LAGO DI COMO

An astonishing accomplishmentof modern classic designed byPatricia UrqioulaVanity Fair

il Sereno is Europe’smost luxurious new hotelBloomberg

Step inside Lake Como’smost exclusive new resortRobb Report

SA INT -BARTHE LEMY - L AGO D I COMO

le serenole sereno villasSAINT-BARTHÉLEMY

il serenovilla plinianaLAGO DI COMO

LAGO diCOMORE-VO-LU-TION!Design,

history &cultural heritage

il Sereno Lago di Como

Condé Nast Traveller (US) 5Bloomberg Pursuits (US) 10Architectural Digest (IT) 14Elle Decor (IT) 22Wallpaper* 34Madame Air France (FR) 36Le Point (FR) 42Arquitectura y Diseño (ES) 48Interior Design (US) 54Bloomberg Pursuits (US) 44Signature Luxury Travel (US) 62

Villa Pliniana

Vanity Fair (IT) 64Casa Vogue (IT) 70Condé Nast Traveller (US) 74Brides 76Reuters (US) 77Harper’s Bazaar 81

Photos by Patricia Parinejad, Christian Ott, JP Piter.Design and print by Florence Voix - 6emeconcept.com

Note : We used the original texts from variousPublications without any change. We did edit somephotos for reasons of space and formatting.

Editor : Luis Contreras - Sereno Hotels Owner.#1 edition - Print in exclusivity at 2000 samples.

SerenoHotels.com

countryandtownhouse If you fancy cominghome with a limited edition #anyaindmarch

washbag, check into Il Sereno hotel in#lakecomo, a brand new hotel opening this July,

designed by #patriciaurquiola @lesereno

REAL COOL KIDTHE SHORES OF LAKE COMO ARE ELEGANTLY

FRILLED WITH GRANDE DAME HOTELS.NOW A CLEAN-LINED UPSTART IS BRINGING

AN UNBUTTONED, PARED-BACK LOOKTO THE PARTY

BY MICHELLE JANA CHAN

Dressed in the genius of Patricia Urquiola,and with the iconic lake at its feet,

Il Sereno is the epitome of elegance and luxury.

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HOW TO GO ABOUT DESIGNINGA NEW HOTEL ON LAKE COMO?TWO HARD-AND-FAST RULES:AVOID HISTORICAL; AVOID REPRO.

Condé Nast Traveller Condé Nast Traveller

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WHERE TO STAY

''FANCY A RIDE?' 'Sure,' I said.Duilio pointed at the mahogany RivaJetto tied to the dock. 'That's the prettyone,' he said, tossing me the keys. You don't need a boat license. Have fun.''Do you need to have it back by acertain time?' I asked, pretending it wasno big deal. 'No, it's all yours.'I untied the ropes, turned the keys andmotored, rather too aggressively at first,into the wide-open, mossy-green waters.Had I really just been given a Riva tocruise Lake Como? I pinched myself. I'm not the first to be seduced by theunimaginable allure of Como. It hasserved as an escape from hot, sweaty,city summers since the Roman Empire.The lakeshore architecture is a testamentto this history, from the walled city ofComo built by Julius Caesar to Pliny theYounger's villa, from RenaissancePalazzos with grand facades, 10 sashwindows by five, manicured gardensand cypress trees to pretty little housesin butter-yellow, cream and rose withterracotta-tiled roofs. Yet it is still the lake itself that's thewonder, more like three steep-sidedfjords joined at a nexus – which bychance is the enchanting town of Bellagio– with slender proportions and deepwaters bound by imposing mountainsclad in chestnut trees and conifers.Where the cliffs are too sheer, pale gra-nite peeps through the thick vegetation. The latest, greatest place to stay amongall this incredible loveliness is Il Sereno,the second property by have Le Serenoin St. Barth's, a handsome hotel, cleanand elementary, and the favourite of aManhattan crowd. The family choosetheir destinations well. And theirdesigners. In St. Barth's they went withParisian mastermind Christian Liagre.Here, they plumped for PatriciaUrquiola, one of the most prolific andtalked-about interior, furniture andproduct designers (Mandarin Oriental inBarcelona, Das Stue in Berlin), whoalso dabbles in architecture. And boy,she has created a modern masterpiece. So how to go about designing a newhotel on Lake Como to stand proud nextto big-hitters such as Villa d'Este andVilla Tremezzo? Two hard-and-fastrules: avoid historical; avoid repro.

But it's still complicated, not least because Mr and Mrs Contreras arearchitects themselves, as is their daughter,and their sons are engineers, which isthe training you might need to build ahotel jutting over the water and cut intothe solid rock of a cliff-face. But thefamily assure me they aren't meddlesome.I called [Urquiola] because she's betterthan us,' the father, Ignazio Contreras,says frankly and with a twinkle. 'She'sa hurricane.'Como has a long history of architecturalmovements, even as recently as the early20th century. The simple, stark Casa deFascio in the town of Como is a precursorto modernism and seriously radicalwhen you realize it was constructed notfar off 100 years ago. The building was,

in part Urquiola's or very obvious inspi-ration, or starting place. But instead ofconcrete here there is glass and slidinglouvres made of toulipier wood; it's stillboxy and linear with strong grid work,yet camouflaged by wobbly reflectionsof the lake and green walls. There areechoes of Scandinavian cabins andJapanese ryokans where nature plays amore dominant role than the man-made. 'We didn't want to make an impact,'Ignazio tells me. ‘You don't want tocome to a place like Como and say, “We are here, we've arrived.”’ But move inside and the design statementis strong. As the new art director atCassina and a key player at B & BItalia, Moroso and Alessi, Urquiola is aninteriors phenomenon. At the centre of

