ESPA at the Istanbul EDITION Hotel
Entrance Elevator Lobby
The brand new luxury lifestyle EDITION Hotel is scheduled to operate and make its European debut in Istanbul in April 2011. With the extraordinary, 20,000 square foot, three-floor ESPA spa, Istanbul EDITION Hotel offers its guests an incomparable spa experience integrating beauty, health, and wellness in a setting of fine design and luxury. An inimitable experience; a stylish immersion into breathtaking contemporary design with influences of Turkish tradition.
Hammam Scrub Room
Spread over three floors, this astonishingly large 20,000 square foot spa with the dark and opulent lighting, and dark materials, such as rich metallic woods, embossed bronze floors and walls upholstered in exquisite horsehair add a truly spectacular design atmosphere. The play of light was one of the main components in the design inspiration of Hirsch Bedner Associates and was drawn from the faceted cut out patterns found in a traditional Turkish Hammam. A neutral tone color scheme was applied throughout the ESPA spa as to relax the clients and provide a tone of luxury; opulent chocolate brown marble and cast bronze sinks create a deep sense of calm and warmth throughout the Turkish Hammam.
Hammam
Hammam Steam Room Door
Relax Room
SNOW Room
Pool Heated Chaise Lounges
Reception Lobby Lounge
THE LOBBY of Istanbul EDITION Hotel
Light
design has been another key component in this design inspiration; the
creation of shadows and streaks of light sets the tone and the
atmosphere. The lutron system installed in the treatment rooms is
programmed to have different light levels throughout the varying stages
of the treatment: with a welcoming level for arrival, a very low level
for treatment, another level for showering, and a level for
relaxation. The spa has both passive and active spaces, and the light
levels reflect each space with the fitness room being the brightest.
The
Hammam, a truly focal and traditional element of Turkish culture
combines the functionality and the structural elements of its
predecessors in Anatolia, the Roman thermae and Byzantine baths, with the Central Asian Turkish tradition of steam bathing, ritual cleansing and respect of water. The Turkish Hammam becomes an intimate and exclusive haven at the ESPA
spa; an experience where design meets rejuvenation to soothe the mind
and cleanse the body. The alluring design and the opulent spaces make
the guests feel indulged and protected; a spa design that creates an
unforgettable experience.
THE LOBBY of Istanbul EDITION Hotel
THE LOBBY of Istanbul EDITION Hotel
Image Courtesy of Istanbul EDITION Hotel
Furthermore, the Istanbul EDITION Hotel is
a 15-story tower which includes 78 guest rooms and a full-floor
penthouse, it serves as a sophisticated hub providing multiple venues
for relaxing and entertaining including the ESPA spa, Cipriani
restaurant, lobby bar, drawing room, screening room, meeting rooms and
special event space, a business center, and a nightclub.
Fitness Center
Detail of Istanbul EDITION Hotel
Detail of Istanbul EDITION Hotel
New AOL Office at Palo Alto by Studio O+A
AOL launched a company-wide initiative to adapt to changes in online culture-which the company had been instrumental in creating in the first place. As part of this effort, AOL moved its West Coast headquarters to a new corporate space in Palo Alto and brought in Studio O+A to give the office a fresh design.
The existing space retained a distinctly 1980s corporate aesthetic: drop ceilings hanging over every office, high cubicles separating employees into tightly defined workstations, dark finishes, and oblique lines. O+A restored the space to a clean, white canvas-exposing the ceilings, stripping the walls to reveal the structure, and generally creating a spatial equivalent to the transparency that AOL was bringing to every aspect of its business.
Key to this approach is the concept of "honest materiality" - the embrace of materials and processes that originate in the construction industry and that increasingly provide the finish motifs for modern workplace design. At AOL, for example, oriented strand board (OSB), typically used by contractors to separate spaces on construction sites, was sanded, shaped, and finished to serve as a contemporary accent throughout the complex. Exposed ceilings, concrete floors, expansive sightlines, and modern furniture all contribute to the industrial look. The result is a space that communicates what it is made of and how it was built.
In keeping with this theme of transparency, O+A's floor plan emphasizes collaborative space-a change from segregated private offices to open workstations and the collegiality of shared environments. Two features of the AOL design highlight this concept. The first is a series of circular pods positioned throughout the main work areas as impromptu meeting rooms. Constructed of OSB and translucent fiberglass, these cozy silos provide a space for informal collaboration and spontaneous creativity. To encourage that spontaneity, the pods are open to all employees and cannot be reserved.
An even more prominent feature is the large, bright, collaborative space AOL has dubbed the Town Hall. Part kitchen, part play space, part kick-back area, the Town Hall also functions as an all-hands common area (Ariana Huffington spoke there when AOL acquired the Huffington Post), modeled after late-night eateries in San Francisco's Mission District. The kitchen's bench-seating, ample light, and bursts of color against a white palette go well with the game and relaxation area. Centrally located to bring together staff from departments that might not otherwise interact, the Town Hall is designed to foster the kind of creative cross-pollination for which tech companies like AOL are renowned.
And then there are graphics. AOL's new logo-the company's initials in a simple white font-can be placed effectively on any colorful background. Those playful backgrounds vary throughout the headquarters and include both abstract patterns and imagery drawn from nature and pop culture. All wall coverings in the space are custom designed.
The design embodies the elements of the new AOL-transparency, collaboration, creativity, and playfulness-to create a stimulating environment for the firm's staff.
Photos: Jasper Sanidad
The London 2012 Olympic Torch Design
The East London-based design studio BarberOsgerby was chosen for the historic task through a competitive tender run by LOCOG and the Design Council.The design, engineering and manufacture of the Torch celebrates the best of British talent, with the designers working in partnership with Basildon based product engineers Tecosim and Coventry based manufacturers The Premier Group. Together they have developed the prototypes on show today and the processes for the mass production of the Torches that will start later this year.
The Torch, which stands 800mm high and weighs 800g is made up of four key pieces - an inner and an outer aluminium alloy skin perforated by 8,000 circles that are held in place by a cast top piece and base.
Representing the inspirational stories of the 8,000 Torchbearers who will carry the Olympic Flame, the circles which run the length of the body of the Torch also offer a unique level of transparency - allowing people to see right to the heart of the Torch and view the burner system which will keep the Olympic Flame alive. The circles also help ensure heat is quickly dissipated without being conducted down the handle and providing extra grip.
Responding to a call in the brief to recognise the fact that more than half of the London 2012 Torchbearers are expected to be young people aged between 12 and 24, several design features have been implemented to produce what will be one of the lighter Olympic Torches. Crafted from an aluminium alloy, developed for the aerospace and automotive industry that is lightweight whilst having good tensile strength and excellent heat resistance, the 8,000 circles also reduce the weight of the final design whilst ensuring strength isn't compromised.
The torch will be carried by 8,000 inspirational Torchbearers on a 70-day Olympic Torch Relay, which will take the Olympic Flame on an 8,000 mile journey across the UK next summer. From the start point of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay at Land's End on 19 May 2012 an average of 110 people a day will take centre stage by carrying the Olympic Flame on its journey around the UK before it arrives at the Olympic Stadium on 27 July 2012 for the lighting of the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony, signifying the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
"This is a great example of how government procurement and design can come together - not just to create a beautiful, iconic example of design excellence, but to provide real business opportunities and to show the world that Britain is a leader in design-led innovation and manufacturing," said David Kester, Chief Executive of the Design Council. "I am sure the whole of the UK design industry will join us in congratulating Barber Osgerby on what is a huge achievement."
