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We are thrilled to unveil a major milestone at Miaja Design Group— our involvement in the transformative design journey of the iconic W Maldives and Sheraton Full Moon Resort & Spa Maldives. Throughout the year, our dedicated team has passionately crafted designs for the imminent renovations, promising a new look and feel from guestroom experiences to public areas at these iconic Maldivian properties. We look forward to sharing more in the coming year and are excited to be a part of shaping the next chapter for these esteemed destinations. Since our last newsletter, we've been actively involved in the design community through participation in round-table discussions and contributing to the 7th inaugural Singapore Interior Design Awards (SIDA). This had been a year of pushing boundaries, reviewing the work of our fellow design enthusiasts, and celebrating their remarkable project achievements. It's been a dynamic period of collaboration and inspiration, and we're excited to continue contributing to the vibrant design landscape. Finally, wishing you a festive season filled with joy, surrounded by friends and family. We look forward to welcoming 2024 and sharing more memorable moments with you! – Isabelle Miaja, Managing & Creative Director | Project Highlight | W Maldives On-going Project Following the winning announcement at HICAP 2022, we're thrilled that the W Maldives and Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa was honoured as Merger & Acquisition of the year. Acquired by KSL Capital Partners from Universal Enterprises and Marriott International, both properties are set for an extensive renovation, and Miaja Design Group has been entrusted to design and shape the next chapter for these iconic destinations. W Hotels, renowned for its aspirational, stylish, and modern design identity, has taken on a new meaning since its rebranding in 2022 – Luxury, Liberated. This guiding principle has been at the forefront of Miaja Design Group's approach in planning and designing the new guestrooms and public areas for the resort. Working closely with Marriott, our shared goal is to ensure that returning guests feel the essence of luxury and liberation from the moment they step off the sea plane upon completion. Stay tuned for more exciting updates in the new year as we unveil the transformations at W Maldives. Watch this space for further details! | Project Highlight | Sheraton Full Moon Resort & Spa On-going Project Sheraton Hotels, a trusted name synonymous with hospitality, has consistently provided guests with the enduring promise of a welcoming community. Building on its legacy, Sheraton underwent a branding refresh in 2021, maintaining its time-honoured commitment while introducing fresh, contemporary updates. This revitalized concept aims to offer guests all the familiar comforts associated with the Sheraton brand, now infused with a modern touch. Armed with a new design brief, our dedicated team has been hard at work envisioning and executing plans to refresh the beach and overwater villas of this property. We eagerly anticipate sharing more updates and, most importantly, extending a warm welcome back to guests upon the completion of this exciting transformation. Stay tuned for further details on the enhanced Sheraton experience that awaits! | Past Events | Villroy & Boch Round Table On September 28, Tatler Homes and luxury German ceramics brand, Villeroy & Boch, joined forces to host an engaging discussion exploring the interplay between design and wellness in the bathroom. Renowned for their impeccable quality and timeless elegance, Villeroy & Boch's versatile range spans from dining to bathroom, featuring products that embody wellness through exceptional design. Guided by Tyler Wisler, design director of YWA Interior, the intimate panel included key figures in the design industry: Katharina Klotz, head of marketing APAC for Villeroy & Boch, Julian Miaja, director of Miaja Design Group, and Dennis Cheok, founder and creative director of local design studio UPSTRS_. Photo credit: Tatler, Terrix Lin The Panelist for the evening discussions Dennis Cheok, Julian Miaja, and Katharina Klotz Drawing inspiration from the organic shapes of the Antao collection, resembling a dewdrop on a leaf, the panel discussed wellness against this beautiful backdrop. Here are three key takeaways for your next bathroom renovation: Embrace natural finishes: Cheok highlighted a shift in bathroom design trends, moving away from highly polished, perfect surfaces to embrace organic, real, and handcrafted elements. The appeal lies in imperfections, bringing a more genuine and tactile feel to the space. Make the bathroom the highlight: Miaja urged the audience to reconsider the significance of bathrooms in daily life. Instead of treating it as an afterthought, he suggested making the bathroom the focal point of a home's design. Drawing from his experience in designing island resorts, Miaja emphasized that the bathroom can take center stage in the overall aesthetic. Invest in quality products: Klotz emphasized the importance of choosing well-designed, high-quality products for bathroom renovations. While the process may be daunting, she stressed that investing in pieces with thoughtful design and durability ensures a timeless appeal. Quality products, where every detail is meticulously considered, stand the test of time and provide enduring value. As the conversation delved into these insightful perspectives, the event underscored the evolving dynamics of bathroom design, encouraging a harmonious blend of aesthetics and well-being. | Past Events | SIDA Awards 2023 - Isabelle Isabelle Miaja, a founding member of the Singapore Interior Design Society (SIDS), had the honour of serving as a judge for the prestigious Singapore Interior Design Awards 2023. Organized by SIDS, the awards aim to raise the standards and global profiles of interior designers, making it the premier interior design awards program in Singapore. The 7th edition of the awards ceremony took place at Marina Bay Sands Singapore, creating an evening filled with celebration and recognition of talent from across the region. It was a remarkable night where exceptional design took centre stage, and congratulations are extended to all the award winners for their outstanding contributions to the field! SIDA Awards 2023 | Press | Tatler Homes: December 2023 Issue "The Essence of Style is to Live the Art of being Unique..." -Isabelle Miaja

We are thrilled to announce the successful completion of two remarkable projects, the Lotte Hotel Busan and Tomlinson Heights Residences, that have been in the works. In this edition of Miaja Design Group's newsletter, we are excited to provide you with in-depth project coverage, showcasing the creativity and innovation that went into these projects. We hope that you enjoy this coverage, and we look forward to sharing our next achievements in the next edition. – Isabelle Miaja, Managing & Creative Director | Project Highlight | Lotte Hotel Busan – South Korea Pool, Bar & Café Renovation Project Completion 2023 Conceptual Architecture, Interior Design & Landscape by Miaja Design Group From the Three Kingdoms period to today, auspicious symbolisms in Korean history have represented people’s aspirations for a better life. Bringing those symbolisms into our designs, we aim to bring a holistic and meaningful approach to the space we are creating. Seven Treasure Café and Pool Garden brings back the past by using traditional Korean patterns, seen as visual art detailed with symbolism, value, emotion and giving them a modern approach. We aimed to create an oasis of peacefulness and harmony, with Nature at the centre of the concept connecting the rooftop with its visual mountainous surroundings. A design in full symbiosis between its past culture and rich history and it magnificent Natural environment. Onsite Conditions Prior to Design & Renovation: Construction in progress: Following two years of renovation, the Lotte Hotel Busan now stands as a vibrant symbol of urban renewal. Through meticulous planning and innovative design, we've breathed new life into this space, transforming it into a contemporary haven that harmonizes seamlessly with the dynamic energy of Busan. The hotel's refurbished areas effortlessly combine modern aesthetics with the city's distinctive charm. | Project Highlight | Tomlinson Heights — Singapore Project Completion 2023 Interior Design & Art Consultancy by Miaja Design Group Miaja Design Group's origins have always been rooted with the art of crafting dream homes. Working closely with individuals, couples, and families, we've honed our expertise in bringing their visions to life. Our journey took us to the heart of central Singapore, where Tomlinson Heights became the canvas for our latest project. A Rare Blend of Character and Elegance At Tomlinson Heights, our mission was to infuse a rare blend of character and poise into the fabric of design. The result was the stunning re-imagination of a six-bedroom residence, where every detail reflects our commitment to creating spaces that resonate with our client's dreams and desires. Accessed via a private lift lobby, the grand double-volume living area stands as the signature feature of this remarkable Tomlinson Heights residence. Here, the design takes center stage, with a bespoke 'Phi' chandelier, designed by Isabelle Miaja, making the most of the soaring seven-meter ceilings. Beneath this stunning centerpiece, an elegant ensemble takes shape. 'Jensen' swivel armchairs by Minotti and the 'Aurae' sofa by Maxalto come together to create an inviting and sophisticated seating area, where luxury and comfort seamlessly converge. Elevating Bedrooms with Striking Wall Coverings In the bedrooms of this Tomlinson Heights residence, we've used striking wall coverings to add depth and personality to each space. The guest room features 'Les Rues de Zanzibar' by Misia Paris, paired with the elegant 'Xi' table lamp from Poltrona Frau. In another bedroom, 'Feroz' in Yellow Fury by Flavor Paper adds a vibrant touch. Meanwhile, in the study, a beautiful Florence Broadhurst feature wall brings a sense of charm and sophistication. These carefully curated wall coverings serve as artistic statements, transforming the bedrooms into havens of unique style and sophistication. Luxurious Master Suite Retreat The master suite offers an indulgent escape, featuring a retreat furnished with 'Archibald' armchairs and ottomans by Poltrona Frau. The room is elevated by a custom feature wall covering designed by Emma Hayes, adding a unique touch to the space. A walk-through wardrobe leading to the luxe ensuite in two extravagant marble finishes. | Press Highlight | Elle Décor India Featurette Elevation 2.0 by Isabelle Miaja | Events | Global Hospitality Talks 2023 Reinventing the rules of hotel design Seasoned leaders share thoughts on the challenges of leadership and design and their vision for the future. "The Essence of Style is to Live the Art of being Unique..." -Isabelle Miaja

