San Francisco Decorator Showcase Report, Part One: Dina Bandman’s Glamorous and Inviting Nursery — A New Way to Welcome and Nurture a Baby

This week, San Francisco interior designer Dina Bandman presents a charming and highly original nursery, in collaboration with de Gournay.

Dina’s concept is a lemon grove. A rather small room with low windows is transformed with elegant and vibrant de Gournay handpainted wallpaper in a lovely ultra-pale green. Dina transformed a room into a restful and highly original setting for a growing baby and toddler.

London-based de Gournay, the leading artistic handcrafted Wallpaper Company in the world, custom hand-painted the wallpaper in their studio in China. The fantasy lemon grove includes subtle jeweled and embroidered lemons that shimmer and capture the light and add an air of enchantment to the sunny room.

Dina’s room is small, but with superb details. Note the arched curtains, crafted by Martin Kobus Curtain Studios. Storage is artful. Come with me to take a closer look.

This is transformation and decorating at its best. Next week, more of my favorite rooms in Part Two.

“I was a little bit nervous about this room for the small size, and the rather low windows. It is quite a relief that it all came together. I am so fortunate to have wonderful vendors like de Gournay, Hardesty Dwyer, Martin Kobus (just to name a few) who are so obsessed with detail too and always further amplify my design by their talent. It's been a true delight to watch people enjoy the room. I will be at Showcase today — you know where to find me for the next 30 days!” — DINA BANDMAN

About Dina Bandman

Dina was a sensation at last year’s Decorator Showcase with a glamorous laundry…and dog-washing area…with super-glamorous wallpaper by de Gournay.

Her cabinets were by Clive Christian. Dina, working with Julie Lloyd on cabinetry, turned a closet space into the most glamorous laundry.

Dina Bandman always knew she wanted to be an interior designer, but her path to design was not an ordinary one. After completing an undergraduate degree at Vanderbilt University, Dina went to law school and earned her J.D degree in New York before ultimately deciding to follow her passion for interior design.

She went on to study Interior Design at New York’s acclaimed Art Institute and began working with Katie Leede Studio. A former Old Hollywood glamor fanatic, Dina was inspired by Katie’s more boho, eclectic, and vibrant aesthetic-- an experience to which she credits her knowledge and appreciation for a wide range of interior styles and antiques. In 2015, she relocated to San Francisco and went to work alongside Shelley Cahan of Shelley & Company until ultimately opening her own design studio, Dina Bandman Interiors.

Versatile and creative, Dina never pursued her law degree beyond passing the bar. She thanks that experience for making her a better designer - in a world where timelines and tenacity are ever important, she brings her ability to be analytical and a critical thinker to the table to deliver stunning projects, on time and on budget.

Credits for Dina Bandman’s Nursery

de Gournay “Lemondrop Lullaby” | Wallpaper & Window Treatments
Beautiful Bed Company | Toy Box
California Closets | Closet Build Out
Chelsea Textiles | Fabric
Chroma Colors - Michael Clementi | Paint Contractor
Coleen & Company | Custom Chandelier
Cowtan & Tout | Chair & Ottoman Fabric
Custom Creations - Cecilia Lopez | Soft Goods Fabrication
De Sousa Hughes | Fisher Weisman Side Table
Hardesty Dwyer | Wingback Chair
HCL Construction | Contractor
Holland & Sherry | Chelsea Textiles - Fabric for Closet Wallcovering, French Mattress & Changing Pad Cover
Fitzgerald | Ottoman Upholsterer
Floor Design | Vintage Oushak Rug
Forbes & Lomax | Light Switch
Julia B. | Handmade Linens
LuxHoldups | Lucite Tie Backs and Accessories
Martin Kobus | Workroom Services, curtains
Plexi-Craft | Custom Lucite Crib
Sabrina Landini | Sconces
Samuel & Sons | Passementerie
Shears & Window | Vaughn Floor Lamp
Stephanie Breitbard Collection | Fine Art Building Blocks
WCD (Wall Covering Designs) | Wallpaper & Acoustic Installation

The designer and the photographer contacts:

Design
dinabandman.com | Instagram @dinabandmaninteriors

Photography
christopherstark.com | Instagram @christopherstark

The 41st Annual San Francisco Decorator Showcase 

Please come to see fresh design ideas, new decorating concepts, artful use of space, and rooms overlooking the Marina Green. It’s at 465 Marina Blvd. in San Francisco.

