We’re down to the final four! Haute Time Madness, the voter-driven contest where the top timepieces in haute horlogerie compete against each other to determine the hautest watch of 2013, is on to the Semi-Finals. Voters have until tomorrow, June 12, to determine the final two watches that will face off to win Timepiece Madness! The Finals will take place June 15-19.

In each bracket, two watches face off, and the watch with the most votes moves on to the next round. From 64 watches down to only four, the competition is getting serious! The pieces that are facing off during the Semi-Finals of the tournament-style Time Madness competition are:

Blancpain Tourbillon Carrousel
VS
Girard-Perregaux Constant Escapement

HYT H2
VS
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Titanium Grande Complication

To vote for your favorite watch and make sure it stays in the competition, visit Timepiece Madness 2013.

The post Vote Now! Blancpain, Girard-Perregaux, HYT and Audemars Piguet Face Off In Time Madness Semi-Finals appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

In each bracket, two watches face off, and the watch with the most votes moves on to the next round. From 64 watches down to only four, the competition is getting serious! The pieces that are facing off during the Semi-Finals of the tournament-style Time Madness competition are:

Blancpain Tourbillon Carrousel
VS
Girard-Perregaux Constant Escapement

HYT H2
VS
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Titanium Grande Complication

To vote for your favorite watch and make sure it stays in the competition, visit Timepiece Madness 2013.

The post Vote Now! Blancpain, Girard-Perregaux, HYT and Audemars Piguet Face Off In Time Madness Semi-Finals appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Haute Time is proud to announce the kick-off of Timepiece Madness 2013, a voter-driven contest where the top timepieces in haute horlogerie compete against each other to determine the hautest watch of 2013. The contest kicks off tonight, May 15, with the first three elimination rounds taking place from May 15-18. The competition really heats up with the Quarter-Finals (May 20), the Semi-Finals (May 22), and the Finals (May 24).

Haute Time managing editor Seth Semilof said “I myself am a huge watch enthusiast, and wanted to share the incredible watches I discovered at SIHH and BaselWorld this year with our readers. So we selected our 64 favorite new pieces from this year, and we’re going to let our readers fight it out to have their favorite piece selected as the best new watch,” Semilof explained. “I’m very excited to see which watch our readers pick. I have a few favorites of my own, so I’ll be keeping a close eye on the competition!”

Last year the Audemars Piguet Extra Thin Royal Oak Limited Edition took home the title. This year, all the top brands, from Patek Philippe to Richard Mille, TAG Heuer, Breguet, Chopard and more, will go toe-to-toe in our tournament-style competition. In each bracket, two watches will face off, and the watch with the most votes will move on to the next round.

“After the huge success of the debut of Timepiece Madness last year, we were very excited to launch this year’s competition. Haute Time makes reading about watches fun, and since most of our readers are avid watch collectors, they’re very passionate about voting for their favorite pieces,” Haute Living co-publisher Kamal Hotchandani said. “The competition also provides a great platform for haute horlogerie brands to get worldwide exposure.”

To vote for your favorite watch and to follow the fierce competition, visit Timepiece Madness 2013 now!

The post Haute Time Kicks Off Second Annual Timepiece Madness Competition appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Time Is Money
In our cover story Tony Robbins, the greatest life and business strategist the world, shares his incredible rags to riches story, tales from his celebrity clients, and a look at his personal watch collection. Click here to read

Carmelo Anthony’s Watch of the Day
Haute Time Co-Founder and NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony picks the best new watches from SIHH from his Watch of the Day feature.  Click here to read

Chef Time
The hottest chefs and restaurateurs in the world, including Thomas Keller, Michael Chow, Daniel Boulud, Eric Ripert and Daniel Humm, share their personal watch stories. Click here to read

Game Changers
Haute Time sat down with Thierry Stern, the President of Patek Philippe, to get the scoop on how the most prestigious watch brand is taking Swiss quality global. Click here to read

The Collectibles
Haute Time picks the best new “holy grail” timepieces, watches so outstanding you’d trade your entire collection for that one special piece. Click here to read

Power Watch
From President Obama to Vladimir Putin, we study the pieces worn by world leaders. Click here to read

Fashion Spreads
A look at the best new complicated watches and the most dazzling diamond timepieces. Click to read

The post Read the First Ever Issue of HAUTE TIME Featuring Tony Robbins appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Time Is Money
In our cover story Tony Robbins, the greatest life and business strategist the world, shares his incredible rags to riches story, tales from his celebrity clients, and a look at his personal watch collection. Click here to read

Carmelo Anthony’s Watch of the Day
Haute Time Co-Founder and NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony picks the best new watches from SIHH from his Watch of the Day feature.  Click here to read

Chef Time
The hottest chefs and restaurateurs in the world, including Thomas Keller, Michael Chow, Daniel Boulud, Eric Ripert and Daniel Humm, share their personal watch stories. Click here to read

