Lohi Features
Modernist Masters
Ideas are often manifested through design, such as the Case Study E-1027 on Côte d’Azur. Another example is the pavilion in Barcelona, designed by Mies van der Rohe to symbolise the renewed Barcelona. Outside Copenhagen, Finn Juhl’s house is a perfect mix of Japanese and Scandinavian traditions, while the Oscar Niemeyer Auditorium is one of the highlights in Ravello.
Portuguese Favourites
Lisbon is a very particular kind of town – with its rich history, beautiful buildings and interesting places, it has developed organically over its seven hills into the messy, chaotic and charming city it is known as today.
Vista Mare / Ravello
Because of its attractive location, in the middle of the Amalfi Coast, for centuries, people travelled to Ravello to enjoy its mild climate and beautiful view of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
London Day Trips
Close to central London are several interesting destinations, like the art deco-styled Eltham Palace, the inspiring Queen’s House in Greenwich, where also the Painted Hall is. Thames Barrier Park and Kew Gardens are great choices when looking for a relaxing city escape.
Fashion Supporting Art
Fashion and art have often overlapped, one often finding inspiration in the other. Milan’s Fondazione Prada showcases the brand’s affinity for art, which links it to Fondation Louis Vuitton in the outskirts of Paris. In a more central location in the French capital, Pinault Collection is a great new addition to the Parisian art scene.
Josep Lluís Sert / Architecture in Dialogue with Art
Spanish architect Josep Lluís Sert designed three magnificent buildings that were to become homes to great works of art; Fundació Pilar i Joan Miró in Mallorca, Fondation Maeght in the south of France, and Barcelona’s Fundació Joan Miró.
Highlights of the Còte d’Azur
Villa Kérylos in Beaulieu-sur-Mer merges ancient architectural ideals with contemporary comforts. It so inspired baroness Béatrice Ephrussi, née Rothschild who went on to build her own home, Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild. Not far lies Promenade Le Corbusier, one of the most scenic walks on the French Riviera.
A Piero Portaluppi Tribute
A modernist master, Piero Portaluppi was known for his combination of rational solutions and elegant aesthetics, never compromising in creating simply yet refined buildings and interiors.
Magical Thinking
In Estremoz, a hotel off the beaten track also houses a collection of handcrafted anthroposophical furniture. Not far away is one of Portugal’s most impressive ceramic museums, and a church built from human bones.In different ways, they all represent different ways of creating a special type of place.
Home of the Gods / Pelponnese
Most travellers who go to Greece have their sights on one of the islands, but the area of Peloponnese should not be overlooked. Only a few hours from Athens, it’s home to long sandy beaches, contemporary hotels, great vineyards, and fascinating historic sites.
Look But Don’t Touch
One of the best ways to enjoy fashion without actually buying anything is to visit a fashion museum. Three of the best ones are located in Paris; Musée Yves Saint-Laurent, La Galerie Dior, and Fondation Azzedine Alaïa, while a fourth one, Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa is found in Spanish Getaria and Armani / Silos is in Armani’s hometown Milan.
Iconic Design: Architecture and Ideology
A building is not only a place to live or work, but can be viewed as a proposal, put forth by architects and commissioners, of what one’s surroundings should like and what ideas it should represent. Two spectacular but very different examples are found in Rome, EUR and MAXXI, and a third one is found by the river Tagus in Lisbon.
Spiritual Spaces / Architecture, Religion and Loss
Many religious places – like churches, cemeteries, and monasteries – are specifically designed for the visitor to feel closer to God, so that the veil between this life and the next is thinner, facilitating a closer connection with a loved one who has passed on.
Catalan Modernism
The Catalan Modernism–movement, which originated during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, used organic and detailed aesthetics to make philosophical statements.
Art Days / Immersive Museum Experiences
Some are destinations in themselves, places to get lost in, where you can spend an entire day without having seen everything (or even half of it). We’ve listed some of our favourite great museums – Victoria and Albert Museum,Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, MNAC, Galleria degli Uffizi – for inspiration on where to go for a truly immersive experience.
The Legacy of Eccentricity
Who is remembered after their death, the ones abiding by the rules or those who follow their own visions? We’ve selected three museums – Vittoriale degli Italiani, Leighton House, and Museo Calouste Gulbenkian – that reflect the originality and eccentricity of their founders.
Italian Palaces / Baroque Sumptuousness
Throughout history, people have celebrated their victories by flaunting the spoils. Fortunes have been turned into art collections and palaces like Florence’s Palazzo Pitti and Palazzo Colonna and Galleria Doria Pamphilj in Rome.
Where Music Lives / Oslo’s Opera House and Barcelona’s Palau de la Música
Some of the most fascinating buildings in the world – Palau de la Música Catalana and the Norwegian Opera & Ballet – have been created to house symphony orchestras and opera.
House of the Creative Genius / Museums Decidated to a Singular Artist
There is something special about those museums dedicated only to one creative mind, like Museo Marino Marini in Florence, Musée National Fernand Léger in Biot, and Musée National Picasso in Paris. Instead of being in a space with a multitude of voices and perspectives, you instead follow the creative development of one person. This allows you to pay greater attention to minor nuances in the artistry
Great Gardens
A guide to some of our favourite gardens, all spectacular places – two in Italy, one in France and one in the UK – designed as relaxing verdant havens.
Northern Shores / Binz
Binz is the most traditional of all of Rügen’s resort towns, with many buildings remaining intact since the heydays around the turn of the last century. The beautiful white villas, with their traditional glass verandas, in verdant gardens and close to the sandy beach, full of colourful chairs, add to the historic atmosphere of the town.
Off Grid
According to Greek mythology, the islands of Paxi were created by Poseidon, who struck Corfu with his trident to create a place for him and his wife to retreat. Today, it’s not only a holiday home for the gods but also for ordinary people looking to get away from the crowds.
High Art, Low Cost / Budget-Friendly Options
There are ways to experience great art while avoiding the cost of expensive art museums. We have selected four art museums, galleries, and spaces with little or no admission fee.
Time through Space / Historic Sites Worth a Visit
We’ve selected three places – two in Italy and one in Greece – that are particularly resonant when it comes to manifesting the past.
Architecture as Art
Here are three of our favourite art museums – in Denmark, Italy, and Spain – that we like not only for the artworks but for the impressive architecture as well.
Italian Shopping
Why is Italy so stylish? When it comes to fashion, interior design, and architecture, few can beat the Italians. It’s like they have their own unique appreciation of life, and understand that appearances matter.
Nature and Culture
A vast park in Oslo, an impressive Danish castle by the sea, and a museum in Stockholm’s archipelago, with works of art not only inside the building but also in the forest around it, are all examples of when nature and culture come together.
Fashionable Food
Prada has merged two worlds by making food fashionable, first by buying one of the finest cafés in Milan and then by opening up a café of their own, in London.
Contemporary Modern
We’ve visited three museums dedicated to either modern or contemporary art, or at times, to the blurred area where the two meet.
Artist Studios / At Home with the Artist
There’s something very special in visiting the workspace of an artist. Musée Bourdelle in Paris is one of the city’s most beautiful museums, while both Carl Eldh’s Ateljémuseum and Millesgården are among the best museums in Stockholm.