Latvia: How Restaurant MO Helped Revive the Historic Julianna’s Courtyard in Liepāja

The article details the transformation of a 15th-century palace in Orvieto, Italy, into a nine-key boutique hotel named Palazzo Petrvs. Local hotelier Raffaele Tysserand commissioned Naples-based architect Giuliano Andrea dell’Uva, founder of his namesake firm, to undertake the renovation. The palace, once owned by the wealthy notary Petrvs Facienus, had been abandoned for a considerable period before its conversion. The design process for the hotel involved extensive research, with dell'Uva and Tysserand exploring historical buildings and gardens in the surrounding area to inform their approach. The palace's location, adjacent to the 14th-century Duomo di Orvieto, served as a primary source of inspiration for the hotel's interior design, particularly its distinctive facade of alternating white travertine and black basalt stripes. Dell'Uva's design concept for Palazzo Petrvs is characterized by a playful yet sensitive approach that aims to honor the building's historical context while offering a contemporary luxury experience. Upon peeling back 19th-century renovations, original frescoes and Renaissance-era painted wood ceilings were discovered. The architect meticulously restored these historical details and returned rooms to their original proportions. Where frescoes were absent, walls were finished with natural clay plaster and floors were laid with terra-cotta, referencing the city's Etruscan heritage and artisan traditions. This palette provides a warm, soft backdrop for a curated mix of custom and vintage Italian and Nordic furnishings, creating a studied exercise in contrast. The lobby serves as a central point, featuring the original massive stone fireplace. Dell'Uva designed a blocky, double-sided sofa upholstered in forest green fabric, complemented by fringed Hans-Agne Jakobsson table lamps from 1950. Dynamically contemporary brass-and-glass sconces flank the hearth, while a purpose-built dining table with a black-and-white striped base and Hans Wegner seating, a Marco Zanuso armchair, and a Carlo Scarpa console, all vintage, add to the eclectic yet cohesive aesthetic. Many guest rooms incorporate a striped motif, directly referencing the Duomo's facade. This includes an en-suite bathtub constructed from black and white banded terra-cotta beneath a 1500-era coffered ceiling, custom beds with striped linen headboards and skirts, and floors laid with locally handmade terra-cotta tiles in a striped pattern, particularly prominent in the stair leading to the large suite in the ancient tower. The only exception to the striped motif is Coro, the hotel's restaurant, which occupies a deconsecrated 15th-century church adjoining the main building. Dell'Uva preserved its stacked stone walls, adorning them with works by Milanese artist Michele Guido. The restaurant is furnished with recycled-wood tables, upholstered benches, and more Wegner chairs, illuminated by spindly wrought-iron candelabras. Modern amenities, including generous contemporary bathrooms, were integrated for guest comfort. New waxed-iron partitions with openings for windows and doorways were installed to preserve original stone portals and wooden doors. The hotel's courtyard, inspired by local palace gardens and traditional riads, features a working fountain, custom terra-cotta and iron benches with built-in planters, wrought-iron café tables with earth-red cushions, and local Renaissance-era greenery, creating an oasis that blends historical inspiration with new design elements. #BoutiqueHotel #HistoricRenovation #ItalianArchitecture #InteriorDesign #LuxuryHospitality #OrvietoItaly #GiulianoAndreaDellUva #PalazzoPetrvs #Restoration