Art Deco, short for Arts Décoratifs, is characterized by rich colours, bold geometry, and decadent detail work. Having reached the height of its popularity in the 1920s to the 40s, the style still brings in glamour, luxury, and order with symmetrical designs in exuberant shapes and forms. “I personally have always loved Art Deco for it has a great range to play with” mentions Isabelle Miaja. For this this residential project Isabelle felt it was suiting not only the spaces but also the personality of the client. Designing with Art Deco gave Isabelle the opportunity to introduce jewel colours, geometric shapes with gold accents as well as reflective materials and textures to give a sense of glamour without being ostentatious. The Entrance to the home is designed mainly with natural landscape that gives the space a cooling effect – The cabinetry blends with the walls, subtle and practical design giving the extra storage needed. A marble ledge being both ornamental yet practical. The open Living, Dining and Dry Kitchen are each given a specific design but overall, the atmosphere blends together – The Living room sets the tone with emerald teal as the main ascent colour that resonates throughout the home, peppered with soft tonalities of gold and creams, the art deco style furniture brings a sense of tailoring without being overly extravagant – “The shapes are round and soft to the eye and comfort was at the top of our design choices” mentions Isabelle. The Living Area was not to be an “apparat” room but a room where the family would gather, receive friends without fuss. The materials such as marble and satin gold were chosen for their undeniable sense of luxury, white carrara marble as the TV background as well as the floating shelf adding a touch of colour with emerald satin lacquered drawers are the main feature to that wall. Across the entrance we chose golden mosaic as a backdrop to the bookcase, each material was selected to achieve a sophisticated yet relaxed atmosphere. Isabelle put a lot of attention when selecting wallcoverings for the project, some giving a soft background and others to set the tone to the space. The wallpaper leading up the staircase was a favourite choice of the Client. Its jewel green hue and Art Deco motifs in Gold are giving the staircase its unique signature. Entering the master bedroom – Isabelle brought the same sense of glamour and comfort, tonalities of mauve and teal were chosen for the soft finishes of the bedroom with accents of polished gold to bring in the Art Deco style. The headboard and bed design are the main signature of the room and gives it its unique style – blending both quiet chic and a sophisticated ambiance. By adding a beautiful vanity make up table, an end of the bed bench and some bookshelves the room breathes femininity and elegance. The reading corner with a lounge chair and resting stool adds to the sense of comfort and spaciousness. Isabelle adds “working from home is now a new way forward and putting thought and effort into the owners home office was a must.” We paid particular attention to the office’s background so when the client was having her online meetings she would have an elegant and curated environment. The accent wallpaper was chosen carefully not to distract during the meetings, yet Isabelle wanted to ensure it would be reflective of her personality. To give the right impression – quiet sophistication with a touch of lightness – an image she brings out naturally and that needed to be supported in her décor. “In our new working environment your office design is the window to your soul…” Isabelle made sure it was exactly doing that! Our client’s daughter is her “mini me” – and it was a great adventure to work with this decisive little woman. We listened and understood her wishes of designing her dream room. Keeping in style with Art Deco with gradient pink and purple hues in the wallcovering and rug– she understood the importance to “blend” her room with the rest of the home – we specially designed a custom wallcovering to suit her taste… diamonds are a girl’s best friend! And it is certainly so for her! The feature in the room is a suspending glamour chair dressed up with a parma violet-coloured velvet bow. Accessories and Art were part of the journey and each item they owned were giving their place and the shelves were filled by carefully selecting each to add to the design and combining usage with glamour and beauty. “Flowers were the final touch…they do make a home feel loved.” Highlights Isabelle Miaja. “This journey of building our client’s home was both enriching and rewarding. I always share with my team that the essential role of a designer is to translate even the untold, unexpressed wishes of a family that ultimately will live in those spaces – Designing a home is both a story of style and knowing how to translate a client’s wish. Knowing when to guide and when to listen, so that its owners feel at home in their home.” – Isabelle Miaja “Ultimately your project becomes a home that must belong to its owners and the designer must know when to disappear and hopefully one day become a guest.” – Isabelle Miaja SPECIAL PARTNER'S FOR PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASPER YU Tat Ming Wallpaper (https://www.tatming.com/) – Wallcovering Company Pepperwall (https://www.pepperwall.net/) – Wallcovering Company Advance Sport Technologies (http://www.astpl.com.sg/contact-us/) – Artificial Plants and Grass Avenir Maison (https://avenirmaison.sg/) – Resin Wall Rugged (https://www.rugscarpetskelims.com/) – Custom Carpets EINC (http://www.einc.com.sg/) – Decorative Lighting Original Design & Concept by Isabelle Miaja. For more information and project inquiry, please visit: www.miajadesigngroup.com E | info@miajadesigngroup.com

From all of us at Miaja Design Group wishing you a Happy Chinese New Year, thank you for your continued support and wishing you good health, happiness and good fortune in the year of the Ox! Isabelle Miaja Managing & Creative Director | 2021 Highlights | Pullman Maldives Maamutaa World Luxury Awards 2020 Winner: Luxury New Hotel & Gourmet Vegan Cuisine Newly awarded for best luxury new hotel and gourmet vegan cuisine the stunning Pullman Maldives Maamutaa, the first Pullman island resort in the world. Finding the perfect language, blending the Pullman brand into the Maldives represented an exciting challenge. Architecturally, Miaja Design Group looked at mixing a modern approach with a resort feel seamlessly blending in Maldivian culture. The result is in the villa's distinctive thatched roof that recalls the Maldivian striped sarong, symbolising the country’s national costume. Pullman is about modernity, and the stripes, although intrinsically Maldivian, are also very contemporary. Art was a significant part of the resort’s design, taking a bold and unique approach through Street Artist Mad C, a renowned artist tasked with painting the resort’s facades with her amazing colourful strokes. From selecting paintings to painting buildings, art helps enrich each project with individuality. According to Miaja, the Arts and Culture represent one of the few areas in society where people can come together to share an experience. For more information and project inquiry, please visit: www.miajadesigngroup.com E | info@miajadesigngroup.com For more information and artwork inquiry, please visit: https://www.miajaartcollections.com/ E | director@miajagallery.com

