotte Gunn, Director of Digital Content

‘I will look forward to my annual trip to Los Angeles to visit friends and family. I spend the year diligently plotting all the new openings I want to try on a Google Map so I am fully prepped by the time we arrive. I’m already itching to try Camelia, a French fusion restaurant which opened in Echo Park at the end of the summer. I’m also keen to see how the development of Melrose Hill has progressed since my last visit – a couple of notable galleries had moved into the area and there was a pledge to redevelop a disused retail block with new independent shops and restaurants. To get me through the long British winter, I shall be dreaming of fresh seafood at sundown from The Jolly Oyster on Ventura beach.’

Venice & Helsinki: Ellie Stathaki, Architecture & Environment Director

‘The Venice Architecture Biennale always causes a stir of excitement at the architecture desk, so my biannual visit to the Italian city in May for the vernissage is at the top of my list for 2025. I am also dreaming of a winter trip to Helsinki. I’ve always felt there’s lots to see and enjoy in the Nordic capital, and I have only scratched the surface. I have only ever been for work, so going on a long weekend in a private capacity is also on my list. The reopening of Alvar Aalto’s Finlandia Hall in January just adds to the reasons why.’

Switzerland & Budapest: Hannah Tindle, Beauty & Grooming Editor

‘I’m hoping to travel to Clinique La Prairie in Switzerland in 2025, a spa and clinic that has been running since 1931. (Previous devotees to its ‘CLP method’ include Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo). I also want to visit the Omorovicza spa in Budapest, another institution with a storied past, built on the Rác Thermal Bath, which dates back to the 16th century.’

Naoshima: Jason Hughes, Creative Director

‘In 2025, I’m heading back to Japan, more specifically to visit the islands of Naoshima and Teshima, which sit in the Seto Inland Sea and are easily accessible by ferry from Osaka. Famous for their art and architecture, I look forward to exploring both islands on a bicycle and seeing the works of artists Yayoi Kusama, James Turrell, Walter De Maria and Lee Ufan. I’m planning to stay at Benesse House, a museum and hotel concept, designed by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando.’

Australia, Uzbekistan and beyond: Lauren Ho, Travel Director

‘As I live my life constantly on the road, it’s important for me to plan my trips so that I make the most of each region or destination I am in. For 2025, I will be ringing in the new year in Sydney, followed by a few weeks of checking out new hotels in Australia. In late January, I will be heading to Beijing to see the newly opened Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, the group’s newest property, which unfolds within a 600-year-old hutong complex. This will be followed by a trip to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, which I am particularly excited about, and then, I will make my way to Europe, where I plan to explore Greece’s new hotel openings, and will head from Lisbon to the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe. While luxury hotels are my passion, at least once a year I like to visit a random destination I have never been to and that most people might not have access to. Finally, by June, I hope to make my annual pilgrimage to Africa to get my safari fix.’

Malaysia: Melina Keays, Entertaining Director

‘In February, I am travelling to The Datai beach resort in Langkawi - one of my favourite destinations in the world. Langkawi is the largest of a cluster of islands off the coast of northwestern Malaysia, separated from the mainland by the Strait of Malacca. I’ve been visiting this wonderful place for decades, and it never loses its allure. Langkawi is a proper tropical paradise; awarded Geopark status by UNESCO, it offers lush rainforests, stunning mountain ranges and white sand beaches.

There are fantastic things to see and do all over the island, which is rich in history and culture, but I could easily spend all my time at The Datai resort itself. It was designed by visionary architect Kerry Hill, who was determined to honour its environment, and set high over Datai Bay. The hotel is melded into its jungle setting, and its beautiful rooms and spaces float amidst the rainforest canopy, with breathtaking views of the Andaman Sea. The food at the Datai is superb, and I am particularly looking forward to the delicious Malaysian cuisine at The Gulai House, which is to be found at the end of a candle-lit jungle trail.’

Geneva: Tianna Williams, Editorial Executive

‘For the first week of spring, I will be heading to Geneva, Switzerland, to reunite with my cousin and sister. The location of this annual reunion varies from year to year, from the rolling hills of Shropshire, the coastline of the Gower Peninsula to London’s Hyde Park. I am excited to trade the London smog for crisp Mont Blanc mountain air, warm up with soothing mugs of hot chocolate, and, if feeling brave, take a plunge in Lake Geneva.’

Madrid, Rome, Paris: Sofia de la Cruz, Travel Editor

‘I tend to be quite spontaneous with the locations I travel to, often booking trips or accepting invitations at the last minute. That said, I will begin the new year in Madrid, and a few weeks later, I have a trip planned to Rome to explore the upcoming Hotel Romeo Roma, one of Zaha Hadid’s final projects before she died in 2016. I also have a weekend in Paris scheduled, which is something I make a point to do every year. As for the rest of the year, I hope to fulfil my lifelong dream of visiting Japan.’

Shanghai: Smilian Cibic, Editorial Assistant

‘I’m travelling to Shanghai to visit my dad, who has been working there for the past five years. I’m looking forward to seeing what he’s been up to. He’s designed his own micro home apartment, which has had quite a stir in the Chinese press. We will then travel together to Jingdezhen, the porcelain capital of China and then Shenzhen, the tech capital of the world.’

For more Travel content, visit Wallpaper*’s dedicated channel

Feast your eyes on some of the top houses of 2024 in our edit of 12 outstanding residential stories. The end of the year and the start of a new one always prompt a bit of stock-taking and looking back – before we look forward, fully re-energised. These homes all commanded our attention during 2024; some through their ability to make us think, and some because they inspired us to travel virtually, from our sofa, through the sheer power of their captivating design and site.

Top 12 houses of 2024, picked by Wallpaper’s Ellie Stathaki

The 12 houses that follow represent some of the year's most-read stories, sprinkled with a handful of Wallpaper* team faves. Interestingly, stylish new designs sit alongside rediscovered modernist architecture classics, and results include projects from different corners of the Earth. Scroll down to see them all.

Station Lodge by Andrei Saltykov, UK

Station Lodge peeks out between New Malden's typical period homes, inviting visitors to the architecturally unexpected. This new home, designed by architect Andrei Saltykov in south-west London is certainly unusual – and offers a radical subversion to the residential architecture of its region.

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Petra Island Massaro House by Frank Lloyd Wright, USA

Joe Massaro’s personal charm and determination should not be underestimated. Many before him had tried and failed to realise Frank Lloyd Wright’s proposal for a 5,000 sq ft residence on Petra Island, a heart-shaped private islet on Lake Mahopac, in New York’s Hudson Valley. He made it happen.

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Concrete House by the Ocean by Micaela Benedicto of MB Architecture Studio, The Philippines

In a way, Concrete House by the Ocean does what it says on the tin – this family residence in The Philippines celebrates a concrete construction in a privileged seaside plot near the city of Nasugbu in the province of Batangas. Its name's simplicity, however, can be deceptive, as architect Micaela Benedicto had to masterfully craft the house to take in the striking seaside views of its cliffside location and be a comfortable contemporary home in refined minimalist architecture for her clients.

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Big Sur House by Field Architecture, USA

The rugged wilderness surrounding this Big Sur house is representative of its section of the Californian coast. Big Sur stretches 75 miles from Carmel to Gorda and offers truly dramatic landscapes, with the Santa Lucia mountains rising sharply 5,000 ft above sea level. It is in this dynamic and remote environment, shaped by heavy winter storms, wildfires, and the mighty Pacific Ocean, that you will find the latest private residence by Field Architecture.

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Casa M by A-Lab Architecture, Portugal

A pattern of cement blocks poetically punctuates Casa M's exterior, a home which stands sentinel on a hill in Alvor, a seaside village of Algarve. The Portuguese region has over 300 days of sun per year, which makes it challenging to design homes without the AC unit – a bête noire of green-minded architects. One natural cooling tactic – common in Palm Springs and São Paulo, too – is cobogós, the hollow bricks that allow cool air to permeate a space without exposing it to the sun. This is exactly what this house is making the most of.

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House of Greens by 4site Architects, India

In the suburbs of Bengaluru, India, House of Greens is a private slice of serenity, tucked away behind falling vines and leafy shrubbery. The home is designed by 4site Architects, who focused on creating a residence in touch with nature, visually and physically, for their clients. The architecture firm, based locally, wanted its work to reflect its home town's nickname, 'City of Gardens', a nod to its abundance of green space. Drawing inspiration from the surrounding gardens, parks and lakes, this home is a tranquil retreat with sustainable architecture and greenery at its core.

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House in High Park by Ian MacDonald Architect, Canada

With House in High Park, it's clear why Ian MacDonald has become Toronto’s architect of record for a certain homeowner blessed – whether they recognise it or not – with a tricky location. The architect's extraordinary buildings don’t merely overcome inhospitable conditions; they benefit from sharing their space with stubborn rock, overgrowth and draconian red tape. His talent lies in transforming such liabilities into fascinating characteristics. This vacant plot overlooking a 400-acre park – a so-called 'missing tooth' in the residential streetscape – presented just his sort of challenge.

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Four Mumbai apartments by Rajiv Saini, India

Four Mumbai apartments in the Indian city's Colaba district have been transformed into a single, flowing, family home by locally-based designer Rajiv Saini. The project, which spans an impressive 8,000 sq feet, including a large-scale terrace overlooking the city skyline, was a challenge in terms of bringing together the disparate apartment interior designs into a cohesive, light-filled whole.

Explore the Mumbai apartments’ transformation

Ena de Silva House by Geoffrey Bawa, Sri Lanka

In 1960, when Ena de Silva and her husband Osmund were casting about for an architect to build their family home on a small plot they’d just bought in Colombo, Sri Lanka, her friend, the landscaper Bevis Bawa, suggested his younger brother, Geoffrey, who had just started practising. De Silva, a bona fide aristocrat from Kandy in central Sri Lanka, hesitated. She’d seen the architect around town in his Rolls-Royce, his blond tresses and silk scarf fluttering in the wind, and had been decidedly unimpressed. Dilettante, she famously thought. To her surprise, she and Bawa hit it off, and the pair became lifelong friends and collaborators.

Discover Ena de Silva house’s remarkable preservation story

Villa Baizeau by Le Corbusier, Tunisia

Think of Carthage, and modernist architecture is unlikely to come to mind. Yet Villa Baizeau – Le Corbusier's only project in Africa – is located right here, in the historic suburb of the Tunisian capital, just steps from its impressive Roman ruins and brilliant blue seas. An exhibition in 32bis, a multistorey cultural space in downtown Tunis, earlier in 2024 aimed to bring the story of this lesser-known Le Corbusier project to the wider public. Locally based architect Chacha Atallah was the driving force behind the show, curated by architectural historian Roberto Gargiani and supported by art platform La Boîte. 'It went from being a private home to a property that became part of the presidential palace precinct so it has an air of mystery about it.'

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Chu Ming Silveira House, Brazil

A previously unseen house by Chu Ming Silveira formed the backdrop for this summer's ABERTO art and design exhibition in the Brazilian metropolis of São Paulo. The brutalist architecture home, which has never been published or opened to the public, was created in the early 1970s by the visionary Asian Brazilian architect and designer – whose work remains largely unknown outside the country's borders. With its bold concrete and glass structure, the house was crafted to symbolise a vision for the home of the future, at the time of its design – bringing together a powerful aesthetic with functionality.

Explore the Chu Ming Silveira house

Northcote House by David Leggett and Paul Loh, Australia

One neighbour refers to Northcote House as the ‘opera’ one. Accessed from an unassuming laneway in the Melbourne suburb of Northcote, it couldn’t be more different – in style, size, situation – to Australia’s more famous opera building, nearly 900km away in Sydney. Perhaps the home’s cantilevered, timber-strutted awning initiated the analogy – a grand gesture on a pint-sized block behind a row of shops. Designed by architects David Leggett and Paul Loh as their own home, the house was years in the making and has received numerous accolades since its completion earlier this year, including an award from the Australian Institute of Architects.

Explore Northcote House

If you can bet on anything, it’s that August will be a scorcher. The smartest way to handle record-setting temperatures is to spend those balmy, languid days at a fabulous hotel. The most eagerly anticipated new stays prove that the dog days of summer are among the best times for a holiday that’s all about escapism – whether that’s checking into a Cycladic retreat for R&R on the island of Paros or decamping to a serene Aman resort on the East Cape of Baja California Sur. A few more openings we’re dreaming about stealing away to this month: Chapter puts its stylish stamp on Tuscany, the highly anticipated Danieli, A Four Seasons Hotel finally opens its doors in Venice, and 1 Hotels plants its eco-chic flag in Austin.