the atrium is a stairway caged by glassand vertical copper poles with wide,heavy-set treads that seem to levitate.In the 30 suites, which all face the lake,there are dozens of styles of chair, sofaand lounger – hand-braided nauticalrope; a mix of leather and worsted-spunfabrics in saddlebag brown, denim blueand steel grey – alongside iridescentglass tables shimmering in the pinks,blues and greens of soap bubbles. In thebathrooms tortoiseshell travertine sinksstand opposite matt-white bathtubs. Andthe lighting is just right; bright lampsfor reading and subtle elsewhere. The gardens are bountiful, thanks toPatrick Blanc, a rock-star botanist withgreen hair and green nail polish, who'sresponsible for the 300 different plant

species in the vertiginous green walls.On the horizontal plane, landscaperFlavio Pollano has terraced the rock-face, planting orange trees, oleander,fan palms and a large plane tree besidethe green-marble lap pool. There is a very good casual restaurant,with seating outside and in, by AndreaBerton of Milan's one-Michelin-starredRistorante Berton. It serves pan-friedverallo fish from the lake, caught by agroundsman, a two-inch-high vealMilanese coated in breadcrumbs as fineas pixels, and al dente minestrone whichtastes more like a warm, crunchy salad.All of this is paired mostly with Italianwines, including 20 choices of grape andspumante that puts Champagne to shame. Il Sereno has been crowned the innova-tive, invigorating design hotspot on thelake. And the Contreras family tells methey are dreaming up a third hotel inVenice, and then perhaps the South ofFrance, promising new properties withenviable addresses with the mostsought-after designers. I loved the location. And I loved thedesign. But of course what I loved mostwere the three Rivas. And really that isthe only thing you should do on Como.Take a boat out. Hug the shore with allits glories. Then make your way to themiddle of the lake, kill the engine, takeoff your clothes and jump in.

MADLY, DEEPLYSTARCHITECT PATRICIA URQUIOLA'S

LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE LAKE

'What I like best about Lake Como is thefeeling that you are back in the 1950s.I adore the colours, the changing lightthroughout the day, the green and bluereflections in the water, the sharp linesof the mountains and sky. For those ofus living and working in Milan, Como isour closest escape. It makes a nicebreak for lunch on a sunny day. I like tojust sit outside and watch the lake, ortake a small motor boat to get out on thewater. Looking at its surface has such acalming effect on me. One of my favou-rite places on the lakeshore is the 16thcentury Villa Pliniana, where the Serenohotel group holds special events. Thewaterfalls, coming down the mountainbehind it actually flow through the villaand into the lake. That cascading waterhas been written about for 2,000 years,by the likes of Pliny the Younger andLeonardo da Vinci. The guest list of thosewho have stayed at the villa is incredibleand includes Byron, Shelley, Puccini,Bellini, Liszt and Rossini, who composedthe opera Tancredi there. The history, theheritage, this is what makes Lake Comoso very special.'

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Didn’t snag an invite to crash withGeorge and Amal Clooney at theirvilla in Lake Como this summer?Shrug it off. All the cool kids arestaying somewhere else this yearanyway.

Opening on August 1, Il SerenoLago di Como is one of 2016’s mosthotly anticipated hotel debuts—andperhaps the buzziest, most stylishnew place to stay in all of Europe. It’sa spinoff of the exclusive Le Serenoin Saint Barthélemy, built by thesame owners; it’s on the edge of acliff in a quiet and secluded Comotown called Torno, set on the south-

western corner of the glamorous,horseshoe-shaped lake.But this isn’t just another LakeComo grand dame, filled with cen-tury-old antiques or crushed velvetwindow drapes. This is Lake Comofor the next generation. It’s lessOscar de la Renta and moreAlexander Wang.

The hotel’s 30 suites run upwardsof $800 per night and are alreadysold out for the first few weeks. Forthose who can get in while it’s stillpeak season, here’s a primer on thehotel’s most impressive design fea-tures. Pocket the intel and your

fellow jetsetters will think you’realready a regular.

Custom PiecesEverywhere—IncludingSome You Can Buy

Milan-based designer PatriciaUrquiola is known for many things.She’s designed furniture collectionsfor Louis Vuitton and B&B Italia, haswork in New York’s Museum ofModern Art, and earned royal dis-tinction in her home country ofSpain. She’s been called “the most

important female designer in theworld today” by the CEO of theItalian home design brand Boffi. Sowhen you tell an interior design afi-cionado that you’re sleeping inrooms of her design, as you will atIl Sereno, their ears will perk up,guaranteed.

Owner Luis Contreras and hispartners gave Urquiola two mainmandates: create the same openconcept feel that makes the St.Barths property so special, and useas many local artisans as possible.(Milan, after all, is less than 40miles away—and the countrysidebetween the fashion capital andComo is home to many of theworld’s best furniture makers.)

In the airy, living room-like lobby,Urquiola and a local builder havecreated a 22-foot-tall walnut woodstaircase where each step lookslike it’s floating in mid-air. As if itwasn’t dramatic enough, the wholething is shrouded by a boxy struc-ture made from copper pipes.

Nearly all of the furniture in thelobby and suites comes from topItalian names like B&B Italia, Cas-sina, and Molteni—much of it pur-pose-designed by Urquiola andthen manufactured locally. “Eventhe mattresses for the bed aremade a few miles from Como,”said Contreras in an interview.

The most special pieces to look out

for: geometric “Silverlake” armchairsdesigned by Urquiola and producedby Moroso (test-drive them in thelobby and buy here for $1,700, if youso desire); and sculpted wood ta-bles in all of the suite’s terraces.They tables are made in Botswana—one of the few exceptions to theall-Italian rule—and run a cool$7,000. The tally for 30 of them:nearly a quarter-million dollars.

The Most SerenePlace for Sundownersin All of Como

Sit on the hotel’s main terrace, linedwith plush couches and nest chairs

Il Sereno Is Europe's MostLuxurious New HotelIt's a bold claim, but it sure stands up.

by Nikki Ekstein

Bloomberg Bloomberg

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in ivory and wood tones, and you’llhave picture-perfect views in everydirection. Straight ahead: the wideopen expanse of Lake Como, withterracotta roofs peeking out from themountains along its shores. Aboveyou: open skies, or retractable shadesin a brilliant white fabric. And behindyou: Le Mirroir Vert du Lac ("TheLake’s Green Mirror"), one of twovertical gardens created for the hotelby world-class botanist Patrick Blanc.It’s made up of 2,000 individual plantsand more than 130 individual species,according to Contreras.