Throughout MDG's 'Designing Home' series, readers have had the opportunity to look through the mind's eye of award-winning interior designer Isabelle Miaja. Since joining the company seven years ago - after returning back from London - The company that I had grown up hearing about designs, projects and faraway destinations at the dinner table, has become second nature to me. Severine Miaja (my sister) who joined the firm after completing her bachelor in fine arts naturally gravitated her talents with a keen eye for colours, textures, and proportions - joined the firm as an FF&E designer. Working in a dynamic environment we both had the opportunity to learn and grow with the company and develop a new signature that we feel embodies the statement 'the essence of style is to live the art of being unique' that Isabelle coined when setting up her studio IMA Interiors back in 1995 and create a home that we believe touches on the lifestyle and habits of our generation titled the 'Gen-Z effect'. For this design, we set our sights on Hong Kong, a city that has constantly been at the forefront of finance, food, culture, and the arts. Hong Kong has always been a special place for both Severine and me, whether visiting for the weekend to the annual Art Basel fair, a music festival such as Clockenflap to shopping and eating our way through the weekend our experiences have always left us wanting to go back. In this modern grunge loft, we wanted to show the striking colours and possibilities that art can create in spaces. In a city like Hong Kong, where there are stark contrasts between the modern architecture of Central to the small hole-in-the-wall buildings and alleyways of Wan Chai or Soho. Selecting Pop-Art and Street Art we reflect on the messages they hold - a reminder of the present, presence and nowness of the current social and even political dynamics of our generation. Space has always been somewhat of restraint as apartments tend to be smaller in Hong Kong but in this loft, we wanted to create an open plan feel where the individual had everything in one place and still feel that they could receive without feeling claustrophobic. By connecting both the living and dining room we can create a sense of social and more intimate settings with the kitchen as the anchor that connects the two spaces. Individualism in any home has always been important, as it is a reflection of who a person is. Their passions an extension of oneself whether through art, technology, and the objects they collect. In this loft, music, and art was the focal point of our design. Clean symmetry with the bookshelves and speakers with the artwork as the centrepiece creates a balanced feel for the living area. The use of timber and metal are typical key material highlights in industrial design, the large comfortable lounge setting is the focal comfort point to contrast the 'hard' textures. Creating a home as a designer is about finding a personal connection with the Client, how they live, and how they want to use their space. If the current pandemic has taught us something, is that we learn to have a deeper appreciation for our own sense of space. Now and in the future, work habits are adapting and changing, the balance between home and work-life will be all the more important. Julian Miaja July 2020 Selecting 'Campbellsky' as the centerpiece artwork by acclaimed french pop-street artist Jisbar (b.1989) is the perfect reminder of the current affairs in the world today and the power of popular culture. Hyper-saturated in every sense of the word, his paintings evoke the frenzied and effervescent qualities of 21st-century life. Each work is not only an homage, but also a bricolage of words, sentences, and numbers that viewers can decrypt. Letting viewers discover new elements at every glance, his pieces are always in the process of perpetually regenerating themselves. Each of his works represents “moments of life”, like a memory that would be printed forever in a photo album. Adding 'Tahi & Mari-sa' in the living room and 'André 6' in the kitchen area by artist Gaël Froget (b.1986) is yet another artist sitting on the fence between pop art and primitivism. Gaël's art is a true reflection of his deeper personality: sarcasm, love for simplicity, and dark humour. His portraits (mainly feminine) as well as flowers and other doodles that are grotesque, disturbing, dark, and sometimes naive. These recurring elements in his work whether on canvas or other mediums gives even more authenticity to his work. His use of acrylic, spray paint, collage, digital printing and other techniques adds an urban touch to his artworks. Last but not least for the kitchen we chose an original mural design by an internationally renowned artist from Germany MadC. MadC started her career as a graffiti writer and has since developed her creative endeavors into various fields such as graphic design, writing, and fine art. MadC created her first graffiti piece in 1996, and became known in the early 2000s for her burner walls, with dynamic wildstyle-pieces placed in detailed sceneries. Her major international break trough came however in 2010 with the production of work that is known as the “700-Wall” – a 700 square-meter work along the train line between Berlin and Halle. This painting is most likely the largest graffiti mural created by a single person, and it was finished in four months. She has since created murals across America and Asia having recently completed the mural for the spa-complex of the newly opened Pullman Maamuttaa Maldives designed by Miaja Design Group. FURNITURE, WALL COVERING, LIGHTING & ACCESSORIES CREDIT: Sofa: Mondrian Sofa - Jean-Marie Massaud (2016) By Poliform Lounge Chair: Samurai Chair By NORR11 Coffee Table : Butterfly - Alexander Taylor (2006) By Zanotta Loudspeakers: AC1 By Oswalds Mill Audio Shelves: Manga Bookcase - Studio Ozeta By Ozzio Italia Console : Brera TV - Massimiliano Mornati By Ozzio Italia Dining Table: JEAN C. Ballabio By Porada Dining Chair: 055 Capitol Complex Chair By Cassina Floor Lamp: Command Service Module Lamp, 2016 By Tom Sachs Pendant Lamp: Les Acrobates De Gras №327 By DCW éditions Area Rug: Carpet Diem By Fatboy Clock: Zerotondo By Natuzzi Fridge: FAB50RBL - 50's Retro Style Aesthetic By Smeg BE@RBRICK: Medicom Toy and Karimoku - 400% 'HALF & HALF' BE@RBRICK ARTWORKS CREDIT: Artwork (above): Campbellsky (2019) Mixed media on canvas (146 x 114cm) By Jisbar Price Available Upon Request. Artwork (above): Tahi & Mari-sa (2017) Mixed media on metal (125 x 59cm each) By Gael Froget Price Available Upon Request. Artwork (above): André 6 (2017) Mixed media on paper (101 x 76cm) By Gael Froget Price Available Upon Request. Sculpture (above): Untitled (2017) By MadC Price Available at Artsper. Other Available Pieces at MA Collections. Original Design & Concept by Julian & Severine Miaja. For more information and project inquiry, please visit: www.miajadesigngroup.com E | info@miajadesigngroup.com For more information and artwork inquiry, please visit: https://www.miajaartcollections.com/ E | director@miajaartcollections.com #designinghomes #julianmiaja #severinemiaja #miajadesigngroup #gen-z #modern #grunge #loft #popart #mural #art #conceptualdesign #interiordesign #highendresidentialdesign #designsingapore #2020

My great grandfather was a mason, he was the one who built our family country home and spending my summers in that house, I never paid attention to the fact that we could stay inside during the summer months and never feel hot – on the contrary, we would be running outside under the scorching sun, and at the hour of the “ quatre heure” the French tea time break, my mother would call out and as soon as we stepped in the house we would feel cool – almost chilly - the shutters would be almost closed and the summer rays would filter through and create beautiful shadows, and that amazing dust light dancing in the air. Built out of local stones,  the thick walls of the house were made to last several lifetimes and my great grandfather would be proud to see several generations of children to this date, still taking refuge in its refreshing interiors. Moving from France to designing homes in California. From Craftsman bungalows to Beverly Hills luxurious residences recreating Mediterranean, colonial, or English Tudor styles. I came to Asia where a whole new learning curve was awaiting me. We all find ourselves, mentors, as we go through life. One of my earlier ones is Frank Lloyd Wright. A visionary whose work continues to serve as an inspiration. The bedrock upon which much of modernist architecture is built. ”Falling Waters” Residence built-in 1938, in Bear Run, a summer camp in western Pennsylvania is set atop a waterfall. The concrete-and-limestone home, entwined with the body of water that gives it its name, is a symbolic masterpiece, referencing the surrounding natural forms. Wright chose locally sourced sandstone to make up the body of the house, and a limited colour palette for the exterior to ensure that the property blended into its surroundings. In doing this, Wright presented an example of "organic architecture", a philosophy that promotes the harmony between design and nature. To follow Wright’s footpath, the materials, motifs, and basic ordering principles repeat themselves throughout the building as a whole. The idea of organic architecture refers not only to the building’s' literal relationship to the natural surroundings but how the building’s' design is carefully thought about as if it were a unified organism. Geometries throughout Wright's buildings build a central mood and theme. Coming to Asia, the principles of “organic architecture” had to be adapted to this new environment. The weather already is one of the main considerations and the building materials available in this part of the world another important factor. To learn new ways to design and to adapt to the new set of laws of building in Asia, I could not find a better guide than Geoffrey Bawa. Bawa was a Sri Lankan architect and amongst the most influential Asian architects of his generation. He is the principal force behind what is today known globally as “Tropical Modernism”. Much like Frank Lloyd Wright, Bawa's architecture is at one with the land: inside and outside blend seamlessly, and it is designed for the maximum pleasure of its inhabitants. He was influenced by colonial and traditional Ceylonese architecture. Lunuganga estate, an abandoned rubber plantation near Bentota, was designed around his philosophy