The world’s best new hotel openings

August 2026

1 Hotel Austin, Texas

1 Hotel has already left its eco-luxury imprint on cities around the world, from Miami to Tokyo, and now Austin joins the list. Rising from the tallest tower in Texas, the nature-inspired interiors – a collaboration between Studio MAI and the Starwood Hotels design team – do justice to two of the city’s most emblematic outdoor destinations: Waller Creek, a historic downtown waterway, and Lady Bird Lake, a reservoir on the Colorado River. The dialogue between urban and elemental comes to life through local stone, reclaimed wood, raw textiles and biophilic touches such as native shrubs. Guests can take in views of the restored green corridor from airy rooms, savour seasonal Texas ingredients at the restaurant, enjoy the rooftop bar and pool and switch off at the Bamford Wellness Spa.

1 Hotel Austin is located at 96 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701, United States

Amanvari, East Cape, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Aman’s long-awaited Baja California debut, Amanvari, set within the exclusive Costa Palmas community on the East Cape and meaning ‘peace’ and ‘water’ in Sanskrit, does a right turn from the mega-resorts of Los Cabos. Elastic Architects’ design, with initial contributions from Heah & Co., centres on the elemental landscape and the indoor-outdoor living afforded by its desert horizons, towering cardón cacti, warm breezes and the deep blue waters of the Sea of Cortez. Dotted across the property are just 18 sleek casitas. Each is finished with natural stone, timber and plaster and enhanced by bespoke furnishings, expansive terraces, heated pools, outdoor showers and generous alfresco living spaces. Privacy and peace are intertwined with wellness that taps into ancestral traditions and modern technology, ranging from temazcal to hydrotherapy houses.

Amanvari is located at Eureka s/n esquina con Sta Maria la Ribera, 23570 East Cape, B.C.S., Mexico

Chapter Chianti, Tuscany, Italy

Imagined by South African interiors architect Tristan Du Plessis as a modern Tuscan retreat, the second addition to the Chapter Italia portfolio sits within a restored 17th-century borgo, spanning 50 hectares of vineyards, olive groves and landscaped gardens in the undulating hills of Chianti. That all may sound like a traditional agriturismo, but upon first glance, it’s very clearly a contemporary, slightly unexpected rebrand of the countryside classic. The social and sleeping spaces mix earthy tones and modern styling to create bold expressions with character and soul. The preserved original stone staircases and vaulted ceilings mingle with furniture handcrafted by local makers, custom lighting from DCW Editions and Marset and playful art – from Kokekit drawings splashed across the ceilings of Osso to a striking work concealed beneath the pool and 82 rooms.

Chapter Chianti is located at Loc. Fontebussi, Cavriglia (Arezzo) 52022, Italy

Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel, Italy

Travellers with a penchant for historic grandeur will feel right at home among the treasure trove of brocade, gilded mirrors and Carrara marble at one of Venice’s most legendary hotels, which will reopen after a multi-year restoration under the Four Seasons flag. Uniting a trio of interconnected palaces and set on the Riva degli Schiavoni, steps from Piazza San Marco, with interiors by Pierre-Yves Rochon, the 120-key landmark boasts a museum-worthy collection of Murano glass, local Rubelli fabrics and ​o​il paintings. At the centre of the 15th-century Palazzo Dandolo, the atrium is an exquisite showpiece of soaring pink marble columns and a grand staircase. ​The accommodations range from spacious one-bedroom suites inspired by private Venetian residences, with generous velvet living areas and king bedrooms, to light-filled rooms in soft cream and honey tones overlooking the ​lagoon​.

Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel is located at Riva degli Schiavoni, 4196, 30122 Venice, Italy

Luura - Cliff, Paros, Greece

Paros is quietly rising through the ranks among Greece devotees seeking a more understated alternative to tourist-heavy Santorini and party-centric Mykonos. Its newest stay, Luura - Cliff, designed by Elastic Architects with interiors by Berlin-based studio Lambs and Lions, makes a compelling case for a laid-back Cycladic escape – sans screaming toddlers, blaring speakers, and (hopefully) TikTok reels. Influenced by the island’s artistic legacy, slower rhythm, and warm Mediterranean hospitality, the seafront retreat integrates the enduring charm of whitewashed Cycladic architecture with earthen hues, local stone and a significant art collection, including both site-specific commissions and works pulled from the Khoury family cache – notably pieces by Greek artists Sofia Mitsola and Kostas Paniaras, sculptor Judith Hopf and painter Chantal Joffe. The result is an environment that feels both familiar and unfettered across 39 spacious suites, two restaurants, a wellness area and a chapel.

Luura - Cliff is located at Agia Eirini, Paros, 84400, Greece

July 2026

Fouquet’s Mykonos, Greece

Fouquet’s Mykonos expands the brand’s reach beyond its exclusive addresses in Paris, New York City, Courchevel, and Saint-Barthélemy to a Grecian jetset hotspot. Set on Paraga Beach, on the southern coast of Mykonos, the sanctuary, designed by Divercity Architects, trades clubbing for calm. Embracing a contemporary take on traditional Cycladic aesthetics, it offers sweeping views of sparkling azure waters of the Aegean Sea from its 61 breezy suites and three villas, imbued with the serenity of sun-faded neutrals, clean lines and natural materials like stone. Embracing restoration, the wellness-focused amenities include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a spa sanctuary in partnership with Dr Barbara Sturm (think hyperbaric oxygen therapy, a flotation tank and an ice bath) and a basketball court carved directly into the rock.

Fouquet’s Mykonos is located at Paraga 0, Mykonos 846 00, Greece

Gran Hotel Margalida, Banyalbufar, Spain

Annua Signature builds on its Spanish presence with the debut of Gran Hotel Margalida, located in the village of Banyalbufar on the quieter western coast of Mallorca. Madrid-based architect Álvaro Onieva and interior designer Virginia Nieto reinvented a historic building into a contemporary escape that captures the elemental beauty and ease of the Balearics. Local materials – notably stone references the Tramuntana mountain range – hues inspired by the Mallorcan glow and vast water views set the tone for an unhurried Mediterranean holiday. Guests can float between the terraces planted with indigenous wild olive and 29 sea-facing rooms, warmed with sunny yellow accents. For an added dose of relaxation, the wellness area has an indoor pool and a light-washed wood gym that may be the chicest of all.

Gran Hotel Margalida is located at Carrer Major, 49, 07191 Banyalbufar, Illes Balears, Spain

Hoshinoya Nara Prison

Working with longtime collaborator and architect Rie Azuma, Hoshinoya Resorts has transformed the former Nara Prison – the sole survivor of architect Keijiro Yamashita's Five Great Meiji Prisons, built in 1908 by inmates – into 48 soigné suites. Each merges nine to eleven former cells, contrasting century-old red-brick masonry with contemporary finishes. The hotel’s layout mimics a hand: five cell wings radiate from a central watchtower where guards once surveyed prisoners. The former detention block now houses a Japanese-French restaurant, whilst an adjoining museum, provocatively titled ‘An Eternal Question Posed by an Iconic Prison’, asks visitors to meditate on liberty inside spaces built to deny it.

Hoshinoya Nara Prison is located at 18 Hannyajicho, Nara, 630-8102, Japan

Hôtel Nelligan, Montréal, Canada

Following a comprehensive transformation led by Corner Collection, a Montreal-based family-owned independent hospitality group, in collaboration with Atelier Zébulon Perron, the luxe redux of Hôtel Nelligan honours the heritage of existing architectural elements – including original stonework and exposed brick – while integrating refined materials to create a cohesive, elevated environment in lockstep with the past and present identity of Old Montréal. Fostering a deeper sense of place are partnerships with local artists and makers such as Lambert & Fils and St-Damase. The use of rich velvet sofas in elegantly curved shapes, deeply veined marble and warm wood infuses the interiors with character, from the 102 guest rooms to the atmospheric modern Greek restaurant and cocktail bar/music salon nestled within the old stone vaults.

Hôtel Nelligan is located at 106 Rue St-Paul Ouest, Montréal, QC H2Y 1Z3, Canada

Hotel Palacio Bellas Artes, Curio Collection by Hilton, San Sebastián, Spain

One of Spain’s earliest grand movie theatres just entered a second act as a striking hotel. Isabel López Vilalta recast the 1914 Beaux-Arts cinema as Hotel Palacio Bellas Artes, Curio Collection by Hilton, reawakening the building’s spirit and inviting an international audience to experience it anew. An audacious destination for design and gastronomy, the landmark hotel weaves rich colour, texture and subtle cinematic references into a tapestry of early film glamour and San Sebastián’s cultural heritage. The 81 rooms and suites are dressed in sumptuous shades of rose, with heavy drapery and velvet walls that nod to a theatrical past. This sense of drama carries through to the lobby bar and the highly anticipated Basque-influenced restaurant.

Hotel Palacio Bellas Artes, Curio Collection by Hilton is located at Urbieta Kalea, 61, 20006 Donostia / San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Spain

Shore Haven Inn, Falmouth, Massachusetts, USA

Cape Cod is one of New England’s most quintessential summer colonies, with an elite pedigree that spans the Kennedy clan and present-day polo-clad elites. But a younger, cooler, more accessible undercurrent is sweeping in. Riding this wave, Lark Hotels continues its commitment to reinvigorating tired stateside digs into hip haunts for modern-minded travellers. At the old Victorian hotel, formerly known as the Beach Breeze Inn, hydrangea-framed gardens, freshly cut lawns, white Adirondack chairs and a classic shingled exterior look like a postcard from the Cape. Boston-based Rachel Reider Interiors gave the hotel a fresh new look, anchored by a coastal palette of watery blues, soft greens and sand, complemented by textured wallcoverings, light wood and rattan accents.

Shore Haven Inn is located at 321 Shore St, Falmouth, MA 02540, United States

The Dean Munich

Irish lifestyle brand The Dean has arrived in Munich’s Westend. Set between the main station and Theresienwiese, the site of the annual Oktoberfest, the historic quarter trades its former factory past for creative studios and indie Java joints with Google and Apple offices nearby. Designer Tatjana von Stein, a Munich native, has reworked a 1970s hotel block into 281 rooms, fusing the city’s Art Nouveau roots with 1980s club culture. Glossy lacquer clashes with burr wood, velvet against polished chrome, whilst the lobby features an oversized eye motif channelling new-wave iconography. For sustenance, Ibasho opens with yellowtail hiramasa, slow-cooked pork shoulder temaco and Wagyu ribeye, and post-prandial treats are served up in four bars, including a hidden speakeasy.

The Dean Munich is located at Landsberger Str. 68, 80339 Munich, Germany

Read our full hotel review of The Dean Munich

June 2026

Casa Cedo, Porto, Portugal

Porto is known for Port wine and the bridges across the Douro River, but it’s underrated when it comes to its boutique hotel scene. Casa Cedo has the potential to put the city on the design-driven hospitality map for a cohort of travellers who prioritise intimacy and curation over spectacle and scale. Daniela Franceschini, founder of Lisbon-based Quiet Studios, worked closely with local artisans and creatives – including Ayala Braidman, a ceramist based in Porto, and Portuguese visual artist Juliana Julieta – to imbue the property with character. The rich details carry from the eight rooms to the common areas: a lounge area, rooftop, private rear garden and a living/dining room that hosts special events with buzzed-about local chefs, as well as a hybrid reception and retail cabinet with ceramics, coffee, fresh flowers and Byredo fragrances.

Casa Cedo is located at R. de Cedofeita n. 334, 4050-174 Porto, Portugal

La Darbia, Chianti, Italy

A peaceful escape with access to wineries in Chianti and Florence (just a 25-minute drive away), La Darbia sits on a hilltop estate spanning 15 hectares of olive groves, meadows, and lavender fields. Restored by Studio Primatesta, the intimate retreat is the result of a meticulous renovation that preserves the 11th-century site’s original character and heritage. A contemporary spark comes through local materials – pietra serena, terracotta, travertine, and wood – and traditional craftsmanship techniques, such as intricate woodwork by Flavio Bettio, which ground its sense of place. Tucked into a trio of historic farmhouses, each of the 17 light-filled suites (four of which cater to families) is individually decorated with layered textures, while the windows frame the rolling countryside. The restaurant, led by Chef Sebastiano Pagliaro, serves seasonal Tuscan cuisine. All guests have access to two panoramic swimming pools.

