Connecting Minds, Creating the Future

THE
Style
mate
INSPIRATION FROM AROUND
THE WORLD FOR AN AESTHETIC
AND MEANINGFUL LIFESTYLE
ISSUE No 03 | 2021
thestylemate.com
THESTYLEMATE.COM
THESTYLEMATE.COM
into the future

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THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
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IMPRINT Media owner and publisher: Prime Time Touristik & Marketing GmbH, Schmiedgasse 38/1, 8010 Graz, Austria
Editors: Thomas Holzleithner & Hardy Egger Editor-in-chief: Mag. Nina Prehofer Managing editor: DI (FH) Christin Maier-Erlach
Cover photo: Fee-Gloria Grönemeyer Model: Lamich Kirabo Layout: VON K Brand Design
Writers: Franzobel, Helder Suffenplan, Lisbeth Wild, Jana Inga Trenner, Nora Palzenberger Translators: Katherine Nussey, Lisbeth Wild
Advertising: office@thestylemate.com Printed by: Medienfabrik Graz, 8020 Graz Published in: Graz Publication: 3 x yearly
Thomas Holzleithner & Hardy Egger
E D I T O R S
IN THIS ISSUE
Photo:
Heldentheater
The future?
What’s that?
Our future seems more uncertain than ever, and even harder
to predict. The small-scale way to look at it is in terms of what
the winter will bring for tourism, while the broader question is
a matter of considering the climate crisis. That’s why we’ve
made the future the topic of this issue of THE Stylemate.
We were inspired by the motto of the Expo in Dubai, which is taking
place this year after a 12-month delay. That’s another defining
feature of our time: 2021 is the year of 2020 events. Since the pan-
demic, time seems to have been ticking by differently. But back to
the motto of the Expo: Connecting minds, creating the future.
We spoke about it with querkraft architects, who have designed
the Austrian pavilion, and in doing so connected minds between
Austria and the United Arab Emirates in order to sustainably
construct a building with an intelligent system. But in Dubai, we’re
not just interested in architectural concepts but also in art, so we
paid a visit to the Carbon 12 gallery.
On the cover, we’ve got a look by Dutch fashion designer Iris van
Herpen, whose futuristic creations are made from unusual
materials using innovative manufacturing processes. From rapid
prototyping to 3D printing, she applies an innovative and always
experimental approach, and in doing so aims at creating a
disruptive impact. We’ve put together eight reasons why she is
leading fashion into the future. But it’s not just in fashion design
that you’ll discover the future – industrial design is also making
use of new materials and special manufacturing techniques to
sustainably shape the future.
We’ve taken a brief look at a possible future and are therefore
able to say with certainty: there are still people who believe in
the future.
Essentials
Page 3
Ultimately, it’s emotions
that will change the future
Pages 4–7
LIFE:
By Helder Suffenplan:
United we scent!
Page 8
Art with a future
Pages 9–11
The future
of tourism
Pages 12–13
Franzobel
Page 14
STYLE:
Waste, no more!
Pages 15–17
Playing in nature
Pages 18–19
A discreet
style statement
Pages 20–21
Fashion Forward
Pages 22–25
Up, up and away!
Pages 26–27
LIFESTYLEHOTELS
Selection:
Treehotel
Page LH 01
Alpenhotel Kitzbühel
am Schwarzsee
Pages LH 02–03
New Member:
THE SECRET Sölden
design hotel
Page LH 04
NIDUM Casual
Luxury Hotel
Page LH 05
Gradonna Mountain Resort
Chalets & Hotels
Page LH 06
EALA My Lakeside Dream
Page LH 07
dasMAX
Lifestylehotel
Page LH 08
Bergland
Design- and Wellnesshotel
Sölden
Page LH 09
Almmonte
Präclarum Suites
Pages LH 10–11
Directory
LIFESTYLEHOTELS
Page LH 12
Imprint
Page 2

L E T ’ S H A NG O U T T O G E T H E R
Wever & Ducré shows how it’s done: up to eight luminai-
res can be suspended in a round shape and
up to five linearly thanks to the multi-canopy.
All you need is a single light outlet from which you
can tailor the arrangement. Whether it’s straight as
a die or in the form of a spider’s web where the cables
become a design element. Who can join the team?
Besides WETRO and DOCUS, BOX, HEXO, ODREY
and SHIEK are also absolute combination geniuses.
weverducre.com/
suspension-options
C U LT C O L L A B O RAT I ON
Vienna-born Carl Auböck (1900–1957) is known for
being the creator of the Wiener Bronzes. His small
sculptures ranged from animals and anatomical studies
to architectural depictions, and infused the design
world with excitement. His creations are still highly
valued to this day. In partnership with the Auböck
workshop, Viennese accessories brand Sagan has now
brought one of the signature motifs from the archives
back to life – the Auböck hand – as a stylish and practical
keychain. A real design object.
sagan-vienna.com, Carl Auböck x Sagan
Hand keychain, € 185
L I F E I N M I N I AT U R E
Certain pieces of furniture are now as highly
sought after as works of fine art. One such piece is
the Marshmallow Sofa by American architect George
Nelson. He designed the extravagant and trendy sofa
in 1956. The seat and back rest are reminiscent of soft
marshmallows and at the time, the creation was a true
design revolution. This piece of design history is
seen a little less often in living rooms these days, but
thanks to Swiss furniture manufacturer Vitra,
it will soon be available in miniature form for your
favourite display case or sideboard.
vitra.com, Vitra Miniatures
Marshmallow Sofa, from € 665
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THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
essentials
I N T H I S E D I T I O N
S H O E S F O R A L I F E T I M E
The men’s and women’s shoes by Austrian
company Ludwig Reiter are still made by hand on the
outskirts of Vienna in Süßenbrunn to this day, in a
meeting of the highest quality materials and tried-and-
tested craftsmanship. An investment in the high-quality
footwear is worth it: the boots, ankle boots, loafers
and other pieces can be brought in for repair
at the Ludwig Reiter workshop at any time.
Sustainability made easy!
ludwig-reiter.com, Mary Vetsera boots, from € 598
DA NC I NG D I A M ON D S
There are new things at Arthur Arbesser!
The Austrian designer is expanding his range with a
multicoloured accessory – silk scarves bearing a vibrant
Harlequin pattern have arrived to enrich the latest
autumn/winter collection. The 90 x 90 cm scarves can
be worn around the neck, in the hair, on your bag, as a
top… The options are endless! They also reflect the love
of patterns and the optimism that is always present
throughout Arbesser’s collections.
arthurarbesser.com,
Harlequin silk scarf, € 180
EV E RY T H I NG I N S I G H T
What’s the best way to see into the future?
With ultra-light and minimalist glasses frames from
Austrian manufacturer Silhouette! The new Eos View
collection features subtle 3D elements and a shape-
in-shape effect that provides exciting colour nuances
and reflections. The concept for the collection is
inspired by the Greek goddess of the dawn, Eos.
silhouette.com, from € 299
Photos:
Silhouette,
Vitra,
Ludwig
Reiter,
Arthur
Arbesser,
Wever
&
Ducré,
Carl
Auböck

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THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
LIFE
T
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A
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Fotos:
andreas
keller-fotografie.de

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THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
LIFE
WE SPOKE TO OWNER AND PARTNER GERD ERHARTT ABOUT WHAT MAKES A
SUCCESSFUL EXPO APPEARANCE, THE CLIMATE CONCEPTS OF THE FUTURE
AND THE IMPORTANCE OF EMOTIONAL CONNECTION IN DESIGNING A MORE
SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.
N G E T
H
E
F
U
T
U
R
E
QUERKRAFT ARCHITECTS
FROM VIENNA ARE THE
CREATIVE MINDS BEHIND
THE AUSTRIAN PAVILION
AT THE EXPO IN DUBAI.
are produced during the construction of
a building, so the first goal should be to
create a building with as long a life span
as possible. When it comes to running the
building, the goal is for it to use as little
energy as possible. The aspect of life span
is especially important for us, as that’s
where we deal with emotional sustain-
ability. We need to create buildings, and
products in general, that we can form a
personal and emotional connection with.
What difference does an emotional
connection make?
When we form an emotional connection
and grow fond of a product, we will use it
for as long as possible.
That applies crucially to our buildings,
because a huge amount of energy is
stored in them during construction. If we
hadn’t designed a pavilion that triggered
emotions in people, we wouldn’t have
had the possibility to give it a subsequent
use. So it’s been built using prefabricated,
individual components, meaning it can
be disassembled and rebuilt somewhere
else. Like a Lego set, it can also be put back
together in a completely different way and
even be customised for a new use.
After all, one of the most un-environmentally
friendly things we could do would be to
put up a building for six months and then
destroy it.
Aside from subsequent reuse, what makes
the pavilion environmentally friendly?
We worked with engineering company
P. Jung on climate engineering that’s
targeted at making the most of the natural
aerodynamics. There are always varying
vacuum and pressure conditions in the
cones that make up the pavilion, which
create natural convection. The pavilion
regulates itself primarily via the difference
between day and night. Cool air is stored
in the storage mass during the night,
and it is then fed into the cones during
the day. This rhythm of day and night
is at the heart of our climate concept,
whereby we make the most of the swings
in temperature.
What can we expect from the Austrian
Expo pavilion?
GERD ERHARTT: First and foremost,
a sensory experience. That will probably
make it quite different to the other
pavilions. The spatial experience we’ve
developed is further emphasised by
installations by ars electronica solutions,
exhibition design by Büro Wien and
graphic design by Bleed.
So what does your architectural concept
consist of, and why is it so different to
the others?
The Expo is a scramble for attention.
We believe that the only way to gain atten-
tion is through paring back, as otherwise
you’re just a part of what generally happens
at the Expo: overstimulation and an
information overload. For us as architects,
it’s important to take the specific location
into consideration, and because this Expo is
the first to take place in an Arab country, we
worked with traditional Arab architecture.
In doing so, we came across bādgir – wind-
catchers that create pressure and vacuum
conditions in a building and create an effect
similar to that of a fireplace in order to
provide a constant flow of air. We translated
this principle into a different architectural
language and combined it with Austrian
expertise and climate engineering. We
wanted to contribute to the general debate
about how it’s possible to plan and build in
a way that conserves energy and resources.
What approach did you take?
When building, there are two aspects you
can focus on: constructing the building
as a single action, and the running of
the building. 50% of harmful emissions
Photos:
www.andreas
keller-fotografie.de,
querkraft-alvarez