The XU JI Seafood Restaurant (Land Kylin) in Changsha, Hunan, China, designed by Daxiang Design Studio, presents a dining experience crafted around the core concept of a ‘mysterious jungle’ that transitions into a ‘deep ocean.’ The design narrative aims to evoke a dreamlike state where natural elements are reimagined, blurring the lines between different environments. Upon entering from the fourth floor of the W Hotel, guests are immediately enveloped in a dimly lit space. Star spotlights, emanating from the 'bottom of a tree,' guide them further into the restaurant. Blue light in the distance illuminates large fish seemingly swimming in the air, creating an initial illusion of moving from a jungle into an aquatic realm. This deliberate use of light and visual cues sets a mysterious and immersive tone from the outset. The central area of the restaurant reveals a grander spectacle, with light diffused from a giant curved LED screen on the ceiling, illuminating the entire space. The designers employed fragmented and de-symbolized formal language while maintaining a coherent spatial sequence. This approach involves manipulating structures and materials, along with the strategic placement of furnishings, to create interconnected montage spaces that vary in size and character. One such space is a golden wine house, drawing inspiration from traditional tea rooms, which blends classical and modern styles. This area serves for reception and tasting, enveloped by dense forest-like elements, symbolizing a process of meditation and reflecting oriental aesthetics within a contemporary context. The design incorporates reflective materials and mirrors to enhance the illusion and expand the visual scope of the restaurant. Drawing inspiration from historical metaphors about light reflection, the use of mirrors is not merely for expansion but to create a secretive beauty, respecting the patron's somatosensory consciousness and visual perception. The highly reflective surfaces in the dining hall enrich the spatial layers and visually enlarge the area. Frame-like mirrors break the solidity of walls, allowing diners to view the spectacle of large fish swimming among mountains on the LED screen, reinforcing the mysterious realm theme. Further within the restaurant, a tea tasting area is available in a private box, offering a tranquil space for diners to relax before or after their meal. The sliding doors open to a dining table adorned with wine and delicacies, providing views of the exterior scenery. Adjacent to another large box, an L-shaped sofa in the lounge area is accentuated by warm, diffused light from below. Decorative silk scarf paintings adorn the walls, and different themes are applied to various boxes to cater to diverse preferences, ensuring a quiet and private atmosphere for contemplation post-banquet. The restaurant's central island, featuring a bar counter, reflects a contemporary lifestyle, blending Western expressions with Chinese rhythm. This design choice aims to foster communication between Eastern and Western cultural elements, creating a dynamic and adventurous dining experience for guests within the 'Mysterious Realm.' The XU JI Seafood Restaurant's design is a comprehensive exploration of illusion, blending diverse elements to craft an immersive and multifaceted dining environment. Through careful manipulation of light, materials, and spatial arrangements, Daxiang Design Studio has created a space where the boundaries of reality are playfully challenged, offering a unique adventure for every guest. #RestaurantDesign #OpticalIllusion #InteriorDesign #ExperientialDining #ChineseDesign #DaxiangDesignStudio #MysteriousJungle #ReflectiveMaterials #LEDScreens

In the early 1990s, NBBJ consulting partner Rysia Suchecka and her husband, John Warburton, began a journey to acquire and restore a centuries-old farm in Larroque-Saint-Sernan, France. Suchecka's initial interest was sparked by a fellow architect's description of the unspoiled, authentic working farms in the Gers province, particularly those with 15th-century stone structures. For her, essential features included abundant trees and a traditional pigeonnier, which served historical purposes of fertilizer collection and food source. After viewing approximately 20 properties, they chose one in the worst condition but possessing intact trees, five acres of fields, and a panoramic view of the Pyrénées mountains. The property included a main house, a farmhouse, three barns, a small wine-pressing facility, and the desired pigeonnier, which Suchecka envisioned as a studio. The 17th-century buildings had been vacant for five decades, resulting in severe dilapidation, including leaking roofs, missing windows, and a complete lack of electricity and plumbing. Some structures had dirt floors, and the pigeonnier was filled with bird droppings. The initial phase of restoration focused on the *maison de maître* and extensive landscaping, involving the planting of 200 bushes, 380 trees (including fig, fruit, oak, maple, almond, and walnut varieties), and 80 plane trees lining the half-kilometer allée leading to the house. The property, named Nautucat, served primarily as a vacation home until 2015, when the couple began spending seven months a year there. At this point, they initiated the restoration of the remaining structures with the aim of integrating them into the local community. A core principle of the restoration was to support local artisans and businesses. All interior elements were custom-designed by Suchecka and produced within 10 miles of the property, with every subcontractor, from stonemasons to *ébénistes*, being local. This approach was driven by a desire to avoid sourcing materials or labor from larger cities like Paris, Bordeaux, or Toulouse, instead prioritizing the local economy. While a general contractor was used for the main house in 1997, Suchecka and Warburton acted as general contractors for the subsequent phases, with Warburton, an environmental engineer, managing the project. The process involved significant challenges, including navigating foreign language and construction complexities. Initial efforts focused on repairing barn roofs, which were critical for structural integrity. Subsequent phases involved creating structural openings to connect the farmhouse and barn, often encountering financial constraints that necessitated pausing work. Eventually, a comprehensive restoration effort was undertaken. During this period, Suchecka pursued new passions, including learning to play the piano. She acquired a Pleyel piano, hired a teacher, and dedicated three hours daily to practice, eventually purchasing a concert Steinway. This led to the transformation of the old farmhouse into guest quarters and a venue for chamber music concerts, produced in collaboration with the local association TerrOpera, utilizing the excellent acoustics provided by the stone walls. Concurrently, Suchecka engaged with drawing, finding it creatively liberating from architectural constraints. She invited her drawing teacher to France, leading to the conversion of the cow barn into an art center for public classes in drawing, painting, and sketching, culminating in vernissages for the local community. The project reflects a desire to give back to the community and integrate personal passions into the restored estate. #FrenchFarmhouse #HistoricRenovation #LarroqueSaintSernan #NBBJDesign #RysiaSuchecka #ArchitecturalRestoration #CommunityEngagement #CulturalCompound #InteriorDesign #SustainableDesign