La Darbia is located at Via Case Sparse (Greve), 16, 50022 Greve in Chianti, Italy

Eréma, Milos, Greece

Empiria Group arrived in Milos with the opening of Erema, a member of Design Hotels, located on the southeastern coast of the island near Provatas Beach. While the moon-like landscape may be hard to pull your gaze away from, the architecture and interiors by Athens-based ID Laboratorium, led by Stamos Hondrodimos, are equally arresting without pulling focus. The volcanic terrain lays the foundation for its sensibility and environmental consciousness. Minerals such as stone and marble, alongside sun-faded earth tones, contribute to a grounded feel. From the 41 suites, each with a private pool and panoramic terraces overlooking the Aegean Sea, to the two restaurants, the indoor and outdoor spaces flow together, an expression of the Cycladic lifestyle. The third location of Anthologist, a boutique curated by Andria Mitsakos, stocks global finds, Greek ceramics and vintage treasures.

Eréma is located at Cape Chalaka, Plaka 848 00, Greece

Faraway Sag Harbor, New York

Faraway, the hip, heritage-tinged brand from Blue Flag, with outposts in Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, has expanded its reach out East. For Faraway Sag Harbor, Jenny Bukovec Studio, in collaboration with the in-house design team, gave the old Baron’s Cove a full facelift, reimagining the iconic hotel, located just a short walk from Havens Beach and Main Street, into a fresh-faced bolthole that draws on maritime history, merging a coastal palette and oceanic revival motifs. The 67 rooms and suites are clad in saturated hues and warm wood. The lobby lounge is envisioned as a hangout when not enjoying the outdoor spaces, including the covered porch, lush patio – conceived as the heart of the social scene – and outdoor pool. Guests also have access to Amalfi Coast–inspired dining at Zagara, a ground-floor bar and lounge and a gym.

Faraway Sag Harbor is located at 31 W. Water Street, Sag Harbor, NY 11963, United States

Kitirua Plains Lodge, Amboseli National Park, Kenya

Abercrombie & Kent’s return to Kenya, with the opening of Kitirua Plains Lodge, an A&K Sanctuary in Amboseli National Park, marks a full-circle moment informed by the legacy of having defined luxury safari travel in the 1960s and a clear vision for the future. Pivoting from archetypal tented camps to something more permanent, Luxury Frontiers created structures from quarried stone with sculptural roofs that nod to traditional mud-building forms and timber screening. Interiors draw directly from the surrounding dust, grasslands and wetlands. Earth tones come to life in textured clay plaster walls, green stucco, green onyx accents, locally sourced Mazeras stone and handwoven sisal ceilings. Kenyan-made furniture crafted from mango wood and African teak is complemented by woven grass artwork and raffia accessories. The sculptural spiral staircase in the main lodge, open-air boma for storytelling and meals under the stars and yoga deck are also calibrated to the landscape.

Kitirua Plains Lodge, an A&K Sanctuary is located at Amboseli National Park, Ol Tukai, Kenya

May 2026

The Baby Grand, Coronado, USA

For its second hotel venture, The Baby Grand, San Diego-based hospitality group CH Projects (the team behind the power-clash cult-favorite Lafayette Hotel in North Park) snapped up a prime perch along Orange Avenue. Once an asphalt parking lot, the 31-key boutique is poised to become Coronado’s coolest stay, steering away from the dulcet tones synonymous with SoCal style. Brooklyn studio Post Company crafted a lush aesthetic that toes the line between overgrown jungle and fantastical underwater oasis. The lobby roars with sculpted rock formations, swaying palms and private lagoons. The under-the-sea themes play out vividly in the rooms, with iridescent clamshell headboards and oversized mirrored minibars mashed up against custom leaf wallpaper and bold leopard prints. The flashy, sensorial feast carries over into dining concepts: an oyster-and-champagne bar with an ornate mosaic of sea creatures and a craggy, Greek-inspired taverna.

The Baby Grand is located at 1315 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA 92118, United States

Hotel Corduroy, Montauk, USA

Montauk, the easternmost point of Long Island and the furthest of the Hamptons towns from New York City, retains a more laid-back appeal than the buttoned-up, busier East Hampton. Hotel Corduroy – the latest venture from Blue Flag Capital, which also includes The Beachside on Nantucket – takes over the former Sunset Montauk. To convert the old motor court into a cool summer weekend escape, Ward + Gray drew on the area’s surfing heritage and its Atlantic coastal setting, grounding the project in a palette of deep green, sun-faded red and light oak. Conceived with mingling in mind, the 29-key hotel will feature outdoor gathering spaces for golden-hour cocktails and firepit stargazing, while the rooms act as sanctuaries with grasscloth wallpaper, reeded bamboo bedside tables and rattan-wrapped consoles.

Hotel Corduroy is located at 437 West Lake Drive, Montauk, NY 11954, United States

Nômade Temple Madrid, Spain

Mexican-owned Nômade brings its breezy, wellness-centric bohemian ethos to Spain’s largest city with Nômade Temple Madrid, a creativity-driven urban destination for design, culture and healing. Housed within the restored Las Letras building on Gran Vía, the hotel’s layered aesthetic, the work of Oneness, is a visual expression of its eclectic vibe – sun-faded reds, geometric prints, modular seating, bold lighting. There's a deeply entrenched spirituality, yet it’s still very socialable. The 93 rooms and two penthouses are tailored for rest; likewise, GÖN House of Healing focuses on restoration. The scene beyond the guests' quarters and wellness wing is far more happening: a 112-seat restaurant draped in natural stone, aged brass and dramatic drapery; a communal cafe softly lit with vintage-style lamps; a speakeasy and nightclub for vinyl and vivid photo opps and a lush, romantic rooftop.

Nômade Temple Madrid is located at Calle Gran Vía, 11, 28013 Madrid, Spain

Sublime Sand, Comporta, Portugal

Following the well-laid roadmap of its destination-defining older sibling, Sublime Sand captures the wild, natural ethos of Portugal’s chicest coastal enclave. The architecture by Lisbon-based Fragmentos in collaboration with Sublime Comporta’s original architect, José Charrua, harmonises with the rugged, windswept landscape of Alentejo, where umbrella pines and cork trees perfume the air and rice paddies stretch as far as the eye can see. The indoor-outdoor spaces, created by Andringa Studio, take a similar approach – drawing from the sun-faded palette of the surrounding landscape and incorporating minimalist textures, local materials like wood and stone and sculptural forms. These elements come together across the multi-bedroom villas, Beefbar, Davvero – the crowd-pleasing Italian restaurant from Sublime Lisboa – as well as the wellness facility and kids’ club.

Sublime Sand is located at Estrada Nacional (EN) 261-1, 7570-337 Muda, CCI 3954 Grândola, Portugal

Tierras Villas, Crete, Greece

A quiet departure from the thumping beats of Mykonos and the hordes swarming Santorini, Crete’s newest refuge, part of the family-owned Omicron Hotels group, focuses on heritage and halcyon. Designed by Manos Kipritidis, Tierras Villas embraces a peacefulness that’s both visual and visceral, signalling a shift in how the island is being discovered – slower, more intentionally, with a stronger orientation toward nature and an eye for aesthetics. Set against the sweeping backdrop of the Mediterranean, each of the five minimally designed villas features calming hues and organic materials such as stone and wood, along with a private pool and expansive terraces for sipping a crisp, chilled glass of Vidiano while soaking in sweeping views of the sparkling sea and blue sky.

Tierras Villas is located at Mononaftis, Ag.Pelagia, 715 00 Crete, Heraklion 715 00, Greece

April 2026

Airelles Palladio, Venezia, Italy

The first project outside France for Airelles reaffirms the French hotel group’s knack for transforming historic landmarks into richly appointed luxury retreats. Spread across impeccably restored buildings – including the church of Santa Maria della Presentazione – the property occupies the site of the late-16th-century Bauer Palladio. Architect and interior designer Christophe Tollemer conjures a Venetian fantasy, steeped in heritage and the serenity of Giudecca. A warm palette of ambers, mahogany and deep blues, along with terrazzo and marble floors, custom Fortuny chandeliers, delicate Murano glass pieces, Rubelli wall coverings and hand-selected antiques gives the impression of staying at a noble villa. The elegant effect carries through the 45 rooms and suites, three restaurants, five bars, a spa and wellness area and swimming pools.

Airelles Palladio, Venezia is located at Fondamenta Zitelle, 33, 30133 Venice, Italy

Conrad Athens The Ilisian, Greece

Like the phoenix, the regenerative bird that rises from the ashes in Greek mythology, Conrad Athens The Ilisian emerges from the remains of its predecessor: the former Hilton Athens. Occupying the redeveloped mid-century modernist landmark on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue, the 307-key hotel commemorates the building’s legacy, incorporating the original 620-square-meter marble façades by 20th-century Greek artist Yannis Moralis and exterior illumination by Eleftheria Deko, the Emmy Award-winning lighting designer behind the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. The interiors by AvroKO pay tribute to the past through original furnishings pulled from the archives, which contrast with the sleek finishes and pop art of its modern revival. There are tonal rooms and suites with skyline views, nine restaurants and bars – including Athens’s first rooftop bar, reborn as Galaxy Dispensary – a spa and the largest outdoor pool in the city.

Conrad Athens The Ilisian is located at Vasilissis Sofias 46, Athina 115 28, Greece

Delano Miami Beach, USA

Delano Miami Beach isn’t a new build – the landmark property dates back to 1948, when its 14‑story tower was the tallest on the strip. Yet if you weren’t aware of its past, the slick surfaces and gleaming fixtures might belie its age. The transformation, led by Elastic, celebrates the spirit and sun-dappled lifestyle of Miami, while honouring the hotel’s legacy. The glossy pool area is flanked by umbrellas, accented with playful fringe. Rooms are bright and airy with crisp linens, light chevron wood flooring, rugs that evoke the soft sands below and large, ocean-facing windows. Gigi Rigolatto, the first-floor Italian concept designed by Hugo Toro, is a soaring oasis of striped plaster walls, intricately carved wooden panels and yellow Sienna marble.

Delano Miami Beach is located at 1685 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139, United States

Read our full hotel review of Delano Miami Beach

Four Seasons Cartagena, Colombia

Located in Getsemaní, a vibrant neighbourhood steps from the Walled City, Four Seasons Cartagena captures the rhythm, romance and Caribbean charisma of Colombia’s most seductive city while also offering a sense of tranquillity and resort-style amenities. WATG breathed new life into a collection of historic buildings, restoring the Cloister of Saint Francis, timeworn façades, courtyards and the original Club Cartagena grand staircase. French designer François Catroux, in collaboration with Wimberly Interiors and AvroKO, shaped the interiors, which unfold in a warm embrace of old-world charm: intricate woodwork, sun-baked hues, and furnishings and textiles created by Colombian artisan Poli Mallarino. Guests can choose between colonial-style or contemporary rooms, each infused with timeless character. French studio SBM Interior Design extends the visual identity across the eight food and beverage venues, including the cocktail bar dedicated to architect Gastón Lelarge.

Four Seasons Cartagena is located at Calle 30 Media Luna 8B #8B-44, Getsemani, Cartagena 130001, Colombia

Read our full hotel review of Four Seasons Cartagena

Vestige Binidufà, Menorca, Spain

The buzz of Ibiza (thankfully) hasn’t yet reached Menorca. Nestled within an 800-hectare private estate on the island’s unspoiled northern coast, where native Minorcan cattle roam the untouched countryside, Vestige Binidufà preserves the bucolic side of the Balearics, sharing its sprawling grounds and amenities – including two restaurants, swimming pools and wellness facilities – with its hilltop sister, Vestige Son Ermità, which opened in June 2025. Shaped by the land and its history as a working farm, the in-house design studio, Vestige Estudio, restored a red-colored finca into an 11-bedroom, valley-ringed hideout that harmonises rustic farmhouse charm and serene sophistication, expressed through earthy hues, exposed wood beam ceilings, terracotta tile flooring, stone soaking tubs and antiques from the family’s collection.

Vestige Binidufà is located at Diseminado Binideufa, 18, 07750 Ferreries, Illes Balears, Spain

March 2026

1 Hotel Tokyo, Japan

Adding to Tokyo’s striking skyline, 1 Hotel Tokyo, the brand’s first seedling in Japan, is a masterclass in sustainable luxury within an urban setting, rising atop Akasaka Trust Tower. To create a biophilic oasis in one of Asia’s largest cities, Creme, in collaboration with 1 Hotel’s in-house design team, turned to nature, bringing the outdoors in through the thoughtful use of natural materials, a practice deeply rooted in both 1 Hotels’ philosophy and Japanese design. A vertical botanical installation, Oya stone and recycled timber panels greet guests in the 38th-floor lobby. Rooms are adorned with muted earthy hues, abundant greenery and floor-to-ceiling windows that flood in sunlight. The spaces feel like a breath of fresh air: a visual reset, a place to unwind above the bustle of the city.