Game Changers
Haute Time sat down with Thierry Stern, the President of Patek Philippe, to get the scoop on how the most prestigious watch brand is taking Swiss quality global. Click here to read

The Collectibles
Haute Time picks the best new “holy grail” timepieces, watches so outstanding you’d trade your entire collection for that one special piece. Click here to read

Power Watch
From President Obama to Vladimir Putin, we study the pieces worn by world leaders. Click here to read

Fashion Spreads
A look at the best new complicated watches and the most dazzling diamond timepieces. Click to read

The post Read the First Ever Issue of HAUTE TIME Featuring Tony Robbins appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

The 11,000 square foot property, has an open floor plan, with a main home that features cathedral-vaulted and beamed ceilings throughout, meaning incredible views of the canyon everywhere from the living room to the great room, family room and master bedroom. The Spanish clay tile covered home also features a spa and pool in the main home. A 60 foot atrium connects the main home to the guest house.

The Twin Oak Ranch sits atop a 465 acre spread, with 200 acres of vineyard potential, a state of the art equestrian barn and pool.

Leslie Hauck Lunsman has the listing.

The post Santa Barbara’s Twin Oak Ranch Lists for $22,350,000 appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

One of the most respected names in the interior design world is teaming up with J Nelson to celebrate their 12th anniversary. Nancy Corzine, whose luxurious textiles and elegant home furnishings have been celebrated in publications like House Beautiful and House & Garden, will join J Nelson on Thursday, February 21st at 2pm for a lecture and presentation during South Florida Design Park's Winter Market.

Ms. Corzine will be signing copies of her newest publication from Rizzoli, Nancy Corzine Glamour at Home. A design primer for an industry leader, Glamour at Home captures the elegant, sophisticated world of Hollywood glamour. The book is a must-see, showing how to work with luxurious items like mirrored vanities, silk-covered chaise lounges, and lacquered chinoiserie armoires. Corzine shows how homes anywhere - from urban and rural to coastal - and doles out expert advice on making each room perfect, from the choice or furniture and textile to tips on enlivening a space.

For more information, please visit the J Nelson website or Nancy Corzine's website. 

The post Nancy Corzine To Join J Nelson at 12th Anniversary Celebration appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

A classic townhouse re-imagined as a modern masterpiece, this 7,000 square foot property stretches from the English basement to a stunning roof deck. The interior features a grand spiral staircase, a dramatic marble fireplace, a chef's kitchen, breakfast room, dining room, library, personal gym, and drawing room. The fifth floor master suite has natural light streaming in through skylights, with en-suite bath and walk-in closet. Custom lighting and audio feature throughout. Outdoors, a landscaped garden provides treetop views from the terraces and roof deck.

Noble Black at Corcoran has the listing.

The post $18,900,000 Greenwich Village Townhouse Spans Five Floors appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Visitors enter through the grand atrium, which serves as a 2-storey arboretum with gardens, a fish pond and vaulted glass ceilings. The main floor also includes a music room, work room, study, office and guest suite. The great room boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, marble floors, a fireplace and French doors. On the second floor is a family room, with access to a large terrace. The master bedroom comes complete with sitting room and his & hers dressing rooms.

Elise Kalles at Harvey Kalles Real Estate has the listing.

The post Estate in Toronto’s Tony Bridle Path Neighborhood Lists for $26,800,000 appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Pine Cottage, built in 1901, is an historic property, which the manager of the prestigious nearby Prince Henry Hospital once called home. The home has undergone careful renovations to enhance period features like the home's marble and cast iron fireplaces, pressed metal walls and ceilings, decorative bi-fold windows and French doors, original New Zealand Kauri pine floorboards and the ornate coving decorating the vaulted 11 foot ceilings. This five bedroom home simultaneously incorporates the newest modern conveniences, with an addition by award winning architect Glenn McCormack of Benson McCormack Architects. Bridging the original building and the new addition is a glass-encased walkway which leads to a 12 meter outdoor heated swimming pool, where you can sit back and take in panoramic views of the ocean from the heated hydro-therapy jacuzzi. Vaulted ceilings in the addition reach 18 feet, with floor-to-ceiling glass panels that open completely, sliding aside to create a unique in indoor/outdoor living space.

The master bedroom features a walk-in dressing area and en-suite bathroom with free-standing Victoria+Albert bathtub and a separate wet room with over sized Grohe rain-head shower, double vanity and separate toilet. A LeGrand Arteor Smart home technology system integrates control of the entertainment, sound, lighting, blinds, climate control and security systems from touch screen panels throughout the home or by iPad, phone and smart device. A Chef's kitchen features Gaggenau, Liebherr and Asko appliances, with solid granite bench tops and a freestanding mahogany breakfast bar. A fully equipped home theatre, wine cellar, home gym and five-car garage finish off the listing.