The Chicest Wayto Get to Dinner inBellagio

No trip to Como is complete withoutzipping around the lake, James Bond-style, in a gleaming, all-wood motor-boat. Il Sereno has two of them,custom-designed by Urquiola andcrafted by boatbuilding legends at the250-year-old Cantiere Ernesto Riva.Their distinctive feature? Extra tallcabins, so you can comfortably standup to take in the scenery. Use them tozip up to Bellagio, a half hour north ofTorno town—no license needed.

Where VIPs Will Stay—and a Quick HistoryLesson

About a half-mile from Il Sereno, theContreras family is operating another,more traditional exclusive-use pro-perty called Villa Pliniana, which alsobears design from Urquiola. It dates tothe 16th century and is set on 18 lake-front aces, with 19 bedrooms andthree stand-alone villas on its grounds.(The whole place sleeps 39 guests.)If you’re thinking “celebrities and theirentourages” or “wedding of thecentury,” you’re spot on—not leastbecause of the villa’s incredibly history.

According to a rep for the hotel, thevilla’s site was noted in the historybooks as early as the first centuryA.D., when Pliny the Elder wroteabout a fountain in its courtyard.Among its later admirers: Napoleonand Lord Byron. Leonardo da Vinci

and Percy Shelley both wrote aboutits beauty. Said Percy in a letter to afriend dated 1818, “On one side isthe mountain, and immediately overyou are clusters of cypress-trees ofan astonishing height, which seem topierce the sky. Above you from amongthe clouds, as it were descends awaterfall of immense size, broken bythe woody rocks into a thousandchannels to the lake. On the otherside is seen the blue extent of thelake and the mountains speckledwith sails and spires…”

Not checking in with 38 of your closestfriends and family? No matter. Get aglimpse of the spectacular propertywhile you’re sailing around the vicinity.

A Gift for Each Guest

Those fabulous silk scarves in eachroom aren’t just decorative objects.They’re made with local silk, inpatterns designed by Urquiola—justlike all the staff uniforms—and serveas souvenirs to take home. Beatsstealing the bathrobe.

Bloomberg

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ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST. LE PIÙ BELLE CASE DEL MONDO

il sereno lago di Como

Eleganzanaturale

Sulle sponde del lago di Como il nuovohotal firmato da Patricia Urquiola

dialoga con la nature circostante. Graziea materiali locali e a tre rigogliosi

giardini verticali.

progretto di PATRICIA URQUILOA

testo di ELENA DALLORSO - fotografie di PATRICIA PARINEJAD

Architectural Digest

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Tranquilitàessenziale

Architectural Digest

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per intenditorifor connoisseurs…

Architectural DigestArchitectural Digest

Classe 1970, Andrea Berton (nellafoto) è uno dei più talentuosi discepolidi Gualtiero Marchesi. L’abbiamoincontrato nel suo ristorante milanesee gli abbiamo chiesto di parlarci dellasua ultima sfida, il Berton al Lago aTorno, sul lago di Como. «L’ ideaè nata grazie a Patricia Urquiola cheha progettato il Sereno, l’hotel 5 stellelusso dove è ospitato il locale. Tramite leie suo marito ho conosciuto la proprietà,ci siamo piaciuti e, come si dice, da cosa ènata cosa. L’ interior design è ovviamentedi Patricia, nella cui visione esteticatrovo molte a!nità con la filosofia dellamia cucina. In particolare il mododi rileggere in chiave contemporaneala tradizione, spingendo sul registro dellaleggerezza e della semplicità». Perchéil lago di Como, chiediamo? «Il Larioè amatissimo dai turisti per il paesaggio,le strutture e anche il cibo. Com’ è miaabitudine ogni volta che apro un locale,

anche qui riparto da zero puntandoappunto sui prodotti del territorio,a iniziare dal pesce, salmerino e persico.E poi c’ è una cosa che mi piace moltoin questa avventura: lavorarea 360° con il ristorante, le colazionie il servizio food a bordo piscina». !

UNA SFIDA A 360 GRADI. PARLA LO CHEF ANDREA BERTON

Sul lago di ComoL'hotel il Sereno, l'ultimo progettodi Patricio Urquiola: un dialogo con

la natura e la storiadi Rosaria Zucconi

EXTRA-ORDINARYDESIGN

ITALIA

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L’APPRODO

SUL LAGO DI COMO SI AFFACCIA UNA NUOVAARCHITETTURA: IL SERENO, L’HOTEL PROGETTATO DA

PATRICIA URQUIOLA. UN SENSIBILE DIALOGO CONUN CONTESTO STORICO E NATURALE DAVVERO UNICO

di Rosaria Zucconi — foto di Kasia Gatkowska

Trasparente, misurata, l’architetturasi immerge nel paesaggio. Paginaaccanto, Patricia Urquiola sbarcadalla tipica Vaporina, customizzataIl Sereno, dei cantieri Ernesto Riva,eccellenza locale dal 1771.

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Il cortile a cielo aperto con sculturaverde di Patrick Blanc illuminala reception. Design Urquiola peril Bend Sofa di B&B Italia, le poltroneLilo di Moroso, il tappeto custommade di Ruckstuhl e il tavolinoShimmer di Glas Italia, con lampadadi Anastassiades. Tavolini di Cassina.

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LA PARTICOLARE LUCE DEL LAGO ENTRA NELLA LOUNGEDALLA TERRAZZA PERIMETRALE. ARREDI DI DESIGN ITALIANO

E SU PROGETTO, MATERIALI E COLORI NATURALI TRASMETTONOAGLI OSPITI UN SENSO DI RILASSANTE ELEGANZA.