1 Hotel Tokyo is located at 2 Chome-17-22 Akasaka, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0052, Japan

Read our full hotel review of 1 Hotel Tokyo

Fairmont Hanoi, Vietnam

Fairmont Hanoi, the brand’s first debut in Vietnam, adds a splash of modern luxury to the city’s Old Quarter. Glimmering gold and dripping in glamour, the 241-key hotel is a contemporary take on the opulence of Vietnamese tradition, poised to become a landmark in its own right. Influenced by French Colonial and Indochinese architecture, the sculpted, articulated façade, with collonaded podiums and balconies, punctuates the ever-changing cityscape. The interiors by Aston Design extend the aesthetic, while layering in elements that echo Vietnamese symbolism and the surrounding landscape, from a large-scale floral installation in the lobby to the vertical tapestry of vegetation in the courtyard. The clutch restaurants, bars and lounges serve as the social hubs, while the 3,500-square-meter spa and light wood-accented rooms channel artistry into relaxation.

Fairmont Hanoi is located at 10 Tran Nguyen Han Street, Hanoi, Vietnam

Read our full hotel review of Fairmont Hanoi

The Huntington Hotel, San Francisco, USA

San Francisco is in the midst of a renaissance, driven by new culinary and hospitality happenings, most notably the return of the Huntington Hotel. Once frequented by luminaries like Truman Capote, the storied Georgian estate helped put the city on the map. The redux – now part of Leading Hotels of the World – seeks to reclaim its cultural legacy. For hometown designer Ken Fulk, returning Nob Hill’s crown jewel to its ivy-clad glory required a grand reimagining of its accommodations, restaurant and wellness facilities, alongside a careful polishing of original plasterwork ceilings and boiserie panels. The 143 rooms and suites capture the elegance of the hotel’s heyday, enhanced by the allure of warm, muted hues and bold art. The Big Four benefited from a gracious upgrade without compromising its character, while the emblematic Nob Hill Spa once again beckons with an atrium crowned by Moorish fretwork and a heated indoor swimming pool.

The Huntington Hotel is located at 1075 California St, San Francisco, CA 94108, United States

The Lake Como Edition, Italy

Situated on Lake Como’s western shore in Cadenabbia, The Lake Como Edition balances heritage and hip, standing out among the historic landmarks of Italy’s most legendary lakeside destination. The Edition’s creative directors, Kirstin Bailey and Paul Haslhofer, in collaboration with Neri&Hu and architectural partner De.Tales, transformed a 19th-century palazzo into a modern interpretation of Italian glamour, translating the landscape – lush flora, turquoise water, pink sunsets – into a colour palette complemented by marble-faced archways and terrazzo floors. The lobby lounge is punctuated by a celadon green Sekoya marble bar and a custom Neri + Hu bauble chandelier, while the lakefront pool deck, dotted with striped umbrellas, looks ready to splash across postcards. Walnut furnishings and arched windows add character to the 148 rooms. True to the hotel’s forward-thinking ethos, there’s a state-of-the-art longevity spa for high-tech biohacking treatments and cryotherapy.

The Lake Como Edition is located at Via Regina, 41, 22011 Cadenabbia, Italy

Read our full hotel review of The Lake Como Edition

Six Senses London, UK

While most of London’s luxury hotels cluster around Mayfair and Belgravia, Six Senses London plants its flag in the heart of Bayswater. Taking cues from the building’s origins as the city’s first major department store, AvroKO looked to the heritage façade, the Great Exhibition and the streamliners of that era, weaving in modern, streamlined thinking and a soft palette that shifts the mood from retail to retreat. The residential-style rooms and suites unfold in a serene sweep of rounded forms, inky blues and warm woods. Some feature soaking tubs or glass stall showers that resemble old-school phone booths. Works by contemporary British artists complement a sculptural green bar, curved velvet seating and orb-like lighting in Whiteley’s Bar. Follow the restored circular staircase down to the basement spa, replete with a handmade porcelain petal sculpture by Ula Saniawa, a vaulted swimming pool and a biohacking recovery lounge.

Six Senses London is located at 1 Redan Pl, London W2 4SA, United Kingdom

Read our full hotel review of Six Senses London

February 2026

Alila Mayakoba, Riviera Maya, Mexico

Far removed from nightclubs and co-eds in Cancun, Alila Mayakoba shows off a more tranquil, down-to-earth side of the Riviera Maya. Huber Design Studio took a biophilic approach, celebrating the ecological beauty and deep cultural roots of the Yucatán Peninsula. Situated at the intersection of nature and culture, the five-star, adult-centric resort unfolds across mangrove-framed waterways, cenotes and the Caribbean coastline. Native, locally sourced materials – including tropical hardwoods such as tzalam, parota and rosa morada, along with stone ranging from hand-chiselled Mérida limestone to travertine – ground the design. Furniture, ceramics and henequén textiles handcrafted by Mexican artisans reinforce a sense of proximity and purpose, resulting in a retreat that feels deeply rooted in place while thoughtfully reducing its environmental footprint.

Alila Mayakoba is located at Carretera Federal Cancún-Playa del Carmen KM 298, Mexico

Ayan Zalaat, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Set on a 34-acre estate just outside Ulaanbaatar, Ayan Zalaat gives visitors a visually stunning and immersive introduction to Mongolian heritage. The combination of architecture led by the Mabetex Group and interior design by Fabio Friso reflect the country’s rich roots, while introducing a new echelon of glamour and grandeur to contrast its rugged surroundings. From the opulent double staircase and chandelier-studded reception to the 10 dazzling F&B concepts, it’s lavish on a considerably large-scale – but its sumptuous scene never overshadows its spirituality. The 32 rooms and suites show off bespoke furnishings, premium Mongolian wool carpets, marble bathrooms and expansive windows for soaking in the panoramic views. The property is also home to the Soma Temple and an ornately decorated Mongolian theatre, adorned with bright colours and intricate motifs, that hosts traditional throat singing (khöömii).

Ayan Zalaat is located at BZD - 11 khoroo, Ulaanbaatar 13241, Mongolia

The Newman, London, UK

Designed by the London-based studio Lind + Almond, The Newman is a new independent hotel that strikes a balance between a modern creative vision and nods to Fitzrovia's decades-long bohemian and literary heritage. Drawing inspiration from Art Deco design and the vibrant, creative spirit of the neighbourhood itself, the 81 rooms, including 16 suites, mix a soft yet warm neutral palette and geometric shapes with scene-setting art and a curated selection of books. Guests will also notice references to iconic figures such as the curves of the wood on the headboards, which recall the oversized bangles worn by British writer, heiress and political activist Nancy Cunard. Bathrooms feature bespoke tiling that echoes the façade of Gem Langham Court Hotel and sinks influenced by Shropshire House.

The Newman is located at 50 Newman St, London W1T 3EB, UK

Read our full hotel review of The Newman

The Vineta Hotel, Palm Beach, USA

The newest entrant to the posh Palm Beach scene, The Vineta Hotel, marks the first US opening for Oetker Hotels (the luxury hospitality brand behind Hotel du Cap Eden-Roc and Eden Rock - St Barths). Set on Cocoanut Row, just two blocks from Worth Avenue shopping, the elegant property revives what was previously The Chesterfield, a beloved Palm Beach hotel. Paris-based interior designer Tino Zervudachi headed the top-to-bottom renovation of the 1926 landmark, restoring iconic elements such as the distinctive Mediterranean Revival façade and leaning into its 100-year-old legacy with signature Palm Beach pastels and details like scalloped pendant lights that ooze coastal glamour. Snowbirds can expect 41 light-filled rooms, a flower-framed courtyard restaurant called Coco’s, a cocktail bar and a pool flanked by sun loungers.

The Vineta Hotel is located at 363 Cocoanut Row, Palm Beach, FL 33480, United States

White Elephant Aspen, USA

Colorado’s chicest winter hotspot welcomes a new stay aimed at the well-dressed coteries. White Elephant Aspen – the brand’s first Western outpost, joining properties in Nantucket and Palm Beach – introduces a contemporary, alpine-chic aesthetic to Aspen. The brainchild of Boston-based architectural firm EMBARC, the 54-key hotel showcases a mountainside colourway of white, cognac and charcoal, complemented by the natural textures of leather, wood and stone. Rooms and suites (some of which have crackling fireplaces) are kitted with porcelain tile, embossed headboards and oil-rubbed bronze light fixtures. The art collection boasts 125 original works, including landscapes by Alex Katz and rotating photography of nearby Maroon Bells by Bob Tabor. Guests familiar with the portfolio will appreciate the playful details, such as elephant door knockers.

White Elephant Aspen is located at 110 W Main St, Aspen, CO 81611, United States

January 2026

Andaz One Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand

For Andaz One Bangkok, a new lifestyle hotel on historic Wireless Road, Thailand interior design firm PIA drew inspiration from the pulse of the city, from the motorbike-jammed bustling streets to the hidden alleys. Envisioned as a base for ‘curious urban travellers,’ the design and energy aim to match the exuberance of the Thai capital. Colour and texture play an important role in expressing a sense of evolution. Arches – in mirrors, hallways and windows – nod to the curved lines of the Thai mid-century movement, while pops of sunny yellow and orange, bold works by Thai female artists and traditional window grills inject character and personality. As much a place to unwind as to sip cocktails at the swank lounge or swim in the outdoor infinity pool overlooking Lumphini Park, the 244 rooms are quiet with peaceful, leafy views.

Andaz One Bangkok is located at 201 Wireless Road, Lumphini, Patumwan, 10330 Bangkok, Thailand

Chesa Marchetta, Engadin Valley, Switzerland

In 2014, Iwan and Manuela Wirth, co-founders of the international gallery Hauser & Wirth, expanded into hospitality with the creation of Artfarm and, four years later, opened The Fife Arms in Scotland. The creative powerhouse couple has done it again with Chesa Marchetta, a cosy 13-bedroom retreat in Sils Maria, a small village in Switzerland’s Engadin Valley. Reimagined by the design-oriented duo and frequent collaborator Luis Laplace, of the Paris-based interior architecture firm Laplace, the seasonal refuge comprises four historic buildings dating back to the 16th century, decorated with arven wood panelling, traditional Engadin furniture and blankets from a nearby weaving collective. As to be expected, the art collection is exceptional: a mix of works by Old Masters and local artists, alongside murals by Corin Sands. There’s also a former barn turned 46-seat restaurant, adorned with stone and an exposed wood-beam ceiling.

Chesa Marchetta is located at Via da Marias 88, 7514 Sils im Engadin/Segl, Switzerland

Read our full hotel review of Chesa Marchetta

Oculto, Mexico City, Mexico

Oculto, the latest venture from Vida Lenta – the hospitality group behind Hotel Dama in Condesa and Hotel Parián in Roma Norte – is an intimate boutique gem in Mexico City’s trendy Juárez neighbourhood. Fernanda Diaz, of Mexico City-based interior design studio Eran, conceived the hotel as both an intentional hideaway for travellers and a tribute to Mexican craftsmanship and creativity. Tucked behind an unassuming façade on Calle Versailles, the 21-room bolthole veers toward minimalism with polished concrete floors and clean lines, yet the interiors are anything but sterile. The palpable warmth comes from the thoughtful layering of locally sourced antiques and contemporary art, creating an authentic atmosphere that encourages slowing down while remaining unmistakably spirited, like CDMX itself.

Oculto is located at Calle Versalles 80, 06600 Mexico City, Mexico

Soori Penang, George Town, Malaysia

​For Soo K. Chan, ​the founder of award-winning firm​ SCDA Architects, Soori Penang​ – the follow-up to the flagship Soori Bali – is deeply personal. ​Situated in the oldest part​ of George Town, the UNESCO-designated historic heart of Penang, ​the extraordinary undertaking reinvents a​ collection of Khoo clan​ shophouses​, where the architect was born and raised, into an intimate 15-key ​luxury boutique hotel. Centuries-old craftsmanship shines, reflecting an unwavering reverence for the past, thoughtfully reinterpreted through a contemporary mindset. The generously proportioned one- to three-bedroom ​suites are imbued with heritage details, from motifs inspired by the ornate Khoo Kongsi temple to carved stone and onyx lanterns, complemented by custom-designed furniture and latticed shutters. Inner courtyards, with reflective pools and bespoke stone fountains, provide a tranquil place to unwind between excursions.

