Search this site

Mart 2022 | Art | Vol VI EKİN SU KOÇ “Kendimi özgür bırakınca çalışmalarım çeşitlendi” Yazı | Timur Can Ersoy Çalışmalarınıza Berlin’de devam ediyorsunuz ve göçebelik, yersiz yurtsuz olma hali işlerinizde sıkça rastladığımız temalar arasında… Evet, yersiz yurtsuzluk ve göçebelik hayatımdaki gelişmelerle ortaya çıkan kavramlar oldu. Birkaç ülkede yaşama, uzun zaman geçirme fırsatı buldum. Bu yaptığım seyahatler, diğer kültürleri tanımak ve kendi kültürümle kıyaslamak beni besliyor. Sanat üretim biçimizi nasıl tanımlarsınız? Çağdaş sanatta artık üretim biçimlerimizi sınırlamıyoruz. Çok özgürüz, disiplinler arası üretimler benimsiyoruz. Bu özgürlüğü ve geçiş halinde olmayı çok seviyorum. Yağlı boya, kolaj, kumaş ve dikişle ilerlediğim çalışmalarda figüre odaklanıyorum. Üç boyutlu dediğim alçı ve kâğıt duvar heykellerinde ise mimari dokular ve nesneler üzerinden kimlik, aidiyet ve kültürel miras kavramarıyla ilgili sorgulamalar geliştiriyorum. Kendi türetim tarzınızda ilham aldığınız isimler var mı? Yüksek lisans tezimi Anselm Kiefer üzerine yaptım. Kiki Smith’in çalışmaları beni çok etkiler. Sarah Lucas, Berlinde de Bruyckere ve Julie Mehrethu, çalışmalarındaki derin psikolojiyle beni her zaman heyecanlandıran, düşündüren isimler. Türkiye’den ise aynı hisleri uyandıran Nilbar Güreş var. Berlin’de yaşamak eserlerinize nasıl katkı sağlıyor? Berlin görsel anlamda çok zengin bir yer. Hem ‘dark’ ve agresif hem de batının nizami, titiz dokusu içinde eğlenceden ödün vermeyen özgür bir ruha sahip. Doğası vahşi bir şekilde kendi haline bırakılmış. İnsanları da bu ruh haliyle çok kültürlü rengarenk bir karmaşa içinde. Her geçen gün bu çeşitliliğin beni özgürleştirdiğini hissediyorum. Bu özgürleşme yaptığım çalışmalara da yansıyor. Bu yaklaşımla birçok alanda daha özgürce deneyler yapmaya, üretimimi çeşitlendirmeye başladım. KURU ÇİÇEKLERİ SABİTLEMEK İÇİN EPOKSİ KULLANDIM Sizi diğer ressamlardan ayıran özelliklerin ne olduğunu düşünüyorsunuz? Bana göre bütün sanatçılar birbirinden farklı. Aslında dikkatle bakıldığında, genel anlamda teknik deneylere ağırlık veriyor olmam, farklı çalışmalar sergilemeye özen göstermem, diğerlerinden beni ayırıyor diyebilirim. Bunun yanı sıra üzerine eğildiğim konular yurt dışında yaşadığım için belli bir alanla sınırlanıp kalmıyor. Bu da ayırıcı bir özellik haline geliyor. Kendinize özgü teknikler kullanıyorsunuz. Bu nasıl ortaya çıktı? Aslında tamamen sıkıldığım için ortaya çıktı! Çok uzun süre yağlı boya yaptım ve bu tekniğin benim anlatımım için çok ağır kaldığını hissediyordum. Kâğıt benim için her zaman özel bir materyal oldu. Kâğıda yoğunlaşıp kolajlarla çalışmaya başladım. Sonra üç boyutlu farklı şeyleri tuvale yapıştırmaya başladım. Doğal kuru çiçekleri tuvale sabitleyebilmek için epoksi ile denemeler yaptım. Üç boyutlu düşünmeye başladığım ilk zamanlarda bütün materyallere ve eşyalara farklı bir gözle bakmaya başlamıştım. Bir gün atölyede durdum ve yatağımı söküp içindeki demir iskeletle bir düzenleme yapmaya karar verdim! Çok heyecanlıydım ve ilk kişisel sergimin en sevdiğim çalışmalarımdan biri çıktı ortaya. Sonrasında da bu çeşitlilik içinde üretimim sürdü. Şimdilerde kültürel miras kavramı üzerinde düşünmeye, araştırmaya başlamamla birlikte zaman zaman kolaj ve epoksilerde görünen kumaşlar, işlemeler, danteller ana malzemem haline gelmeye başladı. Kısacası hoş bir yolculuk gibi, bir örgü gibi, birbirine eklenerek değişimler oldu üretimimde. Kendimi özgür bıraktığımda çocuksu bir heyecanla hiyerarşilerden kurtularak üretebildiğimi keşfetmem, çalışmalarımı çeşitlendirdi. Devamı için... Print VOL VI - 2022 Out of Stock View Details No product

November 2022 | Design & Interiors LAND ON WATER Mast’ın yeni projesi A vustralyalı mimar Marshall Blecher ve Danimarkalı denizcilik tasarımcısı ve mimar Magnus Maarbjerg’le yuzuvol2 sayımızda heyecan verici Kopenhag Adaları isimli projelerini konuşmuştuk. Blecher ve Maarbjerg’in stüdyosu MAST’ın yeni projesi “Land On Water” da vizyon açan bir özelliğe sahip. Su üzerinde hemen hemen her şeyi inşa etmek için bir çözüm vaat eden proje, deniz seviyesinin yükselmesi ve artan sel risklerine karşı düşünülmüş. “Land On Water”ın sistemi son derece sağlam ve düşük maliyetli. Molozla doldurulmuş ağ kafesleri kulanan eski bir teknoloji olan gabion’dan esinlenen proje, kolayca değiştirilebilen, güçlendirilmiş, geri dönüştürülmüş plastikten yapılmış basit, düz modüllerden oluşuyor ve dünyanın her yerine taşınabiliyor. Land on Water aynı zamanda mevcut çözümlerden çok daha iyi bir su altı ortamı vaat ediyor. Çelik ve beton temeller genellikle zehirli kirlenme önleyici boyalarla işlem görürken, Land on Water balıklara ideal bir yaşam alanı, deniz yosunlarına ise bir bağlantı noktası sağlıyor. for english LAND ON WATER Mast’s new project W e talked with Australian architect Marshall Blecher and Danish maritime designer and architect Magnus Maarbjerg about their exciting Copenhagen Islands project in our yuzuvol2 issue. Blecher and Maarbjerg's studio MAST's new project "Land On Water" also has a visionary feature. Promising a solution to build almost anything on the water, the project is designed to counter the risks of sea level rise and increased flooding. The system of “Land On Water” is simple. Project consisting of simple, flat modules made of reinforced, recycled plastic that can be easily replaced; can be transported anywhere in the world. Land on Water also promises a much better underwater environment than existing solutions. While steel and concrete foundations are often treated with toxic antifouling paints, Land on Water provides an ideal habitat for fish and a connection point for seaweed. Çapa 1