Nella biblioteca della lounge, checontinua nella terrazza, poltronadi Cassina, design di Franco Albini,divano Husk di B&B Italia, tappeto diWarli. Pagina accanto, dall’alto, unospazio di convivialità con poltronedi Coedition, tavolini di Cassinae divani di Moroso, come quellidella foto in basso, che si alternanocon modelli di B&B Italia, mobilid’appoggio in legno e marmo, sudisegno, lampada Flos. All’esterno,l’acqua della piscina incontra il lago.

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È felice Patricia Urquiola quando sbarca dalla classicaVaporina del cantiere Ernesto Riva, di cui ha curato il designdegli interni, guardando Il Sereno. “Questo hotel 5 stelle nascein un territorio speciale, con un genius loci storico e naturalisticomolto forte, la sua architettura vuole essere un’interpretazionein chiave contemporanea dell’identità lariana che affascina tuttoil mondo. Il rapporto di empatia e di complicità culturale conla proprietà, la famiglia venezuelana Contreras, è alla base delprogetto. L’amore per il lago di Como di Luis Contreras, chesi è trasferito in Italia per rendere tutto questo realizzabile,mi ha contagiato dal primo momento. Al centro di ogni pensieroè stato il rapporto con l’ambiente. Come guardi il lago e comeil lago guarda te, come la piscina a pelo d’acqua protetta dallerocce naturali non si percepisce dal lago, ma regala l’emozionedi immergersi nelle sue acque. La luce è stata l’altro elementoimprescindibile, è brillante e soffusa, magica al tramonto. È statasempre concepita dal fuori al dentro. Inevitabilmente la miamemoria è andata a Giuseppe Terragni e alla Casa del Fascioa Como, icona dell’architettura razionalista che esalta uno deitemi che sento di più, le logge, elemento di profondità in facciata.In ogni camera la luce entra attraverso logge di generoseproporzioni e si diffonde all’interno, pian piano sfumando sulfondo. Nei corridoi dai colori neutri e pareti in legno la luceè minima, si entra nelle stanze dal buio”. Guidati dall’architettoUrquiola ripercorriamo ogni dettaglio del progetto. Dall’arrivovia terra, attraverso il caratteristico paese di Torno, nel piccolopiazzale lungolago. L’attenzione è subito catturata da un segnocontemporaneo: il portale di accoglienza immerso nel giardino.Da qui una leggera passerella corre sospesa fino alla grandeterrazza su cui si affaccia la lounge, portando lo sguardo suglispazi relax, con piscina e imbarcadero. ”Inizialmente la nuovaarchitettura doveva crescere sopra la darsena, ma dopoun costruttivo dialogo con gli enti locali abbiamo pensatodi arretrarla di 4 metri. Dal lago la tradizionale rimessa dellebarche è ancora percepita come elemento del paesaggio”.Si è così creato un nuovo spazio all’aperto: la terrazza. Da quil’ingresso all’hotel si apprezza come una fessura alta e buia,una secca entrata nell’architettura, stretta tra la roccia e il lago.Dal buio alla luce, grazie al taglio orizzontale sulla paretedel corridoio e al piccolo cortile a cielo aperto nella reception.Al centro del piano terra un volume trasparente, che l’architettoUrquiola definisce il cuore pubblico dell’edificio, penetradall’interno fino al livello del lago. Avvolto da una palafittadi tubi in rame, per rendere invisibile la struttura di sostegno,contiene uno scenografico scalone con gradini sospesi che portaalla darsena. La rimessa per le barche di un tempo è recuperatacome spazio di convivialità, con il ristorante Berton al Lago, metagourmand internazionale, aperto agli ospiti non residenti. “Oggiil concetto di lusso per un hotel 5 stelle consiste nella qualità delsistema costruttivo, rigorosamente sostenibile, e nel rapporto cheriesce a creare con un intorno di valore. L’architettura ti riceve,ti invita nelle parti comuni, ti accompagna alle stanze, ti lasciamemoria del luogo”, conclude Urquiola. Gli ospiti de Il Serenorespirano l’aria dolce del lago, sentono l’architettura, nediventano partecipi. Nelle logge sono entusiasti di poter spostarei frangisole in legno per disegnare il loro rapporto esclusivo conil paesaggio. —

In alto, Patricia Urquiola nellaterrazza con arredi di B&B Italia.Sul muro l’opera, intitolata ‘Miroirvert du lac’ di Patrick Blanc, porta ilverde in facciata. Pagina accanto,il corridoio d’ingresso con paretialtissime, legno da barca sul soffittoe il taglio di luce sull’intervento diBlanc ‘Le Canyon’, una nuova pellebotanica tra la roccia e l’architettura.

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Dall’alto, desk in marmo verdelaguna. Nella darsena il ristorantecon poltroncine Husk di B&B Italia.Andrea Berton e, in basso, RaffaeleLenzi, executive chef del ristoranteBerton al Lago. Nella camera, ladoccia si apre sulla loggia con arrediMoroso. In piscina, in primo piano,daybed Cottage di Kettal. Paginaaccanto, lo scalone (realizzato daFontanot) definito dalla palafitta ditubi in rame, il ristorante internoe l’ingresso-feritoia all’hotel.

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The vertiginous topography of Lake Como, inthe Southern Italian Alps, is home to a newhotel. Perched on the lake’s eastern shore, ilSereno Lago di Como is a sister property to theChristian Liaigre-designed Le Sereno Saint-Barthelemy in the Caribbean.

This time, the cultured hand of Spanish architectPatricia Urquiola has been involved in every detail ofthe new property. The ‘absolutely clean’ architectureis a series of loggias topped by a flat garden roof, ins-pired by the modernist Casa del Fascio, designed byItalian architect Giuseppe Terragni, while the inter-iors have a subtle connection to the surroundings.‘What guests see from the view – the water, stone,

greenery or boats – is reflected in the interiors ofthe hotel,’ says Urquiola. ‘I have tried to integratethe identity of the place in a contemporary way.’