Soori Penang is located at 48 Lebuh Aceh, George Town, Penang, 10300, Malaysia

Read our full hotel review of Soori Penang

V Villas Maldives at Mirihi

International architecture and design firm Studio Gronda transformed an older resort in the South Ari Atoll into a stylish vacation paradise where tropical escapism is elevated with sun-dappled sophistication. The newly unveiled V Villas Maldives at Mirihi, debuting as part of Accor’s MGallery Collection, echoes the barefoot luxury essence of Maldivian holidays. In tune with the rhythms of island living, each of the 42 villas showcases contemporary open-air architecture, seamlessly integrating indoor and outdoor spaces. Throughout the property, guest sanctuaries are accented with timber floors, vaulted ceilings, natural textures and handcrafted furnishings. Accommodations range from overwater villas with private sun decks suspended above the lagoon to beachfront abodes shrouded by lush greenery, as well as multi-bedroom suites complete with private pools.

V Villas Maldives at Mirihi - MGallery Collection is located at Mirihi Island, 00190, Maldives

The Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024 has been revealed, highlighting 20 studios from around the world as some of the year's most exciting newcomers.

Conceived in 2000 as an international index of emerging architectural talent, the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory is our annual listing of promising practices from across the globe. While always championing the best and most promising young studios, over the years, the project has showcased inspiring work with an emphasis on the residential realm. Now including more than 500 alumni, the Architects’ Directory is back for its 24th edition.

Join us as we launch this year’s survey – 20 young studios, from Australia, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Canada, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, India, New Zealand, Nigeria, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Tunisia, the UK, the USA, with plenty of promise, ideas and exciting architecture.

Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024

Here are the 20 practices celebrated in this year's Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024 – spanning 19 countries and five continents.

Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024: Europe

Kasawoo, UK

London-based Kasawoo was founded by Kyriaki (Katie) Kasabalis and Darius Woo in 2020, after they met during their studies at Cornell University in the USA. Their studio was established with an aim to work on bringing great design to everyone. 'Early on in our practice, we discovered that good design was often out of reach for most people, and we made a commitment to change that. For us, good design does not need to come with a big price tag. That is why we set up our practice to bring this ethos to life,' they say.

This desire is combined with an approach that draws on a more ‘gentle’ architecture – minimalism, not through formal reduction, but rather through the efficiency of both design gestures and resources.

Brown Urbanism, UK

Richard Brown's Brown Urbanism was born some ten years ago, as a London-based architecture and urbanism design practice with a mission to 'create better places for people to inhabit that are inclusive, engaging and meaningful'. As part of this philosophy, the studio works on a range of typologies and scales, including commercial, residential, retail and hospitality; always with a focus on sustainable, low-cost, high-impact design.

'Simple, well-thought-through design that works for the client while creating distinctive and meaningful urban environments,' says Brown. 'We are interested in how design can better reflect, support and enable new ways of inhabiting and experiencing space. We are particularly interested in how the home can support the complexities of life’s requirements – from working from home and experiencing nature to treating the home as a performative cultural place.'

Mast, Denmark

Mast, founded in 2021 by Australian architect Marshall Blecher and Danish maritime designer and architect Magnus Maarbjerg, is on a mission to improve the relationship between the city and the sea. 'We are motivated by the amazing potential that comes from reconnecting with water, as we have seen the amazing effect that even small improvements to water access and quality can produce in cities,' Blecher explains.

Specialising in architecture on or near water, the duo have completed several small structures floating around Copenhagen harbour. There is the 20 sq m tiny prototype floating island KBHØ1 (KBH for Copenhagen and Ø for island) with its 6m tall Linden tree; and the portable ‘harbour bath’, or Dyppezone, which can be freely moved around the city’s waterways, creating intimate bathing experience along its way.

Studio Argus, Estonia

Architect Margit Argus brings more than 20 years of experience in interior design, fine arts, and architecture to her young and fast-emerging architecture studio. The practice, based in Tallinn, is rooted in a Nordic aesthetic, bringing together local Estonian vernacular and a fine attention to detail. Current projects include a seaside hotel in Tallinn, a high-rise residential building, and a university campus in Tallinn, alongside a handful of schools and single-family houses.

Studio Collaboratorio, Finland

Young Helsinki practice Studio Collaboratorio was founded in 2016 by Finnish architect Kristiina Kuusiluoma and Italian architect Martino De Rossi. The dynamic, emerging practice aims to 'create beautiful habitats by using natural and ecological materials while at the same time paying close attention to the place and its history: more beauty, communality, affordability and humanity! Interactive cooperation, profound ecology and long life cycle are at the heart of everything.'

Branco del Rio, Portugal

Founded by Paula del Rio and João Branco, the architecture studio Branco del Rio is based in the riverfront city of Coimbra, Portugal’s former capital. Motivated by curiosity and influenced by the ever-changing city around them, the architects view each project as an opportunity to investigate different contexts and topics. Gathering inspiration from their travels, books and colleagues the team say: ‘We are convinced that what we do can improve quality of life. We live and work in spaces we designed, we share spaces we designed with friends. It is a privilege and also a motivation.’

Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024: Asia

Playball Studio, India and Spain

Established in 2017, Playball Studio is an Indo-Spanish architecture firm led by architects Celia Fernández Duque and Ronak Gangdev. Based in Rajkot, India, and Valladolid, Spain, the studio works on a range of uniquely contextual residential and commercial projects, often within urban conditions.

The word ‘Playball’ reflects the studio’s philosophy of always ‘playing ball’ and prioritising the needs of its clients. Fernández Duque and Gangdev are also conscious of the impact of their projects on the physical environment. The studio’s core strength lies in striking a harmonious balance between the organic and the technical, simplicity and refinement, and form and functionality.

Tsing-Tien Making, China

Suzhou-born Freja Bao's studio, Tsing-Tien Making (TTM), was founded following the architect's education in London's Bartlett School of Architecture and stints in Japan, in the offices of KPF Architects and Kengo Kuma & Associates. Bao set up her independent practice in her home town in 2023 and has been going from strength to strength since.

'As a collective deeply passionate about architecture, we at Tsing-Tien Making thrive on embracing challenges and infusing each project with innovative experimentation,' she says. Beyond her first completed project, featured here, Bao adds that there's more to come: 'Our focus extends to a range of exciting undertakings, including the development of a retirement house, the restoration of a scientist’s former residence, and the conceptualisation of a private collector’s room.'

L Architects, Singapore

Boutique studio L Architects was founded in 2016 by Lim Shing Hui. Based in Singapore, the practice focuses on creating homes that enhance the living experience. ‘Architecture has the power to evoke a wide range of emotions within us. You have to find the soul of the space,’ says Lim. ‘The search [for this] is what keeps me motivated. I believe that a good piece of architecture has the ability to touch the human soul, communicate messages, stir empathy and at the same time quietly delight – and this in itself transcends mere physical realms.’

The studio also believes it is important to stay rooted in its culture, in particular the experiences, cultural background and personal journey of its founder, allowing this to inform the shape and unique style of each residential design, giving it a distinct authorship.

Studio Heech, South Korea

Working across a range of creative fields that encompass architecture, industrial design, furniture, and interactive performance installation, Studio Heech welcomes multi-layered, rich experiences. Meanwhile, ‘the craftsmanship of “making things” is still important in the 21st century,’ says Park. With a keen eye for detail, the studio strives to create its contemporary architectural expression through techniques that bridge technology and traditional manufacturing – ultimately addressing the fundamentals of urban architecture.

Championing both the traditional and the contemporary, the studio often creates intriguing architectural forms. As with many forward-thinking practices, Studio Heech integrates sustainability into its work. From planning through to construction, Park makes sure to collaborate with a wide network of engineers, artists and craftsmen to broaden ideas and spark curiosity within the creative process.

Touch Architect, Thailand

Based in the bustling Thai hub of Bangkok, Touch Architect crafts residences drawing on its cultural ties and environment, while adding sustainable architecture practices. When approaching a project, the duo applies a 'bottom-up approach’, meaning they focus on the functionality of the space before layering on aesthetics. ‘For us, good architecture must be functional, timeless, and sustainable,’ they say. ‘While beauty and aesthetics are also important, it comes as an enhancement which completes the architecture. Great architects like Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis I Kahn inspire this philosophy in our work.’

Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024: Africa

Fleury Atallah Architectes, Tunisia

Fleury Atallah Architectes is one of the exciting emerging architecture practices to be included in the annual Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024. Founded in 2011 by Catherine Fleury and Chacha Atallah, it has offices in Toulon, France and Carthage, Tunisia. The studio focuses mainly on residential projects for private clients who are after a sensitive, sober and context-specific approach as well as inventive and beautiful solutions to architectural and interior challenges; but it has also designed art galleries and wine production facilities.

SI.SA. Nigeria

African culture motivates Lagos-based architecture firm SI.SA. ‘We are influenced by the abstracted forms found in African traditional art and their ability to convey power and meaning,' says founder Seun Oduwole.

Founded in 2015, the ten-person firm aims 'to make beautiful buildings that enhance the built environment’. Dedicated to the betterment of communities, SI.SA focuses on inclusive and socially responsible architectural designs. Boasting a diverse portfolio of residential, educational, and cultural projects, the practice has worked on some impressive projects, such as the colourful John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History in Lagos.

Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024: Americas

AD-WO, USA

Ethiopia-born Emanuel Admassu and Australia-born Jen Wood formed AD-WO in New York in 2015. The young art and architecture studio brings together their 'divergent' backgrounds to create valuable 'friction' within their practice – which, combined with their agility and multi-disciplinary approach, gives them a distinct edge when it comes to crafting works that are 'transnational' and experimental. The portfolio of the research-based studio spans from images and objects to furniture, tapestries, installations, and buildings.

Studio Porto, Brazil

The emerging practice of Camila Porto stands out through its contemporary fusion of Brazilian culture with a cosmopolitan attitude. Studio Porto's projects are intended to be timeless, balanced, and hospitable, Porto explains – but functionality is equally paramount. Attention to detail, empathy, and integration with nature are also strengths.

'Our greatest influence is Brazilian modernism, which brings with it a legacy of architectural solutions guided by simplicity and elegance. We combine this foundation with a contemporary and global perspective, integrating elements of nature and prioritising people's wellbeing. This combination of values shapes our approach uniquely and innovatively in architecture and design,' Porto explains.

TigerQi Architecture, British Virgin Islands and Saint Kitts and Nevis

Lavina Liburd started TigerQi Architecture in 2013, having previously worked at different firms and gained experience on a wealth of projects, from transportation and civic briefs to luxury residences and commercial buildings. With this under her belt, Liburd set up shop on her own, with a focus on a contemporary design approach that embraces simplicity and minimalism.

Due to the climate and topography of its secluded Caribbean home, the practice centres on three key principles; creating healthy buildings that support the social health and wellbeing of its clients; embracing hillside living to maximise views and light; and creating architecture that is designed to serve its community as a whole. These underlying principles are threaded into the studio's design process, wrapped up in a tropical modernism aesthetic.

Svima, Canada

Starting Svima five years ago, Anamarija Korolj and Leon Lai, looked towards nature and ecology. During our era of mass construction, the studio fine-tunes its mission by focusing on three key pillars: air, light and greenery. With this in mind, their designs draw on the blossoming biomes of Canada, while balancing a human-centric approach, ensuring that the client receives a design that provides ample access to nature. The studio's portfolio brings together a series of schemes that nod towards creating a more equitable and sustainable future.

Seeing themselves as ‘not only as designers of buildings but as stewards of human experience’, Korolj and Lai seek to unite art and architecture to ‘continuously leverage the two mediums as vehicles with a reciprocal relationship in pushing the boundaries of the visual and spatial expressions.’ The creative duo strives to implement projects with a sense of place, resilience and inclusivity, ‘reflecting the essence of what it means to be Canadian.’

Büro Koray Duman, USA

This agile New York and Istanbul architecture practice – Büro Koray Duman – was founded by architect Koray Duman in 2014. The studio is a proudly immigrant- and LGBTQ-led business, comprising a team of architects that represent a diverse mix of nationalities and experiences. As a result, its output is equally varied and captivating - from projects for MoMA PS1 Museum, to the Finnish Cultural Institute NY, the Noguchi Museum, IKSV, artist Richard Prince, the American Society for Muslim Advancement, Council for Fashion Designers of America, and Design Within Reach.

Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024: Oceania

Alexander Symes, Australia

Architect Alexander Symes founded his namesake practice in 2014 with a vision to challenge the current status quo in sustainability in architecture, pushing and challenging the field's boundaries. With a ‘hands-on’ approach and a speciality in delivering passive homes that don't impact their context negatively, the practice aims to create residential design with a purpose.

‘On a macro level, this ensures we contribute to protecting biodiversity and providing a future-proofed housing stock,’ says Symes, ‘while on a micro level providing a healthy and resilient home for our clients in the changing climate.’ With this in mind, it is arguably only natural that the environment would be the studio’s biggest influence. Keeping context and nature at the forefront of its decisions, the practice enjoys working with bio-based construction and existing materials and suppliers. The result is buildings with a natural feel and a reduced carbon footprint.