Milos brings together Adamas, Plaka, Sarakiniko, and Kleftiko with volcanic landscapes, turquoise coves, Greek food, and ancient heritage. September 16, 2025 | VOL 16 MILOS, in SLOW MOTION words Nicolas Vamvouklis photos 1-Courtesy Domes White Coast Milos, 2-Onur Basturk, 3- Emre Doğru There’s an island in the Cyclades where the landscape resembles sculpture, the sea turns turquoise in unexpected coves, and the food tells stories of salt, earth, and sun. Milos is not just beautiful—it feels self-authored, as if shaped by nature with a designer’s eye. Lying quietly in the Aegean, Milos has slowly become a discreet magnet for those in search of elemental luxury. Artists, architects, and travelers with a taste for the unpolished are now coming here not only for the beaches, but for the feeling—of openness, of texture, of something rare. The island is shaped like a horseshoe, its topography defined by its volcanic origin. This geological past has endowed Milos with mineral-rich cliffs, soft sandy arcs, and rock formations that flirt with abstraction. What sets it apart is its refusal to be flashy. It doesn’t overperform. It simply is—and that is its greatest seduction. THE SHAPE OF A PLACE Your introduction to Milos will likely be Adamas (or Adamantas), the main port. The town is modest, a bit sleepy around the edges, but it holds a few key ingredients for settling in: shaded cafes, car rentals, pharmacies, and bakeries for that essential morning spanakopita (a traditional pie made with spinach and feta cheese). From there, roads fan out across the island toward beaches, villages, and viewpoints that seem to unroll slowly, like scenes in a slow cinema. Drive north, and you reach Plaka—the capital and perhaps the most picturesque village on the island. Its alleys are tight, its walls blindingly white, and the light, especially near sunset, hits like a filterless dream. A climb to the old Venetian Castle rewards you with one of the finest sunsets in the Aegean. Below Plaka, the seaside villages of Klima, Mandrakia, and Firopotamos offer another kind of magic. These tiny, postcard-like settlements are defined by their syrmata—brightly painted boat garages nestled into the rocks. Fishermen once used them to store their vessels, but today some have been turned into holiday homes, their facades cheerful in red, yellow, green, and blue. They’re impossibly photogenic and oddly calming, as if color and rhythm could soothe the soul. WHERE THE SEA WRITES THE STORY But Milos is, above all, about water. The island boasts more than 70 beaches—a staggering variety for its size. The most iconic is Sarakiniko. Here, white volcanic rock has been carved by wind and sea into smooth, lunar curves. The absence of vegetation and the glare of the sun bouncing off the chalk-white surfaces create an otherworldly experience. Visitors don’t just swim here—they wander, climb, sit, stare. It’s as much a landscape as a seascape. Then there’s Firiplaka, where rose-colored cliffs tower above shallow turquoise waters, and Tsigrado, reachable only by a rope and ladder descent through a cleft in the rock—a small price for what feels like a private Eden. For a full experience of Milos’s coastline, book a boat to Kleftiko. Once a pirate hideout, it is a collection of sea caves, rock arches, and sapphire pools accessible only by water. Here, swimming feels ceremonial! TRACES OF THE PAST Milos also holds a quiet pride in its ancient heritage. The island is the birthplace of the Venus de Milo, the famed statue of Aphrodite now residing in the Louvre. Discovered accidentally in 1820 by a farmer near the village of Trypiti, the sculpture remains a powerful symbol of classical beauty. For a glimpse into this and more, the Archaeological Museum in Plaka houses Cycladic figurines, Roman relics, and a faithful plaster cast of the original goddess herself. FLAVORS OF THE AEGEAN If nature is the dominant force on Milos, food is its elegant reply. The island’s culinary scene balances simplicity and sophistication with ease. Traditional taverns still thrive, but in recent years, a handful of standout restaurants have elevated the offer—making dining part of the island’s deeper charm. The most talked-about address right now is Makris Restaurant, located within Domes White Coast Milos, perched above the sea on the island’s northwestern edge. Led by chef Petros Dimas, whose résumé includes stints in Michelin-starred kitchens, Makris has carved out a reputation for refined Greek cuisine with a contemporary sensibility. Dimas doesn’t obscure local ingredients but highlights them—red mullet is served with fennel and citrus, squid is delicately grilled and paired with smoked eggplant, while desserts play on Greek nostalgia with elegant restraint. The setting is equally arresting: a sleek, whitewashed terrace that overlooks the coast’s moonlike terrain. In Tripiti, another standout is Barriello, a sophisticated taverna housed in a 19th-century building. The setting is all stone arches and soft candlelight, but the kitchen is firmly contemporary. Local fava with capers, seafood pasta with saffron, and inventive vegetarian plates round out a menu that changes often. The wine list is Greek and proud—spotlighting organic and natural bottles from small producers. For those drawn to places with a lived-in, almost bohemian charm, Oh Hamos! near Adamas is a must. Run by a local family, this tavern is known for growing its own produce, making its own cheese, and hand-writing its menus with endearing commentary. Dishes are hearty—think goat with rosemary, baked aubergines, and stuffed zucchini blossoms. The shaded terrace, buzzing with conversation and shaded by trees, encapsulates a version of Greece that is unpretentious and deeply satisfying. Seafood lovers should also consider Medusa, in the tiny fishing village of Mandrakia. Tables are perched on the rocks just above the water. There’s no booking system—you come, you wait, you eat what the fishermen brought in that morning. Grilled octopus, marinated anchovies, and fried calamari are served simply but perfectly. The vibe? Slow and salt-kissed. Cafés and bars on the island tend to lean casual, but you’ll find thoughtful aesthetics in places like Aggeliki Ice Cream Shop in Adamas—a family-run spot serving fresh fig gelato, and Utopia Café in Plaka, a prime spot for a sundown cocktail with sweeping views. TIME SLOWS Accommodation on the island reflects the same understated elegance. Many properties have embraced Cycladic minimalism—white tones, natural textures, hand-crafted details. At the top end, Skinopi Lodge offers sculptural villas set into the cliff, almost invisible from afar. Closer to the port, Salt Suites & Executive Rooms in Pollonia deliver design-minded comfort a few steps from the sea. Domes White Coast Milos, where Makris Restaurant is located, merges boutique luxury with earthy aesthetics—all neutral palettes, rough stone, and clean lines. Unlike some islands that invite you to “do,” Milos encourages you to “be.” Sit longer, swim slower, eat better. Its magic lies not in spectacle, but in attention. You don’t rush Milos—and it doesn’t rush you. You find yourself seduced not by curated experiences, but by elemental ones: the warmth of a rock under the sun, the quiet at dusk, the crispness of a tomato just picked. For travelers with a sensitivity to design, to mood, to space, Milos is an island that offers something increasingly rare: room to breathe. for more Print VOL XVI - AEGEAN & MEDITERRANEAN 2025 Out of Stock Add to Cart

CM Residence is a São Paulo family home by Dado Castello Branco Arquitetura, shaped by natural materials, gardens and a sculptural spiral staircase. June 10, 2026 | DESIGN & INTERIORS LIVING AROUND a SPIRAL STAIRCASE words YUZU Editorial photos Douglas Friendman In São Paulo, Dado Castello Branco Arquitetura approaches vertical living with unusual calm. Designed for a family of five, the 1,200-square-metre CM Residence responds to the constraints of a narrow urban plot by spreading daily life across four interconnected levels. Yet despite its scale, the house never feels stacked or overly formal. Instead, spaces unfold gradually, with a quiet sense of continuity running throughout. A HOUSE WITHOUT A FORMAL ENTRANCE Rather than introducing the house through a conventional entrance sequence, the architects centre the experience around a sculptural spiral staircase wrapped in finely crafted woodwork. Positioned within a light-filled atrium, it becomes more than a circulation element — acting as the architectural anchor of the residence and establishing a softer rhythm between floors. Moving through the house feels fluid and intuitive, shaped less by corridors and thresholds than by openness, light and shifting perspectives. On the ground floor, social spaces extend directly into gardens designed by Isabel Duprat. Fully recessed window frames blur the line between interior and exterior, allowing greenery and daylight to move naturally through the home. In a city as dense as São Paulo, the effect is surprisingly calm and expansive. MATERIALITY AND EVERYDAY LIVING Material choices remain restrained throughout the residence. Natural wood, stone surfaces and muted tones create a quiet backdrop for the family’s art collection and curated design pieces, while avoiding any sense of excess. The upper floors accommodate the private living quarters, while the top level is dedicated to wellness, with spaces for a gym and spa. Balancing architectural precision with a more relaxed residential atmosphere, CM Residence reflects the studio’s integrated approach to architecture, interiors and landscape — one shaped through movement, materiality and the rhythms of everyday life rather than spectacle alone.