of ‘a house is a garden’ and it resonates nowhere more so than at Lunuganga. The expanse of the tamed wilderness was his place of awakening. Bawa’s style described by one architect gives a perfect insight “his lyrical understanding of space and climate is distilled in the essence of all his works, which are profoundly evocative of tradition.” Learning from the past is the best way to go forward and visiting Singapore’s Black and White houses is a great way to learn how to build in our climate, using Nature’s elements to design the best living conditions. The perfect example of such a house was built in 1903 on Cluny Road by a gifted architect Regent Alfred John Bidwell. He built landmarks like the Raffles Hotel and Singapore Cricket Club. Studying his construction methods we can see how Black and White houses were strategically built to combat the relentless tropical weather, in rain or shine. Its foundation borrows from the indigenous Malay style of elevating the house off the ground with pillars and arches. The ground floor is laid with tiles to retain most of its night-time coolness throughout the day. Timber is the primary material used for the second-floor, which absorbs solar radiation less rapidly. Outside, the wide verandas have overhanging eaves to minimise direct sunlight. The high-steeped roofs of a Black and White house serve a dual purpose of controlling rainfall while doubling as a chimney-like system, drawing hot air to the highest point, creating a well-ventilated space for the homeowners. Tradition, Space and Climate are what makes a home belong and thrive in its natural surroundings – Designing this house and continuing in the footsteps of Wright and Bawa, we too, intend to break down the artificial segregation of inside and outside, building and landscape. Creating a seamless experience between vegetation and living spaces. Realising an architecture that is "climate responsive", relying on natural ventilation and other elements such as water features and extra-wide eaves gives us the chance to reduce a building's carbon footprint and forgo air conditioning without discomfort. Being half Spanish, I love the idea of a shaded courtyard, adding pools, ponds, and water features as they pre-cool air entering the house. I often select slab stone floors as passively shaded areas around earth-coupled slabs keep surface ground temperatures lower during the day and allow night-time cooling. Building homes with sensibility and Sustainability brings us back to a time when technology was mindful of our world by using what was at hand and understanding the environment and make the best of it. Contemporary creations of organic architecture are about avoiding materials of construction that require more embodied energy to build and sustain it; when the building blends naturally and sits seamlessly to its surroundings, reflecting cultural continuity, it is 'organic' and idealistic. And to finish my personal journey on how I became an “Organicist”, I bring to you the principles of the Gaia Charter proposed by Architect and planner David Pearson: “Let the design be inspired by nature and be sustainable, healthy, conserving, and diverse Let the design unfold, like an organism, from the seed within. Let the design exist in the "continuous present" and "begin again and again". Let the design follow the flows and be flexible and adaptable. Let the design satisfy social, physical, and spiritual needs. Let the design "grow out of the site" and be unique. Let the design celebrate the spirit of youth, play, and surprise. Let the design express the rhythm of music and the power of dance…..” "Every great architect is - necessarily - a great poet. He must be a great original interpreter of his time, his day, his age." - Frank Lloyd Wright. Isabelle Miaja June 2020 Stefanie Hauger recently signed up with our Gallery – Miaja Art Collections – Her large-scale paintings, bold and colourful canvases are designed to literally and aesthetically influence the spaces that they find themselves in. Her intention and wish for the viewer to have an uninhibited engagement and interaction with the imagery, allowing it to ‘get under your skin’ she explains, and thus leading to a deeper dialogue with its complex visual language. Aesthetic conviction and fearlessness are two of her distinctive traits. ‘Stone Stacks’ fits perfectly with our Tropical Modern home, her oil paintings tell a story. Also known as Cairns or Rock Stacks, her paintings represent mounds of stones balanced precariously on top of one another in seemingly physically impossible positions, with gravity playing a key role in the success of the structure. The act of stacking stones is a practice of great patience, huge physical effort, and concentration, thereby translating into a vehicle for meditation. Energetic colour combinations and undulating, intertwining oversized brushstrokes that appear to vibrate in a rhythmic dance. With wide sweeping brushstrokes she binds and stitches them together to stabilize them visually and symbolically. She transforms what was an uncomfortably unbalanced composition into a solid, confident celebration. Her paintings celebrate life and the outburst of colours are very much a part of the tropical exuberance we are surrounded with. They resonate the simplicity of the space with an expression of freedom and yet, calculated restraint – Her work to me has a strong Asian influence. Her stroke-like paintings remind me of Chinese brush paintings, they are both meaning to be an expression of the essence of the subject. Stefanie Augier’s inner journey depicted in her paintings, “Stone Stacks”, like the practice of Chinese painting Masters, is very much about her quest in Finding the “Chi” -the movement of the life force. Guillaume Roche is one of the first artists to join our Gallery – Miaja Art Collections. The life of nature is his source of inspiration – the chaos of stones, the ever-changing winds, the many changing colours of the sea, the clear or violent skies. Energy and eruption are keywords within his works, while his shapes are purified and softened by the erosion of time. His mastership of evanescent colours and the luminosity of stainless steel shaded from white to black are to be noted. His works, with its controlled stability, are right at the limit of the fulcrum and invite us into a world where duality is pacified and celebrated. Guillaume Roche’s sculpture 'Energy Splash' adds to the elements by bringing metal energy to the house – a forever student of Feng Shui – bringing in the five elements to balance the Chi of the House, adding to the well-being of its occupants. Guillaume’s sculpture represents water flowing and splashing with elegance. By adding movement and grace, his sculptures become an inherent part of its surroundings, the reflectivity of the metal, an intrinsic part of the nature it stands in. Renowned photographer Adrian Houston’s latest exhibition, A Portrait of the Tree is one of the most ambitious projects of his career. Adrian has spent the last four years traveling the world photographing trees and hearing the stories behind them. These trees hold a special meaning for a great group of people including Richard Branson, Raymond Blanc, Goldie Hawn, and many others. Adrian decided to embark on this project that would give trees a voice and raise awareness of tree preservation as so many of our trees are being wiped out by disease and global warming. I asked what the inspiration was behind the idea and where Adrian’s love of trees started. “By photographing people’s favourite trees and hearing their stories and history about them, this exhibition is all about giving trees a voice and making people aware of the importance of trees and what they do for us." Adrian came to Singapore recently, meeting with the head of the Arboretum at the Botanical Gardens to photograph some of its famous heritage trees – amongst them the Giant Kola Tree a native to the tropical rainforests of Africa. Parts of the plant are often used in its places of origin in treating various sicknesses. The nut, which is high in caffeine content, is bitter in flavour. This Tree was dedicated to Mr. Nelson Mandela of South Africa, to commemorate his visit to the Singapore Botanic Gardens in 1997. It was endorsed as a Heritage Tree in 2014. As Singapore progresses, there is a danger of losing these mature trees. In view of this concern, the Heritage Trees Scheme was announced on 17 Aug 2001 with the objectives to conserve and to educate the community on the importance of protecting our mature trees. Everyone hold one tree close to their heart, we often use them to rest our back to read a book, in a park for some shade or admire the forest with its smells and sounds, every tree tells a story and Adrian with his lenses captures that unique breathing moment between dawn and twilight. FURNITURE, WALL COVERING, LIGHTING & ACCESSORIES CREDIT: Sofa: Camaleonda - Mario Bellini by B&B Italia Coffee Table: Gli Scacchi - Mario Bellini by B&B Italia Side Table: Rialto Tris - Design CRS Fiam by Fiam Outdoor Lounge Chair: Elio Easy Chair - Yabu Pushelberg by Tribu Outdoor Side Tabler: ile Sidetable by Tribu Area Rug: Custom Design by India Carpets And Furnishings Feature Wall Lighting: Anodine Wall by Paolo Castelli Table Lamp: Anodine Mini by Paolo Castelli Spaghetti Vase (Green) - Gaetano Pesce By Corsi Design Feature Wall: By Rammed Earth Works TV: Beovision Eclipse (Brass Tone) by Bang & Olufsen Speakers: Beolab 50 (Brass Tone) by Bang & Olufsen ARTWORKS CREDIT: Artwork (above): Stone Stack, Year 5: Exploration II (2019) 190 x 160 - By Stefanie Hauger Price Available Upon Request. Artwork (above): Stone Stack, Year 5: Exploration IV (2020) 180 x 150 - By Stefanie Hauger Price Available Upon Request. Artwork (above): Kola Tree (2020) By Adrian Houston Price Available Upon Request. Sculpture (above): Energy Splash By Guillaume Roche Price Available Upon Request. Original Design by Isabelle Miaja. For more information and project enquiry, please visit: www.miajadesigngroup.com E | info@miajadesigngroup.com For more information and artwork enquiry, please visit: https://www.miajaartcollections.com/ E | director@miajaartcollections.com #designinghomes #isabellemiaja #miajadesigngroup #tropicalmodernism #sensiblesustainability #photography #fineart #art #conceptualdesign #interiordesign #highendresidentialdesign #designsingapore #2020