Spacecraft Architects, New Zealand

Spacecraft Architects founders Roberston and Gittos often tackle limited budgets and the smaller scale in their work – a challenge they enjoy taking on to make architecture more accessible. Their own headquarters is nestled off the back of a self-built house in Whanganui, and is a clear representation of the studio's ethos.‘ The constraints offered by tight budgets and difficult (affordable) sites breed creativity and drive our design work,’ the creative duo told Wallpaper*.

With an interest in buildings that do not rely on luxurious materials or highly detailed construction, the pair hope to create powerful architecture even within the simplest structures. Working on infill housing across New Zealand opened up a niche for a wealth of recent work focused on the rising appeal of co-housing, in various forms of multi-residential projects and apartment builds.

Portuguese architecture studio Branco del Rio is an expert at crafting homes with high spatial quality and comfort but infused with sustainable architecture strategies for energy efficiency. Now, the Coimbra-based studio forms part of the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024, our annual listing of exciting emerging practices from around the world. Projects like House AA8, one of their first residential completions, showcase the practice's bright and airy concepts, which make the most of a minimalist and utilitarian material palette for maximum impact.

Who: Branco del Rio Arquitectos

Founded by Paula del Rio and João Branco, the architecture studio Branco del Rio is based in the riverfront city of Coimbra, Portugal’s former capital. Motivated by curiosity and influenced by the ever-changing city around them, the architects view each project as an opportunity to investigate different contexts and topics. Gathering inspiration from their travels, books and colleagues the team say: ‘We are convinced that what we do can improve quality of life. We live and work in spaces we designed, we share spaces we designed with friends. It is a privilege and also a motivation.’

The studio may be young but already has a FORMA 2023 National Architecture Award for Public Space under its belt. Still, the design practice stays humble when reflecting upon what makes their award-winning work stand out from the crowd. ‘Perhaps this answer should not come from us,’ they say. ‘We have been fortunate to see our work recognised and have had the opportunity to win competitions for public housing. One thing we believe in and strive for is achieving a maximum spatial impact, comfort, and energy efficiency [design] with the minimum amount of material and energy used.’

What: House AA8

Nestled in Portugal's Norton de Matos, House AA8 adds playful charm to its streetside plot. Taking its cues from the neighbouring homes' volumetric composition, House AA8's design subtly stands out through its yellow and white palette that injects vibrancy and a pop of colour.

The typical Norton de Matos house has been expanded into its backyard with a concrete extension, replacing original wooden frames and ventilated roofs. Branco del Rio wanted to break away from this trend and maintain the existing home's original characteristics. Carefully choosing materials which provide an element of indoor/outdoor living, the studio introduced light and natural ventilation inside. Wood features heavily, adding an element of raw authenticity to the design, while carving out small, shady 'nooks' for living. This, matched with custard yellow detailing and smooth cream walls, gently nods to the country’s delicious pastel de nata, the architects explain. What's not to like?

Why: Wallpaper* Architects Directory

Conceived in 2000 as an international index of emerging architectural talent, the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory is our annual listing of promising practices from across the globe. While always championing the best and most promising young studios, over the years, the project has showcased inspiring work with an emphasis on the residential realm. Now including more than 500 alumni, the Architects’ Directory is back for its 24th edition. Join us as we launch this year’s survey – 20 young studios from Australia, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Canada, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, India, New Zealand, Nigeria, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Tunisia, the UK, the USA, with plenty of promise, ideas and exciting architecture.

branco-delrio.com

The ancient Portuguese town of Alcácer do Sal, just an hour south of Lisbon and thirty minutes from the white sands of Comporta, ticked all the boxes for design-savvy duo Antonio Falcáo Costa Lopes and Filipa Fortunato, who after opening and selling Casa Fortunato, an elegant nine-room retreat in the capital, wanted to reintroduce the project in an off-grid setting. In a similar fashion to the construction of their first outpost, Falcáo Costa Lopes, an architect by trade, restored the original property with evident respect for its history. As such, he revived its wooden floors and panelling, glazed Portuguese tiles and over-layered it with contemporary touches chosen by Fortunato.

Casa Fortunato, Alcácer do Sal

Within the six guest rooms lie a host of work from local artisans and vintage-sourced furniture, including a Maria Bellini sofa for B&B Italia in burnt orange, sunshine yellow Nimrod chairs by Marc Newson and an olive-green Sergio Rodrigues couch from the 1950s. Lighting, a particular obsession of the duo, gathers Vintage Flos lamps beneath a pendant light by Noguchi, colourful hanging Foscarni lanterns by Andrea Anastasio and Plus + Minus Vibia strips and luminaires that run throughout the house. Art from Fortunato’s mother, including a charmingly whimsical ballet scene, adds to the personal feel of this skilfully curated collection of treasures.

Outside, hydraulic tiles take centre stage. Falcáo Costa Lopes lined the sleek pool with bold, colourful stripes that extend to a patio, where dining tables and colourful chairs promise regional treats. Dinners, cooked by the two local women who care for the house, include a traditional tomato soup learned from their grandmother and cakes moist with honey from their father’s bees. All in all, Casa Fortunato is as warm and welcoming as any home, yet, it’s its design details that will make you want to come back for more and more.

Find Casa Fortunato at Largo do Visc. de Alcácer 9, 7580-119 Alcácer do Sal, Portugal, casafortunato.com

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s complex in Lisbon has been one of the city’s best-loved landmarks since it opened in the 1960s. The foundation aims to improve quality of life through art, charity, science and education, and its Lisbon campus encompasses a main office, library, the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, scientific research centre and contemporary art museum, Centro de Arte Moderna (CAM), which reopens this year following an extensive four-year renovation by Japanese studio Kengo Kuma & Associates. Designed in collaboration with landscape architect Vladimir Djurovic, the update cleverly reconfigures the space and extends the foundation’s gardens to craft a more cohesive relationship between the existing structures.

Explore Centro de Arte Moderna at Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon

The original CAM building was designed in 1983 by British architect Leslie Martin, who led the team behind London’s Royal Festival Hall. The museum already holds almost 12,000 artworks, spanning paintings, sculptures, installations, drawings, prints, photographs and films by some of the country’s most renowned artists, such as Helena Almeida, Joana Vasconcelos, Paula Rego and Maria Helena Vieira da Silva, as well as a significant collection of works by international and British artists, including Sonia and Robert Delaunay, David Hockney and Bridget Riley.

Keen to expand its growing collection, in 2019, the foundation held a competition in a bid to better integrate the museum with its garden setting, » which was originally designed by António Viana Barreto and Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles. Rather than create an extension that ate into the garden, Kuma’s suggested design added galleries underneath the building, while a new entrance at the rear would open it up on to a public plaza. In choosing this proposal, the foundation selected a design that put contemporary art at its heart, as well as allowing the venue to connect with its surrounding context.

The reimagined building has glass doors on either side of the new entrance, affording visitors views of both the old and new gardens. In the main exhibition hall, girders add an industrial feel, while on the lower ground floor, light is brought in through windows that look up on to the garden. In CAM’s main gallery, Nave, is an installation by Leonor Antunes, who also curated an exhibition by around 30 women artists for the museum’s reopening. The crowning glory, meanwhile, is the engawa, a 100m canopy that spans the entire width of the building. Featuring planks of ash covered with white Portuguese ceramic tiles, and flowing in a wave-like form that ripples out from the top down, the canopy is held up by twin pillars that Kuma describes as like pine needles.

‘There is much to consider when looking at art, and sometimes it is very stressful to process these powerful messages. The engawa serves as a meditative space in the shade,’ says Kuma. Providing shelter, seating and a spot for quiet contemplation, the engawa acts as a transitional zone between the museum and the garden. Connecting with the community and the landscape was a key concern during the project’s conception, and that extended to the use of local materials and the celebration of their natural variations through the design.

‘A building should be connected with us and with its location. Using local materials is necessary to make this kind of connection,’ says Kuma. For him, surface variations echo the diversity of the city. ‘In industrial materials, there is no variation. I chose materials for their natural roughness and variations. I was drawn to them because we, ourselves, are diverse, we are not industrial products and we feel a certain sympathy for these kinds of materials.’

The use of solely native plants in the gardens complements this approach. A year of research went into selecting the species that now include polypodium vulgare (a native fern), euphorbia characias and polygonatum odoratum. They were collected in the wild and grown in a nursery before being planted. Some of the larger trees, such as the quercus suber (cork oak), quercus rotundifolia (holm oak) and quercus faginea (Portuguese oak), were also transplanted from the wild, creating a garden that, when fully grown, will be completely self-sufficient.

‘We approached this project with a lot of humbleness and respect for what had already been done,’ says Djurovic. ‘We knew that if Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles had been here today and he had had to do that extension, he would have let nature talk – the garden would have been as natural as possible.’

This project has transformed the Gulbenkian campus, benefiting both the environment and the local community. Dramatic changes have been made to what was already there, but with a lightness of touch, as the new design updates the original to create a seamless transition between the site’s various spaces. Says Kuma, ‘In our vision for CAM, we crafted a new outdoor narrative, where architecture and nature converse in harmony, inviting visitors to slow down and make this space their own.’

kkaa.co.jp

gulbenkian.pt

Since the first Locke hotel opened in London nearly a decade ago, the design-led pioneer of short- and long-stay hospitality has grown to include 17 outposts across Europe, from Berlin to Paris. One of the latest to open is Locke de Santa Joana, housed in a 17th-century former convent in Lisbon, a city much-loved by digital nomads for its sunny disposition and lively street life. The design-savvy, urban resort offers spaces for co-working, play and rest right in the heart of the capital.

Locke de Santa Joana wins Best Opening at the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2025

Following Locke’s commitment to using different designers for their projects to ‘keep the brand fresh’, 370 rooms in natural tones come courtesy of New York-based Post Company. Sense of place comes from using local fabrics, ceramics from Lisbon’s Grau Cerâmica and period elements from the convent, such as blue and yellow azulejos (tiles), which are woven throughout the property’s four blocks. All but thirty of the rooms come with a well-equipped kitchen, with tables to eat at, teas from the Lisbon Tea Company and Drip Coffee. Showers, rather than tubs, are housed in dusky plum-coloured bathrooms. Those in search of something different should book the rooms in the old convent, where beds are framed by marble columns.

A big draw is the courtyard swimming pool with a sun terrace, but there is also an on-site museum showcasing artefacts found during the building’s restoration, co-working spaces and event venues, a 24/7 gym, and five restaurants and bars, operated by London-based hospitality incubators White Rabbit Projects and Spiritland. Designed by Lázaro Rosa-Violán, these take their cues from the building’s heritage with quirky details, such as the cutlery once used by the nuns hanging on the wall of Mediterranean restaurant Santa Marta.

Other highlights include the Portuguese brasserie Santa Joana, alongside a Japanese whiskey bar and a basement cocktail club hosting late-night DJ sets by local and global residencies. As Paul Noble and Sophie Uddin of Spiritland said of Locke’s listening bar, The Kissaten, where their private vinyl collections will be available (as well as a range of whisky curated by Dave Broom), ‘this is something for creative, Bohemian aficionados’. The same could be said of Locke de Santa Joana itself.

Locke de Santa Joana is located at R. Camilo Castelo Branco 18, 1150-084 Lisbon; lockeliving.com

Find more Wallpaper* Design Awards winners in the February 2025 issue of Wallpaper* is available in print on newsstands from 9 January 2025, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today

City Cortex, a research programme supported by world-leading cork producer Corticeira Amorim and unveiled this month, uses Lisbon as a testbed to explore new possibilities for the material's use in urban design. The project challenged internationally recognised architects and designers Eduardo Souto de Moura, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Gabriel Calatrava, Leong Leong, Sagmeister & Walsh, and Yves Behar to present experimentations with cork, creating a series of public installations. The concept was curated by Guta Moura Guedes, a mainstay in Portugal’s art and culture scene. 

City Cortex opens to the public 

'Cork is a very sweet and emotional material [...] We are surrounded by concrete, by iron, and now we have these small gestures made of cork to teach us that nature is part of our cities, and that sweetness and wellbeing are as well,' explains Moura Guedes of City Cortex, which was inaugurated last weekend in Lisbon.

Originally slated for an opening in New York City before the pandemic, City Cortex moved its launch closer to its Portuguese cork roots, with works now installed on sites across Belém and Trafaria in Lisbon until November 2024. 

Projects include Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s 'Second Skin', where cork-wrapped tree trunks transform a small public garden near the Biblioteca Municipal de Belém into an open-air reading room; and Behar’s 'Port_All' totemic cork structure, symbolically mirroring nearby Belém Tower, while also leaning into cork’s softness and highly absorbent properties to offer a sensory respite from the city's typical material palette.