Artemest’s L’Appartamento returns to Palazzo Donizetti for Milan Design Week 2026, with five studios reinterpreting Italian grandeur through interiors. April 13, 2026 | DESIGN & INTERIORS L’APPARTAMENTO RETURNS words Noah Mercer photos Courtesy of Artemest During Milan Design Week, Artemest returns to Palazzo Donizetti with the fourth edition of L’Appartamento. Repositioning craft within a contemporary spatial narrative, the exhibition remains one of the week’s quieter highlights. A GRAND TOUR, REFRAMED This year’s edition is shaped around the idea of “Italian grandeur”. Not as surface-level opulence, but as something quieter—expressed through atmosphere, memory, and detail. Drawing on the spirit of the Grand Tour, it unfolds as a sequence of interiors moving between Venice, Naples, Rome, Palermo and Florence. The approach continues Artemest’s evolving exhibition language—one that moves fluidly between past and present. As founders Marco Credendino and Ippolita Rostagno shared with YUZU , L’Appartamento was conceived to place craftsmanship within lived environments. Objects are not presented in isolation, but as part of complete interiors—each room carrying its own narrative. ROOMS, REINTERPRETED Within this framework, five international studios reinterpret different rooms of the palazzo. Sasha Adler Design approaches the entrance and reading room through a Venetian lens, balancing ornament with restraint. Rockwell Group introduces a more animated, social energy to the dining room, drawing from Naples’ layered cultural life. March and White Design (MAWD) interprets Rome through the living room, shaping a space where structure and emotion coexist. Charlap Hyman & Herrero look to Palermo for the entertainment rooms, translating the spirit of 19th-century salons into a more atmospheric setting. Urijowan Alsharif Interiors completes the sequence with a bedroom inspired by Florence, expressed through a softer sense of proportion and harmony. For the first time, the exhibition extends outdoors. A carefully composed courtyard expands the experience beyond the interiors, softening the boundary between inside and out. WHEN April 21 – April 26 (10 AM – 6 PM) Palazzo Donizetti, Via Gaetano Donizetti 48 ABOUT ARTEMEST Founded in 2015, Artemest is a curated platform bringing together furniture, lighting, décor and art by master artisans across Italy.

PURE is a RALPH PUCCI exhibition of white Plasterglass sculptures at Oscar Niemeyer’s Pavilion in Château La Coste, Provence. July 7, 2025 | VOL 16 P U R E: SCULPTING SILENCE in WHITE words Onur Basturk photos of Products & Exhibition Antoine Bootz This summer, the renowned New York-based design house RALPH PUCCI brings its distinctive vision to the serene landscapes of Provence. The exhibition, titled PURE, is set within the architectural masterpiece of Oscar Niemeyer's Pavilion at Château La Coste. Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the brand and 50 years under Ralph Pucci's leadership, this marks only the fourth contemporary design showcase at the esteemed art destination. At the heart of PURE lies a curated collection of sculptural works crafted from RALPH PUCCI's proprietary Plasterglass material. This unique medium, resembling plaster yet known for its durability, captures the artists' original touch. The exhibition features an all-white palette—tables, lighting, and seating—each piece handcrafted with clean lines and textured nuances, inviting contemplation on form and material. Complementing the visual experience, the exhibition is accompanied by a jazz soundtrack, echoing the innovative spirit of the 1950s—the era when the Pucci legacy began. Visitors will also have the rare opportunity to witness live sculpting sessions by RALPH PUCCI's Master Sculptor, offering an intimate glimpse into the creative process that defines the brand's ethos. DURING A VISIT TO CHÂTEAU LA COSTE WİTH MY SON MICHAEL, WE HAPPENED YO SHARE A RIDE FROM THE AIRPORT WITH PADDY MCKILLEN. THAT UNEXPECTED MEETING SPARKED A SEVEN-YEAR JOURNEY OF SHARED IDEAS, CULMINATING IN THE PURE EXHIBITION The genesis of the PURE exhibition at Château La Coste began with a serendipitous meeting between you and Paddy McKillen, the visionary behind Château La Coste. Could you share how this encounter evolved into the current collaboration? My son Michael and I travelled to Château La Coste to see the Paul Mathieu show, and we happened to share a ride from the airport with Paddy McKillen. We didn’t know each other then personally but we discovered we had a lot in common and shared a passion for art in all its forms. There was a mutual respect for each other’s work and a desire to collaborate. This show is the culmination of seven years of sharing ideas. PURE also commemorates significant milestones for your brand. How has RALPH PUCCI evolved over the decades, and what is your vision moving forward? My parents founded the business in the middle of the last century as a mannequin repair business. I joined in my early 20s and brought with me the buzzing creative scene of New York in the 70s. We repositioned the mannequin as a medium for art that could be reinterpreted creatively and exhibited as a sculptural form in its own right. We collaborated with leading fashion designers as well as artists – it was experimental and empowering. The next pivotal moment happened when I met Andrée Putman in the early 80s. She was excited by our world and asked me to represent her work in the US. While I wasn’t immersed in furniture design then, I understood her brilliance and knew the pieces should be sold as collectible. We had a gallery space below the studio where we started selling her pieces and our furniture business grew from there. We created the first collectible design gallery, and while this concept has been more widely adopted we are still the only one to have a sculpture studio and factory on site too. During covid, demand for mannequins fell away so since then we have focussed on furniture, lighting and art, and the craftsmen who created the mannequins previously now create the furniture. As we enter our eighth decade, my children are continuing to push RALPH PUCCI forward. Michael and Nicole are very involved in the business and have helped discover new artists as well as drive the business into new realms. This is our first show on mainland Europe and we’re looking forward to more milestones. I WANTED ALL THE WORKS TO BE PURE AND COMPLEMENT THE ARCHITECTURAL SETTING RATHER THAN DISTRACTING FROM IT All the works in PURE are rendered in white. What was the intention behind this choice, and what can visitors expect from the exhibition? Yes they are all white and they have all been sculpted by each artist at our New York sculpture studio. They’re made in our proprietary Plasterglass material which is unique – it can be manipulated by the artist but is incredibly strong and can even be used outdoors. I wanted all the works to be PURE and complement the architectural setting rather than distracting from it. Each one shows the hand of its maker and celebrates the imperfection of the handmade. Did the unique setting of Château La Coste influence the creation of the pieces? Were any works designed specifically for this location? When I first saw the Oscar Niemeyer building I immediately knew it was the right space for the show, and exactly how the show would be. They are all white to allow the visitor to explore the variations between the works and how the forms interact with the architecture and nature at Château La Coste. Jazz has been a consistent element in your galleries. Will it feature in this exhibition as well? Jazz is always the soundtrack for us and there is a curated playlist for the show that will enhance it, reflecting the innovative spirit of the 50s when my parents founded the business as well as enhancing the dreamlike atmosphere of the show. Lastly, do you have any favorite spots on the French Riviera you'd recommend? La Colombe D’Or is a classic spot filled with legendary art in St Paul De Vence. And another great hotel is Chateau Saint-Martin & Spa, in Vence. EDITOR’S NOTE: The exhibition, which opened on June 23, will be on view until September 25. for more Print VOL XVI - AEGEAN & MEDITERRANEAN 2025 Out of Stock Add to Cart