Tickets for the San Francisco Decorator Showcase — available at DecoratorShowcase.org and at the door: $40 general admission; $35 for seniors and students (with photo ID)

Group rates available and must be arranged in advance by calling (415) 447-5830


Showcase Hours

April 28 – May 28; Tuesdays through Sundays; closed Mondays except for Memorial Day

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (last entry) Friday: 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (last entry) Sunday and Memorial Day: 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (last entry) Closed on Mondays except for Memorial Day


Showcase Sponsors
San Francisco Decorator Showcase is supported by the following sponsors: Platinum Sponsors - Da Vinci Marble, Hakwood and The Rug Company; Paint Sponsor – Farrow & Ball; Exclusive Bathroom Sponsor – Kohler; Kitchen Appliance Sponsor – BlueStar; Exclusive Quartz Provider – Cambria; Media Sponsors – Modern Luxury (San Francisco magazine, Modern Luxury Interiors California); C California Style; Nob Hill Gazette and ABC7.


Background
For the past 40 years, the annual San Francisco Decorator Showcase has benefited San Francisco University High School's financial aid program, raising nearly $16 million and benefiting hundreds of students.

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, the participation of hundreds of accomplished designers, the school's trustees, parents, faculty, alumni, students, friends, and the thousands of Showcase visitors each year, the San Francisco Decorator Showcase allows San Francisco University High School to offer financial aid to its students.

The community's continued support makes education available to hundreds of Bay Area students.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: 

Please call (415) 447-5830 or visit DecoratorShowcase.org

San Francisco Opera’s Triumphant and Dramatic Summer Season: ‘The Ring’ Cycle Returns to San Francisco

I’ve set aside the month of June to this extraordinary festival, and will be attending the full cycle of four operas, starting June 12. It is one of the great stage productions and profoundly involving, thrilling. Evelyn Herlitzius, Falk Struckmann and Daniel Brenna will be bowing with San Francisco Opera for the first time.

This is a long post with a lot of information—everything you must know.

The season is expected to sell out, and many opera lovers have already secured their favorite seats. I don’t want you to miss this great immersive experience.

Please reserve your ticket now (see information at the end of my post.)

A scene from "Die Walküre," the second opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

San Francisco Opera is the only North American opera company mounting full cycles of Wagner’s ‘Ring’  this year.

According to my knowledgeable source, opera lovers from all over the United States and from at least 28 countries will travel to San Francisco from June 12–July 1 to experience Francesca Zambello’s production starring Evelyn Herlitzius, Greer Grimsley and Karita Mattila. I love this very international aspect of the audience at ‘The Ring’  festivals…people speaking German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, and French…Australian.

And note: United Airlines has special fares, code ZYZA796715 (call United 800-426-1122).

A scene from "Götterdämmerung," the fourth opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

A scene from "Das Rheingold," the first opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

A scene from "Die Walküre," the second opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

A scene from "Siegfried," the third opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

A scene from "Die Walküre," the second opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

Richard Wagner’s ‘Der Ring des Nibelungen’ (The Ring of the Nibelung) Returns to the War Memorial Opera House: June 12 – July 1, 2018

Check the San Francisco Opera website for public enrichment events for Ring Festival including lectures, symposia, film screenings and musical programs. 

San Francisco Opera presents Richard Wagner’s ‘Der Ring des Nibelungen’ (The Ring of the Nibelung) in three complete cycles, each presented over the course of one week as the composer originally intended. From June 12 through July 1 at the War Memorial Opera House.

Encompassing four operas—Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung—and more than 17 hours, the story and music of Wagner’s ‘Ring’  are the acme of the operatic artform and one of the most ambitious works of music, theater and stagecraft ever created. 