Further projects include Souto de Moura’s 'Conversadeira II', a love-seat-inspired structure intentionally positioned at the intersection of two buildings constructed more than 100 years apart. It invites contemplation on the past and future of Lisbon. Then, there's Sagmeister & Walsh’s series of interventions, tackling, for example, sound pollution with cork in a frequently used city underpass, while encouraging a longer-term approach to conversations on environmental changes.

‘Onda’ by Gabriel Calatrava’s Collaborative Architecture Laboratory (CAL)

'How can we protect or expand on the public realm, using spaces that are neglected?' asks Calatrava, discussing the motivation for activating disused spaces in cities like New York and Lisbon. Recognising his project's site in Trafaria, across the river Tagus, as home to many newly migrated communities, Calatrava sought to root his activation around creating a space for gathering. 

Now, straight off the docks, people are greeted by Gabriel Calatrava’s Collaborative Architecture Laboratory (CAL)’s permanent cork intervention, 'Onda'. A wide undulating canopy taps into cork’s infrared-absorbing properties to provide much-needed shade and tables for gathering below. Collaborating closely with Trafaria municipality's authorities and EDA – Ensaios e Diálogos Associação, a local civic group – local communities are actively encouraged to bring disused pieces of furniture, such as chairs, to the site, to be wrapped and protected in a layer of cork, promoting notions of reusability and recycling (alongside the wider benefits of cork furniture). 

‘Lily Pad’ by Leong Leong

Back by the waterfront in Belém, sibling duo Dominic Leong and Chris Leong of internationally recognised Leong Leong, were inspired by the concept of ‘the city as a playground’. 

'One of my first relationships with the city was through skateboarding […] Encountering different elements of architecture, furniture, playgrounds…' explains Dominic of his experiences of navigating cityscapes, and facing the barriers of 'defensible space'.

Prompted by the questions, 'What is the relationship between bodies and the surrounding city?' and 'How do they find comfort or rest?', Leong Leong designed 'Lily Pad'. For their concept, they transformed cork through a process of high pressure and temperature manipulation to yield a distinctive, dark, strongly scented playscape that 'creates a tactility or warmth, as if you were touching the ground'.

'In a lot of ways the project was about creating an indefensible play state [...] looking at possibilities in the space for different bodies to find comfort.'

Though each project offers distinct interpretations of cork’s potential in urban design, a palpable unifying thread is a deep appreciation of cork’s resilience, versatility and material intelligence, as well as the importance of community, engagement and participation, and an exploration of the politics of public space.

With continued plans for public programming in Lisbon and beyond, as well as the launch of a complementary publication that captures all projects, to be launched in September 2024 in New York, the conversation on the use of cork in urban design is far from over. 

amorim.com

city-cortex.com

Described as ‘a new hotel with an old soul,’ The Rebello is the latest riverside addition to the wine district of Vila Nova de Gaia, to the south of Porto. The 103-room property boasts panoramic views of the Duoro River, once frequented by the Portuguese wooden cargo boats known as rabelos, which inspired the hotel’s name.

The Rebello

Interior designer Daniela Franceschini of Lisbon’s Quiet Studios chose to nod to defining elements of the industrial area (including water, wood and wine), after she was approached to design the hotel by the Bomporto group, which had acquired seven unused warehouse buildings for the project.

Upon entering the lobby, guests’ eyes are immediately drawn to the materials and textures. Two large wall tapestries by Edurne Camacho, depicting sirens, are complemented by wavy mirrors and ceramic mesh by Fig Studio. Additionally, a pair of 19th-century monumental rope planters are juxtaposed against chain floor lamps, all crafted using salvaged material from discarded rabelos.

The hotel features art throughout, including collectable pieces such as black and white graphic prints by Josep Maynou, ceramics by Grau Cerâmica, wooden-framed plaster abstract artworks by Tomek Sadurski, and custom woven metal artworks by Pedro Guimarães.

The 1970s-inspired rooms are equipped with travertine and walnut kitchenettes, unique wall sconces and lamps, a red upholstered ‘Moca’ chair and a green adaptation of the ‘Hygge’ chair, both by Collector Group.

An expansive rooftop restaurant and garden terrace crown the hotel, where Guatemalan marble and dark walls provide a backdrop for standout design elements, including Italian wall sconces from the 1940s, Sergio Mazza lighting from the 1960s, and sculptural installations using metal pans by Joana Passos.

Meanwhile, a serene vermilion pigment provides the perfect palette for the spa, inspired by the thermal baths of Portus Cale, with walnut-toned daybeds and embroidered artwork by Agnieszka Owsiany.

The Rebello is located at Cais de Gaia 380 in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, therebello.com

Casa e a Pedra, designed by François Leite, is an imaginative, leafy reinvention of a Porto home. The project, created by the Paris- and Porto-based architect, addresses a private residence's need for change to adapt to 21st-century standards, taking into account its existing structure as well as the wider context in the Portuguese city's Lapa neighbourhood.  

Step inside Casa e a Pedra by François Leite

'Here, derelict buildings stand side by side with the granite outcrops of the old quarry, which was used in the 18th century to construct the district's emblematic buildings,' Leite writes. The house's site, which was in ruins at the start of the project, is not only home to an impressive natural rock mass that emerges from the earth covered in overgrown, native vegetation; it also contains a historic stone wall, which the architect unearthed while excavating the plot during the works.

Leite decided to embrace the site's history and textural qualities and wove its presence of natural stone into his design. It forms the heart of the concept, which unfolds across a main, open-plan living space that looks out to a planted courtyard, linked to the indoors through generous glazing.  

A raw and minimalist interior celebrates the granite rock surfaces. It is a cosy, warm and rather compact space that appears more generous than its square footage. Visitors step straight into the main living area from the street's main entrance. A bathroom arranged in parallel to this space makes the most of the green courtyard vistas. 

'The home turns towards the patio,' the architect explains in his statement, highlighting the fact that this approach also helps control the climate indoors. 'This essentially mineral garden is gradually invaded by vegetation that affects the humidity and temperatures experienced [within].'

Simple, exposed materials and textures, a clean colour palette and an emphasis on the relationship of the interior with nature make this Porto home a standout domestic space. 

It is a working showcase of the architect's and the international creative industry's work too, as Leite said: 'Today, this house-gallery is a place to live, work and exhibit. A showcase for a dynamic and abundant programme of young Portuguese and French artists.'

francoisleite.com

FCC Architectura has unveiled a series of luxury cabins for Lavandeira Douro Nature & Wellness, a hospitality project in northern Portugal that combines nature, wellbeing, and local gastronomy. The cabins appear futuristic at first glance but are designed with a rural essence in mind. To achieve this, the Portuguese practice, founded by Fernando Coelho and Ana Loureiro, used thermally modified ash cladding, which resulted in a minimalist interior with large glass façades.

Lavandeira Douro Nature & Wellness: cabin escapes

The cluster of cabanas is close to the banks of the river Douro near Portugal’s famed wine-growing region of Ancede. The groupings take inspiration from traditional pastoral transhumance settlements, called brandas in Portuguese. With construction subject to strict footprint and height restrictions, Coelho opted for a single-storey, open-plan design where pine-dressed living areas face two lateral bedroom suites with a natural black slate bathroom.

‘The central idea was to create a special place to appreciate spending time while elevating those very pastoral branda qualities that are so compelling,’ says Coelho, who worked with interior designer Paulo Lobo.

Built on a south-facing 30-acre plot, this little slice of Eden started as a modest renovation project, eventually culminating in a 46-room resort. The story began 13 years ago with public relations executive Alexandra Leite and financier husband Carlos Gomes converting an 18th-century manor, steeped in heraldic history, into a guest house with a classic car museum hosting wine and wedding events.

When arriving at Lavandeira, guests are whisked away in electric buggies to their allotted accommodation, some 400m away. The villas are neatly nested along a vineyard terrace overlooking a lagoon-shaped pool beside a sprawling limestone spa complex that is recessed into the hillside and camouflaged beneath a herb-garden rooftop. The spa experience has all that one would expect of a five-star hotel – heated pool, hydromassage, sauna, Turkish bath and gym.

Named after one of the farm’s horses, Elmo Restaurant lives within converted stables. Here, Coelho preserved the structure of the old agricultural warehouse while Lobo revamped the interiors, which spill onto a large terrace with panoramic views of the vineyards. Native chef Paulo Magalhães’ regional cuisine trumps the organic salad bar menu, with typical feijoada bean stew, cured sausages, green broths, tender roast lamb and grilled cuts of meat complemented by Lavandeira’s wines and olive oil.

lavandeiradouro.com

Álvaro Siza’s original museum design for Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art in Porto was completed in 1999 – a low-slung, whitewashed modernist architecture building sitting on the grounds of Parque de Serralves. Now, neatly dovetailing with it is a new addition to the complex, also designed by Siza. Welcome to The Álvaro Siza Wing, which has just opened to the public. 

Step inside the elegant Álvaro Siza Wing

In terms of spatial and material qualities, the relationship between the new wing and the original gallery is so finely balanced that it would be easy to agree with the museum director, Phillipe Vergne, who lightheartedly said that Siza ‘had this extension planned from the very beginning’. 

In reality, if anything, the addition is a result of organic growth rather than planned development. The brief was for a design that increased the space available for exhibiting works from the permanent collection and added more archival space for Serralves’ growing collection of artworks. 

Access to the new wing is via the main gallery and an elevated walkway bridging a path that encircles the park below. This walkway features a subtle nod to the tension Siza creates at the main gallery entrance. The main entry from the street ramps down, squeezes between a guard’s post and opens into the brightly lit lobby. Similarly controlling the flow of movement, the new wing welcomes visitors through tapering walls that terminate in the double height void of the new wing’s first gallery space.

Elsewhere, other motifs show that the earlier work was firmly in Siza’s mind when designing the new wing. For example, just as in the original design, the undulation in ceiling levels allows for softer artificial lighting in each gallery; the surrounding greenery is celebrated everywhere through a series of picture windows that selectively frame the outdoors; and marble inlays embellish circulation spaces and accentuate the joints between wall and floor. 

At the same time, the new wing has the feeling of an intimate antechamber lined with cabinets and articles as opposed to the expansive ‘publicness’ of the main building. This compression of scale is keenly felt; the movement of the eye is tightly controlled as opposed to the 1999 design where the visitor's gaze can roam freely from an object to a distant aperture and an even more distant sky. 

In line with this intimate and inward design language, the ceiling plane of the new wing, while possessing its own interest, doesn't feature the punch-cut skylights that bring gentle washes of daylight into the central galleries of Serralves’ north and south wings.

The artworks on display as part of the initial exhibition, 'Improbable Anagrams', fit well within the cellular rooms-cum-cabinets of the new wing. The works of renowned artist Paula Rego sit alongside the refracted light projections of Gusmão and Paiva. 

According to Vergne, the rotation of works from within the Serralves collection is likely to be on a six-to-eight-month cycle, meaning the curatorial team is already planning future installations around their significant collection. Whatever follows, the gallery spaces themselves allow the curators to establish pronounced dialogues between pieces that are brought together by glimpsed views: through gaps in partitions and triangular apertures.

The ground floor is more open than the first floor of the new wing, free of the latter's cruciform partitions in plan, and is preceded by a lofty, marble-lined stair alcove. The lower level will be mainly given over to architectural exhibitions: with 'C.A.S.A., Coleção Álvaro Siza, Arquivo' being the opening show. A dense arrangement of Siza’s models and drawings, taken from his archive, as well as material owned by the Serralves Foundation, puts the viewer inside the architect's studio, wholly consumed by its architecture. 

Slipping out of one of the side doors in the secondary staircase, you emerge directly into the gardens, a tranquil setting of cedar, stone pine and chestnut trees gently swaying in the breeze. The scale of Parque de Serralves gives context to the domestic intimacy of the gallery spaces. Borrowing language from C.A.S.A., if the Serralves Museum is a ‘House of Culture’, then The Álvaro Siza Wing is the perfect annexe, tacitly separate but part of the larger whole, to be frequented to explore ideas in quietude.

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alvaroleitesiza.com

Set in Portugal's Sobrado, a stone's throw from Porto, Pavilion in the Garden is a private event space, conceived to receive guests and become the perfect hub for entertaining. The project was designed by Spaceworkers, a dynamic studio headed by Henrique Marques and Rui Dinis, and Carla Duarte, and set in Paredes, in the country's north. 