Villa Clarisse is a coastal home in Knokke where Merijn Degraeve pairs exposed concrete, rosewood, marble and sculptural furnishings. July 27, 2026 | DESIGN & INTERIORS VILLA CLARISSE words YUZU Editorial photos Tijs Vervecken At first glance, Villa Clarisse feels perfectly at home in Knokke's coastal landscape. With its pitched roof, whitewashed façade and understated elegance, it recalls the familiar language of Belgian seaside villas. Beyond the front door, however, architect and interior designer Merijn Degraeve takes the house in a new direction, where materiality, colour and carefully balanced contrasts redefine its character. Inside, the narrative shifts. The home's split-level layout lends itself to moments of discovery, while the unexpected revelation of the original concrete ceilings during demolition prompted a complete rethink of the interior palette. What had once leaned towards a rustic farmhouse aesthetic evolved into a more refined and contemporary composition, where raw concrete, richly grained timber and sculptural furnishings establish a new architectural language. A DIALOGUE OF TEXTURE AND COLOUR The journey begins at the entrance, where an orange chair by Teun Zwets, a work by Zhuang Hong Yi, and a butter-yellow basin by Glass Italia establish a confident yet playful palette. Throughout the house, colour never dominates; instead, it punctuates an otherwise composed material language. Rosewood panelling wraps the living and dining spaces, introducing warmth against the exposed concrete overhead. Marble, chrome, lacquer and brushed brass are layered with quiet precision, while contemporary pieces from Cassina, Baxter, Minotti and Tim Teven create moments of sculptural presence without overwhelming the architecture. Each object feels considered, contributing to an interior where atmosphere emerges through balance rather than excess. Upstairs, softness becomes the defining material. Carpet continues uninterrupted from the staircase into the dressing room, where upholstered cabinetry reinforces the sense of continuity. The primary bathroom, conceived as an extension of the suite rather than a separate room, pairs Noir Perlé marble with brushed brass and mosaic surfaces, creating a space that feels both restrained and quietly luxurious. AN INTERIOR THAT EXTENDS INTO THE LANDSCAPE The same material discipline continues outdoors. Washed concrete transitions into a travertine terrace, where an organically shaped flowerbed softens the geometry of the architecture. The swimming pool reflects the villa's calm composition, while the adjacent pool house—lined with afzelia wood and centred around a fireplace—offers a more intimate retreat. Perhaps the most memorable gesture is also the simplest: an outdoor shower cast in raw concrete. More than a functional element, it becomes a sculptural object that echoes the home's renewed material vocabulary. Throughout Villa Clarisse, Degraeve avoids the obvious tension between old and new. Instead, tradition and contemporary design coexist through subtle shifts in texture, proportion and light. The result is not a renovation that erases the past, but one that allows the house to evolve naturally—revealing a contemporary coastal home defined less by style than by the quiet confidence of its materials.

Istanbul-based cisimdesign co-founder Emre Özücoşkun discusses Japandi design, travel and his Panerai Submersible watch in this YUZU Magazine interview. September 18, 2026 | PEOPLE EMRE ÖZÜCOŞKUN BE ORIGINAL by PANERAI - VI words Alp Tekin photos OB He embraces Japandi; Japanese and Scandinavian style simplicity. Travels without a design theme do not float his boat. Watches, on the other side, are an integral part of his personal style. He admits his amazement for the times when he did not use to wear watches. Meet the most charismatic guest of the Be Original by Panerai series: Emre Özücoşkun, co-founder of cisimdesign, an Istanbul-based architectural office. He embraces Japandi; Japanese and Scandinavian style simplicity. Travels without a design theme do not float his boat. Watches, on the other side, are an integral part of his personal style. He admits his amazement for the times when he did not use to wear watches. Meet the most charismatic guest of the Be Original by Panerai series: Emre Özücoşkun, co-founder of cisimdesign, an Istanbul-based architectural office. Which important elements do you look to most in architectural design? Using natural materials, color/material/form/function harmony and avoiding unnecessary ornaments... All of these are the elements that we discussed day and night while establishing Cisimdesign with my partner Erdem. To this day after 13 years, we still try our hardest to make sure we do not compromise what we have started with. You and your partner Erdem Isler are also very close friends. Is it difficult or easy to work out partnership and friendship together? How did your story begin? We’ve known each other since the university times. Yet, there were many friends whom we had closer bonds with! It was not until we took a step into this sector that we actually have started bonding. At one point we found ourselves making partnership plans. Like our design approach, our partnership and friendship style sits on a sweet line of balance. We often get together in our social lives as well, and we occasionally go on vacations. A smooth balance of friendship and partnership, I guess such relationship falls into the minority category. How would you define your design approach? Looking at the common theme of our projects, one can easily spot the simplicity of Japanese and Scandinavian. If I had to give a name, I would say “Japandi”. Where and what do you imagine yourself doing ten years from now? I dream of enhancing cisimdesign’s existence in Europe by increasing the number of projects. I would love to have a foot in Europe while maintaining our Istanbul-based presence. Building my own house on the west coast of the Aegean is also among my dreams. DEXAMENES AND PERIANTH ARE MY FAVORITE HOTELS Can you list the highlights of your personal lifestyle? From fashion to architecture, from art to travel, I have a style that is intertwined with the design. As a touring car geek, BMW’s newest touring model is my favorite. Visvim, which interprets the Japanese authentic attitude in a modern way, is my favorite clothing brand. And the Swiss modular furniture brand USM is the masterpiece of my home. Are the Aegean and Mediterranean your favorite getaway destinations? Bodrum is an inseparable part of mine since my childhood. Recently I have been going to Folegandros, a small Greek island. Unlike Bodrum, it is a calm, quiet island. Which made me realize that I also seek for a balance for my summer vacations. Is design a factor that guides you when deciding on a trip? I can easily say none of my trips lack the factor of design theme! Since I am not a fan of discovering new cities, I usually shuttle back and forth between 7-8 places. It tempts me to feel local, to get lost in the cities I know. The same applies to my hotel choices. Which hotels stroke you with their designs? Dexamenes in the Peloponnese and Perianth in Athens. I LOVE DIVER’S WATCHES What are the two tips of your time-spending spectrum? Apart from times I spend at cisimdesign, I dive into the magazines that I’ve been subscribed to for years. I have an obsession which I have to make sure I read every single line in that magazine. For the last couple years, I’ve been avoiding unnecessary socialization. Can you fit your day in 24 hours? Or are you one of those people who cannot get enough of it? I have a built-in biological alarm! No matter what time I go to bed, I start the day very early. Not sure if it is healthy or not, but that way I can get the most of it. So, I’m really fine by 24-hours. How is your relationship with your watch? I am in love with my watches! It actually started a few years ago. I now find it really hard to believe I did not use to wear watches back then. I love diver watches, although I’m not the perfect target customer. My Panerai Submersible is the one I Iove the most. for more Print VOL X - AEGEAN & MEDITERRANEAN EDITION - 2023 Out of Stock Add to Cart

