Dolce&Gabbana have just opened their 5th Avenue flagship store with an exclusive event. Furnished like a Sicilian home, this stripped back, classic design embodies the journey the two designers have undertaken since 1987. In an interview with Corriere della Sera, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana talk New York, the American Dream and design.

Domenico Dolce: “We furnished it like it was our home, going back and forth between Milan and New York. A boutique, yes, but with many suggestive homely niches. The antique Baroque couches taken from a Sicilian dwelling. Here, on Fifth Avenue, in the middle of the city that never sleeps, three floors full of trunks. Objects which evoke memories of a less frenetic gone-by era, but also a place of dreams, the vessels of belongings of a lifetime: an invitation to slow down and enjoy all of this, and restore its meaning. In London, in the Bond Street store we even included a barber, In Milan we have a shoe smith, boutiques with that antique feel in which accuracy and luxury reside. We try to create an atmosphere where all of this can be appreciated, against the speed, the frenetic rush of the hyper-technology, of Twitter. Relaxing, going back to enjoying what is beautiful. To appreciate the attention to detail, the perfection of the craftsman which goes against that immediacy which makes everything the same, that loss of the sense of elegance which we have been dragging with us since the Eighties.”

Stefano Gabbana: “Its exciting to land on Fifth Avenue. Its certainly not our first American boutique, we a lot of stress, but its an imposing challenge, the biggest investment we have ever made. Extremely important, and not in terms of turnover. I’m not saying that money its not important  to us, we’ve made plenty. One day, Domenico and I won’t be around anymore, and as we often say we have no interest in being the wealthiest people in the cemetery. We want to be remembered as the happiest.” Thanks to swide.com for the news.

 Dolce & Gabbana flagship store opening party on NYC’s 5th Ave VIDEO :

Introducing Spring–In celebration of the arrival of the floral season, Hugo Boss introduces their new window at the New York Meatpacking District store. Consisting of a custom topiary of the words “Greener Pastures” and a wood planter with Kalanchoe, the store front also consists of mannequins displayed upon pedestals covered with grass in the spring 2013 collection for both a seasonal and environmentally appropriate window. / Flowers by Roy Owsley at Interior Foliage.s

MULBERRY has opened its first store in Germany. The new boutique – located in Berlin, on the prestigious Kurfürstendamm Street – is part of the British brand’s current plan to expand into major European cities, reinforcing its identity through dedicated retail spaces.

The Berlin store was designed by British architects Universal Design Studio, who focused on “creating a connection between the store design and Mulberry’s dedication to craftsmanship”, said a spokesperson for the brand. Natural materials like timber, oak and limestone were used to provide “a welcoming and warm environment”, while acting as a subtle nod to the English countryside and Mulberry’s rural roots.

“We’re delighted to be opening our first store in Germany. We chose Berlin for the rich culture between the city’s history and its artistic heartbeat. We felt that the city’s vibrancy and energy was the ideal complement to the Mulberry brand and our own heritage of craftsmanship and creativity,” said Mulberry CEO Bruno Guillon. “Europe is still a key growth market for Mulberry, so to open a store in a strong city location like Berlin is a significant milestone for our expansion plans in this region. Over the long term, we want to see Mulberry extend its reach as a global luxury brand, known for its leather craftsmanship and English sensibility.”

To mark the brand’s debut German store, Mulberry collaborated with Berlin artist Frank Hülsbömer on a dedicated art installation and in-store space. The boutique will also stock a retail exclusive: the popular Willow Tote has been reincarnated in biscuit brown alligator – the only one of its kind in the world. Thanks to Sarah Karmali​  and vogue.co.uk for the news.

Art, architecture, design, fashion, illustration, inspiration, lifestyle, music, photography, video, dreams…Good morning inspiration! Click here to enjoy the creativeboysclub official page on facebook.

This visually stunning new title is dedicated to the seemingly magical transformation of spaces and structures. It covers an amazing range of residential and commercial architecture as well as large-scale urban renewal, showcasing projects that frequently cross functional boundaries.

The dramatic scope of the renovations included in this title give the reader a visceral shock to the system: an office auditorium converted into an urban oasis, an old airplane repurposed into a must-visit hostel, and 19th century ruins updated to become a modern family home.

Some transformations not to be missed include The Alan Voo House in Los Angeles, which doubled in size from a 1,000 square foot residence to a 2,000 square foot residence through the insertion of a new 16ft linear house into the existing house (Neil M Denari Architects Inc); or the refurbishment of a 1975 office building in Mexico City into a residential block with 23 apartments. Its main and rear facades having been replaced with a chopped metal facade in the style of the Mexican handcraft papel picado, creating a liveable artwork (Hierve-Disenaria Architects).

Other works include an alpine hut conversion in Slovenia, Blue Frog Lounge in Mumbai; and the Jumbo Hostel in Stockholm.

Available here.

The site of ‘house hafner’ by german practice hornung and jacobi architecture is located in the countryside next to a forest in Southern Germany, situated at the end of a blind alley to benefit from the views of the woods and valley. a very high level of privacy is provided by the natural protection of the environment which makes an open living configuration possible.