This is evident in the use of local stone Ceppo diGré and Pietra de Fossena, in the walnut used forrough-cut wall panels, and in the subtle palette ofearthy greys and browns, accented with a fewgreens. Enhancing the link between indoors andout are architectural elements such as the blacksteel balustrade mesh, which is repeated in theinteriors and in the silicone-jointed decking of thehotel’s three Riva boats, made at the brand’s boa-tyard on the neighbouring Lake Iseo. Furnishingsmeanwhile include select pieces from Urquiola’s

own portfolio of designs for Italian brands such asCassina, Kettal, Moteni, B & B Italia and Moroso,which serve to expand the local connection. ‘I amvery proud to be using them,’ says Urquiola. Speciallycommissioned for the hotel are door handles byOlivari, Axor Hansgrohe taps, lighting by Flos and the‘Lariana’ bathtub by Agape.

Guests arrive at a 20ft-tall entrance door throughgardens planted by vertical garden inventor PatrickBlanc, who has also installed three works of art fea-turing thousands of plants. A walk-way looks downon the lake-level restaurant, Ristorante Berton AlLago, and the 18m infinity pool, which set alongpart of the resort’s 140m shoreline, drops directly

into the lake and is complemented by a privatebeach. The restaurant is reached by descending astaircase of ‘floating’ walnut treads surrounded bya forest of copper-bronze metal rods. MilaneseMichelin-starred chef Andrea Berton prepares amenu that offers rich local Lombardian producealong with wines from the Valtellina valley.

‘There is no “wow” effect’ says Urquiola, who ins-tead points to a more subtle emotional response.‘Guests should feel everything is in its place and thereis nothing more than necessary.’ Indeed nothing isleft to chance: the architect has even thought todesign scarves, woven from locally spun silk, for thestaff uniforms.

Wallpaper*Wallpaper*

CleanbreakA new Lake Como hotel

by Patricia Urquiola discreetly

reflects its surroundings

WRITER: GUY DITTRICH

The lounge/terrace with urquiola’s customwalnut table, produced by interior plus; custompouffes, produced by moroso, in kvadrat fabric;

and ‘tropicalia’ chairs, for moroso.

Opposite, sliding wood louvres bringdynamism to the exterior.

La magieDU LAC

Lake Como dreams

L’architecte d’intérieur Patricia Urquiola signel’hôtel Il Sereno Lago di Como, réalisant à Torno

un brillant exercice de design, en écho aux eaux du lacde Côme dans une fluidité délicate et chic.

–With its design by Patricia Urquiola, the hotel Il SerenoLago di Como is an ode to contemporary comfort and

elegance, echoing the beauty of Italy’s most famous lake.

Par FRANÇOISE HA VINH

38 39Madame Air FranceMadame Air France

40 41Madame Air FranceMadame Air France

42 43Le PointLe Point

Italie.Le lac de Cômes’enorgueillitdésormais d’unhôtel d’architecte.Visite des lieux enexclusivité.

Il y avait Cernobbio, George Clooneyet la Villa d’Este. Il y aura désormais IlSereno. Tout juste inauguré sur la rive

est du lac de Côme, cet étonnant bouti-quehôtel vient révolutionner le petitmonde de l’hôtellerie comasque,jusqu’ici cantonné à un classicismecertes remarquable – styles Renaissanceet néoclassique en tête –, mais un brinampoulé. Ici, inutile de chercher loges àarcades, colonnes en marbre et autresplafonds peints, la déco se fait résolu-ment contemporaine. Et pour cause,c’est à l’Espagnole Patricia Urquiola,l’une des designers les plus en vogue dumoment, basée à Milan, que l’établisse-ment a confié les rênes du projet. « Nousvoulions absolument quelqu’un qui in-

carne l’excellence du design italien »,confirme Luis Contreras, propriétaire dugroupe Sereno Hotel, qui élargit ainsison portfolio à l’Europe, après avoirlancé en 2005 sur l’île de Saint-Barthé-lemy le premier Sereno mis en scène parune autre pointure de l’architecture :Christian Liaigre.Tout en menant la visite, notre hôtepeine à y croire : « Il y a moins de trois se-maines, le site était encore un véritablechantier… N’oublions pas que noussommes partis de rien. »Tout commence justement au SerenoSaint-Barthélemy. Au hasard d’une dis-cussion, Luis confie à des clients – ita-liens – son envie de s’implanter sur leVieux Continent, plus particulièrement

Une vue imprenablesur les rives du lac.

Pierre, bois et jardins :l’hôtel Il Sereno se fond

dans le paysage idyllique.

TENDANCESÉVASION

Onde design sur le lac

Dans les (très) vasteschambres du Sereno : les pieds

dans l’eau, ou presque…

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sur les rives du lac de Côme. Le voeu netombe pas dans l’oreille d’un sourd : lesLombards finissent par le rappeler et luisuggèrent la Villa Flora, un hôtel-restau-rant décrépit situé à Torno, au bord del’eau, face aux nombreux villages s’égre-nant sur les versants des Alpes. Autantdire un cadre idyllique et préservé, danslequel la marque pourrait incarner sesvaleurs : confidentialité (établissementde petite capacité – en l’occurrence, ici,30 unités avec vue sur le lac), grands es-paces (notamment dans les chambres) etdesign très personnalisé. Nous sommesalors au début des années 2010 et le pro-jet n’en est qu’à ses balbutiements…

Six ans plus tard, dont trois de travaux,la silhouette rectiligne et épurée du Se-reno, tout en baies vitrées, pierre et bois,se dresse enfin sur le rivage, telle la proued’un bateau s’élançant sur les flots. Desterrasses principales aux balcons deschambres, impossible d’échapper au lac.Partout, meubles, couleurs, matériauxsemblent lui faire écho. Si Patricia Ur-quiola s’est employée à bousculer lescodes, elle ne s’est pas moins inspirée dela culture et de l’art de vivre de la région.En témoigne la pierre de Moltrasio, hé-ritée de l’ancienne bâtisse, qu’on re-trouve dans les fondations et l’ancienhangar à bateaux (futur spa). En témoi-gnent aussi le ceppo di gre, pierre lom-

barde par excellence, utilisée pour lesmurs du lobby, des chambres et des sa-lons ; les tonalités – vert, gris et bleu – destissus et des revêtements qui semblentse fondre dans les paysages. Ou encore lacorona lombarda (coiffe traditionnelle)scarifiée dans le marbre du couloir, der-rière la cave à vins.