Les Maisons CAB brings together ten vacation homes across Europe and the Caribbean, curated by Hubert Bonnet around architecture, design, and art. August 14, 2025 | TRAVEL TEN HOUSES, ONE VISION words Onur Basturk In a world where luxury travel often leans on surface glamour, Les Maisons CAB offers something far richer — an invitation to live inside a work of art. Spread across Europe and the Caribbean, these ten remarkable vacation homes are not just styled with museum-worthy pieces; they are curated, immersive environments where design history, architectural heritage, and contemporary art converge. CASA BIBI - PANAREA STAYING INSIDE THE COLLECTION The vision belongs to Hubert Bonnet — Belgian collector, aesthete, and founder of Fondation CAB. For more than two decades, Bonnet has pursued a singular passion: the intersection of modernist and vernacular architecture from the 1930s to the 1970s. Over the years, he quietly assembled a portfolio of extraordinary properties — from the modular Maison Prouvé in Saint-Paul-de-Vence to a sun-washed retreat in Panarea — each restored in collaboration with architects of equal renown: Marc Corbiau, Louis-Herman de Koninck, Charles Zana, Christophe Gevers, Louis Vincent, and Jean-Jacques Honegger among them. LES AILES - GENEVA Inside, the interiors speak a fluent language of form and function. Pieces by Jean Prouvé, Alvar Aalto, Hans Wegner, Charlotte Perriand, and India Mahdavi sit alongside avant-garde sculptures and contemporary works pulled directly from the Fondation CAB collection. Some homes are enriched with site-specific commissions — a Sol LeWitt wall painting at Villa Paquebot in Knokke, a Mathis Bensimon fresco animating Casa Bibi in Panarea. The seed for this living-gallery concept was planted years earlier, when François Laffanour introduced Bonnet to a 1944 demountable house by Jean Prouvé. The encounter became a turning point in his appreciation for functional, modular design — a sensibility that now permeates each Maison CAB. PARIS SELECTION Originally private residences where Bonnet himself lived, the houses were opened to guests in 2024, extending the Fondation’s artistic spirit far beyond its Brussels and Saint-Paul-de-Vence spaces. It’s an evolution that transforms the act of travel: staying in a Maison CAB is not simply booking a home, but inhabiting a layered narrative of architecture, art, and place. From the Caribbean rhythms of Casa Bibi in Las Terrenas to the Alpine crispness of Chalet Bibi in Verbier, from the Mediterranean ease of Casa Bibi in Panarea to the quiet modernism of Belle Vue in Brussels, each address holds a distinct sense of place. The portfolio spans Paris (Jacob), Geneva (Les Ailes), London (London Mews), Knokke (Le Paquebot), and Saint-Paul-de-Vence — home to both the Fondation CAB and the iconic Maison Prouvé. Ten destinations, one vision: preserving rare architectural heritage, ensuring its longevity, and offering a way of traveling that is both deeply personal and culturally resonant. REPUBLIQUE DOMINICAINE SELECTION

At the Luxembourg Pavilion in Venice, Aline Bouvy presents La Merde, a film, sculpture and installation exhibition, in conversation with Rajesh Punj. August 22, 2026 | Art & Culture AMUSEMENT as METHOD words Rajesh Punj For the Luxembourg Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, Aline Bouvy presents La Merde, moving between film, sculpture and installation. On view at the Arsenale’s Sale d’Armi until 22 November 2026, the exhibition explores the body, identity and the spaces we inhabit. In conversation with Rajesh Punj, Bouvy reflects on material, failure and colour. “The body is the inscribed surface of events,” argued French historian Michel Foucault, a proposition that resonates with particular force in the work of Brussels-based artist Aline Bouvy, where the body is neither fixed nor resolved but continuously shaped by encounter, memory and cultural inscription. Bouvy observes that “the body is never neutral, it carries everything,” articulating a position that moves away from representation towards something more unstable: the body as site, as process; something both emotional and unmanageable. A vessel capable of carrying a multitude of characteristics, it is equally prone to self-doubt. In that sense, her work unfolds less as depiction than as exposure—of systems, habits, idiosyncrasies and the invisible structures that determine how we see and sense the world. If the body is unstable, slipping, so too is the space that contains it. As Irish-American art critic and academic Brian O’Doherty insisted, “there is no such thing as a neutral space,” a statement that dismantles the long-held fiction of the white cube as an entirely passive, unproblematic arena. In Bouvy’s practice, the exhibition space is not simply activated by art; it becomes a stage, with her artworks appearing as mismatched props and the atmosphere taking on something of an amusement park. Less static, it becomes a site of rehearsal, spectacle and encounter. Conjuring Canadian sociologist Erving Goffman’s observation that “the world is a stage,” Bouvy turns metaphor into method. The exhibition operates as a dramaturgical field, where objects are positioned, bodies are implied or performed, and the spectator is inevitably implicated. Bouvy’s installations function like scenes in which sculpture takes on the logic of theatre: less autonomous object than accessory, less resolved form than participant in a wider choreography. In such a context, her work recalls Polish modernist painter Tadeusz Kantor’s assertion that “the object is an actor,” imbued with a presence that exceeds its material condition. Yet Bouvy complicates this further: her objects are not only actors but residues—traces of action, use and transformation. They hover between action and symbols of unease, humour and hurt, inhabiting what might be described as a threshold condition. This is also where the work engages most directly with the body’s limits, its excesses, its abjections and its refusals. Here, the ideas of Bulgarian-French literary critic Julia Kristeva are unavoidable: “the abject… disturbs identity, system, order.” Bouvy’s practice does not simply illustrate this disturbance; it stages it, often through materials and gestures that provoke discomfort precisely because they remain so close to lived experience. And yet this is never without a certain playfulness and stupidity. There is an unmistakable current of amusement and spectacle running through the work, aligning it, however obliquely, with the logic of entertainment. BETWEEN PLACES AND IDENTITIES RP: I imagine you’re in Venice… AB: Yes, I’m in Venice. I tried to find a place that was a little bit quiet. I’m on my phone as well; I need to keep the battery going on my computer. RP: Thank you for making the time. It’s been a little difficult to organise. AB: Of course. We have some technical issues at the moment, so it’s okay. When you show a film, you always think you just push play and everything is going to work, and of course, it doesn’t. RP: Just to situate things clearly, particularly in the context of the Biennale, which still insists on a national structure of representation, am I right in understanding that you were born in Belgium but are representing Luxembourg? And how do you yourself navigate that positioning? AB: I was born in Belgium, but I was raised in Luxembourg. I took Luxembourgish nationality when I was about eighteen. And I live between Luxembourg and Belgium because my studio is in Brussels. It’s a very small country; it would be a little bit boring to live and work only in Luxembourg. So, very often I’m associated with Belgian art because I’m more related to Belgium through my work. But my nationality is Luxembourgish. And of course, I’ve done exhibitions in Luxembourg as well, so between the two, it can be a little confusing. RP: It’s interesting, and perhaps increasingly complicated, because the idea of nationality feels both structurally imposed and conceptually unstable at the same time. We are all, as you say, living in relatively small and interconnected European contexts, and yet these distinctions persist. You mentioned your Spanish background as well, so there is already a layering of identity there. AB: Yes, my mother is Spanish. She came to Belgium in the 1960s. I grew up with many languages. It’s a bit like navigating different cultures; it’s very interesting. RP: I was speaking recently with another Belgian artist, Koen Vanmechelen, about Venice and about the possibility, or even the necessity, of moving beyond these national frameworks altogether. What you’re describing—this movement between Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain—seems to resist any fixed categorisation. Can you explain your material choices in that light, in Venice but also in relation to earlier projects at Künstlerhaus Bethanien in Berlin in 2019 and La Ferme du Buisson in Marseille in 2024? I’m interested in how context, place and subject begin to determine the form your work takes. AB: Sometimes the best way might be a performance or an installation, depending on the subject. For instance, for the project in Venice, the idea of this character that lives with us, between us, but has this shape, was already something I had in mind more than ten years ago. It stayed there, and I was waiting, maybe, for the right moment. When the invitation came, I really wanted to work with a cinematographic image, almost like a kind of “candy paper” for the subject. You know, something very beautiful. I mean, even an iPhone image can be beautiful, but we are used to the language of cinema. So it was the right opportunity. I had more than a year to focus on the work, a curatorial team to work with and, of course, some budget, because cinema is very expensive. ONE THING NOURISHES ANOTHER RP: What you’re describing suggests that the material is not a fixed starting point but something that emerges through a convergence of idea, context and opportunity. I wonder, when you arrive at a decision about material, is that something you test and revise through trial and error, or does it feel more instinctive? AB: I think it comes naturally. Sometimes it’s financial; sometimes it’s also curiosity. For example, when I discovered you could scan your body with those scanners that look like a gun, I immediately thought, I want to scan my body. And that’s what I did. Then later, when I was invited to reflect on what sculpture means today in a sculpture park in Antwerp, I used that 3D scan. It was already there; it accompanied the process. So it’s always like one thing nourishes another. I don’t feel afraid of materials. But materials come second. It’s really what I project into the subject that brings me to how it will manifest. RP: There’s also a sense, listening to you, that your practice is fundamentally process-driven—that you are learning through each work rather than refining a single formal language. Would you say that your work evolves through experience, through doing, rather than through a predetermined direction? AB: Yes, very much. That’s the excitement for me, to experience new ways of doing. I have nothing to lose, really. What I gain is the experience of being in this activity, being an artist, having colleagues. Art history is very important to me. I like to make links to other artists, other practices. You’re never alone; it’s always a dialogue with what has been there before and what exists alongside you. RP: And within that process, there must be moments of failure, of collapse, of things not resolving as expected. I’m interested in how you position those moments: whether they are obstacles or whether they become integral to the way the work develops. AB: Yes, of course. Failures are part of the process. But after each project, you’ve learned something, and there’s always the energy to continue. What I want is excitement. Even with Venice, I had never worked with film before. It can fail, but it was important for me. At least it allows me to enter another world, the cinema world, which is very different. There’s hierarchy, collaboration, trust. DARING MORE, FEARING LESS RP: So your ideas remain open, fluid even, rather than fixed or resolved in advance. It seems that there is a willingness to allow the work to change as it unfolds rather than to control it too tightly from the outset. AB: Yes. And maybe with time, I care less about failing. Maybe it’s age, or experience. I feel I have nothing to lose, so I dare more. And I think that’s what pushes you further, towards your own limits, towards what you don’t yet know. RP: One aspect of your work that I find particularly compelling is your relationship to colour, or perhaps more precisely, to its restraint or even its refusal. There is often a tension between material presence and chromatic absence. I’m thinking here especially of your exhibition The Price of the Ticket in Marseille, where colour, or the lack of it, becomes almost ideological. Could you speak about that choice and how you approached colour in that context? AB: It’s funny because I’m actually quite afraid of colour. I don’t think I’m a very good colourist. Often, I use the natural colour of materials—plaster, for example. But two years ago, I did an exhibition in Marseille called The Price of the Ticket, based on the ideology of Disneyland. The space was a perfect white cube, and I started thinking again about Brian O’Doherty and his writing on the white cube. How neutral is white? So I made everything white: costumes, sculptures, the whole space. But the whiteness became something else. It showed a kind of latent violence. It was too white, almost anaemic, like everything had been drained out. For me, it was about questioning this supposed neutrality. RP: And in Venice, does colour operate differently? I’m curious whether the shift into film and into a more cinematic language has altered your relationship to colour and image. AB: Yes, it’s different. The film is very colourful, maybe the most colourful thing I’ve done.