Definition: Staircase /ˈstɛːkeɪs/ A set of stairs and its surrounding walls or structure. A very severe definition given by Encyclopedia Britannica for the History of Stairs to me is the history of longevity itself, of the constant replication of the same structure and function. To tell the story of stairs is to tackle the challenge of telling a never-ending tale that’s part history, part imagination. There’s much more to a staircase than meets the eye! Stairs to me are the most romantic part of a building. Staircases can be found in virtually any building, whether it is ancient or modern. We have become dependent on this structure, and often we don’t give it a second thought as they are perceived as utilitarian. There is a very mathematical way to calculate their construction, the width of the thread, and the height of the riser. We can certainly go about our lives without giving them not so much as a glance, but to the Interior architect in me, they hold a special place in my designs. I often wonder who was the first stair builder? The person who first laid stone after stone or built a ladder to climb to a higher place - Was it nature itself that provided them with hints through natural stair-like shapes that humans tried to imitate later? I can’t help musing those questions, while remembering that planet earth had already created visually stunning steps of its own, such as the beautiful Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland –about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption about 50 million years ago –This one and others like it are the real teachers of Architectural prowess. The earliest staircases seem to have been built with walls on both sides. From Egypt to Crete to the Assyrian Ziggurat of the 9th or 8th century BC was often adorned with massive stairs. The palace terrace at Persepolis with its double flight of steps is of great beauty. The Romans introduced barrel-vaulted flights of stairs enclosed by walls in the interiors of their theatres, as well as spiral stairs in the thickness of the walls. But it’s not until Michelangelo’s first open interior staircases constructed on an ambitious spatial scale at the Laurentian Library in Florence that dramatic staircases became one of the defining features of Baroque Architecture. Staircases have come a long way and today, the use of steel and reinforced concrete has made possible the daring curves and fantastic sweeps that can be important features in contemporary design. A staircase can be an amazing feat of technology but it also has amazing symbolical significance. A staircase can suggest a journey, a passageway that unites any two things: places, ideas, or states of being. A staircase can be where two people fall in love – remembering Vivian Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara on the red-carpeted staircase in “Gone with the Wind” or Rembrandt’s painting “Philosopher in Meditation” the light of the sun symbolizing the consciousness of the philosopher, and the spiral staircase the path he needs to ascend to reach enlightenment. As you can tell, I am passionate about staircases but also of life teachings. The act of “climbing” has often been a metaphor for the development of human knowledge and scientific progress. Getting to the top of stairs offers a broader and more comprehensive view of the world and I invite you to enjoy our 'Penrose Staircase' - Ascending and Descending together with our “Phi” sculpture inspired by Fibonacci's Golden Number - leaving it to you to determine how your own staircase can shape your life. “…At the first turning of the third stair Was a slotted window bellied like the figs's fruit And beyond the hawthorn blossom and a pasture scene The broadbacked figure drest in blue and green Enchanted the maytime with an antique flute. Blown hair is sweet, brown hair over the mouth blown, Lilac and brown hair; Distraction, music of the flute, stops and steps of the mind over the third stair, Fading, fading; strength beyond hope and despair Climbing the third stair…” TS Eliot - “Ash Wednesday” Isabelle Miaja June 2020 Curating art within a space is always an adventure – for our classical staircase – I chose Maria de Campos' 'Basquiat' pop-art painting to create a contrast and give the space its unique vibration. As an artist, Maria is a multidisciplinary artist born in Portugal. She studied art in the regional school of Fine Arts of Valence. In her energetic painting, we can feel the desire to communicate her passion for all the visual arts. Her work focuses on old icons, her style and technique translate her sense of energy and movement. Highlighting it with an explosion of colours and expressing her pop art style by mixing expressionism and the abstract. Maria de Campos uses different mediums such as acrylic, graffiti, and alternating layering of sheets and collages to create her gallery of idealised and sublimated portraits. I also chose 'SUCCESS #1' the work of French artist KOSTAR, who rose to fame in the ’90s for his vibrant and humorous urban artwork. Giving “Urban Art” a whole new definition as a revolutionary artist, Kostar moves us through dynamic images, and thought-provoking phrases; he takes a leap of faith and chooses the path of passion and the unknown, rather than safety and conformity. Throughout his body of work, what remains constant is his razor-sharp wit and incisive humour. I chose his painting of a green Neon dollar sign as a counterbalance to Maria de Campos’s painting of Basquiat. Pop art is perceived as a pro-capitalist (the “business of Art” advocated by Andy Warhol) but it is also revolutionary in a different sense than traditional Marxism. Pop art seeks to democratize the ‘high’ culture of the art world, which had previously been segmented into its own portion of society. It reflects today’s prevailing aspirations of our society and depicts the turmoil of our times. Choosing Mr. Balloon by KOSTAR, a sculptural figure made of fiberglass and chromium on stainless steel, featuring a rotund figure with one giant eye. I join the reflection of the artist’s vision of the world. Mr. Balloon standing on one leg, in a posture that conveys fragility yet perfect balance represents to me our own vulnerabilities and our own strengths. We manage in this world of constant pressures and changes to find the humour in it all. A beautiful space is a balancing act between all the design elements – Each artwork finds its place and stands on its own, continuing Einstein’s ever thought-provoking idea on relativity "the absence of standards of absolute and universal application." FURNITURE, WALL COVERING, LIGHTING & ACCESSORIES CREDIT: Chairs: RAVIOLO - RON ARAD BY MAGIS DESIGN Side Table: CERAMIC AND MARBLE COFFEE TABLE BY ERIC WILLEMART Console: DORIS - DESIGN BY CASTELLO LAGRAVINESE STUDIO BY OPERA CONTEMPORARY Pedestal: VESTA MARBLE SCULPTURE PEDESTAL BY CB2 Wall Sconce: MAMI' BY PENTA LIGHT Vase: TONDO DONI BRUCOMELA SCULPTURE - WITH TULIP FLOWERS BY MARIO CIONI ARTWORKS CREDIT: Artwork (left): ‘PHI’ Glass Art Sculpture By Lasvit & Isabelle Miaja Price Available Upon Request. Artwork (right): SUCCESS #1 - Mixed Media (120 x 100) - (Spray Paint, Acrylic, Neon Light, Screws) By KOSTAR Price Available Upon Request. Artwork (left): Basquiat (2019) - 120 x 90cm Mixed Media on Canvas By Maria de Campos Price Available Upon Request. Artwork (right): Mr. Balloon (Gold) - 52 x 46 Fibre Glass - Chromium and Stainless Steel By KOSTAR Price Available Upon Request. Original Design by Isabelle Miaja. For more information and project enquiry, please visit: www.miajadesigngroup.com E | info@miajadesigngroup.com For more information and artwork enquiry, please visit: http://www.miajagallery.com/ E | director@miajagallery.com For more information and artwork enquiry, please visit: https://www.miajaartcollections.com/ E | director@miajaartcollections.com #designinghomes #isabellemiaja #miajadesigngroup #penrosestaircase #ascending&desending #fineart #art #conceptualdesign #interiordesign #highendresidentialdesign #designsingapore #2020