Pour le reste, l’architecte livre une déco-ration des plus audacieuses, jouant avecles perspectives, les transparences et leslignes graphiques. On y retrouve sesmusts (conçus entre autres pour Cas-sina, Moroso et B & B Italia), à com-mencer par les collections outdoor(Crinoline, Canasta’13, Tropicalia), leschaises de bureau Mathilda, les sofasHusk et la baignoire Agape Lariana.

Mais on y découvre aussi quelques pé-pites créées pour l’hôtel, comme cettetable d’hôtes en marbre «Verde Laguna»installée face au bar ou encore ceslampes boules ceintes d’un large galonen cuir. On retiendra pêle-mêle la qualitédes matériaux avec en tête le bois denoyer, omniprésent ; l’escalier centralbordé de longues tiges en bronze entre-croisées ; la surface des chambres (à par-tir de 60 mètres carrés) – fait rarissimesur les rives à moins de s’offrir une suite;les tonalités cuivrées (Travertino Noce,robinetterie, lumières) dans les salles de

bains ; les deux jardins verticaux conçuspar Patrick Blanc – l’un ornant la façade,l’autre, un puits de lumière ; la piscine engranit de Verde Karzai et ses reflets dé-tonnants; la passerelle suspendue entrele jardin et le lobby ; les deux canots Rivapour des balades dans la lagune ; la cui-sine du chef Raffaele Lenzi, qui s’amuseaussi bien avec les poissons du lacqu’avec une simple caprese (tomatemoz-zarelle); et, enfin, le service haut degamme, discret et chaleureux.

Au Sereno, dehors et dedans, paysages etdesign interagissent en permanence,dans la lignée de son aîné saint-barthi-nois. Une collection serait-elle née ?Samy Ghachem, directeur général, nes’en cache pas : le groupe lorgnerait déjàVenise, Verbier, Ibiza et le sud de laFrance. Mais ici pas d’emballement nid’ouvertures tous azimuts. On se plaît àprendre son temps. Celui de dénicher laperle rare ; le site exceptionnel. Pourmieux s’abandonner à la sérénité.

MARION TOURS

Il Sereno, lago di Como, Torno.A partir de 75 euros la nuit, www.ilsereno.com.Fermé de novembre à avril.Ouverture du spa au printemps.

Passerelle suspendueentre le jardin et le lobby.

Le Point

La corona lombarda(coiffe traditionnelle)

scarifiée dans le marbre.

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Les jardins verticauxconçuspar Patrick Blanc

Le Point

ELHOTELDELLago

El nuevo hotel de Patricia Urquiola, Il Sereno, emerge de las aguasdel lago Como y se sitúa como nueva pieza imprescindible

de este lugar excepcional del norte de Italia.

POR MÒNICA ARTIGAS

50 51

n un escenario mítico por su belleza na-tural, donde los Alpes se vuelven ama-bles por amor al lago di Como, emergeen el municipio de Torno el nuevo Hotel

Il Sereno, la última gran obra de la arquitecta y diseñadoraasturiana Patricia Urquiola. Aguardado durante meses porquienes adoran el enclave y por los seguidores de su artíficeafincada en Milán, se trata del primer hotel de nuevaconstrucción a orillas del famoso lago en décadas, y de ahítambién la expectación que ha despertado su apertura. Elresultado, la foto final: una joya que, en su exterior, enlazacon el paisaje con maestría, y en su interior se convierte enun santuario de diseño que entiende el lujo con tranquilidady elegancia.

Con 30 habitaciones de entre 65 y 200 metros cuadrados,todas con terraza y vistas sobre uno de los lagos más bellosdel mundo, su fachada es una combinación grácil y trans-parente, sin estridencias, de materiales naturales –cristal,madera de nogal, mármol travertino… –donde se integraun jardín vertical del botánico Patrick Blanc, “Le MirrorVert du Lac”, con más de 2.000 especies e inspirado en elmovimiento del agua. En el interior, la sólida propuesta deUrquiola incluye una zona central que actúa como lobbyconstruida en base al bronce y la madera de nogal sobre la

E

Architectura y Diseño Architectura y Diseño

52 53

que luce una obra icónica: una escalera de grandes esca-lones encastados que flota sobre la sala. Los materialesbásicos y los detalles de las zonas comunes y de las habi-taciones son un canto a los colores y a los orígenes locales:abundan el mármol travertino, las paredes y suelos de ter-razo veneciano y los elementos con tonalidades grises,azules y verdes, la misma paleta que se encuentra en lasaguas, en las rocas, en las arboledas del entorno.

Como si los elementos del interior y exterior quisieranconvertirse en un todo, y gracias a Patrick Blanc, el hoteles una obra de arte botánica constante. Y el jardín, una desus perlas, donde una imponente piscina infinity sobre lasaguas del lago corona el espectáculo natural. Una de lascuriosidades del edificio se encuentra en el restaurante delchef Andrea Berton. Se trata del antiguo embarcadero sobreel que, en realidad, se construyó el hotel. Hoy es zona demesas con sombra y vistas: un vestigio perfectamente en-marcado dentro de la proeza de Urquiola.