Bayou Villas in Antalya pairs private gardens and natural-toned interiors with landscape design featuring 215 different plant species. july 2023 | Mediterranean | Vol 10 english below BAYOU VILL AS Bali efektli Akde nizli words Alp Tekin S on yıllarda yükselişte olan yeni bir tatil anlayışı var. Tamamen kişiye özel hizmetler ve ayrıcalıkların sunulduğu villalarda konaklayarak daha izole tatiller yapmak. Türkiye’nin Bodrum’la birlikte en çok bilinen tatil bölgesi Antalya’da yer alan Bayou Villas da bu akımın en yeni örneği. Her biri farklı büyüklükte 24 müstakil villadan oluşan Bayou Villas’nın anlayışını şu iki kelime özetliyor: Sana ait! ODAK NOKTASI BİTKİSEL TASARIM Tüm villaların kendine ait bahçesinin olduğu Bayou Villas’da bitkisel tasarım başrolde. Zengin bitki örtüsü nedeniyle Bali’yi anımsattığını düşündüğümüz Bayou Villas’daki peyzaj tasarımının odak noktasını ağaçlar oluşturuyor. Tasarımda kullanılan yüksek boylu ve dolgun formlu ağaçlar, villalarda kalan misafirlere hem görsel hem de işitsel anlamda doğal bir izolasyon sağlıyor. DS Mimarlık’tan Deniz Aslan’ın yaptığı peyzaj tasarımında 215 farklı bitki türüne yer verilmiş. Aslan, tüm bitkilerin birbiriyle uyum içerisinde olmasına özen göstermiş. Geniş yapraklı tropik bitkiler güçlü gövdeleriyle bulunduğu ortamın enerjisini yükselttiği için Strelitzia Reginea, Monstera, Cycas Revulata ve Alocasia türlerine de Bayou Villas bahçelerinde rastlamak mümkün. Hoş bir detay daha: Villaların önünde tatlı suyla deniz suyunun karışımı havuzlar var. Villaların içinde kullanılan malzemeler ise doğal tonlarda. Ahşap ve tik gibi organik malzemelerle birlikte keten ve ham kumaşlar kullanılmış. Villalar için oluşturulan modern sanat seçkisinin teması ise doğa-insan- zaman-yaşam ilişkisini irdeliyor. Bu seçki, genç ve uluslararası sanatçıların üretimlerinin bir araya getirilmesiyle oluşturulmuş. Unutmadan: Bayou Villas’nın Weik isimli restoranında mevsimsel malzemelerle hazırlanan menü de ayrı bir gastronomik deneyim. Mediterranean with Balinese effect T here is a new sense of vacation on the rise in recent years. Making more isolated holidays by staying in villas where completely personalized services and privileges are offered. Bayou Villas in Antalya, Turkey’s most well-known holiday region with Bodrum, is the newest example of this trend. The understanding of Bayou Villas, consisting of 24 separate villas of different sizes, can be summarized by these three words: Belongs to you! FOCAL POINT IS LANDSCAPE DESIGN Plant design has the leading role in Bayou Villas, where all the villas have their own garden. Trees are the focus of the landscape design at Bayou Villas, which reminds us of Bali due to its rich flora. The tall and plump trees used in the design provide a natural and both visual and auditory isolation for the guests staying in the villas. The landscape, which includes 215 different plant species, includes mostly Arecastrum Rommanzoffionum (Queen’s Palm), Musa Cavendishi, Laurus Nobilis (Laurel) and Plumeria Rubra (Indian Shrine Tree) along with olive and cinnamon trees. Since broad-leaved tropical plants increase the energy of the environment with their strong trunks, it is possible to find Strelitzia Reginea, Monstera, Cycas Revulata and Alocasia strains in the gardens of Bayou Villas. MODERN ART IN VILLAS Another nice detail: In front of the villas are pools that mix fresh and seawater. The materials used inside the villas are in natural tones. Linen and raw fabrics were used along with organic materials such as wood and teak. The theme of the modern art selection created for the villas examines the relationship between nature-human- time-life. This selection was formed by piecing the products of young and international artists together. By the way: The menu prepared with seasonal ingredients in Bayou Villas’ restaurant Weik is also a separate gastronomic experience. for more Print VOL X - AEGEAN & MEDITERRANEAN EDITION - 2023 Out of Stock Add to Cart