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THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
LIFE
EX
P
O
2
0
2
0
LIFE
The 38 cones that form the pavilion
intersect one another. What was
the desired effect?
It’s an important design element, as
through the intersections emerges
a columned hall that’s reminiscent
of an Arabian mosque. The cones are
also cut to four different heights,
resulting in varying lighting moods
that change constantly according to the
position of the sun. The prolific planting,
misting and natural convection ensure a
pleasant visit.
What are the prefabricated components
made out of?
The pavilion is made from prefabricated
concrete shells that have been put together
like a Lego set, meaning it can be taken
apart and put back together again in a
different place, adapted to meet different
requirements. It is plastered on the
inside with a layer of clay that fulfils an
important climatic function.
The name of the project is “Austria makes
Sense”. How is this displayed?
This name should be interpreted in its
double meaning, because we’ve created a
pavilion that addresses all of the human
senses. Architecture and exhibition
produce an overall sensory experience –
for example, there isn’t a single piece of
text in the main exhibition space.
We work with graphic design and icons,
and the installations speak for themselves.
They appeal to the senses. The cones are
depicted as bodies of sound or currents of
air through simulations. The pavilion aims
to achieve a sensory experience because
we believe that ultimately, amid the total
sensory overload on the Expo site, it’s only
a strong emotion that will be remembered.
How important is the question of meaning
in general for you as architects?
The question of meaning is essential to us.
The construction industry as a whole is
responsible for 30 to 40% of harmful CO₂
emissions, so I need to consider questions
of meaning for every project. The first
is: does it make sense to construct this
building? There are projects like sponsored
residential, cultural and educational
EXPO 2020
DUBAI VAE
THE EXPO IS A GLO-
BAL EXHIBITION THAT
TAKES PLACE EVERY 2–3
YEARS (POSTPONED IN
2020 DUE TO CORONA-
VIRUS). THIS YEAR, IT’S
TAKING PLACE FROM
01.10. 2021 TO 31.03. 2022
IN DUBAI UNDER THE
TITLE “CONNECTING
MINDS, CREATING THE
FUTURE.”
buildings that make this question easier
to clarify. Creating the highest quality
residential building is a very meaningful
task and satisfies basic human needs.
That’s a bit harder to do at an Expo.
Why did you take part anyway?
After lengthy deliberation, we decided to
participate because the Expo is an oppor-
tunity to reach many people from different
walks of life. That kind of opportunity
doesn’t come about very often. We wanted
to make a contribution to the discussion
around climate-friendly, resource-efficient
interaction with our planet. The pavilion
has been powerfully received and discussed
at length across diverse fields.
Photo:
Kieran
Fraser
Landscape
Design

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THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
LIFE
LIFE
How much of a role do architects or
architecture play in designing the future,
and how much do you personally or as
querkraft want to be involved?
When we look at our lifetime, we spend
most of it in an architecturally designed
exterior or interior. That means that we
as architects have a huge influence on
people and play a crucial role in shaping
their attitude towards life. And when we
take into account the financial aspects,
it’s clear that we spend the majority of
our personal assets on our living space.
Architecture therefore has an enormous
impact on people’s lives.
What can you deduce about people and
society from architecture?
You can clearly see the balance of power
in a society. Bank, insurance and telecoms
buildings are usually glass palaces, in
contrast with social housing, where every
bit of window space requires immense
commitment. This is a good example of
where money is being allocated and where
it’s not. But I’ve always been positive about it
and I believe that a paradigm shift is needed.
Even fifty years ago, unlimited growth was
questioned. We need a different kind of
growth to economic growth. All we can do
now is adapt our lives. But I don’t think that’s
anything negative, quite the opposite: it’s a
win for quality of life.
What would you like to create in future?
I’d like for the idea that we’re currently
laying the foundation for future genera-
tions to be established in our society. That
everyone involved in the construction
process is aware of this responsibility and
acts accordingly, not just for short-term
profit. But it’s not just about construction,
it’s about all areas of life. If we were to
economise, a better version of the world
would emerge.
ABOUT QUERKRAFT
ARCHITECTS
Adopting a philosophy of
poetic pragmatism, the ar-
chitectural company found-
ed in 1998 devotes itself to
projects and processes that
place people front and cen-
tre. More than 100 projects,
competitions and buildings –
local and international – are
a testament to the successful
work of the team of around 45
employees. querkraft defines
“Giving people space” as a leit-
motif and thus formulates the
permanent striving for gener-
osity in spatial design as well
as freedom to develop for the
users, to create emotionally
more sustainable projects.
expo2020dubai.com
querkraft.at
Photo:
Kieran
Fraser
Landscape
Design

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THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
Photo:
Atelier
PMP,
Goutal
CONNECTING MINDS,
CREATING FUTURE
HELDER SUFFENPLAN is an independent
journalist and creative consultant from Berlin,
and has had a particular passion for perfumes
since he was a child. With his successful 2013
launch of SCENTURY.com – the very first
online mag
azine for perfume storytelling –
Helder has become a recognised authority in
the global world of fragrance. He has been on
the jury for events such as The Arts & Olfaction
Awards in Los Angeles and the Prix Inter
national
du Parfumeur Créateur in Paris. As a writer,
he combines his passion topic of fragrances
with a range of fields such as contemporary
art, popular culture, literature, film and
geopolitics.
Humanity, human family, global
community – in times like the pandemic
and the climate crisis, these words don’t
describe a wistful utopia but rather our
reality in the 21st century. Because really,
none of the pending existential challenges
faced can be overcome by the population of
a country or a cultural group alone.
Paradoxically, however, it seems divisions
are growing at the moment: communities
of values like “the West” are eroding and
societies are crumbling into countless,
often hostile opposing everyday realities.
The human race is struggling to put an end
to battles between nations, religions and
cultures in order to ensure its own survival.
The continued existence of humanity
depends on whether a shift in conscious-
ness can create a global identity.
How can the common interest be made
more accessible? Can the things in our
everyday lives, things that seem superficial
and banal like perfume, help with this?
united
scentury.com
But where there is danger, the spirit
of saving grows as well. Because alongside
the globalisation of problems, we’re also
experiencing an interconnectedness we’ve
never seen before, a coming together as a
global village. Interestingly, even before
the internet, satellites and container ships,
there were areas in which planet earth was
globalised. The world of ideas, for example –
meaning philosophy, religion and science –
extends through time and kingdoms.
What one culture thought of first was often
also adopted by their enemies, for example
maths, which the western world owes in
no small part to Arabic culture.
Art has also rarely cared much for
boundaries. European Japonisme bowed
down to the aesthetics of the distant
empire, while the other way round, the
previously isolated land of the rising sun
was keen to take ideas from western art
towards the end of the 19th century.
It was the same for the fascination with
the Orient: in the 18th century, not only
did Vienna, which had not long before been
besieged by the Ottomans, become addicted
to Turkish fashion, Mme Pompadour in
Versailles also favoured alla turca styles
of turbans and kaftans. Then in the 20th
century, the cubists and expressionists took
inspiration from the expressiveness and
aura of African and Australasian sculptures.
The world of luxury goods was also an
international matter from the beginning.
Findings prove that even in the Stone
and Bronze Ages, people traded across
enormous distances to satisfy the desire
for beautiful objects made out of amber,
tortoiseshell and mother of pearl.
And also to satisfy their appetite for flavour.
The spice and silk trades created trade
routes spanning continents and countless
encounters between individuals from a
broad spectrum of backgrounds. Spices
were so valuable that new, shorter trade
routes were sought and found, which in
turn brought the different continents of
the world closer together.
And in the traders’ luggage, they were
also carrying the luxury commodity scent.
India delivered precious oud to Japan and
Arabia. Cloves, saffron, pepper and allspice
provided wealthy Europeans not only with
new flavour experiences, but also new
fragrances. The classic perfumes developed
in the 19th century wouldn’t have been
possible at all without the ingredients from
countries all over the world: sandalwood
from India, civet from Ethiopia, roses from
Bulgaria, musk from Central Asia.
The fact that the exchange of goods and
culture rarely took place between equals
and in many cases was accompanied by
exploitation, violence, plundering and
human suffering is becoming increasingly
clear through the conversation surrounding
cultural appropriation. There is still a lot of
reconditioning, recognition and reparation
required here.
At the same time, the experimentation
didn’t just facilitate a broadening of
horizons when it came to clothing styles,
it also affected sounds, aromas and scents:
the flavour of a spice that might have
taken a bit of getting used to at first, the
alternative artistic view of people and
nature and the magic of an unknown
shimmering material hinted that beyond
the restrictive borders and perceptions of
our own surroundings, a different way of
living, thinking and feeling was possible.
Ideally, the result was an appreciation of
something different as being something
valuable and enriching.
A superb example of how something like
fragrance can create a link between people
from different, seemingly incompatible
cultures is frankincense. Not only did it find
its way from Ethiopia or Eritrea to Europe,
it also became a symbol of the sublime and
the holy for the Egyptians, Romans, Hindus,
Buddhists, Christians and even Muslims,
and its delicately intoxicating fragrance
created the olfactory conditions for spiritual
experiences during religious rituals.
What an overwhelming idea that at any
one time in a Hindu temple on the Ganges,
a Gothic church near Paris, a Shinto shrine
in Osaka and a mosque in Oman, people
are meditating, praying and celebrating
while the scent of frankincense rises up
from opulent vessels and creates a link to
a common, overarching reality beyond
geographic, political and religious
differences.
To anyone wanting to experience this world
spirit on their own skin, I would recommend
the meditative Encens Flamboyant from
Goutal, which transports us to an endlessly
silent coniferous forest thanks to frankin-
cense, balsam fir, sage and red berries.
The elegant Cardinal from James Heeley, on
the other hand, interweaves frankincense
with cistus, myrrh and the scent of white
linen, giving an air of lightness and purity.
If you prefer it somewhat more minimalist
and intense, in the best sense of the word,
the 05 Incense Extrême by Swiss perfumer
Andy Tauer will bring the harsh desert wind
straight to you.
we
scent!

9
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
THEY’RE CONQUERING THE INTERNATIONAL
ART SCENE FROM DUBAI. THEIR PORTFOLIO
INCLUDES CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS FROM
AUSTRIA TO ABU DHABI AND ALL THE WAY TO
IRAN: MEET COUPLE KOUROSH NOURI AND
NADINE KNOTZER AND THEIR GALLERY,
CARBON 12. THE STYLEMATE SPOKE TO THE
PAIR ABOUT THE FUTURE OF ART AND THE
EXPO, AND GOT A FEW INSIDER TIPS ABOUT
DUBAI FROM THOSE IN THE KNOW.
A R T
WITH A FUTURE
Photo:
Anna
Shtraus
Amir Khojasteh -
Try To Catch The
Moon, Painting,
Sculpture,
solo exhibition

