Article Category: Travel

Rising above the coast of the city it’s named after, Austin Proper Hotel and Residences is all set to open its doors this winter in Texas. Crafted by interior designer Kelly Wearstler, its 244 rooms and suites, 99 branded residences and luxury amenities—all blend lifestyle and well being with aesthetic interiors. The property also offers creative offices, bespoke design and a peek into the local culture.

Unfurling over three years, Wearstler’s creative vision for the site features an individualistic view blending a tradition of artistry and craftsmanship that defines the city. The influence of the most stately homes in Texas’ capital city animates captivating details from a sculptural staircase installation of 60 patchworked rugs to the lobby’s monolithic wood-and-ceramic grandfather clock. An essence of local art is seen throughout with textural plays on every surface, ranging from the pool deck to antique mirror finishes in the rooms. With the city as its muse, the designer detailed each room for refined living and restful evenings. Deeply influenced by indigenous arts and crafts, every space in the property exudes a cultural essence.

This luxury hotel will host McGuire Moorman Hospitality, the award-winning team behind Austin’s best dining and entertainment spots. The landmark eatery provides its patrons with lip-smacking, Meditteranean inspired cuisine and flavours. Keeping in line with the hotel’s commitment to wellness, this urban getaway accommodates a soothing lounge and spa as well as a spacious fitness centre. An array of high-end facilities encourage the guests to linger on the property or even set up a temporary office with a view of the pool.

Imitation is the best form of flattery and in the case of these quirky installations rightfully so. Novelty Architecture has given rise to some of the most unusual yet visually stunning structures around the world. These buildings are shaped like the products they cater their services to, creating a brand new approach to the world of architecture. The Big Pineapple, Bathurst, Eastern Cape, South AfricaNestled in the city of Bathurst, South Africa, The Big Pineapple stands 56 feet tall and is the world’s largest pineapple building. This structure was crafted to emulate the tropical fruit—to pay tribute to the fruit and the sweet earnings it brought. The structure hosts three floors and is made of metal and fibreglass and features an observation platform. The interior brandishes a tourist shop and a great view.Adidas Shoe Box, Barcelona, SpainPop-up stores are all the rage and Adidas harmonized the trend almost perfectly. The Adidas Originals Pop-up shop at the primavera music festival in Barcelona, Spain was definitely a star attraction. The footwear company modelled a shoebox structure with a partly opened lid for its latest pop-up store. The store was detailed to the tee with everything ranging from the information of the shoe on the side of the ‘shoebox’ to a couple of laces peaking from the roof, definitely our favourite!National Fisheries Development Board Building, Hyderabad IndiaThe National Fisheries Development Board Building in Hyderabad India is quite the paradox to your mundane government offices. Crafted in 2012, the giant fish-shaped building appears to float mid-air and hosts three floors. The 1,920-square-meter structure was designed this way by the Central Public Works Department of India to promote all work related to fishing. The building features rectangular scale-like windows that perforate its silver body, a hollow mouth and eyes that bear blue glass.Gibeau Orange Julep, CanadaThe Montreal skyline hosts an unusual silhouette of an orange shaped structure. The Gibeau Orange Julep in Canada that stands tall at 3 stories and 40 feet wide was originally a snack bar with off the wall beverages. Crafted by Hermas Gibeau in 1932, the eatery and the staple orange julep drink is named after himself. According to the Montreal Gazette, the city’s main English language newspaper, The Gibeau, is among the ‘Top Ten Most Important Montreal Symbols’ Today, it is one of the oldest and most iconic fast-food joints in the country.High-Heel Wedding Church (Budai Township, Taiwan)Located at Ocean View Park, in Taiwan’s Budai township, on a large concrete disc stands a massive glass slipper that looks like its straight out of Cinderella’s fairytale. However, in reality, this unique structure is a church that caters to women. Built in 2016, the edifice has 320 blue-tinted panes, set into a metal grid. The female-centric decor embodies love seat benches, biscuits and cakes, and maple leaf decorations. The building is also used for weddings and photoshoots. Sanrio Strawberry House (Tokyo, Japan)Built in 1984, Sanrio Strawberry House was one of Tokyo’s oldest shopping centres for children. This structure is spun on two sides by a smaller strawberry on one and a mushroom on the other. The three-storied structure houses Sanrio merchandise on the first two levels and the third level is a strawberry themed playroom to the tee with strawberry-shaped tables to fixtures. This store was a door to a world of fantasy where kids can frolic in strawberry fields.