New York….I remember being Eighteen, arriving from Paris, and being totally taken over by the city. The Empire State Building and the World Trade Centre amongst seven other thousands of skyscrapers were the tallest buildings I had ever seen, they made my head turn in disbelief. Even the movies I grew up with such as Taxi Driver, The French Connection, or Woodie Allan’s Annie Hall, could not prepare me to the sight, smell, and buzz of that incredible metropolis. I was like a moth to a light…mesmerised! To the Parisian born, growing up amongst the old beloved buildings of the City of Lights, New York felt like a giant neon to Paris’s dimmed lamp posts. It was love at first sight! I spent a few years working in the United States, in New York amongst other cities, designing homes. One of those apartment’s address was at the Dorchester on Central Park. You can imagine the spring in my walk as I threaded the streets, having achieved the dream of being part of the city’s life and actually contributing to what we call: The East Coast Style. The East Coast has a reputation for elegance and sophistication. Homes here tend to be older, so naturally, they have a more traditional look and feel. To match that vibe, patterns are on the formal side - Colours are monochromatic and stripes are classic and chic. We associate ceremony and formality with the East Coast lifestyle, and East Coast homes are a reflection of those traditions. We’re more likely to see formal living rooms used for family gatherings and special occasions. New York throws glamourous parties in the East Side of Manhattan. recounted by Patrick Dennis in his novel “Auntie Mame” – the famous Number 3 Beekman Place was the place to be and we recall with nostalgia, my children and I, the fun afternoons watching Rosalind Russel redecorating her apartment. In this design, we chose to show a perfectly synchronised and beautifully coordinated room. The colour palette does not stray from about three to four carefully chosen neutral tones. The details will also have similar design roots, keeping everything precise, polished, and pulled together. New York interiors are as diverse and different as the people who live in them – from traditionally elegant brownstone buildings to Greenwich Village loft apartments; cool, classic, and chic to funky and formidable. The style reflects the city’s unique blend of cultures, ideas, and creativity as well as sophistication and, I would love to imagine Paule Marshall, New York City’s most ground-breaking author, writing her critically acclaimed novel, "Brown Girl, Brownstones sitting" at the desk and see her Lifetime Achievement Award from the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards hanging on one of the walls. New York will always have a hold on me and I finish designing this apartment, putting the final touches humming the same Billy Joel’s song I used to sing when walking the streets of Manhattan…Today, I feel I am too, in a “New York state of mind”.  Like him, I too want to “take a Greyhound on the Hudson River Line”… Goodbye New York…ce n’est qu’un au revoir! Isabelle Miaja June 2020 To our Manhattan look – adding the works of Fine Art photographer David Yarrow brings in nature and movement to the space yet keeping the monochrome tonalities – By choosing “The Untouchables II” the power of the Elephant in all its majestic glory we bring back a symbolism common throughout many cultures. In Asia, the elephant symbolizes wisdom, strength, and intelligence. In Africa, the elephant also reflects wisdom and in the Ashanti tradition, elephants were thought of as reincarnated human leaders from past times. The calmness and sheer strength of the elephant are virtues that many cultures would love to see become a part of their own identity. Elephant symbolism also represents sensitivity, wisdom, stability, loyalty, intelligence, peace, reliability, and determination, which are all seen in the animal's nature when observed in the wild. By choosing this special artwork, a little message of wisdom and peace to permeate the room and hopefully beyond – seeing how our world needs to reflect on the upheavals we are going through - embracing the Elephant qualities would certainly help to accept what we cannot change and change what we can for the better of all. Continuing with the East Coast concept - Introducing the works of Soonik Kwon - His modern art style of painting falls under a general label for artworks made from more than one material. Combining materials - in his case painting and graphite - is closely associated with a number of important developments in modern art. Cubist collages, Marcel Duchamp's readymades, and Dada assemblage formed key precedents for later generations working in mixed-media. Notably, Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns - commonly associated with Neo-Dada - were instrumental in including different media on the painted canvas in the 1950s and '60s. Soonik's geometry falls under Minimalism. It identifies works of art most often comprised of geometric shapes in simple arrangements and lacking any decorative or dynamic flourishes. These geometric shapes characterized the elemental or “bare bones” forms of art, which, according to critics, represented the culmination of modern art's progression toward the most simplified form of abstract art possible. His works add to the style of the apartment – continuing the monochromatism and simplicity which also confers sophistication – The layering effect of his work denotes a great sensitivity and contained emotion - the colours peep through on the edges - shyness and audacity mixed to give the viewer an extra dimension - the graphite painstaking process makes his work unique. Soonik has gained his status as one of the leading contemporary artists in Korea and we are proud to represent him. FURNITURE, WALL COVERING, LIGHTING & ACCESSORIES CREDIT: Sofa: M.A.S.S.A.S., SOFA BY PATRICIA URQUIOLA (2012), FOR MOROSO Coffee Table (Set): STILETTO | ANDREI MUNTEANU BY MISURAEMME GEMINI | ANDREI MUNTEANU BY MISURAEMME Lounge Chair: PETIT REPOS | ANTONIO CITTERIO (2013) FOR VITRA Side Table: STILETTO | ANDREI MUNTEANU BY MISURAEMME Accent Chair: HEM LOUNGE CHAIR BY INDUSTRY WEST Rug: RU.HK-5509 HAND KNOTTED RUG BY RUGGED Fireplace: DARWIN | VENEZIANI BASIC DARWIN MAJOLICA CLADDING FOR FIREPLACES BY PIAZZETTA Desk: FRED DESK | ROBERTO LAZZERONI BY POLTRONA FRAU Armchairs: GINGER GINGER ALE | POLTRONCINA CON COLONNA BY POLTRONA FRAU Cabinet: ROSELYN | BAR CABINET By Duquesa & Malvada Chandelier: LUNA | PENDANT LAMP BY SERIP Floor Lamp Set: CHARLESTON FLOOR LAMP BY ROCHE BOBOIS Speaker: BEOLAB 18 BY BANG & OLUFSEN Curtain fabric: GIUDITTA 30207 EMBROIDERED SHEER BY RUBELLI TEXTILES ARTWORKS CREDIT: Artwork (left): The Untouchables II (2017) - 127 X 132 By David Yarrow Standard Edition 4/12 by David Yarrow Price Available Upon Request. Artwork (left): Pile & Rub - Chink (19-35) - 116.7 x 91cm Mixed Media on Canvas By Soonik Kwon Price Available Upon Request. Artwork (left): Exclos 162 - Steel Sculpture (40 X 40 X 15cm) By Guillaume Roche Price Available Upon Request. Original Design by Isabelle Miaja. For more information and project enquiry, please visit: www.miajadesigngroup.com E | info@miajadesigngroup.com For more information and artwork enquiry, please visit: http://www.miajagallery.com/ E | director@miajagallery.com For more information and artwork enquiry, please visit: https://www.miajaartcollections.com/ E | director@miajaartcollections.com #designinghomes #isabellemiaja #miajadesigngroup #eastcoaststyle #newyorkstateofmind #fineart #art #conceptualdesign #interiordesign #highendresidentialdesign #designsingapore #2020

Miami Beach, an interior design style that is cool and sophisticated with a mixture of contemporary glam and a vintage Art Deco feel. It is also about vivacious colours, gorgeous patterns that range from geometric to floral. A style that inspired me to design this new project. Singapore with its tropical climate, creating an indoor/outdoor experience where the breeze and the garden view are the main focus is paramount. Elements like Courtyards, shady porches, flying roofs, and screened-in lanais are mainstays. As a tropical island, there is an expectation for untamed fauna and palm trees with turquoise pools. The trend is towards natural materials and finishes with attention to patterns and textures and brings nature indoors as much as possible through big windows and openings that let the greenery visually in. Taking inspiration from Miami and its Art deco era, the mix between pastels and simple yet powerful architecture was a great combination. Miami style is about simple, modern elegance adding tropical nature to infuse a sense of well-being and serenity. With the largest concentration of Art Deco buildings in the world, the historic Art Deco district of Miami still oozes 1930s glamour, its oceanfront is lined with ice-cream-pastel hotels. In 1912, from a swampy, mosquito-infested wasteland, Carl Fisher decided to buy a holiday home in the area and swiftly bought up the land, dubbing his future haven “Miami Beach.” He started building it in the style du jour: Art Deco. His empire of oceanfront estates and luxury hotels, included the famous bright-pink Flamingo Hotel, Miami Beach’s first truly grand accommodation, it even had a resident elephant, Rosie. Fisher knew that to keep up with the world’s sophisticates, he needed to follow the Art Moderne movement that was sweeping across Europe at the time. Together with Floridian architects Henry Hohauser and Lawrence Murray Dixon, they cemented the signature Miami Beach style. The architects became famous for their introduction of streamlined curves, window “eyebrows” and the “law of three” – all trademark features of Miami’s Art Deco buildings. In 1976 came Leonard Horowitz. “I'll take care of the buildings. I'll do the frosting on the cake because these buildings, look like they're going to be a lot of fun to play with," said Horowitz in a film from 1988 called 'Pastel Paradise'. Horowitz’s love for Art Deco is why South Beach looks the way it does today, bringing back to life Art Deco Architecture in Miami, restoring with his own interpretation of the unique vision of automobile pioneer Carl Fisher. Leonard Horowitz, created a special colour palette to spruce up the dated properties of the district, his perseverance did the trick, and new life was breathed into Miami Beach, which became revitalised as the buzzing international metropolis it had been once been. Miami’s warm weather and cultural diversity also