10
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
What future scenarios do you currently
see for your latest talent Anthony
Akinbola?
Kourosh Nouri: The future for Anthony
is exciting. He had great exhibitions last
year, lots of attention from great curators,
collectors and galleries around the world.
But the most important thing is that he is
more and more motivated to produce and
display art.
What are three things you wish for
the future of your artists?
Nadine Knotzer: Continued, genuine
practice with constant progress, well-
earned curatorial attention and epic
shows.
How has the industry taken to digital
isation and what’s your position on it?
Kourosh Nouri: The art world is ahead
of many other industries when it comes
to digitalisation. And even since the
pandemic, galleries have managed to
develop amazing things online. Carbon 12
was already very active online. Because of
the pandemic, we also started a series of
online shows, video exhibitions and virtual
talks.
What do you personally associate with
the Expo, and what are you looking
forward to in particular?
Nadine Knotzer: When we think about the
Expo, we think of lots of visitors from all
over the world. Although unfortunately,
the scope will be limited this year because
of COVID. Of course, we’re looking forward
to being in the centre of the action and
discovering all the great architects of the
pavilions.
How does the motto “Connecting Minds,
Creating the Future” currently apply to
the art world?
Kourosh Nouri: The title says exactly what
the art world is already doing. We “connect”
through exhibitions, publications, art fairs
and much more. Our artists are helping to
shape the future.
Which exhibition will you be displaying
for the Expo?
Nadine Knotzer: We’ll be showing a special
exhibition in collaboration with the pavilion,
curated by Marianne Dobner, with artists
Monika Grabuschnigg, Elisabeth Wild, James
Lewis and Laurence Strula.
How do collectors in Dubai differ to those
in the rest of the world?
Kourosh Nouri: It’s really interesting that
the collectors in the United Arab Emirates
are all very young. That makes for exciting
and dynamic collections.
Why did you choose Dubai as a location?
NADINE KNOTZER: At the time, it just
felt right – the place, the time and the
opportunity! The area where we have our
gallery has also undergone a great change
in the last few years and experienced a
huge amount of hype. You could actually
say that about the entire city.
On which criteria do you base your
choice of artists?
Kourosh Nouri: To make it as simple
as possible, I’d say it’s based on real
and authentic contemporary practices,
professionality and how they complement
our portfolio. Just like our collectors,
we want to continue doing our job with
passion and enjoy every second to the
fullest and most professional level.
That’s why we look at and consider artists
very thoroughly before taking them on.
When you’re establishing a new artist,
how far into the future do you look?
Nadine Knotzer: We have to look 15 to
30 years into the future.
You’ve had your gallery for 13 years now.
What have been the most significant
changes on the art market in that time?
KOUROSH NOURI: We’ve come a long way
in terms of technology; many collectors
went very digital very quickly, which we
don’t think was a good idea for art in the
short and medium term.
At the same time, the ease with which
you can make better and better images
and videos “stole” something from the
inherent value of art. We feel that the
personal appreciation of being anchored
in a positive environment and context has
been lost somewhat. COVID mixed things
up in a good way. Going to a gallery now
to see an exhibition has become an act of
bravery and courage, a social responsibility
towards the chosen gallery and artists.
We hope it stays that way.
carbon12.art
Sarah Almehairi, Summer Temple, 2021.
Paper on book board, 21 x 14.8 cm
Gil Heitor Cortesāo, Folding Hall, 2021.
Oil on plexiglas, Diptych, 130 x 190 cm
Philip Mueller, Hamam Headquarter Plaka, 2021.
Oil on paper, 70 x 50 cm

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THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
LIFE
K O U R O S H N O U R I & N A D I N E K N O T Z E R
A GUIDE TO DUBAI
BY
THE 3 FAVOURITE RESTAURANTS
MOONRISE
I’M EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW RES-
TAURANT FROM YOUNG SYRIAN-FRENCH CHEF SOLEMANN HADDAD
CALLED “MOONRISE.” HE AND HIS PARTNER MISBAH CHOWDHURY ARE
KNOWN AMONG CONNOISSEURS FOR THE BEST POP-UPS IN THE CITY,
AND IN JUST A FEW WEEKS WILL FINALLY OPEN THEIR OWN RESTAURANT.
“MOONRISE” WILL BE THE BEST RESTAURANT IN TOWN BY A LONG WAY.
HAPI
“HAPI” IS A NO -NONSENSE, SMALL
RESTAURANT BY THE PARK IN JUMEIRAH, WHERE THEY USE ONLY THE
VERY BEST PRODUCE. IT’S A GREAT SPOT FOR BRUNCH!
SALLET AL SAYED
A PA L E S T I N IAN F I SH R E S TAU RAN T
IN KARAMA . THEY HAVE THE BEST PRAWNS IN THE CIT Y!
YOU’LL GET THE BEST COCKTAILS AT...
WE WOULD HAVE TO SAY, THE BEST
MARTINIS ARE TO BE FOUND AT “THE MAINE.”
THIS IS HOW I SPEND A DAY AT THE BEACH…
WHEN YOU LIVE IN DUBAI, THE THING
TO DO IS GO TO KITE BEACH AT THE WEEKEND, A PUBLIC BEACH IN
JUMEIRAH. WHEN I FEEL LIKE HAVING A LUXURY DAY AT THE BEACH, THE
BULGARI BEACH IS ONE OF THE BEST – BEAUTIFULLY QUIET AND GREAT
FOOD.
THE BEST WELLNESS OASIS?
THERE ARE AS MANY SPAS AS THERE
ARE GRAINS OF SAND ON THE BEACH. THE RITZ CARLTON IS ONE OF THE
BEST SPOTS FOR MASSAGES. FOR NAILS AND HAIR, CHALK SALON IS RIGHT
UP THERE.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE CREATIVE SCENE?
IT’S ON ALSERKAL AVENUE, WHICH IS
ALSO WHERE OUR GALLERY IS. THAT’S WHERE MOST OF THE CO-WORKING
SPACES ARE AS WELL, WHERE THE CITY’S YOUNG CREATIVES WORK.
I’LL BE BUYING MY OUTFIT FOR THE NEXT PREVIEW AT…
I FOLLOW WHAT THE SMALL FASHION
LABELS ARE DOING VERY CLOSELY. SHABAB IS MY FAVOURITE STREETWEAR
LABEL. THE SHIRTS ARE ALSO SUITABLE FOR PREVIEW OUTFITS.
SOMETHING YOU’LL ONLY FIND IN DUBAI…
“3FILS”, ONE OF THE BEST JAPANESE
FUSION RESTAURANTS IN A SMALL HARBOUR IN JUMEIRAH.
“DUBAI IS YOUNG,
BUT STILL AUTHENTIC.
THERE’S A MIX OF
OLD AND NEW DUBAI
AROUND EVERY
CORNER.”
Photos:Carbon
12

12
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
THE “RED SEA PROJECT” IS ONE OF THE MOST
AMBITIOUS REGENERATIVE PROJECTS IN THE
WORLD. FROM 2023, THE WESTERN COAST OF
SAUDI ARABIA WILL FEATURE A NEW FORM OF
BAREFOOT LUXURY SPANNING OVER 28,000
SQUARE KILOMETRES, WITH AN ARCHIPELAGO
OF MORE THAN 90 UNTOUCHED NATURAL
ISLANDS, PLUS DORMANT VOLCANOES,
DESERTS, MOUNTAINS AND CULTURAL SITES.
the future
Photos:
The
Red
Sea
Development
Company

13
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
Discover more about the project at
theredsea.sa
LIFE
of
That’s no small task.
The island of Shurayrah is the heart of
the Red Sea Project and home to 11 hotels
on its own. Renowned architectural firm
Foster + Partners won the competition
to design an exciting resort with their
Coral Bloom concept, which in future will
be operated by international hotel chains.
Inspired by the natural surroundings of
the island, the hotels are intended to give
the impression of having been washed up
on the beaches and settled on the dunes
like driftwood. To achieve this, light
materials with low thermal mass are being
used, installed in an energy efficient way to
ensure as little impact on the environment
as possible. For a great deal of planning
has gone into the constituent parts, too.
A POLICY OF ZERO
AND THE HIGHEST
SUSTAINABILITY
STANDARDS
The goal is to develop the destination
according to the highest sustainability
standards, and also to live by those
standards after completion, meaning
a policy of zero will be pursued.
That means no single-use plastics, no
waste going to landfill and no dumping
in the sea. During construction, off-site
manufacturing methods will help to
minimise waste and reduce the human
impact of construction activity on site,
such as noise and disturbances caused
by moving vehicles. Innovative green
concrete will be used throughout the
development in order to dramatically
reduce the impact on the environment.
This green concrete is made out of re-
cycled waste materials. The composting
facility will convert organic waste into
compost that can then be used for the
project’s green spaces and in the nursery.
Waste incineration plants will be used
for processing any non-recyclable waste,
with the resulting ash being mixed with
cement to make bricks.
The Red Sea Project is the first project in
the Middle East to obtain the first level of
LEED Platinum certification, an interna-
tionally recognised rating and certification
programme for urban sustainability.
HOME TO A
WEALTH OF
FLORA AND
FAUNA
Rare species such as dugongs, wild cats,
endangered green and hawksbill turtles,
one of the largest reef systems in the
world and cultural heritage sites are all
part of this sensational project. Visitors
can also expect a moderate climate all
year round with an average temperature
of 25°C, a strategically interesting location
(home to a wealth of flora and fauna,
including rare species, as well as being
within a three-hour flight of 250 million
people and an eight-hour flight of 80%
of the world population) and an exquisite
retreat that offers experiences, pampering
and is seamlessly adapted to the unique
requirements of every visitor.
We’re excited!
A GREAT DEAL OF PLANNING HAS BEEN PUT INTO THE WESTERN COAST OF SAUDI ARABIA.
JUST THE NUMBER OF BUILDINGS AND ATTRACTIONS YOU’LL BE ABLE TO VISIT FROM 2023
IS IMPRESSIVE ENOUGH – THAT’S WHEN THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PROJECT WILL BE
COMPLETE, WITH THE SECOND PHASE REACHING COMPLETION IN 2030. AN INTERNATIONAL,
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AIRPORT, 16 HOTELS, MARINAS, LEISURE AND LIFESTYLE
AMENITIES, AN 18-HOLE CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF COURSE AND AIR AND SEA TRAVEL HUBS
COMPRISE THE FIRST PHASE. BY 2030, 50 RESORTS WILL HAVE BEEN BUILT, PROVIDING
8,000 HOTEL ROOMS AND OVER 1,000 RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES ON 22 ISLANDS.
tourism