VIAJAR TANTOES PARA MÍ ELLUJO: SEGUIRMETIÉNDOMECOSAS ENLA CABEZA

“

“

Architectura y Diseño Architectura y Diseño

where serenity reignsfar from the madding celebrity crowds on Italy’s Lake Como

sits Il Sereno, an idyllic hotel by Patricia Urquiola

text : Craig Kellog

INTERIORDESIGN

56 57

To steal a peek at George Clooney’s 18th-century retreatin northern Italy, board your seaplane or take your yachtfor a lap around Lake Como. From the air or the water, CasaClooney comes into view amid a profusion of storybook vil-las and palazzi, all set against the snowcapped Alps—nowonder this idyllic place is a magnet for Hollywood actorsalong with other members of the global elite. Then, afteryou’ve had your fill of celebrity voyeurism and architecturalnostalgia, you can cross the lake to dock at Il Sereno Lagodi Como, a modernist-minded boutique hotel by PatriciaUrquiola. The Interior Design Hall of Fame member hasmade her reputation with a bravura use of color and pat-tern, however this latest hotel showcases her at her mostrestrained.

It was while traveling in the U.S. that she met the fledglingSereno Hotels group’s owners, who had already commis-sioned another Hall of Fame member, Christian Liaigre, todesign their first property, Le Sereno on St. Barts. For eachlocation, it was important to the owners to have a singlefirm oversee both the architecture and the interiors. Thatdual responsibility gave her the control to integrate insideand out, via certain materials specified for the two places.

At the start of the project, she razed the existing hotel onthe site, leaving the old stone dock in place to become thebase of a new five-story structure. Its subsequent archi-tectural references derive from in-depth studies—a habitacquired back when Achille Castiglioni was her thesis ad-viser. She based the grid form of the hotel facade on theregion’s singular modernist masterpiece, a perfectly squarewhite government building that Giuseppe Terragni comple-ted in 1936 opposite the cathedral in Como proper. Loggiabalconies in a local gray flecked breccia stone create thegrid’s horizontal lines. To update the gesture, she addedvertical louvers that guests are encouraged to readjustthroughout the day. “You take a photo of the facade in themorning, and you’ll see changes by the afternoon,” shesays. “I encourage natural variations that are connectedwith a place, with the light.”

Interior Design Interior Design

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A blank swath of wall on the facade of Terragni’s building pro-ved handy for mounting oversize political banners. At Il Se-reno, Urquiola asked punk botanist Patrick Blanc to unfurl oneof his signature vertical gardens on a similar bare patch. Blancalso greened a lot-line wall seen through the low windows ofthe entry corridor. At the point where the corridor reaches thereception area, the garden element disengages from the wallto plummet, like a plant-covered eagle’s talon dramaticallyoutstretched, into a courtyard right outside. “Land-art sculp-ture” is her term for this intervention.

Breccia stone reappears in reception and the lobby lounge.They furthermore incorporate groups of Urquiola’s distinctivefurniture, including her long-standing best sellers for Cassina,where she has served as art director since last year. The colorpalette for fabrics is “locally sourced,” if you will. Sky blue forthe generous sofas is complemented, for their throw pillows,by a leafy green and a moody blue-green recalling the lake.

Guests who arrive for dinner in the restaurant, helmed by aMichelin-starred chef from Milan, descend a walnut staircasethat seems to float inside a cage of slim coppery tubes. At therestaurant’s threshold, flooring switches to terrazzo, whichUrquiola tattooed with a decorative fan pattern taken from thehair combs historically sported by the ladies of Lombardy. She

notes that terrazzo is an element typical of Palladian archi-tecture around Lake Como.

“The lake—it’s always present,” she says. In the guest rooms,just 30 of them, headboard walls are upholstered in a jac-quard that presents water imagery, digitally abstracted by herstudio, while other walls are paneled in nautically inspiredsmooth walnut planks. The same wood clads ceilings in thebathrooms, each with a large window facing the lake. Abouthalf of them boast a double sink vanity in an unusual, unu-sually decadent brown travertine.

Across from the sinks, the freestanding, lozenge-shape tubis a design that she developed specifically for Il Sereno buthas now put into production to sell globally. She reverted toexisting production pieces, barrel chairs and a cocktail tablein tubular aluminum interlaced with thick rope, for the pen-thouse suite’s spectacular wraparound terrace. Like the log-gias below, it’s fronted by blackened-steel balustrades strungwith netting to evoke Lake Como’s fishermen. Catch GeorgeClooney if you can.

Interior Design

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When you tell an interioraficionado that you’re sleeping in

rooms of Patricia Urquiola’s design,as you will at il Sereno, their ears

will perk up, guaranteed.Bloomberg

The 30 oversized suites finished with expansive furnished terracesand pictures-perfect lake views.

signature luxury

TRAVEL& style

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CARPE DIEM

66 67Vanity FairVanity Fair

CARPE DIEM

Vanity Fair 69

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O esperadíssimo Il Sereno é quase uma ovelha negra entreos hotéis que rodeiam o Lago de Como, na Itália. Sem orna-mentos dourados ou lustres do século passado, o prédio mo-derno foi erguido e decorado por Patricia Urquiola,conhecida pelo clash de cores e texturas, que une a exube-rância maximalista e a pureza minimalista.“A intenção era criar um santuário contemporâneo com umarelação forte coma natureza”, explica a espanhola. Todos oselementos foram escolhidos para que a construção seconfundisse com a paisagem meditativa: a paleta de corescom cinza, marrons, verdes e azuis, os materiais naturais e agrande abertura para o exterior.Entre os destaques dos interiores, a utilização ousada doceppo lombardo, mineral de Bérgamo muito adotado nas fa-chadas do início do século 20, e a escada central, com de-graus de nogueira que parecem flutuar. A designer também trouxe um olhar contemporâneo para aVilla Pliniana, palácio do século 16 do grupo, ao lado do IlSereno, disponível para eventos. Patricia respeitou os orna-mentos antigos, mas trocou os móveis de veludo e formasarredondadas por peças mais atuais. Difícil achar exemplomelhor de como estilos contrastantes podem coexistir emharmonia. “Para mim, o mais importante é o equilíbrio e aempatia entre espaços, objetos e pessoas.”

o melhor de dois mundos

Casa Vogue

Pliniana’s Salone Rossini(the composer wrote Tancredi on this piano)