influence the look and feel. Inspired by sun and sea—it’s a much more playful and colourful approach to design and lifestyle. Adding the global exposure of Art Basel has opened Miami up to a more design-savvy eye on architecture and interiors. Since launching in 2002, Art Basel Miami has become North America’s premier art fair, exhibits an amazing array of contemporary paintings, films, and videos, sculptures, drawings, photography, digital art and installations from more than 4,000 artists. Our art curating also includes the amazing works by Singapore artist Ieo Gek Ching – like our design approach, she is interested in the hybridism of animals and their environment. She is influenced by the different idiosyncrasies and characteristics of each different animal and expresses her concern about the ecological environment through art. Through her advocacy for the unique and unusual, Gek Ching continues to develop her distinct drawing style with more pronounced and singular use of colour, breathing new life into her latest animal hybrid series. Their highly intricate nature unfolds and evolves upon her specially prepared paper, resembling the expressions of their living ancestors, that is both startling and beautiful. Art is also about sculptures and introducing the works of two French artists in this design I am emphasizing the forms and materials used during the Art Deco times but with a more contemporary approach. The forgotten world of Mobiles is brought back to life by Christel Sadde – a world of 'Balance, geometry, poetry, and movement' - As a decorative object - her kinetic graceful mobiles add to the feeling of lightness in the room. The beautiful materials of reflective brass and chrome plates add to the simple yet luxurious design. Guillaume Roche’s stainless-steel sculptures add to the design by introducing powerful lines and aerial movement. Again, the element of lightness, improbable balance between the forms. With a beautiful sense of equilibrium, his sculpture adds to the carefully selected Artistic curation, giving my design the final touch through his unique refined signature. Our interior not only emulates the colours of Miami’s predilection to pastels but also its impetus towards Contemporary Art. Proposing to my client Hom Nguyen’s works fits perfectly in the storyline – one of colours and the other of inspiration – this portrait is part of a series called “Racines” - roots in French – with this new series, the artist continues with his introspective process, his works echo a resilient memory, passing down a history gone by in a quest for identity. The fleetingness of the artist’s lifelines facilitates the emergence of an emotional experience where barriers fade. His works fit in the transition between figurative and abstract art, serving to question the lines between material and intellect, emotion, and questioning. The artist’s intent is to open the individual to the possibility of changeability, of openness toward others. Today’s world crisis is again proving the artist right – his quest for identity and belonging is even more poignant as we face acceptance and challenges from every angle – personal lessons to be learned but a bigger message to Society to embrace differences and join in a fraternal embrace no matter the race or the gender. Paraphrasing Audrey Hepburn “Creating a new design is believing in tomorrow” I put the final dot on this new page of our Friday 'Designing Homes' series. Isabelle Miaja June 2020 FURNITURE, WALL COVERING, LIGHTING & ACCESSORIES CREDIT: Sofa: HEARTBREAKER BY MOROSO Lounge Chair: SMILE CHAIR | G. VALLE BY LES ATELIERS COURBET Coffee Table: WAVE TABLE BY BEND GOODS Side Table: 'LOVE ME, LOVE ME NOT' - ROUND COFFEE TABLE BY SALVATORI Rug: PAZZO EARTH BY LINIE DESIGN Wallcovering: VANGUARD MODERNIST (93541) BY ARTE Piano: C-227 THE CLASSIC BY STEINWAY & SONS Wall Sconce: CÉ SERIES BY D’ARMES Floor Lamp: CLEO FLOOR LAMP BY KELLY WEARSTLER Curtain Fabric: FARNIENTE AQUARAMA OD 117 01 BY ELITIS Lounge Sculpture LA POSE BY CHRISTOPHER GUY ARTWORKS CREDIT: Artwork (above): Volabile K113 – Gold_Brilliant polished aluminum, gold finish (L250 x H220 x 70cm) (900G) By Christel Sadde Studio Artwork (left): Untitled (2019) - 80 x 60cm by HomNguyen Price Available Upon Request. Artwork (right): Blue Rabbit - Pen on paper (2019) - 92 x 71 cm by Ieo Gek Ching Price Available Upon Request. Artwork (left): Inclos15 (45 x 23 x 20cm) By Guillaume Roche Price Available Upon Request. Original Design by Isabelle Miaja. For more information about MIAJA Design Group, please visit: www.miajadesigngroup.com For more information about Miaja Gallery, please visit: http://www.miajagallery.com/ For more information about MA Collections, please visit: https://www.miajaartcollections.com/ #designinghomes #isabellemiaja #miajadesigngroup #pastelparadise #modern #miamistyle #fineart #art #conceptualdesign #interiordesign #highendresidentialdesign #designsingapore #2020

Designing with Art is very complex – I never know what inspires me first – but what matters in the end, is the creative process and how I derive as a designer to create a unique, personal and energy-filled space. Continuing the Design Home series, this design titled “Moderne”, brings Art Deco style as the main setting with its symmetrical, geometric, streamlined and pleasing to the eye architectural forms. Looking back in history, Art Deco, also called ‘style moderne’ movement in the decorative arts and architecture spheres, originated in the 1920s and developed into a major style in western Europe and the United States during the 1930s. Its name was derived from the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, held in Paris in 1925, where the style was first exhibited. A style that is recognised by its elaborate materials, mesmerising geometric shapes defining its aesthetic, it's one of the most enduring, distinct, and exciting design movements ever. Art Deco began to take off within the fashion and jewellery industry, which then began influencing furniture design, propelling the movement further. The fashion house of Paquin –with Jeanne’s famous “Chimere’ dress represented the changing role of women in society making a significant impact on the 1920s Paris fashion scene. Paquin combined various cultural influences including Egyptian and Chinese elements in the form of geometric shapes and motifs. China’s decorative motifs also spurred the creation of an individual 'Cartier' style and in the arts, interest in the era is also best embodied by Giacomo Puccini's Turandot, an opera set in medieval China and first staged at La Scala, in Milan, in 1926, 22 years after Madame Butterfly, another Puccini masterpiece, which was set in Japan. Chinoiserie was an intrinsic part of the Art Deco scene. The aspects of Chinese painting that were integrated into European and American visual arts include asymmetrical compositions, light-hearted subject matter and a general sense of capriciousness. Introducing into our “Moderne” design the works of Kim Xu (above) – gives to the design its perfect balance – His sense of drama and fashion, as well as colours, are the perfect embodiment of today’s views on women - Guile and fashion with an exquisite sense of femininity are still influencing the Art world - Born and raised in Suzhou, China and moving to Shanghai to pursue his passion for art and fashion, Kim's art very much reflects his personality and life experiences, fusing both traditional Chinese watercolour techniques - a skill he learned from his grandfather - and Western-style oil-based techniques. So as Coco Chanel said, “An interior is the natural projection of the soul” and like her, I believe we are the repository of the past and the dreamers of the future – as a designer I learn and reinterpret to express an emotion, that is why each design is unique and the reflection of my own imagination. Nissa Kauppila's immersion in Chinese painting has awakened a sense of fragility; her work explores the use of line and colour as tendrils of tension while embodying a sense of wonderment for the natural and industrial worlds. She challenges the notion of context, forcing the viewer to confront the abrupt beauty of life and death through the explosive movements in colour, line and depth. Choosing Nissa’s work (left) for “Modernism” brings back nostalgia and America’s “a fleur de peau” sensitivity. So present in Gatsby’s and Ernest Hemingway world and brought back in each stroke of her brush. The exuberance of the movement she masters so amazingly– are synonymous of the expression of freedom permeating the Roaring 20’s, even though the sense of restrain and delicate movements still permeates – in homage to the natural grace emanating from the old Chinese paintings – Nissa combines elegantly East and West – a perfect fit to my elegant surroundings. "My works are the result of feelings." Finally, choosing Alison’s work for my “Style Moderne” I am pushing the concept one step further – in the realm of pure emotion – In each painting is portrayed someone’s introspection and what looks like at first sightlines and circles combined with an acute sense of colour composition, is the depiction of someone mind’s journey. Subtly placed on the canvas – nothing is randomly drawn. What seems to just be beautiful geometrical perspectives, is in fact the recollections of a past and the artist’s infinite patience to bring out a unique sensibility. Alison Bignon’s work to me is the pure essence of Art Deco – what you see is not what is…Behind each mask we put on, exists a world that desires to be peeled and deciphered. Through her careful researches, an analysis that pierces the strongest of façades, a