14
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
Photo:
Dirk
Skiba
LIFE
FRANZOBEL is an Austrian
writer. He has published
numerous plays, works of
prose and poems. His plays
have been produced in
countries including Mexico,
Argentina, Chile, Denmark,
France, Poland, Romania,
Ukraine, Italy, Russia and
the USA.
His great historical
adventure novel “Das Floß
der Medusa” (published by
Zsolnay) was awarded the
Bayerischer Buchpreis
(Bavarian Book Award) 2017
and was on the shortlist for
the German Book Prize 2017.
F RA N Z O B E L
We’re living in a time of change, a time of
technological revolution. I’m not talking
about the switch to alternative energy sources,
nor the possibilities offered by genetic
engineering, but rather about the internet.
All of a sudden, you can communicate with
people in Papua New Guinea or the Antarctic.
Only 30 years ago, making a phone call to
these places would have cost a fortune, and
letters took an age to arrive. Now we can get
information about the weather in East Timor,
attend a virtual exhibition in Ushuaia and
taste the menu at your favourite Chinese
restaurant in Guangzhou. It’s no longer a
question of what you’re able to find out,
and more about what you want to find out.
The world has moved closer together, with
the internet having turned our planet into
a village. And how do people react?
Let’s take a brief detour to another time of
great upheaval – the 16th
century. At that
time, there was the Copernican Revolution,
meaning the sun, and not the earth, was now
at the centre of everything. Martin Luther
reformed Christianity, America was
discovered, science disentangled itself from
the grasp of the church, alchemy became
chemistry, astrology became astronomy.
Out of those who believed in the hereafter
arose middle class individuals with private
property, a biography and childhood, which is
why there were harsh penalties for theft and
infanticide. And how did society react?
With a backlash! They clung on to old values,
and an umbrella organisation of all book burn-
ers, pyromaniacs and funeral pyre supporters
was formed – the Spanish Inquisition.
Something similar is happening in the present
in countries that are ruled by religion. But even
in western civilisation, the global village has its
consequences: patriotism, nationalism, a small
town mindset. The world is becoming closer
because of the internet, but people are clinging
on to borders and distance. Of course, the World
Wide Web is nothing new, even the trees and
the mushrooms are communicating, and it’s
becoming easier and easier for people to sense
when their distant relatives need help. We can
now chat with anyone in the world without
the need for telepathy, but what about
extra-terrestrials? Some think the cosmos
is a consciousness made up of the sum of all
thoughts. There are probably ten thousand
other civilisations in our Milky Way alone.
The question is simple: where are they?
There are billions of galaxies in the universe
and more stars than there are grains of sand
on earth. Man is insignificant in the context
of dimensions in space and time, yet they’ve
acquired the brain of a master. If we imagine
the history of the earth as a road, we can drive
around the planet once without meeting
another living being. On the second lap, we
encounter single-cell organisms that come
along for the ride until we reach the Mediter-
ranean. When we then drive up the Danube,
there are the first dinosaurs in Romania.
Man appears just before Vienna. On one side of
the city’s Praterbrücke man discovers writing,
and on the other side we stand up straight.
Our evolution progresses incredibly quickly.
Just a few decades ago, there were young
women in administrative offices connecting
every telephone call, and now we communicate
with whoever we want – in our urban village.
The path into space is denied us because of
technological limitations, but even these
problems will be overcome. It’s quite possible
that people will soon be looking beyond the
edge of the Milky Way and interacting with
other civilisations – even if it’s just for an
interplanetary song contest. That may sound
utopian, but when you think about it, everything
is possible. Then it’s no longer the earth that’s
a village, it’s the entire cosmos – because the
village is everywhere.
the village
is everywhere
“Some think
the cosmos is a
consciousness made
up of the sum of
all thoughts.”

L I F E S T Y L E HO T E L S
LIFESTYLEHOTELS.NET
The beautiful colours of autumn and the diminishing light of the north – they’re just two of the soothing
ingredients of the Treehotel in Sweden, which is just an hour away from Luleå. Far removed from stress
and the many demands of everyday life, you can withdraw with a sense of adventure. In seven remote and
unique treehouses, you’ll find comfort, modern design, nature, spectacular views and a life of ecological
values. Whether you’re in the “Bird’s nest”, “The Mirrorcube”, “The Ufo” or “Dragonfly”, everyone will find
their own personal retreat and their imagination will be back to peak performance. You’ll be spoilt with the
culinary offering at the restaurant, where the delicatessen prepares truly captivating dishes from the local
area that are a treat for both the taste buds and the eyes.
T R E E H O T E L
S W E D E N / L A P P L A N D lifestylehotels.net/treehotel
TREEHOTEL – NATURE AND IMAGINATION
Selection
03 | 2021
Foto:
Johan
Jansson

LH 02
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
ALPENHOTEL
KITZBÜHEL ****S
10 December is the day: the Alpenhotel Kitzbühel
am Schwarzsee is officially opening following
extensive renovation with a brand new look.
grand
opening
Photos:
Alpenhotel
Kitzbühel
Holidaying by the lake: a bit like it was
before, but different. More modern.
More exclusive. And with more to pamper
guests – both mentally and visually.
That’s what awaits at the Alpenhotel
Kitzbühel by the natural moor lake, not
far from the infamous ski resort.
A handful of the new suites have already
been available for exclusive bookings,
but the overall project is still awaiting
its official opening. It’s scheduled for the
beginning of December 2021, the start
of the winter season in one of the most
glamorous winter sports destinations in
Austria – the perfect starting point for
a holiday like you’ve never experienced
before on the banks of the idyllic lake
Schwarzsee.

LH 03
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
THE ALPENHOTEL
KITZBÜHEL IS
OPENING ITS DOORS
Such a comprehensive renovation arouses
curiosity and words can only go so far in
capturing the new holiday vibes at the
Alpenhotel Kitzbühel am Schwarzsee.
As a result, the hotel is inviting people
to come and discover it for themselves
from the beginning of December 2021.
From € 659 per person, you can spend four
nights at the new hotel and be upgraded
to the next room category up, subject to
availability. Breakfast, afternoon snacks,
a five-course dinner, invigorating Grander
water all day, a wellness area, bathrobes,
free access to the lake, shuttle services,
Wi-Fi, electric charging stations and so
much more are included. With every visit.
of the untreated larch wood on the new
façades gets closer and closer to that of the
forest as it weathers,” explains architect
Sebastian Mitterer from the team at Firn
architects. “The buildings age with grace
and become more and more a part of the
natural environment.”
BY THE
JETTY
Right by the edge of the lake is
Das Steghaus, where we’re greeted not
just by unique rooms and suites with a
lake view, but also an à la carte restaurant.
The theme of untreated wood is seen here
as well, underlining the laid-back jetty
feel on the sun terrace and in the lounge
area, both in summer and in winter.
Warm bronze tones prevail and create
a stylish ambience inside and out.
Das Steghaus has been visually connected
with the lakeside sauna, which provides a
view across the lake Schwarzsee through
its glass façade while you sweat.
The expanse and the warmth trigger a new
feeling in us. We feel at peace and grounded.
A moment of unwinding in the lake breeze
room, a lap of the infinity pool followed
by deep relaxation in the tranquil dream
room round off the experience in the
1,000-square-metre wellness area.
Photos:
Alpenhotel
Kitzbühel
ALPENHOTEL,
DAS STEGHAUS
AND THE
LAKESIDE LODGES
As soon as you reach the entrance to the
new Alpenhotel, you’re confronted by a
very specific feeling. A feeling of arrival.
And well-being. We encounter wood as a
building material throughout the simple
design of the hotel. It triggers another feel-
ing that overwhelms us after we’ve checked
in – a feeling of exclusivity and cosiness.
The modern elegance that radiates from
the main building after the renovation
continues in the rooms and suites. There
are new additions in the form of the two
annexes right next door: Das Steghaus and
the Lakeside Lodges. They have a partly
private garden and access to the beautiful
natural bathing lake, which you should
walk around at least once at any time of
year. It’s only from the other side of the
lake that you get a superb panoramic
view of the Alpenhotel and realise how
harmoniously the new architecture
blends into the landscape. “The colour
AU S T R I A
T Y RO L / K I T Z B Ü H E L
Modern lifestyle
with Alpine character
Nature-inspired architecture
Book online
lifestylehotels.net/
alpenhotel-kitzbuehel
80
rooms and suites

LH 04
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
Photos:
The
Secret
Sölden
The renowned winter sports resort will soon be gaining
a new hidden gem: December 2021 will see the opening of
THE SECRET, a cosmopolitan hotel that creates an exciting
contrast with its unique location.
LA’LIV –
THE HEART OF
THE HOTEL
The first thing we see when we approach
is the golden entrance that takes us straight
into the lobby. It transitions seamlessly
into a kind of living room and the hotel
restaurant, which combine to form the
heart of THE SECRET under the name
LA’LIV. It’s where guests come in the mor-
ning to feast on the breakfast buffet and in
the evening to enjoy French-Alpine fusion
cuisine – without any preconceptions or
rigid menus. If you like dining as a family,
you can have your meal served at a big
table for everyone to share, or if it’s more
of a romantic dinner you’re after, you can
withdraw to a smaller table and be treated
to every trick in the (recipe) book.
THE VUE –
THE FIRST LADY
OF BARS
Enjoy an after-dinner drink (or several)
in the spectacular THE VUE sky bar.
Its partially glazed ceiling allows you to
gaze up towards the night sky and catch
sight of its glittering inhabitants, accen-
tuated by modern video installations and
subtle light effects. The elegant interior
means the bar is just the kind of venue the
famous ski resort of Sölden was looking
for. The art of bar tending is taken to a
new level of extravagance that leaves room
for comfort. Ideal for an intellectually
stimulating evening among good company
or a night cap at the bar before heading
It’s time for new beginnings at
THE SECRET Sölden – in December 2021,
to be precise, when the hotel will open its
doors again for the first time following
its extension and renovation, and surprise
people with what has so far been a well-
guarded secret. Their motto appears to
reveal it all: A Cosmopolitan Experience.
And this is exactly what we get not far from
the glacier at the end of the Ötztal valley
in Tyrol. It creates contrasts that still fit
together perfectly: the contrast between
the pristine mountain landscape and the
cosmopolitan atmosphere in the hotel
and world cup venue that turns every
holiday at THE SECRET in Sölden into
an unforgettable experience.
sölden’s
hidden gem
THE SECRET
SÖLDEN
Innovative hotel concept
Opening in December 2021
Book online
the-secret-soelden
AU S T R I A
T Y RO L / S Ö L D E N
21
signature
apartments
23
Alpine chic
apartments
off to bed. After the opening, it will only
be a matter of time before other people in
Sölden become aware of this gem in the
town centre. And they’re welcome here,
too.
LE FEEL –
THE WELLNESS
RETREAT
Sometimes you’re just not up to being
sociable. Instead, you can enjoy the
tranquillity of your spacious apartment
or visit the LE FEEL spa. It’s the ideal place
to find inner balance, a retreat where you
can work up a sweat in the sauna while
looking out at the Sölden mountain scenery
and allowing your thoughts to slowly but
surely disappear. Slowing down is the
magic word, and the warmth is medicine.
In the infinity pool, we float off towards
seventh heaven and submerge to energise
ourselves. There’s something for everyone
at the new THE SECRET Sölden – including
a cosmopolitan experience in the heart of
the Alps.
NEW
MEMBER

LH 05
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
NIDUM CASUAL
LUXURY HOTEL
The only native conifer that creates a spectacular display of colour in
autumn and then spends the winter bare plays a hugely important role
at the NIDUM hotel – inside and out.
CASUAL,
WOW & AWESOME
In the 57 rooms at the NIDUM hotel, the
seemingly rustic markings of the larch
wood can be found in modern company.
You’d be hard pressed to resist the soft box
spring beds with their simple design, and
the same goes for the view of the Alpine
landscape at over 1,200 metres above sea
level through the large glazed façade.
In that moment, it quickly becomes clear
why the rooms have names like Casual,
Wow and Awesome. What we don’t see is
the magic sprinkled around throughout
the hotel by the larch wood. Nevertheless,
you can still feel the natural materials
lowering the blood pressure and having a
cleansing effect. Is that what makes our
day at the NIDUM so peaceful and laid
back, or is it the pared-back appearance
with its delicate natural tones? It’s also the
fact that it looks so good. And it works.
the
light of
the larch
GOING WITH
THE FLOW
It’s this calming and natural atmosphere
that hotel manager Max Pinzger wants to
maintain and foster at his sunny hotel on
the edge of the forest: “Lots of our guests
practise sitting still when they stay with
us. They want to find peace.
That was more and more difficult to do
during the enforced winter hibernation
in 2020, so we’ve redesigned and reconsi-
dered concepts to surprise our guests with
new highlights following the lockdown,”
he explains. Decorative objects gained
strong design emphasis and the terrace
in the spa area was turned into a place of
well-being with soft loungers, canopy beds
and sumptuous blankets. Curling up nice
and warm, we gaze out into the mysterious
fog that moves in across the Tyrolean
mountains in autumn, watch the snow of
the Tyrolean winter glitter before our eyes
and enjoy a unique view of the Inntal at the
foot of the mountains.
The combination of timeless architecture,
luxury and comfort is what keeps drawing
us back to this power place where, every
season, we discover exactly what our
holidaying heart really desires.
Photos:
Tiberio
Sorvillo
AU S T R I A
T Y RO L / M Ö S E R N
57
rooms
SEEFELD OLYMPIC
REGION
1,500 m2
wellness area
Book online
nidum-hotel/
The autumnal Alpine landscape owes its
rich golden yellow colour mainly to the
larch tree. They grow up to 40 metres
tall and on steep slopes, their deep roots
protect us from avalanches and landslides.
It’s no surprise, then, that their wood is
no longer a stranger to modern architecture.
Natural, robust and with expressive
markings, it’s a winning raw material
that’s sustainable and boasts fascinating
contrasts. It has been put to good use at
the NIDUM hotel in the sunny mountain
village of Mösern in Seefeld, where the
popular alternative to exotic wood has
been paired with timeless natural stone.
The result? A sense of cosiness in a setting
where we experience the casual side to
luxury.