A scene from "Das Rheingold," the first opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

A scene from "Götterdämmerung," the fourth opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

A scene from "Siegfried," the third opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

‘The Ring’ — My Musical Obsession

‘The Ring’ is one of the great musical creations, and to see all of the cycle is a major commitment. It is also an achievement.

The last time San Francisco presented their ‘Ring’ production, I figured that I committed over 20 hours total to attend the cycle.

And at the end…the curtain fell finally one Sunday afternoon around 6pm, and after seeing the whole production, I wanted to start over…and see it all again. I recall thunderous applause and foot-stamping and whistles and shouts of ‘Bravi’ as the curtain fell and rose and the artists bowed, and the audience was reluctant to leave after almost inhabiting the opera house for the four operas.

It is powerful, engaging, and the artists who perform are among the greatest opera singers in the world. Wagnerian performers are a special group! The men are noble, the women are regal, and their voices are the highly trained thoroughbreds of the music world.

“If there is one artistic undertaking that demonstrates the complete mettle of an opera company it is Wagner’s ‘Ring’.  San Francisco Opera has a storied history with this life-affirming work, and it is a great privilege for all of us to bring it to the stage once again. It will take us all on a powerful journey, deep into the very understanding of what it means to be human.” — San Francisco Opera General Director Matthew Shilvock

An internationally-renowned cast of Wagnerian artists has been assembled for San Francisco Opera’s performances of Wagner’s epic, including Evelyn Herlitzius (Brünnhilde), Greer Grimsley (Wotan), Daniel Brenna (Siegfried), Karita Mattila (Sieglinde), Brandon Jovanovich (Froh and Siegmund), Falk Struckmann (Alberich), Jamie Barton (Fricka) and many others, directed by Francesca Zambello and under the baton of Wagnerian conductor Donald Runnicles. 

A scene from "Das Rheingold," the first opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

A scene from "Das Rheingold," the first opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

A scene from "Das Rheingold," the first opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

A scene from "Das Rheingold," the first opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

The New Updated ‘Ring’ 2018

Utilizing visuals from the American landscape, Francesca Zambello’s interpretation, which the New York Times called “boldly contemporary” at its San Francisco Opera unveiling in 2011, will include new features, including technologically advanced projections, new imagery and restudied stage action. 

Director Francesca Zambello

“Since directing ‘The Ring’ here in 2011 and again in 2016 in Washington, D.C., I found the power of the work seems even more contemporary. The great overarching themes of the ‘Ring’ nature, love, power and corruption—resound through America's past and haunt our present. As I have worked on it I find I have placed more emphasis on the role of the family and the power of redemption through all the female characters.”—Francesca Zambello 

 Conductor Donald Runnicles. Photo: Michael Winokur

Maestro Donald Runnicles will conduct all of the operas. He is one of the great Wagnerian interpreters today. He led Francesca Zambello’s production in 2011 and previous ‘Ring’ productions with San Francisco Opera in 1990 and 1999.

A scene from "Die Walküre," the second opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

A scene from "Die Walküre," the second opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know About ‘The Ring’

I asked Teresa Concepcion, communications associate at San Francisco Opera, to help unravel some of the questions and mysteries surrounding Wagner’s ‘Ring’ Cycle…and in particular how long it takes, the mythology, the music.  Listen in to our conversation...

DDS: Mythology, drama, a gold ring, a journey, maidens, beauty and heroic quests for a gold ring...the drama in one sentence?
SF Opera: ‘The Ring’is a story, based on Norse and German legend, about Gods and mortals, the redeeming power of love; greed; the end of the world; and rebirth.


DDS: Why are opera lovers flying in from all over the world to see this ‘Ring’ cycle? I think two words: Richard Wagner. 
SF Opera: The music is enthralling, noble, great in concept, powerfully emotional, and it engages the audience, individually, in its operatic scope and grandeur. The production, modern, is dramatic and inventive…with moments of wild imagination. The costumes are somewhat irreverent, mixing modern with traditional.