The slight remodeling of the topography with a given height difference of three  meters inspired the choreography and orientation of the building. 
the residential building is designed for a couple with an independent area for guests and is divided into two parts: one introverted area, articulated by an arrangement of smaller openings following the surrounding typology of the neighborhood;  its counterpart is an extroverted zone facing the forest and the beautiful view of the valley, interpreted as an extension of the open living area.

The abstracted shape  of the gabled roof draws an analogy to the surrounding roof typologies, which is common in the region. the transformation to  an open cubic design made a maximum size of openings possible, as well as the visual merging of living and nature.

Project info:

Architects: Hornung and Jacobi Architecture  / Project: House Hafner / Project team: Peter Thomas Hornung & Elsa Katharina Jacobi / Location: South Germany / Year: 2011-12 / Type: Residential / Size: 180qm / Visualisations: Peter Guthrie / Thanks to Designboom for the news.

Two giant blue busts face each other across this Hong Kong boutique by Italian designer Fabio Novembre.

Novembre designed the interior of the HIT Gallery concept store, a branch of Italian retail group Ittiere, as a contemporary interpretation of a piazza. “The HITGallery stores we plan to open around the globe will capture the essence and spirit of Italy in wonderful new ways,” he explains.

The busts are shaped from perpendicular planes of wood slotted together to create shelves on which accessories are displayed.

The walls are painted with the same light blue as the figures and a monochrome zig-zag pattern covers the floor.

“The colour defining the walls – a neutral shade bordering between green and sky or cerulean blue – defies classification, so becoming the ideal backdrop for all the brands sold in the store,” says Novembre.

The design was inspired by the surrealist paintings of Greek-born Italian artist Giorgio De Chirico, which often feature faceless figures and arched colonnades.

Arched niches line three walls of the store, each containing garments hung from rails or shoes and bags on glass shelves. A curved wall punctured by more arches separates the cash desk from the rest of the shop.

Walls near to the shop window are angled to accommodate a column on one side and distort the perspective created by the entirely symmetrical layout.

The store is located in the Times Square shopping centre on Hong Kong island. Photography is by Dennis Lo. source deezen  / Fabio Novembre

Contemporary residences respond to their owner’s needs and wishes and this fantastic live-in garage is proof once again that passion can shape the spaces we live in.

Designed for a young man whose Maserati was the object of his passion, this surprising garage/residence can be found in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Composed of layers of translucent and transparent separators, this residential space imagined by architect Brunete Fraccaroli is where the owner connects with his passion and surrounding nature. Spreading over 120 square meters, the modern garage is intended to link the owner and his car in the most visible way – the Maserati occupies an important space right in the living room.

This versatile space includes the social area, a dining space, and office corner, a home theater and even a washing place.

Meeting in-between dark walls and white ceilings, the carefully chosen furniture items compose an up-to-date design perfectly adapted for this special residential project.
Source  Freshome

The creative revival of public space.

Going Public showcases the creative revival of public space in our urban and rural landscapes.

The book’s compelling selection of formal and informal interventions, reclamations, and architecture illustrates the current scope and interest in refashioning and repurposing our built environment for public use.

The objectives of the featured examples are as diverse as the projects themselves and range from inspiring communication and community experience to devising new means of gathering in and connecting to nature.

Ranging from bold to subtle and from temporary to permanent, the architecture and urban design featured in Going Public offers inspiring and surprising interpretations of our public surroundings and natural landscapes.

Editors: R. Klanten, S. Ehmann, S. Borges, L. Feireiss / Available here.

Shaped in a sculptural manner architects at STARH studio have design The Edge House on a green location in Bulgarian city of Varna.  ”Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”, we agree with the wise words of Leonardo da Vinci

From the Architects:

The Edge House is situated in a suburban area near the city of Varna within a virgin forest environment adjacent to the sea. The house is meant for seasonal occupation by the client – a young family. Functionally the building is split into two levels, the first of which consists of a large living room, dining room and kitchen with storage space.

Via a single run stairway, the first floor is connected to the three bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms on the second floor. All of the rooms are oriented south, towards the sea. A large curtain wall ensures a good link between the space inside and the outside world. The shape of the building is progressive and dynamic.

The combination of bare concrete and glass underlines the originality of the architecture and contributes to the longevity of the house.

STARH Stanislavov Architects

Now you can step into Prada’s world at a new store location in Brazil, the famed Italian fashion label has opened a new address in Sao Paulo’s prestige JK Iguatemi mall. At this desirable luxury shopping location it will offer men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, shoes, leather goods as well as bags and accessories. Prolific architect Roberto Baciocchi has shaped the 630 square meter one-level space with label’s signature sentiment known for it’s extreme elegance.

In this boutique even the furniture comes as an art piece, in form of green velvet “Clover Leaf” sofas, designed by Verner Panton and exclusively reproduced for Prada. Source designscene

Once in a Lifetime: Travel and Leisure Redefined / Published by Gestalten

Once in a Lifetime presents tantalizing new possibilities for exploring and relaxing that redefine the idea of luxury travel.

The book showcases quality destinations beyond superficial pomp that represent a conscious choice for slowing down our hectic lives.

The inspiring range of examples includes enchanting tree house hotels, incredible eco-friendly resorts, farms on which guests help with the work, simple hotels and glamping sites in spectacular scenery, as well as glamorous houses, trains, and boats.

These are not only depicted in stunning photographs, but also insightfully described by renowned international travel, design, and architecture journalist Marie Le Fort. Available here.