The Chrysler building, Empire State building and Guggenheim museum in New York, Grand Opera House in Delaware, Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas, Portland Observatory in Maine, Drayton Hall in South Carolina, The Bean in Chicago, Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles…there is no end to the list of architectural masterpieces scattered across the United States of America. These unforgettable edifices stand out on the landscape of civilisation as some of the best creations of humanity. Here are some iconic structures that captivate minds and beguile souls across time. Chapel of the Holy Cross, ArizonaSculptor Marguerite Brunswig Staude from New Orleans wanted to build a modern church. When the Diocese of Los Angeles rejected her proposal to build such a church in Los Angeles, she chose Budapest for its location. However, the start of World War II dashed her plans and she returned to Sedona, Arizona. It was here, in the wild beauty of the desert land, where the sculptor realised her dream in 1956 with the help of architect Richard Hein. The cross wedged between two russet rocks is set against a stunning backdrop of the Coconino National Forest seen through a massive, floor-to-ceiling window.Dalí Museum, FloridaThis museum in St. Petersburg, Florida celebrates one of the most famous painters of the 20th century. By juxtaposing the rational with the fantastical, Florida based architect Yann Weymouth has designed a monument that befits the Spanish surrealist painter. A geodesic glass form known as the enigma seems to emerge from the non descript rectangular building made of hurricane-proof walls. Inside, another prominent architectural feature—a helical staircase that recalls Dali’s obsession with spirals —pays hommage to the venerated painter.Flatiron building, GeorgiaThe oldest skyscraper in Atlanta, mostly unchanged since its conception in 1897, is the original flatiron building that predates the more popular one in New York. Designed by American architect Bradford Gilbert, who also built New York City’s first skyscraper, it is known as the English-American Building. The two levels at the base of the eleven storeyed building include half columns and stone piers separated by large glass windows. This narrow triangular structure is one of Atlanta’s most striking examples of the Chicago Style in urban architecture, setting a precedent for most of the city’s later downtown buildings. Transamerica Pyramid, Northern California This obelisk-shaped building along San Fransisco’s skyline was awarded LEED® Gold status by the US Green Building Council for its eco-conscious practices. Designed by William Pereira & Associates, the pyramidal structure was not welcomed by the public initially. However, later on, they warmed to it and recognised it as an inseparable part of the city’s skyline. The tallest building in San Fransisco has two wings that house the elevator shafts that cannot run at the angle of the building itself and the stairwell. With a white quartz exterior and an aluminium spire on top, the original headquarters of Transamerica Corporation is lauded for its architectural mastery within the bounds of enviromental sustainability. Brutalist Building: The Bank of London and South America, Buenos Aires—What started out as a British bank, which operated in South America was later acquired by Lloyds Bank Limited in 1918. The new headquarters in central Buenos Aires was designed by Italian-Argentine architect Clorindo Testa, a pioneer of mid-20th century Brutalist architecture, in 1966. With a memorable concrete facade, it is one of the best examples of brutalism in Argentinian architecture.

The Colosseum in Rome, Louvre in Paris, Brandenburg Gate in Germany, Guggenheim museum in Spain, Dancing House in Prague…there is no end to the list of architectural masterpieces scattered across the continent of Europe. These unforgettable edifices stand out on the landscape of civilisation as some of the best creations of humanity. Here are some iconic structures that captivate minds and beguile souls across time. Sagrada Familia, SpainThis UNESCO world heritage site has been under construction for more than a century. In 1882, architect Francisco de Paula del Villar began the project, however, a year later, famed modern architect Anton Gaudi took over. He combined Gothic and Art Nouveau elements and, in signature Gaudi style, created something stunningly unique and memorable. One of the project’s greatest challenges is the construction of ten additional spires, each symbolising an important Biblical figure in the New Testament. The Sagrada Família, which is also the final resting place of Gaudi, has been funded through anonymous donations and contributions over the years. Duomo, FlorenceOne of Italy’s biggest churches, the cathedral in Piazza del Duomo features the largest brick dome ever made. The construction began in 1296 but the dome, a daring design of Filippo Brunelleschi, was completed in 1436. The founding father of Renaissance architecture took an innovative approach that involved vaulting the dome space without any scaffolding by using a double shell. The inner dome is made of light bricks set in a herringbone pattern, while the outer one serves as a sturdy, wind resistant covering. The exterior of the basilica is clad in polychrome marble panels in pink and green hues. The cupola at the top offers splendid panoramic views of the Tuscan capital.Pena Palace, PortugalDestroyed in the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755, this palace was commissioned by King Ferdinand to to Lieutenant General and mining engineer Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege to serve as a summer residence for the Portuguese royal family. With a decadent and surreal mix of brightly coloured terraces, mythological statues and decorative battlements, set against the verdant Parque de Pena forest, the Pena Palace epitomises the 19th century Romanticist style of architecture. Once a modest monastery, it is now used for state occasions by the President of the Portuguese Republic and other government officials.Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, RussiaCommissioned and funded by the Imperial family of Russia, the construction of the church began in 1883. Its architecture, which brings to mind 17th century Yaroslavl churches and St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow, inspires romantic nationalist feelings. Decorated with Italian limestone and semi precious stones, the church houses one of the largest collections of mosaic in the world. The interior was designed by some of the most celebrated Russian artists of the day, such as Viktor Vasnetsov, Mikhail Nesterov and Mikhail Vrubel. Brutalist Building: Western City Gate, Serbia—Designed by Mihajlo Mitrović in 1977, this brutalist structure features two towers connected by a bridge. The taller tower is residential, while the other is commercial. The 36 storeyed building with the revolving restaurant on top is the second tallest skyscraper in Belgrade.