Temmuz 2021 | Volume IV - Y A Z BONJUK BAY Yedi yıllık döngü sonrası yeni bir yolda Yazı | Özden Akyıldız Fotoğraflar | İsa Kurt, Bora Tarhan, Esra Öztop H epimizin hayatı belli kalıplar içine sığmayan zamanlardan geçiyor. Şu an ne dünyayı bir kalıba oturtabiliyoruz ne de biz bir kalıba oturmak istiyoruz. Mekan algımız değişti. Eskiden kendimizi ait ve iyi hissettiğimiz mekanların artık ruhumuza iyi gelmediğine tanıklık ediyoruz. Değişen sadece mekanlar değil. Biz de değiştik. Özgürlüğümüzden ödün vermemek adına bireyselliği seçtiğimiz hayatlarımızın içinde, bir günde kapanan dünya ile bir anda yalnızlığımızla baş başa kalmadık mı? Sonuçta sınırları belli kapalı mekanlar cazibesini artık kaybetti. Daha fazla yeşilin içinde kaybolmak, doğaya dokunmak, hayvanlarla bir arada olmak, güneşin doğuşu ve batışını yaşamak istiyoruz. Ruhumuz sonsuz; gelişmek ve büyümek istiyor. Bunu başarabileceğimiz esnek mekanlar arzu ediyoruz. Son birkaç yıldır benim ruhumu besleyen kaçış noktam Bonjuk Bay oldu. Hem ruhumun derinliklerini keşfedebildiğim hem de benimle benzer dünya görüşünde olan yüksek enerjili insanlarla birlikte büyüyebildiğim ortak bir mekan Bonjuk Bay. Devamı için... Print YUZU MAGAZINE - IV Out of Stock View Details

Transcaucasia villa designed by Sabina Valieva pairs soft minimalism with natural light, mountain views, and artwork created by the homeowner. October 2024 | DESIGN & INTERIORS TURKISH BELOW SUMMER VILLA where MINIMALISM EMBRACES the ART of LIVING words Elena Grabar photos Yaroslav Lukvanchenko style Ekaterina Naumova Interior designer Sabina Valieva has created the bright, summary interiors of this villa in Transcaucasia for a family with three children. Both parents are business owners with busy schedules, so they cherish time spent together and enjoy traveling and hosting guests. “The homeowners wanted a space that was guest-friendly, easy to maintain, with anti-scratch surfaces and a minimalist design. The entire project was completed remotely thanks to our long-standing collaboration and mutual trust,” explains Sabina. The two-story, 600-square-meter villa is perched on an elevated site, surrounded by mountains and fields. A guest architect designed the villa, the open terrace, and the pool, while Sabina not only curated the interiors but also assisted with selecting exterior materials such as the façade, terrace finishes, and outdoor tiles. On the first floor, you’ll find an expansive living and dining area, centered around a plush, oversized sofa, a crackling wood-burning fireplace, and a sleek, wall-mounted TV. Bathed in natural light from floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows, the space is always bright, offering breathtaking, uninterrupted views of the rolling hills and vibrant landscape beyond. The modern kitchen, complete with a discreet hidden pantry, flows effortlessly onto a covered veranda, elegantly appointed with a second fireplace and a generously sized dining table—perfect for al fresco meals. The interiors are crafted in a modern style with a focus on smooth forms, soft minimalism, and a light color palette, incorporating calming wood tones with black accents. “I deliberately chose a light palette to emphasize the soft natural light that fills each room. The floors are done in a neutral, slightly whitewashed wood, and black accents were added to contrast the ivory and white hues,” shares the interior designer. LIVING THROUGH ART The homeowner herself curated many decorative items, and during the renovation process, she became so inspired that she took up painting. All the artwork in the home was created by her, seamlessly blending with the monochrome interiors. İç mimar Sabina Valieva, Transkafkasya'daki bu villayı üç çocuklu bir aile için tasarlamış. Her iki ebeveyn de yoğun programları olan iş sahipleri, bu nedenle birlikte geçirdikleri zamana değer veriyorlar ve seyahat etmekten ve misafir ağırlamaktan hoşlanıyorlar. “Ev sahipleri misafir dostu, bakımı kolay, çizilmez yüzeylere ve minimalist bir tasarıma sahip bir alan istediler. Uzun süredir devam eden iş birliğimiz ve karşılıklı güvenimiz sayesinde tüm proje uzaktan tamamlandı,” diye açıklıyor Sabina. İki katlı, 600 metrekarelik villa, dağlar ve tarlalarla çevrili yüksek bir arazide yer alıyor. Konuk bir mimar villayı, açık terası ve havuzu tasarlarken, Sabina sadece iç mekanların küratörlüğünü yapmakla kalmadı, aynı zamanda cephe, teras kaplamaları ve dış mekan karoları gibi dış malzemelerin seçimine de yardımcı oldu. Birinci katta, pelüş, büyük boy bir kanepe, bir odun şöminesi, geniş bir oturma ve yemek alanı bulunuyor. Tavandan tabana panoramik pencerelerden gelen doğal ışıkla yıkanan alan her zaman aydınlık ve inişli çıkışlı tepelerin nefes kesici manzarasını sunuyor. Gizli bir kilerle tamamlanan modern mutfak, açık havada yemek yemek için mükemmel olan ikinci bir şömine ve cömertçe boyutlandırılmış bir yemek masası ile zarif bir şekilde döşenmiş kapalı verandaya çıkıyor. İç mekanlar, pürüzsüz formlara, yumuşak minimalizme ve siyah vurgularla sakinleştirici ahşap tonlarını içeren açık renk paletine odaklanan modern bir tarzda hazırlanmış. “Her odayı dolduran yumuşak doğal ışığı vurgulamak için bilinçli olarak açık bir palet seçtim. Zeminler nötr, hafif beyaz badanalı bir ahşaptan yapıldı ve fildişi ile beyaz tonlara kontrast oluşturmak için siyah vurgular eklendi” diye paylaşıyor iç mimar. SANATLA YAŞAMAK Ev sahibi birçok dekoratif öğenin küratörlüğünü kendisi yapmış ve yenileme süreci sırasında o kadar ilham almış ki resim yapmaya başlamış. Evdeki tüm sanat eserleri onun tarafından yaratıldı ve tek renkli iç mekanlarla kusursuz bir şekilde harmanlandı.

Local People is a contemporary gathering space in Istanbul by MITTE, shaped by a domed structure, willow installation and artist Pınar Çetin. June 6, 2026 | DESIGN & INTERIORS a CONTEMPORARY GATHERING SPACE words Fulya Bozkurt photo 645Studio, İbrahim Ozbunar With offices in Istanbul, Dusseldorf and Vienna, MITTE’s latest project is Local People — a hospitality space in Istanbul that brings together contemporary café culture, community and a calmer pace of everyday life. Defined by its domed structure and subtle artistic interventions, the project balances architectural precision with a warm, domestic atmosphere. Local People emerged from the transformation of a long-standing domed building embedded within the city’s dense urban fabric. While adapting the structure to contemporary life, the design preserves both its original form and spatial memory, while strengthening its relationship with the surrounding park and valley. In an otherwise compact residential district, this landscape offers one of the area’s few open breathing spaces, allowing the project to function as a quiet pause within the city. Rather than operating solely as a café, Local People was conceived almost like an everyday living room — somewhere to unwind after work, spend time over coffee or comfortably settle in throughout the day. A WILLOW INSTALLATION AT THE CENTRE The building’s traditional dome and almost perfectly circular plan form the backbone of the interior scheme. Respecting this strong central geometry, the layout unfolds radially from the core towards the perimeter. At the centre stands a vertical willow tree installation that evokes the feeling of a nest. Acting as the conceptual anchor of the space, the organic structure creates a subtle sense of expansion throughout the interior. The vertical elements radiating outward are treated not simply as columns, but as part of the overall spatial language. Finished with gradient metal surfaces, they reference both the tonal richness of coffee culture and the fluidity of the design itself. IN COLLABORATION WITH ARTIST PINAR CETIN One of the building’s defining features is its glass dome, which draws daylight deep into the interior. To shape light as part of the spatial experience, Mitte collaborated closely with artist Pınar Cetin. At the entrance, an amorphous artwork with soft colour transitions wraps around the central column, transforming a structural element into a sculptural gesture that welcomes visitors on arrival. Developed as part of the same collaboration, textile shading panels beneath the dome soften the incoming daylight while extending the artistic language across the ceiling. Throughout the interior, white surfaces reflect this filtered light, gently softening the boundaries of the space. The relationship between indoors and outdoors is reinforced through material continuity. The willow branches forming the central “nest” extend into the exterior areas, replacing conventional umbrellas with more natural shading elements. As the seating layout moves away from the centre, it gradually becomes looser and more dispersed, creating flexible pockets throughout the space. The result is a calm, light-filled retreat that reinterprets a traditional form through contemporary materials and artistic interventions.