DDS: Many opera fans consider Richard Wagner’s Ring (the total work consists of four operas) the ultimate epic musical experience.
SF Opera: It is rarely performed because only a few opera companies have the resources to pursue Wagner’s requirements. There are always new interpretations; opera companies look for imaginative, creative artists to tell the story of the ‘Ring’ in compelling ways. The demanding vocal challenges of the ‘Ring’ require top tier singers to perform it. Moreover, it is a huge undertaking for the musicians and conductor in the orchestra pit.


DDS: It opens on what date and closes on what date?
SF Opera: There will be three complete cycles of the four operas of the ‘Ring’.  Cycle One begins on Tuesday, June 12 (with Das Rheingold) and Cycle Three closes on Sunday, July 1 (with Götterdämmerung)


DDS: Which is the ideal sequence to see the entire ‘Ring’ cycle?
SF Opera: Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung, which are presented over the course of six days (Tuesday through Sunday). Richard Wagner wanted his audience to “binge-watch” his masterpiece in this order.


DDS: How many total hours on stage is the complete cycle of four operas?
SF Opera: 17 hours (including intermissions)


DDS: How many performers will be on stage for the entire cycle?
SF Opera: 177


DDS: What are some highlights to watch for? ‘The Ride of the Valkyrie’ of course, and each opera has maximum drama.
SF Opera: Instrumental and vocal highlights include:

Das Rheingold—Prelude, Erda’s warning, Entrance of the Gods to Valhalla

Die Walker—Act I Sieglinde/Siegmund duet, Brünnhilde’s battle cry “Ho-jo-to-ho,” Annunciation of Death, The Ride of the Valkyries, Wotan’s Farewell

Siegfried—Sword forging song, Forest Murmurs, Brünnhilde’s Awakening

Götterdämmerung—Rhine Journey, Siegfried’s Funeral Music, Brünnhilde’s Immolation


DDS: How many performances will there be and what are the names of each performance?
SFOpera: There will be three cycles of the complete ‘Ring’,  which is comprised of four operas: Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung

DDS: Sung in German, of course.
SFOpera: Yes, sung in German with English supertitles


DDS: During ‘the Ring’ I don’t think about dining…only music as I watch 17 hours (four operas over the course of six days)
SFOpera: Café at the Opera (in the Lower Lounge) is open two hours before curtain (reservations are strongly recommended). There’s also going to be Brünnhilde’s Biergarten in the Loggia/Grand Tier level, which will be open 1 hour before curtain and during intermission, where you can try local beers and German fare. Neighborhood restaurants near the opera house are very much aware of the operas' timing and be sure to tell them you have tickets.


DDS: Thanks…if there are other factoids…such as name of the production designer, costume designer…are all costumes made at the opera house studio?
SFOpera: In Francesca Zambello’s production of the ‘Ring’ cycle, the Set Designer is Michael Yeargan and the Costume Designer is Catherine Zuber. 

All of the costumes for Götterdämmerung were built in San Francisco Opera’s Costume Shop. The costumes for Das Rheingold, Die Walküre and Siegfried were originally built at Washington National Opera, but some were redesigned at San Francisco Opera in 2010.

A scene from "Götterdämmerung," the fourth opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

A scene from "Götterdämmerung," the fourth opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

A scene from "Götterdämmerung," the fourth opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

In anticipation of the performances, San Francisco Opera announced a schedule for its ‘Ring’ Festival events designed to provide the public, from first-timers to experienced Ring-goers, with enriching activities including lectures, symposia, film screenings, musical programs, public discussions and a Ring Community Day for families. 

The San Francisco War Memorial Opera House. Photo by Joel Puliatti.

For More Information:

Tickets for Ring Cycle and Ring Festival Activities at www.sfopera.com and (415) 864-3330.

Photography:

Courtesy of San Francisco Opera

A scene from "Das Rheingold," the first opera in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" cycle.
Photo: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

Travels with The Style Saloniste: Dreaming of Venice and the Belmond Hotel Cipriani

Where to Travel Next:  The Cipriani opened for the 2018 season on March 21. Please join me this week for an insider visit. 

