“Luxury takes many forms nowadays, but one thing doesn't change: luxury is about desire and the ability to create dreams.” Antoine Arnault
Welcome to the second edition of our review of desirable products and experiences that have caught our eye over the last couple of months. Desire is such a powerful motivator and has many manifestations, as we hope the examples show. We've gathered them from around the world and, as before, included a project of our own.
Casa Silencio
Distillery experiences are an important touch-point for many brands and Casa Silencio is interesting because it combines distilling with rich hospitality. In their own words; ”Casa Silencio is a design-forward, eco-minded distillery and luxury retreat that honours the ancient production of mezcal, a singular agave spirit born in the mountainous, Mexican state of Oaxaca. The entire 16-acre property - including its sustainable palenque (mezcal distillery) is nestled in what we call “Valle del Silencio” (Valley of Silence). Casa Silencio is much more than a place to relax; it is a modern temple to an ancient tradition, steeped in Oaxacan mysticism behind the love of craft and culture of mezcal.
Bowmore 51 Year-Old
Exclusivity is an intrinsic element of desirability and The Bowmore Onyx’s rarity is a significant factor in its record auction price of $532,000. It was inspired by the black rock or ‘bogha mor’ of Islay, from which the name Bowmore is believed to derive. It contains ultra-fine whisky housed in a hand-blown glass vessel, which was created by the glass studio Glasstorm. The liquid was first filled in 1970 and matured in an American Oak refill barrel. It was then nurtured in the Bowmore No.1 Vaults in the damp cellars below sea level. It’s the first 51 Year Old to be released by Bowmore and its auctioning offered the only opportunity to purchase the rare blend.
The Alchemy Shop
In some countries marijuana, which was once an illicit pleasure, has become legal. One such country is Canada and a brand which has sought to provide a contemporary shopping environment for marijuana users is Alchemy. Its licensed flagship store in Toronto is an immersive and interactive experience that seeks to dispense with all the usual cannabis clichés in favour of something more escapist and really quite different.
Singapore Bay Gardens
For those who love gardens and seek out their pleasures there are treats aplenty at the Singapore Bay Gardens. In particular, its Floral Fantasy venue offers an escape among suspended bouquets and creative floral arrangements - a real sensory pleasure. As visitors explore, they encounter different garden landscapes that merge into each other through a meandering space. And just in case they don’t get their fill of colour they can visit a vivarium populated by tiny poison dart frogs in a gamut of stunning hues.
https://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en/things-to-do/attractions/floral-fantasy.html
Cambridge Village Mosque
For centuries different religious faiths have sought to build churches, temples and mosques which glorified a deity (or dieties) and created truly spiritual environments where the faithful could properly worship. This desire has led to some truly beautiful buildings over the centuries and a recent addition is the Cambridge Village Mosque. The overall concept is of a calm oasis within a grove of trees. In the words of the architects, “the link between the local and the Islamic is expressed through the natural world…The defining feature of the Cambridge Mosque is its timber structure. The timber columns, or ‘trees’, reach up to support the roof using an interlaced octagonal lattice vault structure evocative of English Gothic fan vaulting, famously used at the Kings College Chapel, Cambridge nearby. The timber is sustainable sourced spruce which is curved and laminated. Roof lights are located above the trees creating a prayer hall bathed in light. The external walls are clad in tiles of the traditional Gault colour with castellated parapets that symbolise the meeting of heaven and earth. Worshippers and visitors take a journey from the street through an Islamic garden, to a covered portico and into an atrium, preparing them in a gradual transition for the contemplation of the prayer hall, which is orientated towards Mecca”.
And one from our own portfolio…
Southampton Football Club
For some football fans the shared joy of the stands is what football is all about - the noise, the atmosphere, the collective highs and lows of the game. For others, it’s the delight of one of the best views in a stadium combined with fine wining and dining. We designed just such a venue for Southampton Football Club. High on the ‘Top Deck’ of ‘The Saints’ stadium, The Halo commands the best views of a match (being adjacent to the centre line), whether a guest is sitting in specially reserved stadium seats or in the glass-fronted restaurant. The Halo, which we named, created a brand identity for and designed its interiors, is a celebration of the club’s standing and history.
http://www.sedley-place.com/news/category/ARCHITECTURE+%26+INTERIORS
