FEATURED STORY
Towards the sun
Gentle rays of sunshine that lay across the veranda and let the outdoor furniture draw long shadows on it. The cooling water of the pool, smooth as a mirror in the tank, the wide view over the wild greenery of the garden to the coastal mountains of the Costa Brava: paradise is at home in the Catalan region of Baix Empordà. Mesura Architects have built a home in this idyllic setting that integrates gently into the landscape through the use of local materials such as traditional ceramics and stones from the River Ter. The rooms of "Casa Ter" each face a different direction of Mediterranean nature – towards the sea, the mountains, the fields.
On the warm days of the year, most of the residents' lives take place outdoors, and so the house can be opened wide thanks to the sliding windows to make the boundaries between indoor and outdoor space flow, as between the kitchen and the garden, which are connected by the veranda. In this wonderfully relaxed setting, Expormim has recently staged a selection of its outdoor furniture that formally fits both worlds – outdoors and indoors – and is in each case prepared in material to withstand even a heavy rain shower or the intense sunshine in the height of summer.
Maximum comfort is promised by the "Liz" armchair recently presented by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba, founders of the Palomba Serafini Associati architecture and design studio based in Milan. Made of recycled aluminium, "Liz" is as light as summer days in Catalonia and offers a wide choice of technical fabrics for the covers, from soft sandy tones to sensual blood red. The structure of "Liz", which curves elegantly inwards at the armrests, has a protective and homely effect at the same time, while the rounded die-cast aluminum legs provide support without making the shape look massive. With a compact size of 83 x 85 x 76 centimetres, "Liz" does not take up much space, but still has a great seating comfort.
It is joined by a charming classic in a new guise: the "Lapala" chair, which the designer trio Alberto Lievore, Jeannette Altherr and Manel Molina from Studio Lievore Altherr Molina designed at the end of the nineties and whose material has been given a fine update for outdoor use. The stainless steel frame, which is optionally equipped with armrests, is thus artfully interwoven with coloured rope and provides the sitter with a comfortable support that gently adapts to the body. Seven different lacquers and ten different ropes are available to give "Lapala" an individual touch. These are handmade in Moixent, Valencia. If the chair is not needed, it can be stacked quickly and easily.
The outdoor furniture by Expormim and the "Casa Ter" by Mesura Architects thus create a natural atmosphere in their common connection to the Mediterranean culture, its colours, its craftsmanship and its pleasant climate, which promises carefree ease.