For those looking to get away from it all - all except the golf, that is - this is the perfect destination. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Pine Cottage lets onto the fairways of The Coast golf club, a course often compared to the famous 18th hole at St Andrews, Scotland.

Marshall Mullen of Echelon Estates has the listing.

The post A Unique Historical Property in Sydney’s Gorgeous Eastern Suburbs appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

From the deck off the living room or from the property's private gardens, you can take in views of the nearby golf course, the waters of Little Bay and the Pacific Ocean beyond. Located on 792 sqm of coastal land, with a 42-meter frontage, this is a true architectural masterpiece sitting amidst gorgeous National Parks lands. The 590 sqm home features limestone, contrasting ironwood cladding, stainless steel, glass balustrades, bronze light fittings and bespoke Schuster double glazed floor-to-ceiling glass panels.

Through the solid mahogany door, you enter the home's 20 foot atrium with marble underfoot and a handmade Italian glass chandelier overhead, while a grand timber staircase with glass landing sets the scene. The kitchen features Gaggenau appliances, induction cooktops, an integrated Liebherr fridge freezer and stone Italia benchtops. If you're looking to host guests outdoors, you can use the commercial grade Capital barbecue system with overhead range hood located on the terrace. There are two living rooms, including one with a professionally engineered, fully equipped and sound proofed home theatre room, with state-of-the-art surround sound and special effects lighting.  Villeroy & Boch and Grohe tapware are featured in the bathrooms throughout, with solid timber cabinets. Finally, a garage with a car stacker means there's room to park up to four cars. Finally, a CBUS smart home technology system controls everything from the venetian blinds to the air conditioning, with individual temperature settings in each and every room.

Marshall Mullen of Echelon Estates has the listing.

The post Combining Lifestyle With Luxury Down Under at Glenn McCormack’s Lumière appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

According to a recent report by the Orange County Register, Southern Californian and national real estate agents have seen a “marked increase this year in foreign homebuyers shopping for bargains as the housing market bottomed out.” Agent Kim Chang noted there are numerous meetings with foreign clients who travel to Southern California for a quick “home buying spree”.

The report indicates that many of the Chinese and Asian buyers are paying all cash and buying homes as investment properties, vacation homes, retirement homes or a as a residence for children studying at local schools and universities. The Orange County Register says, “foreign buyers spent an estimated $82.4 billion on U.S. homes in the 12 months ending in March” and according to the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) most recent survey, that is “up 24% from $66.4 billion the year before.”

Nearly 5% of all U.S. home sales are attributed to foreign buyers, which includes Chinese and Asian buyers but also Canadians who continue to purchase winter homes in warmer U.S. states like Arizona and Florida and Mexicans who invest in South Florida and Texas. In California alone, the NAR reports, “that foreign buyers accounted for 11% of California home sales”. In Orange County and Southern California specifically, overseas buyers are scooping up properties in a significantly higher proportion to the statewide average.

Broker and owner of Spectrum Realty in Irvine, Cayenne Kuang, told The Orange County Register, “I think they’ll keep coming as long as the Chinese government allows them to wire the money out because people there have so much money.”

Jacqueline Thompson of Surterre Properties, added, “I think the Chinese realized the urgency to buy up homes in the U.S. because they see that prices will increase. They’re beginning to realize the U.S. is a safe haven to pack their money in real estate.”

Image courtesy Forbes.

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Built in November of 2012, this 2.1 acre property has incredible views of the surrounding mountains from the floor-to-ceiling windows throughout. Built with dovetailed log and stone, the 4211 square foot home boasts features like cathedral ceilings, a waterfall and a large outdoor patio. The interior is all on one level, with master and guest wings on opposite ends of the home. A gas fireplace with a handcrafted limestone mantle is viewed from both the living room and dining room. The kitchen and bathrooms feature onyx and granite counters. In addition to the main house, the property also boasts a two-bedroom guest house.

Carol Linton with the Jackson Hole Real Estate Associates (an affiliate of Christie's International Real Estate) has the listing.

The post Explore the Grand Tetons From Scenic $7.5 Million Jackson Hole Estate appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

The villa, which is located on a 0.611 acre property, is listed for € 9,000,000 (approximately $11,646,900 US). This location, which offers panorama views of the sunset, was designed by Olivier Dain. A modern-looking villa has a bright and open feel, with a natural flow from the living room to the dining room and open-plan kitchen. Our favorite highlight? The infinity pool on the terrace, which looks out over the surrounding islets of St Barts.

Christian Wittau of Sibarth Real Estate has the listing.

Photo and video courtesy Sibarth Real Estate. 

