Author: Vilma Barr

  Israel new Hotel Publica Isrotel bills itself as a “boutique business hotel,” catering to Millennials and those with a curated design sense.   PHOTOGRAPHY BY ODED SMADER Located in the Tel Aviv suburb of Herzliya, the 159-room Publica Isrotel fills a need its owners determined was not being met. The area draws comparisons to California’s Silicon Valley, due to the presence of such heavy-hitting companies as Hewlett-Packard, IBM, and Microsoft. Satisfying a young, hip, tech-savvy clientele requires a different approach from that of a typical business hotel. The operating model for this newly opened Publica Isrotel is an...

TODAY’S MODERN OFFICES NOT ONLY REFLECT EACH INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE’S IDENTITY, BUT ALSO ENCOMPASS A PROGRESSIVE COMPANY’S CULTURE ON A WIDER SCOPE Philadelphia coworking network firm Benjamin’s Desk offers entrepreneurs a flexible workspace environment enhanced by vibrant color and natural light for a modern feel. The past decade has replaced the equipment-driven model in office design with a people-first methodology. As a result, today’s environments offer workplace solutions that fit the personal working styles of the employees. Fading into the past are the mandates established in the early 1950s by the Quickborner Team in Germany featuring rigid open layouts, ostensibly...

BRIMMING WITH STYLE AND CACHET, BARNEYS’ NEW STORE LIGHTS UP THE CHELSEA SECTION OF NEW YORK CITY FOR THE SECOND TIME IN ITS HISTORY. Originally conceived as a retailer catering to the working class, Barneys has undergone a sophisticated upgrade in merchandise and aesthetics over the years. PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT FRANCIS AND SONIA PAULING; COURTESY, COOLEY MONATO STUDIO Barneys New York can be credited with introducing the overarching term, “shopping experience” into the international lexicon. By mixing elegant with edgy, Barneys has built a lasting reputation for editing its apparel and accessories collections for a market where individual style...

CASINO DU LAC-LEAMY BETS ON A SLEEK RENOVATION TO DRIVE REVENUE. Lighting by Lightemotion was coordinated from the outset of the $47-million upgrade of the casino with Sid Lee Architecture and FCSD Architecture+Design. Linear LED was used throughout to highlight and outline the architectural elements and materials. PHOTOGRAPHY BY STÉPHANE BRUGGER, COURTESY OF SID LEE ARCHITECTURE When the Casino du Lac-Leamy opened in 1996, it virtually owned the casino gaming market in its region. Located in Gatineau, Québec, 18 miles over the MacDonald-Cartier Bridge from the capital Ottawa in Ontario province, casino management is cashing in on its bet...