LH 06
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
Photos
Gert
Perauer
The Gradonna ****S Mountain Resort in Kals am Großglockner
is proof that a luxury resort can sit harmoniously in the
Alpine landscape of a national park.
CARS?
NO
The entire resort, with just over 100 rooms
and 41 chalets, has been designed in such a
way that guests don’t need a car.
It’s a mystery as to how the Schultz Group
managed to arrange everything within such
short distances, with the cosy atmosphere
still conveying a sense of space and
tranquillity – a mystery that reveals itself
gradually with every visit through the use
of many natural materials such as wood and
loden cloth. Traditional raw materials from
the Alpine region lend the modern low-rise
buildings a rustic, safe and warm appeal.
The architecture itself is striking, visionary
and yet still in touch with nature.
“Only those with the courage to evolve are
able to offer their guests a spectacular expe-
rience,” believes co-owner Martha Schultz –
and it is this spectacular experience that the
Group has achieved with the design alone.
NATURE?
YES
A building like this ultimately needs to
blend in harmoniously with the mountain
and ensure that tourism doesn’t clash
with the National Park in the resort.
The foundation of this clever interplay
is clear design language paired with the
rustic mountain charm that is present
throughout the location. Large glazed
façades allow guests to view the beauty
of the nature that surrounds this modern
yet traditional resort, meaning they feel
connected to nature inside the building,
yet in an unobstructed way. Be it from the
rooms, the panoramic pool, the sun terrace
or the spa, the view knows no bounds.
The mountain landscape in East Tyrol is
imposing – imposing to the extent that even
in this small corner of Austria, you’ll find
241 3,000-metre peaks. Together, they create
a breath-taking backdrop that absolutely
must be protected. Around one-third of the
total area of the Hohe Tauern National Park
is located in East Tyrol, which is why the
Schultz Group, who opened the Gradonna
Mountain Resort here in 2012, made the
architecture of this special place their top
priority.
a modern
take on
nature
GRADONNA ****S
MOUNTAIN RESORT
CHALETS & HOTEL
This experience awakens the senses
during your holiday and you find
rejuvenation in both relaxation and
movement.
Very few people can avoid the healing
magic of nature in the power place
where the Gradonna has been built – it
strikes you from the first moment you
take in the incredible entrance hall with
its Kals marble and wooden statues.
ADVENTURE AND FUN?
ABSOLUTELY
The well-considered balance of the resort
ensures that there’s a right option for
everyone. For some it might be an active
schedule in the mountains, while for others
it might be undisturbed bathing time in the
hotel’s focal point: the solar-heated bathing
pool. On the high, sunny plateau, children
can explore the magical kingdom of flora
and fauna in the forest kids’ club, or practise
their beginner routes in the bouldering
hall. Adults can hike or cycle through the
National Park and enjoy treatments in
the spa – all in the context of the nature-
inspired architecture of the Gradonna ****S
Mountain Resort at 1,350 metres above sea
level. With no stress. No compromises.
And of course, no cars.
In the Hohe Tauern National Park
Back-to-nature childcare included
Book online
gradonna-mountain-resort
AU S T R I A
E A S T T Y RO L /
KA L S A M G RO S S G L O C K N E R
104
rooms
42
chalets

LH 07
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
Photos
EALA
My
Lakeside
Dream
EALA *****
MY LAKESIDE
DREAM
The dreamlike natural setting of Lake Garda evokes images of
greenery, striking mountain peaks plunging down into glittering
turquoise water and a feeling of enchantment. The EALA design hotel
has captured this spirit and turned it into a holistic experience.
NATURE
BY DESIGN
A visit to EALA is a sojourn in nature.
Careful attention has been paid to ensuring
that the exterior façades blend into the
surroundings through careful use of
materials and design features. On the road
side, the emphasis is on reinterpreting the
mountains through the choice of shapes,
colours and materials, with different
modules creating shadows and light effects
that change throughout the day. The side
facing the lake incorporates the balconies
of the suites and is reminiscent of a rocky
slope descending towards the water,
bearing the same tones as the rock faces
and playing on the shapes and contours of
the mountains. Tall camphor trees punctu-
ate the view and mimic the mountain faces.
LUXURY
BY DESIGN
Within these striking yet harmonious
façades, the interior continues the natural
theme. The suites are adorned with
bespoke wallpaper and artworks bearing
graphic interpretations of natural motifs,
while large panoramic windows draw the
gaze outside and place guests in the very
heart of the landscape. Premium amenities
including underfloor heating, coffee
machines, private saunas and outdoor
jacuzzis ensure a luxury feel. When hunger
strikes and you absolutely must leave the
comfort of your room, the extraordinarily
designed dining hall, suspended above
Lake Garda with splendid views of the
calm waters, offers an experience for the
eyes as much as the palate.
the
luxury
of
nature
I TA LY
L I M ON E S U L G A R DA –
L A K E G A R DA
Natural spa treatments
Private beach
Book online
lifestylehotels.net/eala-
my-lakeside-dream
67
Junior suites and suites
WELLNESS
BY DESIGN
No stay at EALA would be complete without
being pampered in the 1,500-square-metre
luxury spa. The team uses natural products
sourced from the region to send guests
on a journey of self-discovery, with treat-
ments ranging from moisture-rich facials
to invigorating scrubs and massages.
Nature again comes to the fore in the
materials, shapes and colours to stimulate
all the senses. As if we needed further
proof of the power of nature, EALA con-
firms once more through its design what
a privilege it is to soak up the atmosphere
of the lake and rediscover tranquillity and
relaxation.
The positive impact of nature on our mood,
stress levels and general well-being has long
been recognised in the built environment,
and the increased use of biomimicry in
architecture and design is further proof of
nature’s appeal. With its position on the
banks of Lake Garda, the design criteria for
EALA were to immerse the structure of the
hotel in the natural surroundings to create
a luxury experience with all the benefits
that offers.

LH 08
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
Photos:
Archiv
Marcati
Anyone looking for knick-knacks, ostenta-
tious décor and traditional Alpine chic at
the dasMAX will come away empty handed.
And that’s a good thing, as this hotel relies
on its minimal appearance to create added
value from its simplicity. “dasMAX is
the laid-back, uncomplicated and smart
embodiment of clever holidaying in Tyrol,”
summarises architect Alexander Meissl.
He and his team took on the interior
design concept in 2018 and turned the
dasMAX into a wellness oasis that deliber-
ately avoids all of Tyrol’s kitsch nostalgia.
NORDIC ELEGANCE
At the dasMAX, luxury manifests itself
in the minimalism, in the paring-back, in
the essential. Danish designer brands such
as Bo-Concept and Kvadrat are the perfect
match, which is why the lifestyle hotel
worked closely with them from the very
beginning.
Hunting trophies on wood-panelled walls?
Not at the dasMAX. The lifestyle hotel in Seefeld
impresses guests with sleek, urban design amidst
the Tyrolean mountains.
urban
holidays in
the alps
DASMAX
LIFESTYLEHOTEL
Combined with the sophisticated lighting
concept from Tyrolean company Prolicht,
the team of architects achieved a balancing
act between premium quality and minimum
quantity. Because less is more. Or you could
call it lean luxury of the highest order,
which can also be enjoyed in the wellness
options on the expansive roof terrace with
its sauna and relaxation area.
BISTRO INCLUDED
Right next to the entrance, you’ll find the
Bistro ready to captivate both hotel guests
and other visitors to the popular Tyrolean
winter sports resort with its visual and
culinary offering. Whether you use it as a
breakfast room, an on-the-move office or
a break room for the times in-between,
the continuation of the minimalist design
lends itself to being suitable for a number
AU S T R I A
T Y RO L / S E E F E L D
Bistro and bar
Modern rooftop area with sauna
Book online
das-max
19
rooms
of uses and means there will be a favourite
spot for everyone. The space is still cosy
despite the simple design, and there’s
nothing to distract you while concentrat-
ing on your work. Such a mix can only work
with refined interior design, and that’s
exactly what Meissl Architects achieved.
“In the Bistro, the line between fun,
entertainment, work and culture
becomes blurred. This is the heart and
the social hub of the hotel,” says
Prof. Carola Meissl-Handle.
AWARD-WINNING SIMPLICITY
The unique architecture of the lifestyle
hotel in the Alps hasn’t escaped the
attention of the experts. In 2020 and 2021,
the dasMAX received two prestigious
awards: the European Big See Tourism
Award and the international German
Design Award, whose jury was unanimous:
“The wonderfully simple interior looks
appealingly fresh, airy and modern and
creates a feeling of individuality and a
high standard of living through carefully
selected and placed decorative details.”
And at the dasMAX, everyone holidays just
as they want it. Tailor-made.

