Robb Report Singapore November 2021

IN AN INTERVIEW with Jean-Michel Gathy, the principal designer of Denniston and a bona fide legend in the upper reaches of hospitality design, he surmises that an artist’s sensibilities are not actually cultivated, but are, in fact, an organic result of being involved with certain forms of art. “The sensitivity is then subconsciously translated into shape, form and design,” he says. “It is not a physical or intellectual process; rather it is a natural development of one’s sensitivity.” For Gathy, whose 40-year career has yielded a multitude of design accolades and regular invitations to be a jury member at the International Design Awards, the expression of his art is a completely natural one which flows from his being. “You would probably never ask an artist why they paint a picture a…

A New Symphony This year’s collection from Minotti marks the bridge between rationalism and brutalism, with pieces offering a modern design take on the midcentury spirit. Under the coordination of Rodolfo Dordoni with Minotti Studio and a team of international designers, this new collection injects mellow riffs on the functionalist style of Minotti’s pieces through reflective satin finishes, honey-coloured oak, a mix of leathers and the softness of textiles. In the living room, the new Roger seating system provides a muchwelcome modularity. This Dordoni design with Minotti offers a trio of elements: the Roger Suite with its deep, cushioned seats; the Roger Spring, a Monobloc seat with fully quilted surface; and Roger Spring Sofa, an armless version. With this Roger collection, Minotti’s full repertoire of customisation comes into play; with high and…

Decanter No. 1 of Gordon & MacPhail Generations 80-Years-Old Auctioned by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong for HK$1.5 million A decanter housing spirit from the Glenlivet Distillery, distilled and laid down in 1940 in a bespoke oak cask by luxury grocer Gordon & MacPhail, became the longest-aged whisky to be auctioned. Its decanter and accompanying oak case were created by architect Sir David Adjaye OBE along the theme of Artistry in Oak. The highest bidder – a European private collector new to Sotheby’s – also won a whisky tasting experience conducted by Gordon & MacPhail’s director of prestige Stephen Rankin. Proceeds from the sale go to Trees for Life, a nursery dedicated to rewilding the Caledonian forest in Scotland. Official Printing of the US Constitution Bidding commences in November through Sotheby’s in New York This copy…

IT’S BEEN 40 years since Jean-Michel Gathy decamped to Asia from his native Belgium, arriving to a new world in 1981. Not that this was anything surprising. Since he was a child, Gathy would be tasked to organise family holidays across Europe, where his talent and inclination for geography and architecture would shine. This instinct to find the magic in new destinations led him to found Denniston – an architecture office that specialises in designing for a specific niche: luxury hotels, residences and the hospitality sector. Gathy would soon form the core of the Three Musketeers who established the DNA of Aman Resorts from its formative days. This year, the first urban Aman Resort in the US opens in New York’s century-old Crown Building and, across it 83 guest rooms…

THERE’S A WELL-KNOWN phrase in the real estate industry that refers to the three most important factors when choosing a property. I may not have this entirely right, but I believe it is, ‘location, location, location, location, and maths.’ The nub and the gist of it appears to be that the property itself is of no great concern, but its situation and locale are of paramount importance. I decided to put this to the test with a little research to discover whether the aphorism rings true or whether it was invented by an agent when trying to sell a cardboard box under a bridge in San Francisco. I started looking for property in Nigeria. A nice little homestead, I fancied, might do the trick. Maybe a bit of land to grow some…

TO STEP INTO a room or property shaped and enlivened by Martin Brudnizki’s creative eye – be it Fortnum & Mason in Hong Kong or two of the Grand Hotel Stockholm’s suites in the interior designer’s Swedish homeland – is to enter a world of opulence. It is, however, a world where balance and subtlety carry as much weight as extravagance and richly textured details, levelling generous sprinklings of glitz and glamour with refinement and functionality. Regularly sought after by luxury hotels, restaurants, private clubs and high-flying homeowners, Brudnizki – whose interior architecture and design studio, Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, operates in London and New York – favours the term ‘romanticism’ over ‘maximalism’ when describing his design approach. “I like to create spaces that transport people. Interiors that harness a feeling…