Projects

Leading, international advertising agency Publicis has chosen pieces by Spanish firm Stua to furnish its new office in Dublin. Publicis is one of the most important advertising agencies in the world, and has a presence in over 80 countries. It’s a holding company with a large number of subsidiaries in many countries. Recently, when Publicis’s Dublin office moved to a new location, a booming business hub near the river Liffey, it called on Stua to furnish its new premises. The ad agency was after furniture that would help motivate its staff, given that the company strongly believes that there’s nothing like a stimulating environment to encourage people to be creative at work. And joyously colourful, bold furniture that creates an atmosphere that successfully fosters its employees’ creativity and ability to rest is precisely what Stua offered architects practice Carew Kelly Architects, which designed the office. The pieces chosen for its interior were the Globus chair, vibrantly colourful Nube armchair, Zero table and Onda stools, while the Deneb tables and benches grace the relaxation areas ouside. All the pieces were designed by Jesús Gasca, save the Nube armchair, which was created by Jesús and Jon Gasca. Mirroring the ethos of Publicis, all the furniture conveys a love of design and creativity. Stua has supplied furniture to many public spaces throughout the world, including the Guggenheim Museum in New York and Acropolis Museum in Athens.

Spanish firm Sancal, a manufacturer of contemporary upholstered furniture, has recently supplied pieces to the lobby of East Hotel, which is sandwiched between the buzzy areas of Kingston and Manuka in the Australian capital of Canberra.This luxurious hotel opened last August with the aim of making its guests – who are surrounded by cosy, comfortable, contemporary furniture and benefit from the high quality, cutting-edge technological equipment of its apartments, workspaces and suites – feel like they’re at home. The fact that the hotel has wholeheartedly invested in cutting-edge design is reflected in its striking lobby, which has been furnished by Sancal.The furniture here comprises Sancal’s Folk sofas, Soul armchairs, Rock tables, all designed by Rafa García, as well as various armchairs from the highly popular Tea collection, dreamt up by José Manuel Ferrero. All these stand out for their elegant simplicity, contemporary style, informality and for the Spanish warm, colourful vibe they inject into this busy area of the hotel.Founded in 1973, Sancal has supplied its ultra-modern, upholstered furniture to hotels, restaurants, offices, bars and libraries in the US, Russia, UK, Germany, Spain, France, Austria and Switzerland, among other countries. Some of its projects include the restaurant Jaleo in Washington DC, the Tribeca Grand Hotel in New York and the Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom hotel.

Andreu World, the Spanish manufacturer of furniture for the home and public spaces, was chosen to furnish the 3,440 Café, which is Austria’s most high up café.Designed by Lievore Altherr Molina, the Woody chairs grace this café perched on a mountain that’s over 3,000m tall and boasts spectacular views of the highest mountain in North Tyrol – the 3,744m-tall Wildspitze – and the 50-plus mountains in the nearby Pitz valley. The 3,400 Café, which opened late last year, is architecturally striking, thanks to its elliptical form. A sweeping, panoramic glass window runs along its facade and allows you to enjoy fantastic views wherever you are in the café. There’s also a fabulous terrace that also affords panoramic views.The Woody chairs give the café a natural, warm vibe, thanks to their finish made of oak from managed forests, which carry the FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) certificate and conform to its Chain of Custody programme (which tracks the use of materials, from how they’re sourced to their manufacture). The Woody chairs are a luxurious, authentic, comfortable design perfect for perching on while enjoying a cappuccino and a delicious, home-baked Tyrolean pastry.Founded in 1955, Andreu World has supplied its designer furniture to cafés, restaurants, hotels and many projects all over the world, notably Capitol Hotel in Tokyo, the Barr Al Jissah resort in Oman, Washington DC’s Jaleo restaurant and the restaurant at the Old Trafford football stadium in Manchester and home of the team, Manchester United. The company exports over 60 per cent of its goods, and recently opened its first showroom in New York.Video about Café 3,440: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AmN3g13IBM 