LH 09
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
Photos:
Christoph
Schöch,
Andreas
Schatzl
Inspired by the mountain landscape around the
Tyrolean village of Sölden, a couple working in tourism
and carpentry created a retreat where the scenery can
be experienced both indoors and out.
larch
and loden
BERGLAND *****
DESIGN AND
WELLNESSHOTEL
SÖLDEN
The natural colours of the Bergland Design
and Wellness Hotel in the centre of Sölden
blend into the mountain landscape of
the Ötztal valley. This is where Elisabeth
Grüner and her husband Sigi have fulfilled
their dream of running a first-class design
hotel in the Alps. Their starting point was
an outdated traditional building in the
town centre of Sölden in Tyrol. The idyllic
town has a population of 3,200, and with
an area of almost 470 square kilometres it
is bigger than Vienna, while it also marks
the start of the road leading to the World
Cup glacier. Boasting glaciers, mountains,
forests and pastures, the region is the ideal
location for a luxury holiday.
HARMONIOUS
CONTRASTS
Before Elisabeth and Sigi Grüner were
able to offer their guests premium holiday
experiences, there was still one bold step to
take: the renovation. The building was to
be transformed into something completely
new, and an architectural competition was
launched that was won by Salzburg firm
Wimreiter & Partner, who have experience
in the tourism sector. With a strong grasp
of and much sensitivity to the natural
surroundings, the architects devised an
alpine design hotel – the first of its kind
in the region. What fits in perfectly from
the outside captivates on the inside with a
contrast of regional and modern elements:
larch, loden cloth and wool meet stone,
glass and ceramics, while traditional
shapes harmonise with contemporary
features.
ARCHITECTURAL
HIGHLIGHTS
A total of over 1,000 square metres of
terraces gives the hotel a feeling of open-
ness and freedom. The well-considered
floor plan with spacious rooms and suites
of up to 212 square metres emphasises this.
The only thing that can make the ambience
even better is the 2,200-square-metre Sky
SPA boasting panoramic views – when
you take to the treadmill here, you feel like
you’re running through the mountains.
Moments of wellness at the same level
as the summits await afterwards in the
jacuzzi. Premium features like these aren’t
overdone in this special place, but rather
correspond with what you’d expect from
a five-star location.
ANIMAL
NEIGHBOURS
The bells and the bleating of the sheep
that graze behind the hotel aren’t that
interesting at first glance. Yet they fit in
perfectly with the mountain backdrop at
almost 1,350 metres above sea level. What’s
special is that they belong to hotel owner
Sigi Grüner, who has received several
awards for the way he breeds the approx.
25 ewes and 40 to 50 lambs. Their wool is
used to create products that can be found
throughout the hotel, while the meat is also
proudly served in the gourmet restaurant.
Top cuisine ranks as high as the peaks at
this hotel. And anyone who doesn’t think
that’s quite high enough will be able to
reach Sölden’s glacier ski resort in just 30
minutes – winter wonderland guaranteed.
AU S T R I A
T Y RO L / S Ö L D E N
86
rooms
2,200 m2
Sky SPA
Own sheep farm
Book online
bergland-design-und-
wellnesshotel-soelden

LH 10
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
Photos:
Almmonte
Präclarum
Suites
a simple
statement
laid-back serenity and discreet elegance to
him. This illusory contrast is what makes
it so easy for us to be in the moment here.
The moment when we wake up in our cosy
box spring bed. The moment we enjoy the
panoramic view of the mountains from
the heated outdoor infinity pool. And the
moment we’re served regional specialities
in the restaurant.
ALMMONTE
PRÄCLARUM SUITES
Maybe it’s the raw materials taken from
nature: the dark stone next to the light
wood, rough linen next to soft velvet,
protective curtains in front of large glass
façades. “Harmony and contrasts don’t
cancel each other out. Nature is proof of
that,” explains hotel owner Andreas Hutz,
who invested blood, sweat and tears in the
architecture and design of the building.
The Almmonte Präclarum Suites owe their

LH 11
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
That’s the Almmonte Präclarum Suites in the heart of the
Salzburg mountain landscape – where holidaying is brilliantly
simple, just as we like it.
SIMPLY TIMBER
Before we even enter the lobby, suites,
restaurant or the spa, we’re struck by the
nature-inspired appearance of the building.
Its façade seems to bring the surrounding
forest closer thanks to its effective timber
cladding. Organic shapes such as vines and
nets emphasise this effect and generate
a feeling of warmth and comfort, even
from the outside. A feeling of “I want to
go in there”. We’re happy to accept this
unspoken invitation and soon notice that
the concept continues seamlessly in the
interior with minimalist wooden furniture
and subtle decorative pieces. Wood is used
in combination with another mountain
material in all areas: stone.
SIMPLY STONE
We encounter it in the form of granite
floors with the classic salt and pepper
pattern, we discover it in the dark shadows
on the walls and ceilings and marvel at the
contrasts resulting from the interplay with
the markings of the wood. Although stone
can often seem cold in the mountains,
that’s not the case in this environment.
At the Almmonte Präclarum Suites, it
invites us to take a closer look. It’s like
it’s urging us to touch it: beneath our feet
in the bathroom and with our hands on
the wall. And actually, it feels warm and
comforting.
SIMPLY NATURE
The overall impression that the design
leaves us with is one of space, privacy
and subtlety. The harmonious silhouettes
lend the building its own personality.
Every area appears to tell stories, maybe
our own, maybe one from the tourist
region of Wagrain, which is known for its
traditions and connection with nature.
“Our goal is to create experiences from the
needs of our guests,” summarises Andreas.
And experiences are waiting here for us:
both in the hotel and in the surrounding
area.
AU S T R I A
S A L Z B U RG / WAG RA I N
Outdoor infinity pool
Ski-in, Ski-out
Book online
/almmonte-praeclarum-suites/
23
suites
2
restaurants

THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
L I F E S T Y L E H O T E L S . N E T
We offer hand-picked, independent and stylish hotels for
design-oriented globetrotters and sophisticated travellers.
Direct contact with the hotel
First-hand information
Best price
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LIFESTYLEHOTELS
Book directly. Enjoy benefits!
D I R E C T O RY
L I F E S T Y L E H O T E L S
BAD GOISERN AM HALLSTÄTTERSEE Lesehotel
BRAMBERG Wildkogel Resorts
DAMÜLS Alpenstern Panoramahotel
FISS Alps Lodge
FÜGEN Mia Alpina . Zillertal Family Retreat
GASCHURN Montafon Lodge Luxury Lodgehotel und Spa
GEINBERG Geinberg 5
Private Spa Villas
GRAZ Aiola Living
GRAZ Augarten Art Hotel
GRAZ Lendhotel
GROSSARL Hotel Nesslerhof
HALLSTATT Hallstatt Hideaway
KALS AM GROSSGLOCKNER Gradonna Mountain Resort
KALTENBACH Das Kaltenbach
KITZBÜHEL Alpenhotel Kitzbühel am Schwarzsee
LANGENFELD Naturhotel Waldklause
LEOGANG Puradies
MARIA ALM Hotel Eder
MARIA ALM Hotel SEPP
MAYRHOFEN ElisabethHotel Premium Private Retreat
MELLAU Sonne Lifestyle Resort
MÖSERN NIDUM Casual Luxury Hotel
MUHLDORF LA PETITE IVY
NAUDERS Arabella Retreat & Spa
OBERGURGL Hotel The Crystal
SAALBACH HINTERGLEMM Alpin Juwel
SALZBURG STADT Hotel Goldgasse
SALZBURG STADT Hotel Stein
SCHLADMING Stadthotel brunner
SEEFELD dasMAX
SERFAUS Alfa Hotel
SÖLDEN Bergland Design- und Wellnesshotel Sölden
SÖLDEN THE SECRET Sölden
STAINACH - PÜRGG Gästehaus Krenn
TURRACHER HÖHE Hollmann am Berg
UDERNS Sportresidenz Zillertal
VIENNA Hollmann Beletage
VIENNA Hotel Das Tyrol
VIENNA Hotel Schani Salon
VIENNA Hotel Schani Wien
WAGRAIN Almmonte Präclarum Suites
WAGRAIN Almmonte Sensum Suites
ZELL AM SEE Seehotel Bellevue
ZELL AM SEE Senses Violett Suites
AUSTRIA
GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN Das Graseck
NORTH FRISIA Hotel Landhafen
NUREMBERG art&business Hotel
PIRNA Laurichhof
SANKT ENGLMAR Berghotel Maibrunn
TIMMENDORFER STRAND SAND
TIMMENDORFER STRAND Hotel SeeHuus
GERMANY
CHINA
NANJING Kayumanis Nanjing Private Villas & Spa
FRANCE
PARIS Hollmann Paris
AMSTERDAM Sir Adam
AMSTERDAM Sir Albert
NETHERLANDS
ALENTEJO Sublime Comporta Country Retreat & Spa
ALGARVE Vila Valverde
CASCAIS The Oitavos
LISBON Torel Palace Lisbon
MADEIRA Quinta da Bela Vista
PORTO Torel Avantgarde
PORTO Torel Palace Porto
PORTO Torel 1884 Suites & Apartments
ITALY
PORTUGAL
LUCERNE Hotel des Balances
ZERMATT Hotel Matterhorn Focus
LAPPLAND Treehotel
SWITZERLAND
SWEDEN
MALLORCA Convent de la Missio
MALLORCA Fontsanta Hotel Thermal Spa & Wellness
MALLORCA Hotel Can Simoneta
MALLORCA Pleta de Mar
SPAIN
SRI LANKA
DICKWELLA SOUTH UTMT – Underneath the Mango Tree
HUNGARY
BUDAPEST Hotel Collect
BUDAPEST Lanchid 19
WESTERN PELOPONNESE Dexamenes Seaside Hotel
SANTORINI Myst Boutique Hotel
SANTORINI Saint Santorini
GREECE
AMALFI COAST Casa Angelina
AMALFI COAST Relais Blu
APULIEN Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel und Spa
CALABRIA Praia Art Resort
CAMAIORE Locanda al Colle
ISSENGO Gourmet & Boutiquehotel Tanzer
KALABRIEN Praia Art Resort
LAZISE Quellenhof Luxury Resort
LIMONE SUL GARDA EALA My Lakeside Dream
MERANO Boutiquehotel SuiteSeven Merano
MERANO Steinach Townhouse Meran
MONTEFOLLONICO Follonico
NATZ NEAR BRESSANONE Seehof Nature Retreat
PUGLIA Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & Spa
RIMINI i-Suite
SICILY Monaci delle Terre Nere
SICILY - Zash Country Boutique Hotel
TRIESTE Hollmann Trieste
VENICE Hotel Heureka
ISTRIA Meneghetti Wine Hotel & Winery
HVAR Maslina Resort
BRAČ Hotel Lemongarden
CROATIA

