Robb Report Singapore July 2022

IN THE VAST space of design, opinions will inevitably be split across the spectrum of what constitutes the best of design. Even the great artist Salvador Dali commented that one need not have fear of perfection for the simple reason that it is unattainable. In this light, we attempt to compile a selection of good designs (and also elucidate on five terrible ones). Welcome to our Design & Home issue, two sections inextricably linked by the idea that one’s home also reflects one’s leanings on the weighty subject of design. In this issue, we bring you a roundup some of the best in design from the furniture world on page 36. Imagine sinking into blissful slumber on a Hästens Drēmer, a wool–, cotton–, flax– and horsehair-filled bedroom fantasy with art deco…

Flying High It’s no exaggeration to say that Dassault Aviation’s latest addition to its family of large-cabin business jets, the Falcon 10X – estimated to be priced at around US$75 million – is set to break records in more ways than one. Not only is it poised to be the largest purpose-built business jet on the market, the 10X has also bagged the prestigious Red Dot Award for its sophisticated cabin interior – one of the most highly sought-after awards in the world of design. Besides boasting best-in-class interior volume of 78.7 cubic metres, the 10X’s layout is customisable and can fit as many as four lounges – including a plush master suite with accompanying en suite and shower. An abundance of natural light conveys a sense of openness, while state-of-the-art…

Unburnable Edition of The Handmaid’s Tale Auctioned by Sotheby’s online for US$130,000 This fireproof copy of Margaret Atwood’s acclaimed dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale, created in partnership with publishing company Penguin Random House, was auctioned in aid of PEN America, which defends and celebrates free expression in the US and worldwide through the advancement of literature and human rights. The single-copy, one-of-a-kind special edition was printed using fireproof materials. A preliminary prototype had been tested by Atwood, who brandished a flamethrower at her powerful, and often banned, novel. Yangcai Painted Imperial Poems and Landscapes Celadon Vase Auctioned by Bonhams in Hong Kong for HK$32.3 million A 15-minute bidding war erupted between bidders across the globe as they vied for this famille rose and celadon-glazed vase, which dates back to the 18th-century Qianlong period. The yangcai…

The National Theatre, London, UK “It’s so ugly we had to give the architect a knighthood.” While I admit that I may have dreamt this, and in the very best case I am paraphrasing, I recall the line being the words of Sir Humphrey Appleby, a main character in the BBC’s classic comedies, Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. It was referring to the National Theatre in London’s South Bank, a building design that has divided opinion since its completion in 1976 – the year the architect, Denys Lasdun, was knighted. Prince Charles described the structure as “a clever way of building a nuclear power station in the middle of London without anyone objecting”, although it’s fair to say that other people were not quite so charitable. It’s been described as an ‘eyesore’,…

WHEN ARCHITECT LUIS FERNANDEZ was working on his first environment for the metaverse, a soaring, interactive gallery conceived to display NFT artworks, he kept running into a problem: none of the established platforms or available technology could make the room’s virtual gleaming marble, ivy-covered walls or central water feature look as photorealistic as he’d hoped. Fernandez, who has also designed interiors and menswear, ultimately teamed up with two sophisticated platforms called Mona and MetaMundo, which helped him and his design team achieve the elevated, high-fidelity look he was after. The resulting space uses high-end materials and proportions that feel familiar but isn’t restricted by tedious things like gravity. “You can play God a little bit,” Fernandez says. “Obviously there’s no physics. There’s no materiality. For me, keeping some semblance of the real…

IN PROSPEROUS ERAS of the past, sprawling estates with long, winding driveways, guest cottages and amenities were built and handed down through the generations. Some, like a 1920s ‘castle’ in San Diego or Linden Hill, a property nearly the size of a French village along Philadelphia’s Main Line, were designed by celebrated architects of their time. Rarely have these legacy homes come on the market – until now. While the residences’ vast acreage and square footage were initially considered assets, in recent decades many homeowners with smaller families didn’t necessarily need the space or want to maintain such grand holdings. But COVID-19 changed some clients’ cravings, says Sean Matthews of Compass Real Estate in Santa Barbara. “That level of buyer is now looking strategically for a property that suits those pandemic-generated…