Vondom, the prestigious Spanish company that specialises in outdoor furniture and homeware, has supplied furniture to the swimming-pool area of Singapore’s five-star hotel W Singapore – Sentosa Cove.Undertaken in 2012, the project saw Vondom furnish the chill-out area of this luxe hotel’s swimming pool with its Pillow collection. Created by renowned Italian designer Stefano Giovannoni, this features armchairs, tables and pouffes, all illuminated from within and so doubling as lighting.The 1,338 m sq swimming pool is one of the hotel’s highlights: exuding glamour, it invites guests to relax and drink in the breathtaking, panoramic view from the hotel of the South China Sea. At night, the Pillow collection glows in the dark, creating a spectacular atmosphere where people can chill and enjoy a magical evening. The stunning combination of materials, lighting, interior and furniture design and scenery around the pool reflects the subtlety and level of attention to detail paid by the other companies involved – Singapore-based landscape architect Cicada Pte Ltd and XTRA Designs Pte Ltd, which specialises in outdoor furniture.Giovannoni’s Pillow collection wittily simulates comfortable, squashy cushions and, like many of his designs, they’re life-enhancing and ergonomic. Like all Vondom’s products, Pillow is suitable for outdoor use, and even for harsh weather conditions, since it’s made of rotational-moulded polyethylene, a plastic that meets the strictest technical standards.Vondom’s cutting-edge pieces, designed by such internationally renowned designers as Stefano Giovannoni, Ludovica + Roberto Palomba, Javier Mariscal, Karim Rashid, A-cero, Teresa Sapey and Ramón Esteve, among others, grace high-end hotels, private residences, offices and public spaces and leisure centres in China, the US, UK, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Russia, Australia, Germany, Italy, Croatia, Sweden, Austria and Spain, among other countries. In fact, its innovative furniture, lighting and plant-holder collections are sold in over 70 countries.

High-end, Spanish interior decoration company Soher has recently redesigned the entire government offices of HRH Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, governor of the cities of Jeddah and Mecca in Saudi Arabia.Undertaken in July 2012, the project consisted of the interior design of the government offices of these two cities in Saudi Arabia. The Spanish firm supplied a large number of custom-made furniture, designed specifically for the building’s private offices, sitting rooms and reception and meeting rooms. All the supplied furniture, save for the seating, is part of the Belle Epoque collection, and was custom-made.The governor’s office and the conference halls were furnished with wooden pieces in Makassar ebony, while those in the directors’ offices and other personal areas are made of walnut. The most spectacular furniture is made of glossy, walnut veneer decorated with gold leaf, beautiful fabrics and special bronze finishes. The most stand-out pieces are a fabulous table for meetings, office chairs and tables, made-to-measure armchairs, lighting and a wonderful, Moorish-inspired screen. It’s also worth highlighting that the panels with Arab-inspired designs are motorised to slide more easily and conceal TV screens.Soher enjoys a high profile in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and many of its clients are celebrities. The company’s creations grace many public areas all over the world, among them, the Equestrian Club in Abu Dhabi, the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Sydney and luxurious private residences in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.Soher was established by Vicente Simó Iborra in 1942. Since then it has specialised in manufacturing bronze ítems and high-end furniture for unique, upscale interiors. Throughout its history, it has maintained a hand-crafted character and used the highest quality materials at all stages of its manufacturing processes. Soher currently distributes its upscale products in over 50 countries.

Valencia-based company Viccarbe’s furniture now graces the exclusive, five-star hotel Tesoro Blu Hotel + Spa on the picturesque island of Cephalonia on the west coast of Greece. The hotel, in the beach resort of Skala, is near the southern tip of the island in a secluded valley surrounded by countryside and glorious views of the Ionian Sea. This exclusive hotel, where minimalist design meets unspoilt landscapes, creates an idyllic bolthole.Undertaken by BDG Architects, the project – marked by an attractive, contemporary style, distinguished by its stylish furniture and use of raw materials – aims to achieve a look of simple elegance.Viccarbe has contributed to this amazing project by furnishing its restaurant, called Piacere, with its Layer chairs, designed by Arik Levy. Meanwhile, its Last Minute stool, by Patricia Urquiola, can be found in the hotel’s White Bar and Black Bar. And armchairs and sofas from Viccarbe’s Fedele collection designed by Víctor Carrasco – ideal for chill-out areas – also grace the White Bar, a perfect spot for drinking cocktails by day or watching live-music acts at night. The Spanish company has also provided all the hotel’s relaxation and communal areas with a variety of pieces, such as chairs and tables from its Holy Day collection and its sculptural Ad Hoc chair, all designed by Jean-Marie Massaud. And designer Marc Krusin’s Wrapp chairs and FRdesign’s Aspa tables also grace parts of the hotel.Viccarbe’s contemporary furniture can also be found in over 70 countries all over the world, while its products and collections can be admired in many hotels in such cities as New York, Chicago, Amsterdam and Barcelona, and in restaurants in London, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Milan and Madrid, among other cities.