Photo:
Courtesy
of
The
New
Raw,
Michele
Margot
15
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
“
W A S T E
NO
M O R E !
“
STYLE

thenewraw.org
16
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
What do you see that I don’t when
you spot trash on the beach or along
the roadside?
PANOS SAKKAS AND FOTEINI SETAKI:
Plastic waste is everywhere, in our cities,
nature and oceans. This is a constant
reminder that plastic pollution is the result
of a design failure, where plastic packaging
is used for seconds and then thrown
away. For us, this material becomes the
inspiration for sustainable objects and
products that carry with them stories and
messages. It is our mission to transform
plastic waste into a valuable material that
is kept, reused or recycled and not easily
and instantly thrown away.
What do you answer to someone who
considers you to be modern alchemists?
We strongly believe that seeing waste as a
raw material will become the new norm;
and sustainability and circularity will be
the default features of all design products.
What some people call alchemy, we call
crafting plastic waste with robots!
Do you remember your motive and the
moment you decided to work with
recycled materials instead of new ones?
Yes, it was the moment that The New Raw
was born. Plastic is a versatile material
and plastic waste is in great abundance!
Being Greek and living in the Netherlands,
we could see how two different cultures
use and manage this material, and this is
what inspired us to do something about
the problem of plastic pollution.
The question was how to bring it new life.
For the transformation of plastic waste
into a new raw material, we employed
digital craftsmanship. We have been
working on this since 2015.
What is the aesthetic value of
plastic waste?
We work on transforming plastic waste
into something new by crafting it with
robots. There is definitely an aesthetic
value in plastic waste, and we work on
expanding the possibilities of how we can
use plastic waste, and make creations that
it's hard to believe are made from a waste
material. When the recycled plastic enters
the 3D printing process it turns into a dif-
ferent material with distinctive properties.
Similar to rings in wood or the swirls of
marble, the orientation and proportions of
our 3D printed lines define the behaviour
of the material and provide
its distinctive ornaments.
R A W
T H E N E W
We love working with plastic waste as
if it were a natural material inheriting
imperfect and non-homogenous qualities.
For your collection The Elements, you
took marine plastic, transformed it
into beach furniture and put it back
on the beach again. What is your
message behind this design approach?
Living in urban regions, we tend to forget
about our dependence on the sea that is
related to food and oxygen supply.
With The Elements, we wanted to give new
life to plastics collected from the sea and
provide useful and functional objects with
a strong storytelling value. In the case of
The Elements, the design draws its formal
inspiration from elements that we often
find or experience by the sea, such as the
carcasses of marine organisms, saltation
patterns on the sand and the waves.
Their sculptural forms consist of soft and/
or wavy surfaces that smoothly surround
the user and offer a pleasant experience.
Our goal was to create objects that seem
to be almost natural because of their
shape, textures, and colour.
For the production of the beach furni
ture, you used 720 kg of plastic waste.
What was the biggest challenge in the
design process?
Making a series of products that would
seamlessly integrate into the natural sea
landscape and provide climatic comfort
under the hot sun. Our designs were
based on observations of living organisms
and patterns formed on the sand and water
surface of the coastal areas, and trans-
ferring those into our design language
and production technique. Choosing and
mastering the material is part of our
creative process. In recent years, we are
happy to have joined forces with local
partners and suppliers to assist us on
this quest. Since 2015, the number of
companies and initiatives that focus on
marine plastic pollution has significantly
increased!
Your beach furniture series has been
digitally crafted via 3D printing.
What have you been able to achieve
through this robotic manufacturing
process that you wouldn’t have with
traditional craftsmanship techniques?
Or, in other words: what can robots do
that humans can’t?
Plastic is an industrial material that has
not been used in craftsmanship before.
We explore how using our robots as the
extension of our design team can trans-
form plastic waste into objects of craft.
All our designs are produced on demand
and can be tailor-made upon request.
If you could lead an ecological
revolution, what would its slogan be?
Waste, no more!
FROM TRASH TO TREASURE:
PANOS SAKKAS AND FOTEINI SETAKI FROM
THE DUTCH RESEARCH AND DESIGN STUDIO
THE NEW RAW USE 3D PRINTING TO TURN
PLASTIC WASTE INTO BEAUTIFUL AND
FUNCTIONAL OBJECTS. THE TWO ARCHITECTS
SPOKE TO THE STYLEMATE ABOUT COLLABO-
RATING WITH ROBOTS, USING WASTE AS A
RAW MATERIAL AND THEIR VISION OF A FUTURE
WITHOUT WASTEFULNESS.
Interview
Nora Palzenberger
Photos:
Michele
Margot

STYLE
17
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
STYLE
THE NEW RAW is a research and design studio based in Rotterdam founded in 2015 by
architects Panos Sakkas and Foteini Setaki with the ambition to give new life to discarded
materials through design, robots and craftsmanship. The multi-award-winning pair of
architects look into the options for local recycling of plastic waste and inspire with projects
like the Zero Waste Lab and Print your City! in Thessaloniki. Using a circular material process,
The New Raw designs and produces high-quality outdoor furniture made from collected
plastic waste with the help of robots to plot the 3D printing.
The pandemic has changed the way we
see our home and furniture. What are
three characteristics of future furniture?
Local, sustainable, versatile.
The motto of this year’s Expo is
“Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”–
how can design connect minds and create
the future?
We believe that design thinking can tackle
the big challenges of our times and provide
valid solutions through co-creation and a
multidisciplinary approach.
The Warehouse Lab, Panos
Sakkas and Foteini Setaki’s
studio in Rotterdam, is where
the extraordinary creations
are brought to life in their
characteristic amorphous
forms and multi-layered
structures thanks to robots
and 3D printing processes.
Photos:
Courtesy
of
The
New
Raw,
Michele
Margot

18
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
Interview
Nora Palzenberger
Photos:
Maja
Wirkus
playing
in
GET OUT INTO THE FRESH AIR! 93% OF CHILDREN AROUND
THE WORLD BREATHE POLLUTED AIR, ACCORDING TO
INFORMATION FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
(WHO). THAT GAVE CLAUDIA PASQUERO AND MARCO POLETTO
FROM THE LONDON ARCHITECTURE AND INNOVATION
AGENCY ECOLOGICSTUDIO THE IDEAL EXCUSE TO BRING
THE WORLD’S FIRST BIOTECHNOLOGICAL PLAYGROUND TO
LIFE: IN THE AIRBUBBLE IN CENTRAL WARSAW, CHILDREN
PLAY BENEATH A BUBBLE OF AIR THAT’S BEEN PURIFIED
BY MICROALGAE.
Interview
Nora Palzenberger
You are both architects specialising in
biotech design. When did you become
aware of the fact that with your work
you could not only impact the form
and function of buildings, but also the
health and hence the future of people?
CLAUDIA PASQUERO AND
MARCO POLETTO: I would say since
ecoLogicStudio was founded in 2005.
Our name is a reference to the book
written by Gregory Bateson, Steps to an
Ecology of Mind, in which the author
speaks of ecology as the interconnection
of various human and non-human systems
through languages that are both logical
and meta-logical. This perspective sets
architecture free from the dichotomy
of form versus function and towards
architectural morphogenesis. Architects,
in other words, should engage with the
relationship between form, energy and
the vital processes that shape life, and its
evolution.
ecologicstudio.com

19
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
STYLE
AirBubble is located within the public green
space outside of the Copernicus Science Centre
(Centrum Nauki Kopernik) in Warsaw, which
also hosts a dedicated exhibition illustrating
the design innovation behind the invention.
The Polish capital is one of the most polluted
cities in Europe. The project integrates
photosynthesis into the built environment and
in doing so invents a new architectural typology:
a real urban algae greenhouse. The cylindrical
timber structure inside is wrapped in an ETFE
membrane – an evolution of the PhotoSynthetica
urban curtain system – that protects 52 glass
algae reactors. They contain 520 litres of living
green Chlorella sp algae cultures that can filter
a flow of polluted air of 200 litres a minute. The
purifying process is powered by solar energy and
children's playfulness. The space is equipped
with ropes, foot pumps and bouncy spheres, and
the white bubbling noise of the algae gardening
system provides a calming atmosphere.
THE PROJECT
Claudia Pasquero and Marco Poletto studied
engineering at the Polytechnic University of
Turin and attended London’s Architectural
Association School of Architecture before
founding ecoLogicStudio in 2005. Based in
London, the architecture and design innovation
firm specialises in environmental design, urban
self-sufficiency and biophilic sculptures.
Their portfolio of nature-based design solutions,
through which the architect couple want to
have a direct positive impact on climate change,
includes the project BIT.BIO.BOT presented at
the Venice Biennale that aims to improve the
indoor climate via algae-based living façades.
Their Deep Green project, which is funded by
the United Nations Development Program, uses
artificial and biological intelligence to create new
green ecosystems on the urban landscape.
THE ARCHITECTS
Your new project, AirBubble, merges
architecture, biotechnology and urban
design. How did you manage to connect
these disciplines?
Architecture for us is a framework to
embed nature-based solutions in the built
environment. They are the best hope we
have to solve the challenges that industrial
technologies have created. It is therefore
an illusion to think that biotech can be
the solution without the framework
provided by architecture. The challenge is
to clarify this distinction to key industry
stakeholders, to make them realise the
added value we can all get by embedding
technological innovation in a social and
spatial framework.
Please tell us about the moment when
you envisioned AirBubble for the first
time. Why did you particularly choose
a playground?
Play affords a unique way to learn, going
back to Bateson, through meta-logical
processes. And kids are best placed to
deploy meta-language to understand and
transform their surroundings. Kids are
also the most affected by urban air pollution
since their respiratory apparatus is still
evolving and their breathing is very intense
while they play. So a playground was a very
good typology to address all these issues at
once and turn them into opportunities for
change.
How do you explain the idea behind
AirBubble to a child in three sentences?
AirBubble needs two sources of power:
solar energy and your instinctive drive to
explore and to play. These constitute the
inexhaustible and renewable fuels of the
AirBubble that can be obtained effortlessly.
The AirBubble is the trigger of a process
that can only grow and multiply its benefi-
cial effects towards future generations.
It’s all in your hands – you are responsible
for our health and climate.
What is it that you want children to have
learnt after having visited AirBubble?
We hope kids can learn through experience
and interaction the benefits of transforming
the quality of the air they breathe with
nature-based solutions, and in this case
with the power of microalgae. They will
also experience how this process can lead
to delightful new urban environments.
What is your favourite playing
area within the bubble?
Certainly the hanging ropes combined
with the bouncy bubbles. Kids invent
unique ways to balance themselves while
interacting with each other over it.
There is never a final static state, it is
a constant process of negotiation and
dynamic interaction.
What immediately apparent effect does
AirBubble have on its visitors?
Certainly curiosity and, for the kids, rather
wild playfulness, which was great to see.
However, our main objective was to ensure
that kids would want to come back and play
regularly in the AirBubble, in order to be
able to observe and experience the patterns
of change and evolution over time, of both
microclimate and algae cultures.
At the moment, AirBubble is a test bed of
applied biotechnology. When do you know
your project is ready for the mass market?
AirBubble is already fully functional, it
is a real biotechnological architecture.
There will certainly be other locations in
the future but we do not want to consider
it as a product for the mass market. We see
AirBubble as always being customised to
the specific context of application. To the
local microclimate, building regulations,
local algae species and social norms. That
is why we have designed it using cutting-
edge digital design and fabrication tech-
nologies and why we have embedded a
real-time monitoring system in it that
feeds us with data on pollution reduction
and algae culture resilience. These systems
enable a continuous learning and optimis-
ing process. It is not just the algae that
are alive, the whole project is an evolving
architectural system.
What would you love to put in a bubble
of clean air next?
The next version of AirBubble should be
a factory, or bio-factory. A factory shaped
by the circularity of its processes of
production, where emissions become
raw materials for new products. A factory
that is part lab, part greenhouse and part
production facility. A factory that welcomes
citizens in the processes of production and
consumption and becomes participatory.
We are already working on two pilot
schemes, for the food and pharmaceutical
industry.
nature
Photo:
Maja
Wirkus

20
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
IN AN OLD BUILDING IN THE CENTRE OF GRAZ, AMID
THE URBAN HUSTLE AND BUSTLE, YOU’LL FIND THE
HEADQUARTERS OF LIFESTYLEHOTELS, WHERE
ROBERT EISENBERGER FROM INSIDE EINRICHTUNGEN
GAVE THE INNOVATIVE COMPANY THE SPACE TO
MAKE A DISCREET STYLE STATEMENT.
a discreet
style
statement
INO circle luminaires by XAL, sideboard by Lapalma