mirror to our soul, reflecting back the rawness of our feelings – and though we bravely put the pretence of a smile – behind it, the immense desire to be seen as we are. Combining her background and experience as a classically trained actor, director, and visual artist, Alison transcribes and creates the stories of her sitters using a range of media including videoed performance monologues, paintings, drawings and engravings. She describes this process as being similar to the work of an anthropologist that archives their research. Emotions form the central subject of Alison’s work, leaving one with an intricately detailed and complex composition that combines disparate elements to form a coherent and harmonic whole. Her paintings seep delicate strokes of colour – a spectrum of emotions, such as a painful wound that is difficult to heal and may scar over time. These markings of time – between past and present – are sewn together by the artist’s signature use of red thread, which acts as a subtle link between these intersections. Isabelle Miaja May 2020 FURNITURE, WALL COVERING, LIGHTING & ACCESSORIES CREDIT: Lighting: Lens By Bomma Lounge Chair: Tape - Nendo Design By Minotti Sofa: VOLO By Rolf Benz Coffee Table: Scoop By Stefano Belingardi Clusoni Side Table: Cosmos Outdoor By B&B Italia Rug: OSLO - Shaggy Collection By RUG'SOCIETY Wall Covering: Leonardo By Wall&Deco ARTWORKS CREDIT: Artwork (left): Bai Bing Bing's Post Modernism by Kim Xu 46 x 52 cm (unframed) - Limited Edition Print Price Available Upon Request. Artwork (right): Petite Suite dans Fil (2018) by Alison Bignon 28 x 42 cm (unframed) Ink, watercolours rotring Price Available Upon Request. Artwork (left): WÚ TÍ 32 (2016) by Nissa Kauppila 112 Diameter - Watercolour and Ink on Rice Paper Price Available Upon Request. Original Design by Isabelle Miaja. For more information about MIAJA Design Group, please visit: www.miajadesigngroup.com For more information about MA Collections, please visit: https://www.miajaartcollections.com/ #designinghomes #isabellemiaja #miajadesigngroup #modernism #artdeco #art #conceptualdesign #interiordesign #highendresidentialdesign #designsingapore #2020

Starting this series with my first project which I titled “Humania” inspired by Modern Minimalism was almost cathartic – We are living unprecedented times that pushed everyone to take refuge home with little or no distraction but the sound of our voice and the murmur of our thoughts – Faced with Isolation we are forced to reconsider our lifestyle and our priorities – which for many will be the start of a new internal birth, one that will change the course of their lives and for some the start of new dreams or bringing to life old ones, shelved by necessity or fears. Minimalism goes beyond design -It’s a practice of awareness and intention regarding your belongings, time, and energy. For many the phrase “Less is more” is a motto by which they live by, simplicity rules their lives. This expression first appeared in a poem by Robert Browning, Andrea del Sarto, in the year 1855. Yet do much less, so much less…Well, less is more, Lucrezia; I am judged. As a designer – I aim to create a space using this expression as a philosophy or inspiration to design things that are simple, yet beautiful. Another early user of the phrase was Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969), an architect who used it when referring to the desirability of less visual clutter in the building of homes. “Humania” is about monochromatic colours in a space that lets you breathe – I chose Cutie armchair from Munna Design for its clean lines but also for the long-haired fantasy fur – as the main piece of furniture combined with Michael Anastassiades chandelier helps to create the perfect minimalistic harmony. Art is an intrinsic part of my life and I feel that Navarra’s newest series of work, titled ‘Silent Cities” and the total absence of life in his Metaphysical Art increases this sensation of empty, magical silence. A dialogue between Design and Art that perfectly depicts the world we currently live in. People crave authenticity. Many are coming to realise that when you peel back the layers of superficiality you find that the simple authentic core is more beautiful and complex. That’s the goal- to find beauty and freedom in the world we live in. As a movement, the destination is clear- to simplify and become intentional through less and to quote the title of a book by Slyvia Boorstein, a meditation teacher: “Don't just do something, sit there!” “Humania” is my answer to Minimalist design – A space that lets you pause, reflect and let go…. Choosing “Wonderwall” by World Renowned Fine Art photographer David Yarrow – was to emphasise the sense of Freedom one finds surrounded by Nature – “​Iceland is so raw, so geologically angry and so unique that a visiting artist is truly tested to do it justice” recounts David Yarrow when in Skogafoss during his shooting – The pure magic David draws out photographing a Waterfall and a horse in such a wild surrounding is still palpable when looking at his work on our wall – you could almost hear the thunder of the water and the powerful yet elegant stride of the horse coming at you and it’s a pure emotional moment – set in our Minimalist Design – it is the pure expression of Feeling – “You don’t take a photograph. You ask quietly to borrow it.” It is indeed what Minimalism is about – it changes the game by changing the expectation. Isabelle Miaja May 2020 FURNITURE, WALL COVERING, LIGHTING & ACCESSORIES CREDIT: Mobile Chandelier 9 By Michael Anastassiades Chair: Cutie Armchair By Munna Side Table: Helene Coffee Table By Mambo Unlimited Ideas Wall Covering: Vinyl 2002 By Wall&Deco ARTWORKS CREDIT: Artwork (left): Wonderwall – Iceland (2018) by David Yarrow 170 x 127 cm - Archival Pigment Print Price Available Upon Request. Artwork (right): Il Grifone con altri cinque trainava il cocchio di GIOVE,….poi un giorno Si perse…guinse a una Citta…ma nessuno poteva auitarlo … era Vuota… era “LA CITTA DEL SILENZIO” POST METAFISICA “SILENT CITIES" by Sebastiano Navarra 34×46 cm – Acrylic on paper Price Available Upon Request. Artwork (left): La NINFEA generava solo eroi…ma in quella Città …neppure loro servirono…. la Città era Vuota “LA CITTA DEL SILENZIO” POST METAFISICA “SILENT CITIES" by Sebastiano Navarra 34×46 cm – Acrylic on paper Price Available Upon Request. Original Design by Isabelle Miaja. For more information about MIAJA Design Group, please visit: www.miajadesigngroup.com For more information about MA Collections, please visit: https://www.miajaartcollections.com/ #designinghomes #isabellemiaja #miajadesigngroup #minimalism #art #conceptualdesign #interiordesign #highendresidentialdesign #designsingapore #2020

Ozen draws its inspiration from its Natural surroundings and takes from Nature its colour tonalities. Blending sea, sand and earth, its aspiration is to levitate and transcend expectations, without changing the essence of the beauty that makes this island a true Maldivian experience. Ozen Resort was designed with what is natural in mind - a constant awareness of nature's inherent beauty offering timeless appeal in the details and the overall impact of the property. This is best felt with the Guest Villas of the resort, of which there are two kinds, each aiming to respond to a different facet of nature. Villas by the beachside are aptly called Earth Villas, as they are reminiscent of innocent childhood memories of being in the beach, with the sand under your feet. Colours are warm, familiar. Furnishings are comfortably proportioned, and accented with details such as mother of pearl and bamboo. Villas above water are called Wind Villas as they recall the feeling of the breeze in your hair; colours are cool and shapes are fluid to invoke dreaminess and serenity. The bedhead features fish sculptures floating above you against a wallcovering recalling the Maldivian seas. Elevating dining to a complete sensory experience, each restaurant in the property is designed to have an individual theme. The Palm Bay All Day Dining Restaurant is soulful with trees enveloping dining nooks, and patterns on the floor and walls echoing plant life and flora. Traditions Restaurant has a dual identity, with the interior space divided into Peking (Chinese) and Indo-Ceylon (Indian); each half features shared architectural shapes and interior furnishings, but with cultural elements portrayed corresponding on each half's flavours. Joie de Vivre overlooks the resort's Main Pool - spread over a wide expanse of water and colour, the features are vibrant, setting an upbeat motif for relaxed gatherings. On its own island is the Underwater Restaurant and Bar. It is designed to be a destination on its own, with chic details evoking modernity and exclusivity. The property’s spa complex, called Elena by Atmosphere, features a juice bar with comfortably allocated furnishings. One is then led to one of the treatment rooms where one is meant to feel ensconced in luxury and warmth. Finally, for the highly discerning guest, one may opt to stay at the Ocean Villa which stands on an island of its own. In here, the feeling of luxury is made palpable with the scale of the space and the carefully curated furnishings. Enhancing the whole Resort, a carefully curated Art collection was specially defined to suit each and every space. Working with re known artists from Europe and Asia, Ozen stands to become a haven for discerning clients who are both aware of the simplicity that is implicit when it comes to luxury and the natural beauty that has been infused in each step of the design. Ozen…scintillating Natural Nature… Article by: Julian Miaja