A Pavilion in the Garden by Spaceworkers

The Pavilion in the Garden appears a simple construction – an open, relatively light structure that serves as a shelter and a focal point for hosting and entertaining. However, its architects reveal that a lot of thought went into its creation: 'This project transcends the limits of simple physical construction. It is a philosophical manifestation that seeks to establish a harmonious dialogue between humans, nature, and architecture. The central idea of this project is the pursuit of essence, purity of elements, and simplicity.'

Merging modernist influences and minimalist architecture, the design feels simple yet dramatic, with its concrete grid ceiling, artful composition of plains and surfaces, and generous overall proportions. 

Swathes of glazing and operable openings merge inside and outside effortlessly, underlining the relationship between indoors and outdoors. 

The materials used work towards the same effect, blending the roughness of raw concrete with luxurious elements made out of green marble, metal detailing and timber joinery. 

Two enclosed volumes contain services and auxiliary spaces. The sculptural composition of the open and closed elements accentuates further the permeability of the whole. 

The architects write: 'The project can be summarized by its ultimate purpose: to be a stage for the events that will take place there. It is an architecture that attempts to transcend matter, inviting users to experience simplicity, purity, and integration with the nature, which are the fundamental elements here.'

bio.site

A pattern of cement blocks poetically punctuate Casa M's exterior, a home which stands sentinel on a hill in Alvor, a seaside village of Algarve. The Portuguese region has over 300 days of sun per year, which makes it challenging to design homes without the AC unit – a bête noire of green-minded architects. One natural cooling tactic – common in Palm Springs and São Paulo, too – is cobogós, the hollow bricks that allow cool air to permeate a space without exposing it to the sun. 

Casa M: an architect couple’s climate-sensitive home

The home’s owners and architects, husband and wife Luis Fonseca and Inês Almeida, placed LED lights between the cobogós and the windows encasing them. The effect surprised them: when turned on at night, the reflected light inside the blocks illuminated the interiors like wall lamps. From the street, the white-washed, minimalist home glows like a magical lantern.  

Fonseca and Almeida, partners and architects at local studio A-lab Architecture, maximised several other opportunities when designing their single-family townhouse that was completed in August 2023. One such opportunity arose from their longitudinal L-shaped lot, wedged between two other residential structures on an incline. 

The couple created a design that spreads across three stories but uses half-floors and mirrors, creating visibility between rooms when you’re using the stairs. Fonseca described this as allowing for beautiful moments throughout the day, interactions that always make family members feel like they are in each other’s company (the couple live there with their two children).  

The stairs’ stacking effect also generates natural ventilation, starting at the ground level, where the sea breeze enters and travels up through the open skylight in the interior courtyard. During summer, sun via the skylight is tempered with exterior shading, while passive solar energy heats the home in winter. Such considerations showcase the couple’s passion for sustainable living. 

'We designed this house to be a case study for what we think luxury living is,' Fonseca says, as he prepared lunch with vegetables his son had fetched at the market that morning. 'People associate luxury with a jacuzzi on the roof and cold air-conditioning blasting [set using] their phone before they even get home. We’re believers in passive architecture.'  

In addition, the drawing of acoustic curtains across selected spaces allows for partitioning and climate control. For example, the children can create a play area on the veranda by separating it from the kitchen, or the adults can create a more cinematic movie-watching experience (and trap in the heat of the fireplace in winter) without waking the children by closing off the living room.

After spending time in the home – the butterfly chair on the veranda overlooking the fishing boats is a particular highlight – it starts to feel a bit like being in one of those drawings of a dollhouse cut in half. Beautiful moments unfold as easily as the house does. But perhaps nothing compares to the fishing boats’ view at night: the white home on the hill, lit up in all its chiaroscuro, sustainable glory. 

a-lab.no

Tucked into Southern Portugal’s Algarve coastline, Austa has opened with community values at its core. From the food that is artistically created to the thought gone into the carefully designed space, the café/restaurant stays true to providing a platform for local producers and independent projects.

Pronounced ‘oss-ta,’ the name is a derivative of the word ‘auster,’ meaning ‘south wind personified’ in Latin. The underlying connotation of embracing change and new ideas is a reflection of Austa’s mission. A place to ponder, the combination of authenticity, thoughtfulness, and curiosity helps the community to be connected to the Algarvian land.

Austa unites locally sourced food and intrinsic design in the beautiful region of Algarve

Opened in August 2023, founders Emma and David Campus wanted to unite food, wine, and design by utilizing their previous experiences of travel and exploring the culinary roots and hospitality of the country. They collectively gathered an archive of inspiration and knowledge, which became Austa’s foundations based on sustainable food, wine, and craftsmanship.

Focusing on independent projects and producers of the Atlantic and Andalusian coasts, seasonal produce is celebrated and utilised in creative ways.

The minimal and modern space in Almancil was designed by Studio Gameiro, who crafted the interior to translate Austa’s concept and vision – a space proud of its location that embraces the region’s heritage, craftsmanship, and culinary traditions. Design details include a bench made with 230 million-year-old salt, cut by hand from a nearby mine.

The menu, curated by head chef David Barata, utilizes grounding dishes with authentic flavours. The menu shifts with the seasons, dishing up simplicity with truthful sourcing. By doing so, the rotating menu focuses on the producer first. Minimum mileage and local Algarvian ingredients are sought after, which elevates small businesses while they work in matrimony.

Tuck into dishes that transition from breakfast to dinner. Begin the morning with fresh pastries doused in lavender honey. The midday menu offers a selection of freshly caught fish, roasted pumpkin, and Feta from a Dutch producer, while at dinner, there is a variety of foraged wild mushrooms from Viseu to delicate Brill, line-caught off the coast of Sagres.

austa.pt

On the Portuguese coastline, a Comporta home is set between a stretch of sandy beaches and rice fields. COMPORTA 107, designed by dEMM arquitectura, embarks on a long, summer romance with its surroundings, as it was conceived to be in harmony with the native seaside flora.

A Comporta home inspired by beach life

COMPORTA 107 by dEMM arquitectura was inspired by the region's stretch of wild beaches and their nature, which informed the build's main material selection. Distinctly split into two layers, the house is visually divided between a wooden volume on the ground floor, which encases the open plan living space, while maintaining an element of privacy; and a concrete 'box' on the upper level, which provides a nod to modern architecture.

Taking advantage of the plot’s 900 sq m slice of secluded paradise, the architects and studio founders, Paulo and Diana Fernandes Silva, made sure to craft a sense of transparency throughout, creating openings and offering access to these uninterrupted views across all levels.

The ground floor contains the flowing social areas - including different seating configurations and kitchen space - putting an emphasis on open plan living. With the concrete volume above supported only on two points, this entire level could remain free and flexible, unobstructed by structural elements. 

The gaze is naturally guided towards the pool and patio area, which is separated from the interior only by delicate floor to ceiling sliding glass panels that allow natural light to wash through.

Terraces, balconies, and gardens complement the visual relationship between inside and outside, and extend the surrounding landscape's organic colour tones inside, bringing nature into all areas.

This approach in material use continues throughout the house. It allows the design of each room to communicate with the natural setting's flora, while specifically chosen planting helps highlight this relationship further. 

Meanwhile, exposed concrete creates a visual balance between soft and hard textures, adding an air of modernity to this richly textured build.

The wood found in both exterior and interior, Corten steel, and sand-coloured stone reinforce the beachside colour palette, by mimicking the coastal treasures you may find scattered along the beach.

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Faro Modernism Weekend 2023 is about to kick off as the event where Algarvian sunshine and Faro modernist architecture converge returns for its second year on November 9-12 . After last year’s inaugural weekend drew over 150 architecture lovers from across Europe and the US, founders Christophe and Angelique de Oliveira aimed to deepen this year’s conversation with new tours, talks, events, and the grand opening of a modernist hotel initially designed by the pioneer of the South-Modern style, Manuel Gomes da Costa. Scroll down and mark your calendars for the new offerings to come.

Faro Modernism Weekend 2023: what's new this year

From Bauhaus to Beach House

British artist and part-time Faro resident Richard Walker will lead the From Bauhaus to Beach House tour. Guests will accompany him by boat to Faro Island, where they’ll discover predominantly geometric and Moorish-influenced homes with flat roofs and minarets. Manuel Gomes da Costa designed many structures on view, including a culminating stop at Aeromar Hotel, resembling a vintage Howard Johnson beach holiday postcard. Hermès recently shot a campaign there.

Faro Vision

The Faro Vision tour will also be led by Walker, known for his eagle-eyed architectural observations, historical knowledge, and artistic insight. He will guide guests through Faro’s downtown while homing in on design details. From the city’s colourful and graphic modernist azulejos (Portuguese tiles) to doors, porches, murals, and graffiti, this tour will discuss the various art and architecture movements that influenced Faro. Cubism, Abstract Expressionism, and Constructivism are a few.

Manuel Gomes Da Costa walking tour

The Manuel Gomes Da Costa walking tour celebrates Faro’s key architect, responsible for over 300 of Faro’s buildings. Architecture Ph.D. and design professor Francesca Vita will lead and comment on his legacy throughout. Attendees will encounter many of his iconic buildings, from Rua de Berlim, an entire street of Da Costa-designed luxury villas, to his own Le Corbusier-inspired casa and atelier where mornings were for his meditation and karate practices and afternoons he worked.

Alto House Open House

During the Alto House Open House, attendees will tour a newly renovated, Da Costa-designed, 21-room hotel. Architect João Coutinho, who helmed the restoration efforts, will speak on the project that preserved many original details like Da Costa’s signature Z-shaped stairs and parquet floors. Coutinho’s vision also winks to Da Costa’s era, when bottle-green and black taxi cabs ruled the streets – look for that color scheme throughout. And Coutinho himself custom-designed the period-inspired furniture.

Art Exhibition Vernissage and Cocktails

The Art Exhibition Vernissage and Cocktails will be housed inside the iconic former Moorish castle Fábrica da Cerveja and feature the Faro-inspired artworks of Richard Walker, Amsterdam-based illustrator Sander Patelski, who has illustrated many Manuel da Costa Faro buildings, and French architectural photographer Miguel Figuet. 'Working as an artist in Faro, surrounded by inspiring midcentury modern architecture, is about retrieving the joy of simple forms, texture and colour,' says Walker of his pieces.

Faro Modernism Week 2023 runs 9-12 November 2023, in Faro, Portugal

themodernistweekend.com

Blackbird sits on its Algarve lot, an abstract form, its dark hued canopies angled as if seemingly about to take flight. It's a fitting name for the residence, a new house design by Dublin and London based architecture studio Odos. With its completion, the firm, headed by founder David O'Shea, is also announcing its new sister brand, development company Maroochy, as the architect recently released the new venture's inaugural home to the market. 

Blackbird: a luxurious home by Odos

Reflecting Maroochy's values and Odos' architectural vision, Blackbird was conceived to be 'rooted in a beautifully crafted, homely, barefoot luxury.' The idea for branching into real estate and the new company was born out of O'Shea's love of brutalist architecture and an afternoon spent with James Goldstein in the Goldstein Sheats house in LA designed by John Lautner. 

Reflecting that, the residence is designed with a strong architectural character at its heart, in an approach that prioritises 'honesty, personalisation, trust, legacy, joy, uniqueness, homeliness, functionality and an unrelenting attention to detail.'

Even if this felt like a dream commission, acting as both the client and the architect in this scheme, O'Shea encountered a number of challenges in the process of designing Blackbird - involving questions surrounding the decision making and stepping away once it's all over. 

'There is this ongoing chatter between the head and the heart. The heart wants it all whereas the head tries to rationalise and put some order on these ‘wants’. The best projects have a healthy sprinkling of both,' he says. 'The separation or letting go of a project is very hard irrespective of whether you are a client or the architect. With speculative developments, the client, and to some degree the architect, act as a surrogate for the future owner.'

He continues: 'As architect and client, one needs to get used to the endless internal rumination’s on “am I making the right decision?” The buck does actually stop with you! As architects we are both dreamers and sellers. Risk is limited to will the client buy our solution? As client/developer, the risk profile is much broader and is more demanding to navigate both physically and emotionally.'

Blackbird is defined by its black, exposed concrete frame and raw interiors, which are counterbalanced by carefully picked furniture and high end fittings throughout - mixing textures and surfaces. Created as the culmination of five years of effort, the house is currently up for sale via Mapro/Knight Frank and QP Savills.

More is to come from the young brand. Maroochy is about to start works on site on a Farmhouse development in the Alentejo region of Portugal, on a site set on a 100 acre estate among rolling hills. 'Biodiversity and solitude are key drivers for this raw luxury living concept,' O'Shea explains. Completion for the next property is due in 2025.

officeofdavidoshea.com