Il Sereno & Villa PlinianaTORNO, ITALYDesigned by Patricia Urquiola

Spanish architect Patricia Urquiola was finishingone of the newest buildings on Lake Como—theSereno hotel (sister property of the St. Barts ori-ginal)—when she was tapped for one of the ol-dest. The Sereno’s owner had just added thenearby Villa Pliniana to his portfolio, and he askedher to handle the decor of the sixteenth-centuryRenaissance estate, visited by Napoleon, Byron,and Liszt. Both properties opened this summerin Torno, a one-church, one-restaurant village onthe lake’s south shore. The contemporary Se-reno, a 30-suite hotel, channels its Alpine settingwith regional stone and local walnut and verticalgardens with 260 native plants. Inside, piecesfrom Urquiola’s collections for Italian companies(like the tufted Husk chair she did for B&B Italia)share space with fabrics from the surroundingLombardy region’s famed textile houses, all inthe understated grays and blues of the lake. Pli-niana, by contrast, is a mix of old-world ele-ments, like terrazzo floors and gold leaf mirrors,and modern furniture from icons like Gio Pontiand Le Corbusier. Luckily for Sereno’s guests,when the seven-suite villa isn’t rented they canuse its pool, spa, teahouse, and gardens. Guestsmove easily between the properties – they’rehalf a mile apart—by car, on foot via a woodedpath, or in Sereno’s Riva boats. Just ask Urquiola,who spent months going back and forth. “It’svery interesting to have these two totally diffe-rent kinds of architecture, but they’re connectedbecause both buildings are in constant dialoguewith the mountain behind and the lake in front,”says Urquiola. “I like to be in the middle, betweenthese two huge elements.” A.S.

Q + ABeyond the natural setting what was theinspiration for Sereno?“In the city of Como, there’s a Rationalist ar-chitectural masterpiece—Casa del Fascio, byGiuseppe Terragni, who was sort of Italy’s Miesvan der Rohe. It’s a building we architects goand see. It gave us the idea of modularity forthe hotel—the way he designed individualrooms and how they interact as a whole.We simplified things for Sereno, but we wereinspired by this building.”

What’s your favorite space in Pliniana?“I love the room under the terrace, whereyou’re right on the water and have your ownpersonal little deck—you can even leave byboat right from there. It’s like a secret room.”

Is there an architectural wonder you’redying to visit?“Michael Heizer’s City. It’s an ongoing land-artsproject in a desert valley in central Nevada andan example of vision becoming reality.”

What’s your most influential travel me-mory?“Visiting Ibiza. I’ve been going since I was ateenager. The locals live so simply and natu-rally—this made a big impression on me.”

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THE #1 WEDDING MAGAZINE

Planning a destination wedding? At VILLA PLI-NIANA, a 16th-century palazzo on LakeComo in Italy, you can choose among the res-tored ballrooms and gardens for your lake-front I do’s. Or if you’re all about thehonneymoon, this month the owners are ope-ning a super-luxe 30-suite hotel next door cal-led Il Sereno Lago di Como, the frst newconstruction on Lake Como in years.

BrIDES rEUTErS

Sereno Hotels Acquires Management ofLuxury Property, Villa Pliniana in LakeComo, Italy. Located Next to New IlSereno, Lago di Como, Villa Pliniana WillBe Lake Como's Ultimate VacationLodging and Italy's Premier Weddingand Special Events Venue.

The Villa Pliniana and its 18-acregardens offer 19 luxurious bedroomsin four large apartments in the mainvilla plus three additional standalonevillas, which can accommodate up to39 guests. The two large ballroomsof the Villa are equipped to hostevents up to 200 guests. Additionally,the picturesque waterfront gardenscan accommodate up to 500 guestsfor large weddings and events. Twolarge meeting rooms, dining room, akitchen fully equipped for private ca-tering services, a reception hall anda billiard room round out the multi-function space. Each of the villas inthe Pliniana complex boasts lakeviews and is equipped with the state-of-the-art technology.The Villa Pliniana features its own pri-vate spa where there is a large swim-ming pool with Jacuzzi, rain showers,sauna, steam bath, solarium and arelaxing lounge mezzanine.

To arrive at Villa Pliniana, the pro-perty's private boat dock assuresthe safe harboring of boats, ferriesand Il Sereno's custom-designedRiva boat transfers. The on-pro-perty helipad allows easy connec-tion to Milan and main airports. VillaPliniana also is accessible by carand offers a spacious undergroundparking garage at the complex. Thevilla is only five miles from Comoand 37 miles from Milano Malpensaairport (MXP).

Continuing the tradition of SerenoHotels, guests can expect Villa Pli-niana to embody a strong sense ofplace along with well-developeddesign sensitivity.

The Villa's site is first mentioned byPliny the Elder in the 1st CenturyA.D., which is what gave it itsname. Since then, many naturalistsand scholars have written about the

very particular Pliniana wellspring,including Leonardo da Vinci. VillaPliniana's land was originally selec-ted and built on by Count GiovanniAnguissola in 1573, and over thecenturies the site has been visitedby many artists, scientists and mo-narchs, such Lord Byron and Napo-leon, widely loved for its beautifulpanorama.

Sereno Hotels provides exclusive,sophisticated service in a relaxedand simple manner. A central brandpromise is that no matter how luxu-rious or well-designed, there is nosubstitute for views and space. Se-reno Hotels Managing DirectorSamy Ghachem will oversee allproperties in the portfolio, offeringthe personal touch guests are ac-customed to with Sereno Hotelsand ensure that the level of highprofile events at Le Sereno St.Barth's translates to the Lake Comoofferings.

Event pricing for Villa Pliniana isavailable by request. Please contactsales@lesereno.com, for more in-formation.

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PHOTO

Harper’s BAZAAR Magazine

We look forward to seeing youthere very soon!

Il Sereno Lago di Como Via Torrazza 10 22020 Torno ITALY T. +39 031 547 78 00 info@ilsereno.com www.ilsereno.com

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#1Resort in

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Photo JP Piter