Every May/June, I head to Venice, a week after the opening of the Venice Biennale, It’s the perfect time to be there. The Biennale opening group has departed, and summer crowds have not yet arrived. It’s bliss.

If I’m really lucky, I will check in to the Cipriani. It is one of the most beautiful hotel resorts in the world…in one of the most beautiful locations. I hope to spend my days reading and writing in the garden, inviting friends for cocktails or dinner at Cip’s Club, and criss-crossing the Bacino in the hotel launch.

I’ll invite friends for drinks at the legendary Cipriani bar to make a toast to good fortune with a ‘Buona Notte’ cocktail, (vodka, lemon, ginger, bitters, cranberry juice) first concocted for George Clooney.

This week I’ve got the latest news of the Hotel Cipriani, plus this year's dates of the Venice Biennale, and special tours and trips happening at the hotel this summer.

It’s no secret that George Clooney and his wife Amal are fans of the Cipriani…but there are also super-fans who arrive from New York, Sydney, or London with boatloads of luggage and stay for the summer, for a month, or to celebrate an anniversary. 

Last summer at the Cipriani I met a lovely family from Connecticut (grandparents, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, and grandchildren) who have been staying there for a month every summer for the last thirty years. Nan Kempner used to move in for the month of July. Dodie Rosekrans was a frequent visitor. And noted artists and writers, actors and royals arrive quietly, assured of privacy and a warm, low-key welcome.

The Cipriani (formally known at the Belmond Hotel Cipriani, Venice) is only accessible by boat. Specifically the hotel launch, which plies back and forth, day and night, from the Cipriani private dock on San Marco.

It’s ultra-private. Hidden behind trees and walls and ancient buildings along the waterfront, and turned towards the lagoon, the Cipriani can’t be seen. Guests arrive at the dock, and disappear into their own world. 

The Cipriani in the News

In honor of its 60th anniversary, the Belmond Hotel Cipriani will be hosting cooking classes highlighting historical Venetian recipes. Chefs gather ingredients from their adjacent biodynamic vegetable garden.

Guests who stay for a week or a month or the whole summer at the Cipriani seldom leave for the day. Why would they? It’s a dream location.

But…for guests who would like to take an afternoon excursion or a late-morning trip, there are new private tours throughout Veniceto see private glass-making studios, to meet artists, to see restoration underway at hidden chapels or churches, or to meet a noted artisan such as a man who operates a hand-cranked printing press, or a specialist in papermaking and the art of marbleizing and other arts.

There is also a new scenic boat tour aboard the meticulously restored, 16-meter motor/ sailing yacht, Edipo Re, into the lagoon to visit impossible-to-forget islands, or to go to Torcello, or for lunch on Burano.

Venetian Bliss

The Belmond Hotel Cipriani affords a summer escape with garden villas, a pool, and private residences in a sixteenth-century palazzo.

A well-kept secret for over six decades among its loyal guests, the Cipriani is accessible only by the hotel’s private launch that arrives at one closely guarded landing. Stars of the annual Venice film festival such as Brad Pitt, Nicole Kidman, and Uma Thurman hide out in sunny suites among its fragrant gardens.

The hotel’s history dates back to 1958 when Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of Harry’s Bar in Venice and inventor of the Bellini cocktail partnered with three English noblewomen to create a club-like hotel.

Residences and suites have been created in two 16th-century palazzi, or a Bacino-view Venetian-style villa, decorated individually with Murano glass chandeliers, and Venetian antiques.

Suites are light-filled and airy, and created with a subtle color palette necessary when afternoon temperatures may reach into the nineties.

The hotel’s ninety-five rooms and suites, many with balconies or terraces and magnificent views over the gardens, offer a true taste of classic Venetian style.

Elaborate antique Venetian mirrors, tapestries, marble floors, Rubelli silks and jacquards, and gold-printed Fortuny fabrics embellish the harmonious interiors. They are selected by Parisian architect Gérard Gallet, also responsible for decor of hotels and trains of the Belmond collection.

