5 Architectural Works of Art
Luxury Defined spotlights five designer residences that are works of art
Luxury Defined spotlights five designer residences that are works of art
The art on our walls, the carefully selected interior decor, the objects we collect over a lifetime tell the story of who we are. But sometimes the story is woven into the very fabric of a house, making it more than just a showcase for our art, but art in and of itself. Each of the homes in this Luxury Defined collection convey their own unique story, where the artist’s stroke and the architect’s hand are one and the same. Consider the high art in the otherworldly curves of Antti Lovag’s iconic Bubble Palace or Sir Norman Foster’s innovative Chesa Futura; the modernist, linear strokes of the gravity-defying, deftly designed Ski the Future ; or the sculpted artistry of Villa Duinhove or Shining Hand Ranch. Here, the art of living is art itself.
The Bubble Palace
Théoule-sur-Mer, France
The Bubble Palace is the iconic estate of fashion designer Pierre Cardin. Built from 1975 to 1989 by celebrated Hungarian architect Antti Lovag, the unique and other worldly palais just outside Cannes was built without a single straight line. The 12,900-square-foot structure, composed of interconnecting terracotta spheres, features a panoramic lounge and 10 suites individually decorated by contemporary artists such as Patrice Breteau and Jérôme Tisserand. The grounds are an earthly paradise with Mediterranean gardens, an infinity pool, and a 500-seat amphitheater facing the sea.
Chesa Futura
St. Moritz, Switzerland
Ski the Future
Incline Village, Nevada
Soaring above the shores of Lake Tahoe with the Sierra Nevada in the distance, Ski the Future is one of the most spectacular waterfront properties in North America. The multi-faceted, cantilevered structure is a convergence of art and technology, offering 9,000 square feet and six stories of swish living spaces enveloped in walls of glass and steel. The sleek features include a beautiful glass staircase and high-tech glass elevator that zips between all six levels. The landscaped grounds lead down to 98 feet of lake frontage with a steel pier, boat hoist, and two buoys.
Shining Hand Ranch
Ashland, Oregon
Shining Hand Ranch is a 700-acre estate in the foothills of southern Oregon’s Siskiyou and Cascade mountain ranges. Completed in 2016, the 8,880-square-foot main residence was carefully designed to pay homage to the land that surrounds it. Throughout, exquisite accents of exotic wood and river rock echo the lines of nature. At the entrance, Brazilian mahogany doors, sculpted by local artist Russell Beebe, open to a dazzling foyer with an intricately carved staircase that evokes the flow of a river. The treehouse-style master suite has a beautiful domed cedar ceiling. The amenities not only honor nature but function in concert with it: The floors are heated geothermally and the indoor pool is solar-heated.
Villa Duinhove
Bosch en Duin, Netherlands