21
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
High ceilings, elegant parquet flooring
and large windows formed the foundation
that interior designer Robert Eisenberger
had to work with. The basic concept that
immediately came to his mind was that
the furnishings should be as understated
as possible so as to be able to highlight
the things that make the Lifestylehotels
business stand out. You only have to enter
the reception area to see that that’s been
achieved. Previously restricted to white
and with no reference to the company or
the products it makes, you can now tell
from the entrance exactly where you are
thanks to the showcasing of the company’s
print products. Against a background of
anthracite walls, we’re now greeted by a
colourful masterpiece that’s appropriately
lit and displayed. “We wanted to create
an atmosphere that corresponds with the
innovative character of the company, and
makes reference to the content it is known
for,” explains Robert Eisenberger.
The wall in front of you is devoted to the
Lifestylehotels book, which is exhibited
in small items of modular furniture by
Montana to give the effect of a type case.
The Montana modules are positioned in a
grid layout on the wall and act as a small
theatre of window displays to create a
presentation space for the books published
every year. The reception area forgoes the
use of the company logo as the products
are the most powerful representation of
the Lifestylehotels brand. The colour of
enamelled water-blue tiles on a vintage
fireplace has been picked up on the walls
and rugs in the reception area.
ART, WALLPAPER
AND ACCESSORIES
Moving into the office where the admin-
istrative staff are based, you encounter a
clean and pared-back environment so you
can focus your full attention on exactly
what happens here. The open-plan space
boasting large windows forms a contrast
with the management offices. The furni-
ture has been kept low – no sideboard is
allowed to exceed the normal desk height
of 75 cm so as to give the art, wallpaper
and accessories the opportunity to shine.
“Managing director Thomas Holzleithner
has a great affinity for art and we quickly
agreed how we wanted to proceed,” says
the interior designer. Desks and sideboards
by Lapalma have been incorporated into
the design. Large-scale wallpaper by
Glamora has been used on some of the
walls as a design feature – in some places
it has been applied to a panel set away from
the wall to create a focal point in the room.
At the same time, the acoustics of the
room are optimised thanks to these panels
and the thick-pile rugs by Object Carpet.
STARK
CONTRASTS
The offices of the two managing directors
have been limited to black, allowing them
to become bright, light-filled rooms, with
lamps by Wever & Ducré and XAL having
the effect of installations. In one of the
offices, there is a bay window that’s been
accentuated with upholstered furniture
from Moroso, designed by Patricia Urquiola.
The ellipse-shaped meeting table has the
advantage of creating an additional seating
option. The matching chairs with delicate
colour accents in gold are from Petrali.
In the other office, an understated sofa
by Wittmann steals the show. Across the
corridor, you come to the kitchen and a
dining area where Montana furniture has
been combined with pieces from Kartell.
Returning to the reception area, you’re
struck by the special surface on the
furniture, which doesn’t show any finger
prints thanks to a nano coating. You take
one more glance at the boxes showcasing
the books and are duly shown back out.
Montana bookshelves and console table
Glamora wallpaper, Lapalma desk, Kartell meeting table,
Moroso armchair
Bookshelves Montana,
Desk and Chairs from Kartell
Photos:
Walter
Luttenberger,
Oliver
Wolf
inside-einrichtungen.at
ADVERTORIAL
Robert Eisenberger,
interiors expert and
owner of INSIDE.

22
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021

23
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
STYLE
Photos:
Fee-Gloria
Grönemeyer
DUTCH DESIGNER IRIS VAN HERPEN
REVOLUTIONISES THE WORLD OF FASHION
WITH HER HAUTE COUTURE PIECES.
HER SYMBIOSIS OF TECHNOLOGY, NATURE
AND INNOVATION IS UNPARALLELED.
THE STYLEMATE PRESENTS 8 REASONS WHY
IRIS VAN HERPEN IS TAKING FASHION INTO THE
FUTURE.
F A S H I O N
F O R W A R D

24
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
Photos:
Fee-Gloria
Grönemeyer,
Wendelien
Daan
01
After her studies, Iris van Herpen trained
with none other than visionary
British fashion designer Alexander McQueen.
She is a pioneer of 3D printing technology in fashion.
Back in 2011, one of her dresses created using 3D printing
processes was selected by Time magazine as one of the
50 best innovations of the year.
IRIS VAN HERPEN
HAS A PASSION
FOR DANCE AND
ITS PATTERNS OF
MOVEMENT, WHICH
SHE REGULARLY
INCORPORATES IN
HER DESIGNS.
In 2014, she created the costumes for Benjamin Millepied’s
Neverwhere at the New York City Ballet. That was followed
by costumes for the Paris opera and the Berlin dance group
Sasha Waltz.
She applies an interdisciplinary approach to the
production and design of her collection and regularly
collaborates with artists and architects, including
Jolan van der Wiel, Neri Oxman, Philip Beesley and
Benthem Crouwel Architects.
The symbiosis of design and technology is an essential
component of van Herpen’s work. She exchanges ideas
regularly with world-leading institutes like CERN
(The European Organization for Nuclear Research) and
MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
Space exploration is also one of her sources of inspiration.
Natural experiments: for one of her collections, the
designer developed a fabric made out of tree roots
in partnership with a biologist.
08 Iris van Herpen relies on a long-term and sustainable
overall concept. Haute couture allows her to produce just
a few select pieces, with her natural and experimental
approach to fabric and production ensuring minimal
CO₂ emissions.
V A N H E R P E N
I R I S
02
03
04
05
06
07
irisvanherpen.com

25
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
Fotos:
Fee-Gloria
Grönemeyer

26
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
WITH THEIR HIGH HEEL SNEAKER, MICHAELA WORSCHITZ AND JÜRGEN HOLL HAVE CREATED
A SHOE THAT COMBINES THE BEST OF TWO WORLDS: THE COMFORT OF TRAINERS AND THE
ELEGANT FEEL OF HIGH HEELS. MICHAELA WORSCHITZ SPEAKS TO US ABOUT THE JOURNEY
FROM IDEA TO FINISHED PRODUCT AND HOW YOU CREATE UNIQUENESS.
up, up
M I A
M O C K E R Y

27
THE Stylemate
Issue No 03 | 2021
STYLE
Why are two architects working on shoes?
MICHAELA WORSCHITZ AND
JÜRGEN HOLL: From dealing with archi-
tecture, we recognise that buildings and
shoes meet the same requirements, what’s
different is just the way of achieving that.
Both objects need to provide comfort, fulfil
statistical requirements, be functional,
protect against the rain and the cold and
conform to subjective aesthetics.
How did the idea come about to turn a
sneaker, of all things, into a high heel?
The idea came up during my architectural
studies at the Graz University of Technology.
I also wrote my thesis about it. Using the
same software that I’d learnt how to
design buildings on, I designed the first
High Heel Sneaker. It was actually for
entirely personal reasons: I’m rather short,
and really wanted to be taller in everyday
life without having to endure the usual
associated foot pain and without losing
any practicality in day-to-day life.
The advantage I was aiming for, as well as
height, was to deliberately take a different
path with high-heel shoes. They just make
you feel different.
And that’s why sneakers with a heel
are better than normal sneakers or
high heels?
I’m active and I enjoy being out and about
on my feet a lot, so I need a shoe that can
carry me comfortably through the day.
But one that will go well with an elegant
outfit. So, sneakers with a heel. Only ever
wearing trainers was sometimes a bit too
boring, and what’s more, in my opinion
you shouldn’t wear sneakers to a wedding
or other special occasions.

What else can the High Heel Sneakers do?
“When people start staring at your shoes
and stop looking at your ass” is one of our
slogans. The High Heel Sneakers don’t just
stand out because of their striking design,
but also because of the totally new walking
experience and how they enable the wearer
to walk for hours at a time without any pain.
What materials are they made out of?
The outer is made from moulded
neoprene, while the inner is naturally
tanned leather. The wedge heel is made
out of recycled thermoplastic polyurethane
(TPU), a plastic that’s also used for high-
end sneakers. The materials come from
Italy so as to ensure the shortest possible
transport routes to the production site.
The issue of sustainability is important
to us. That’s why we didn’t want the
manufacturing to be done in China.
You say that comfort can be achieved
through design. What does that mean
exactly?
The wedge heel of the shoe was created
with the help of parametric design,
meaning finding inspiration in the
surroundings and drawing on shapes
that are already successfully in use in
nature. The heel is made out of a honey-
comb structure that ensures the optimum
transfer of force and thereby provides
above-average comfort. The soft materials
used also ensure shock absorption.
What inspired you to create the design?
The designs are inspired predominantly
by chaotic formations in nature, such as
those found in the branches of plants,
river banks, mountain ridges and
coastlines. These recurring geometries
have sparked the interest of parametric
design. Incidences in nature are random,
but unique in their own way. That’s what
generates demand for the designs:
creating uniqueness.
When are the High Heel Sneakers
meant to be worn?
Aesthetics and style are part of my life.
I celebrate dressing in an extraordinary
way and find it fun. You speak differently,
move differently. The great thing about
the High Heel Sneakers is that you can
wear them for a whole day and night
without becoming bad-tempered through
pain. When other people would rather sit
down, I’m still dancing.
You invested a couple of years of research
in this project. What did you need to
research for your High Heel Sneaker?
With a wedge heel, there is considerably
more strain put on the ball and the heel of
the foot than with sneakers, as the transfer
of force isn’t flat but rather reduced to
two main points. To be able to keep your
balance despite the height of the heel and
the high number of overlying cavities
caused by that, a material is needed that
ensures stability and flexibility at the same
time so as to prevent the wedge heel from
buckling, as well as ensuring cushioning.
Roughly the same cushioning is afforded
to wearers of any weight so no one is at a
disadvantage.
What does the brand name mean?
Mockery mia (mia = Italian for “my”)
serves as a way to see the world in a
self-deprecating way. Why not laugh
out loud at yourself every now and then?
And at the same time stand up for yourself
and your own style. Life is much more fun
and exciting if you can look at it in a playful
way. The basic idea behind mockery mia
internalises the questioning of existing
structure to drive the development of new,
well-considered solutions. Prevalent issues
shouldn’t be taken lightly. However, we
welcome prescribed rules and structures
because that’s the only way we can have
the opportunity to break them.
mockerymia.com
ABOUT MOCKERY MIA Architects Michaela Worschitz and Jürgen Holl
developed the High Heel Sneaker. During their architecture studies they dealt
with parametric design and looked for an application for this design method
in areas of everyday life – and they found it!
and away!
Photos:
mockerymia.com

WEVERDUCRE.COM
RAY likes swinging from the ceiling alongside other
Wever & Ducré luminaires. The trick is suspending up to
eight luminaires as a round, multi-ceiling rose and up to five
in a straight form. All you need is a single light outlet from
which you can tailor the arrangement. Whether it’s straight
as a die or in the form of a spider’s web where the cables
become a design element. Who can join the team? Besides
WETRO and DOCUS, BOX, HEXO, ODREY and SHIEK are
also absolute combination geniuses.
LET’SHANG
OUTTOGETHER

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