KeyUrla is a boutique hotel in İzmir’s Urla region with 24 villas, Han Tümertekin’s nature-led architecture, and a seasonal local restaurant. October 2, 2025 | TRAVEL TR BELOW the KEY is SLOWNESS words Onur Basturk photos Courtesy of KeyUrla Mornings at KeyUrla might begin with yoga by a forest pool or a walk through vineyards along the Urla Wine Route. Afternoons could mean a glass of local wine, a mushroom-and-honey pizza fresh from the wood-fired oven, or simply doing nothing at all—just sitting in your villa, listening to the breeze drift in from the pines. This new boutique hotel in İzmir’s Urla region offers all of it at once. The choice is entirely yours. The story starts with Can Ortabas, who planted the first seeds in 1996 with Uzbaş Farm—today known as the Uzbaş Arboretum. What began as rows of palms and thousands of plant species soon evolved into vineyards, and now, into KeyUrla: the final link in a journey rooted in the land. Together with co-founders Selim Özgörkey and Askar Alshinbayev, Ortabaş shares the vision: “Everything here grew out of time spent with nature. We wanted to share a way of life that doesn’t rush, that honors the local, and that respects the soil and its rhythm.” He’s right—step inside KeyUrla and you immediately feel that slower pace seeping in. Sitting under the pines, you catch yourself thinking: “Yes, I could spend hours here just looking at the sky.” ARCHITECTURE BY HAN TÜMERTEKİN The architecture, led by Aga Khan Award-winning architect Han Tümertekin, follows the rhythm of the landscape. The hotel’s 24 villas have been carefully nestled among the trees, positioned so that nature guides the design. “It wasn’t about integrating greenery into architecture—it was about turning the architecture into an extension of the greenery,”says Tümertekin. Local stone and craftsmanship are central. The Urla limestone used for the façades was sourced just a few kilometers away, reducing the carbon footprint while grounding the villas as natural extensions of the terrain. LOCAL INGREDIENTS, URBAN TOUCH An Urla, the hotel’s restaurant, makes an impression with its open kitchen, wood-fired oven, and pine-shaded tables. Under the guidance of chef Seray Öztürk, the menu is crafted entirely from local and seasonal ingredients. Hand-made pastas, wood-fired pizzas, seafood, and signature dishes are given a distinctly urban interpretation. As Öztürk explains: “We couldn’t ignore the richness of local produce. We didn’t have to look far—everything we needed was here. Using local ingredients and drawing on habits rooted in tradition, we created a cuisine that is familiar yet refined, and naturally authentic.” LOCATION Just 52 km from İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport and a short drive from Alaçatı or Seferihisar, KeyUrla feels worlds away. Step inside, and time instantly slows. YAVAŞLAMANIN ANAHTARI KeyUrla Sabahları orman içindeki havuz başında yoga yap ya da birçok bağ ve şaraphaneyi rotasında barındıran Urla Bağ Yolu’nda yürüyüş yap. Şarap tadım turlarına katıl ya da çam ağaçları altındaki restoranda taş fırından çıkan mantarlı-ballı pizzanın tadına bak… Ya da hiçbir şey yapmayıp odanda orman esintisini dinle! İzmir, Urla bölgesinin yeni oteli KeyUrla, birçok şeyi aynı anda vaat ediyor. Seçim size kalmış! Can Ortabaş önce -bugün Uzbaş Arboretum olarak bilinen- Uzbaş Çiftliği’ni kurdu (yıl 1996). 52 türde 250 bin üzerinde palmiye yetiştiren bu devasa yeşil müze, 1900 farklı bitki çeşidiyle çok geçmeden mutlaka görülmesi gereken bir yer haline geldi. Bu çiftlikle beraber keşfedilen bağ setleri ise yeni bir yolculuğu beraberinde getirdi: Urla Şarap Bağları. Şimdi bu ikiliyi tamamlayan son bir halka daha var, KeyUrla. Selim Özgörkey ve Askar Alshinbayev ile beraber KeyUrla’nın kurucu ortaklarından olan Can Ortabaş, “Burada her şey doğayla geçen zamanın içinden çıktı. Acele etmeyen, yereli onurlandıran, toprağa ve ritme saygı duyan bir yaşam biçimini paylaşmak istedik” diyor. Ortabaş haklı, KeyUrla’ya adım atar atmaz o yavaş ritmi hissedip içinize çekiyor ve sakinleşiyorsunuz. Çam ağaçlarının altındaki masalardan birine oturup, “Evet, saatlerce burada gökyüzüne bakabilirim” hissiyle dolup taşıyorsunuz! MİMARİ HAN TÜMERTEKİN’E AİT Ağaçlar demişken… KeyUrla’nın mimarisi, Ağa Han ödüllü mimar Han Tümertekin liderliğinde gerçekleşmiş ve otelin 24 villası ağaçlar arasına özenle yerleştirilmiş. Tüm yapılar, doğanın mimariyi yönlendirdiği bir anlayışla konumlanmış. “Var olan yeşili mimarlığa entegre etmek değil, mimariyi bu yeşilin bir uzantısına dönüştürmek gerekiyordu” diyor mimar Han Tümertekin. Villalardaki en önemli unsur yerel taşlar ve el işçiliği. Dış cephede kullanılan Urla kireç taşı, sadece 3-4 kilometre öteden çıkarılmış. Böylece hem karbon ayak izi azaltılmış hem de yapılar coğrafyanın doğal bir uzantısına dönüşmüş. LOKAL MALZEME, ŞEHİRLİ YORUM KeyUrla’nın restoranı An Urla; açık mutfağı, taş fırını, çam ağaçlarının altındaki masa düzeniyle dikkat çekiyor. Şef Seray Öztürk danışmanlığında oluşturulan menüde yerel ve mevsimsel ürünler kullanılıyor. El yapımı makarnalar, taş fırından pizzalar ve deniz ürünleri şehirli bir yorumla sunuluyor. Menüden özellikle levrek buğulama ve mantarlı pizza tavsiye! Şef Seray Öztürk menünün çıkış noktasını şöyle anlatıyor: “Bölgenin ürün zenginliğini göz ardı edemezdik. Bu nedenle lokal malzemelerle, köklerden gelen alışkanlıklarımızı düşünerek, tanıdık ama özenli, doğal bir mutfak kurguladık.” NEREDE? KeyUrla, İzmir Adnan Menderes Havalimanı’na 52 km uzaklıkta. İzmir, Alaçatı ve Seferihisar gibi merkezlere kısa sürüş mesafesinde yer alıyor.