Many guests don’t leave the jasmine-scented property, only taking an afternoon excursion to follow the Oro restaurant chef as he gathers fresh lettuces and ripe tomatoes in the synergistic garden just through a locked gate from the romantic Casanova Garden and the hotel’s vineyard.
Diners at Cip's Club enjoy views of the Doge’s Palace and the legendary Punta della Dogana, and the striking baroque silhouette of the 17th-century Santa Maria della Salute basilica.

Suites with a View

The Palladio Suite contains antique and one-of-a-kind pieces acquired throughout the years from antique shops in Venice including an 18th-century Chinoiserie chest of drawers. The opulent suite features 180-degree views of the Venetian lagoon through floor-to- ceiling windows. Guests enjoy an airy living room with private balcony, elegant dining area (perfect for hosting small dinner parties served by a personal butler), and large terrace with
an outdoor heated plunge pool with Jacuzzi whirlpool. Guests arriving by boat can land directly at the suite’s private dock. 

The Dogaressa Suite has breathtaking views over St Mark’s and the Doge’s Palace. The sitting room—the largest in the Palazzo—is decorated with original 18th-century Coromandel screens, a collection of antiques enriched by priceless Rubelli fabrics.

Guests enjoy an airy living room with private balcony, elegant dining area (perfect for hosting small dinner parties served by a personal butler.

At the hotel’s center, and one of the reasons many guests return year after year, is the largest swimming pool in Venice. Its buoyant saltwater, treated and heated to a constant 28 Celsius, is very popular with young guests as well as devoted athletes who devotedly swim laps. Parents of youngsters know that during siesta, 2pm—4pm, a hush descends on the resort and children play at the kid’s club, hidden in the garden.

After a quiet repose, guests bask in the sun attended by pool staff offering cold drinks. Late lunch of salads and lobster is enjoyed on the terrace. 

Fresh herbs, vegetables and fruit are picked in the hotel’s ‘farm’ garden. This is an enchanted world, suspended in time, where edible flowers and herbs are harvested daily (nasturtium, fennel, parsley) to supply Chef Davide Bisetto’s Oro restaurant. It’s truly from farm to table, as he chef harvests, then walks back to his kitchen to start creating his light cuisine.

And, befitting the Venetian tradition of supporting artists, last year the Cipriani is once more participating in the international Art Biennale Venice, with a dramatic art work, Art-lantis, beneath the waters of the resort’s pool.

Visible most clearly by swimmers, six large-scale aluminum-mounted photographs depicting dramatic photography of Venice landmarks mythically underwater are secured at the bottom of the pool, taking artistic messages to places where people would not expect to find them.

The art project is the Cipriani’s tribute to a much-loved city and a delight for fortunate guests. No wonder guests eagerly return each summer, to once more experience a truly magical place.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

www.belmond.com

The Cipriani opened for the season on March 21 2018. It will close at the end of the season, in early November 2018.



CREDITS:
Images courtesy of Belmond.

The Venice Biennale 2018

Architecture and Ideas: ‘Freespace’

CURATORS 2018:  YVONNE FARRELL and SHELLEY MCNAMARA


The President of La Biennale di Venezia, Paolo Baratta, together with the curators of the 16th International Architecture Exhibition, Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara, have announced that the 16th International Architecture Exhibition will take place from May 26th to November 25th 2018 (Preview May 24th and 25th) in the Giardini and the Arsenale, and around other venues in Venice.

Curators Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara titled the 16th International Architecture Exhibition Freespace, and explained their choice with the following words:

“Freespace describes a generosity of spirit and a sense of humanity at the core of architecture's agenda, focusing on the quality of space itself.

Freespace focuses on architecture’s ability to provide free and additional spatial gifts to those who use it and on its ability to address the unspoken wishes of strangers.

Freespace celebrates architecture’s capacity to find additional and unexpected generosity in each project - even within the most private, defensive, exclusive or commercially restricted conditions.

Freespace provides the opportunity to emphasize nature’s free gifts of light — sunlight and moonlight, air, gravity, materials — natural and man-made resources.”

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