The post Haute Residence Goes Digital! Tour the $12 Million Villa Six in Saint Barth appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Zinc chose twelve of Gruau's most iconic images to headline their January 2013 fashion-inspired 'Runway' collection. The launch of the collection during Art Basel coincides with the release of a major new book by Assouline called "Gruau: Portraits of Men", as well as an exhibition of René Gruau's works at the Pampaloni Gallery.

For those who can't wait for the release of the Zinc collection, the exhibition at Pampaloni should sate the appetite; either check out the collection (which debuts December 3) or attend the unveiling cocktail reception at the Pampaloni Gallery on Thursday December 6th from 6:30-9:30pm. Guests at the unveiling will get a sneak preview of the fascinating collaboration between Zinc and Gruau's famed works.

To RSVP for the Pampaloni exhibition cocktail reception, please contact marketing@romousa.com. The René Gruau exhibition at the Pampaloni Gallery will run from December 3rd. The gallery is located at 91 NE 40th Street, Miami, FL 33137. For more information please call (305) 695-9370 or visit their website. The 'Runway' collection launches at Art Basel from 6-9 December; for more information, please visit the Zinc website.

The post Zinc’s René Gruau Runway Collection to Debut at Art Basel appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

For those less inclined to hit the slopes, the Yellowstone Club's facilities are right nearby; the Rain Lodge, Warren Miller Lodge and Timberline Cafe all cater to this exclusive private neighborhood. There's also a full-service day spa and shopping to be found. No matter what activity you choose, skiing or shopping, the mansion's roaring fireplaces, billiards room, bar and infinity hot tub are sure to please. There's even a luxury take on a locker room, with designated spots for each person's ski or snowboard equipment and a bench of suiting up.

This stunning property, which is listed by Winter & Company, will go up for sale by auction on February 18, 2013.

Source courtesy Curbed.

The post Big Sky: Yellowstone Club Mansion Hits the Market for $28 Million appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

The world has taken notice; Istanbul is asserting itself. As in many cities where unrest or discontent simmers, there is conversely a blossoming creative underbelly. Visitors need look no further than Orhan Pamuk’s book The Museum of Innocence. Pamuk is easily Turkey’s greatest modern literally export. His book and museum of the same name were conceived simultaneously, a work so dense and meticulous it echoes the rich creative tapestry that defines Turkish society. But this is just the beginning; to get a true understanding one must take in the broader artistic landscape.

That's exactly what the organizers of the first-ever Istanbul Design Biennial hope to do, exhibiting varied works which introduce viewers to the “messy reality of everyday life.” As part of the Biennial, exhibits have popped up all across Istanbul's city center, including notable installations like Musibet at the Istanbul Modern Museum and Adhocracy at the Galata Greek School. Both projects shed light on the rapidly transforming urban, social, and cultural conditions that define the city while giving viewers a rare opportunity to explore the very spaces in question.

Traveling around the city, one realizes that Istanbul exhibits a craftsmanship which no longer exists within Western culture. Digging through treasures in the bazaars or sipping fresh pomegranite juice while weaving through the hilly roads; stumbling across a woodworking shop where father and son still work side-by-side; discovering unique lighting shops with prices so cheap that customs and shipping charges suddenly seem reasonable...

Luckily, the Biennial's organizers grasped early on that in order to truly appreciate Istanbul, replete with both beauty and imperfections, you must explore its borders. Eight different Design Walks have been organized, each with a unique theme, ranging from an exploration of different designers (from fashion to landscaping) to historical neighborhoods, temples, architecture, and of course the Grand Bazaar.

Whether you make it to Istanbul during the Biennial or later, our highlights from the Design Walks shouldn’t be missed on your next visit to this incredible destination.

• For women’s fashion: Bahar Korçan

Serdar-i Ekrem Caddesi, Seraskerci Sok. 5, Galata, Istanbul, 0 (212) 243-7320

• For handmade wooden furniture: Stoa

Hayriye Caddesi No. 18/1, Istanbul, 0 (212) 251-4098

• For one-of-a-kind tiles and ceramics: Sadullah Cekmece

Hacımimi Mah. Serdar-ı Ekrem Sk. No:38/1 Galata, İstanbul, 0 (212) 293-3661

• For modern lighting: Hüseyin Turgut 

Hacı Mimi Mah, Ali Hoca Sokak, No:20 / C, Beyoğlu, Istanbul, 0 (212) 245-7826

The Istanbul Design Biennal runs until December 12, 2012. For more information, please visit the exhibit's website. 

The post Haute Living Reports From Istanbul: A Modern Design Mecca appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

We can already image the hours we would spend in the tub, reading every book in this refined bathroom.

The chic, minimal decor of this bathroom has us in a zen-like state already.

A beautiful alternative to the standard ceramic, this cedar-lined bathroom looks perfectly natural.

Why soak when you can swim? The oversized tub in this marble-clad bathroom looks fit for royalty.

 For more photos or to read the whole post, please visit Home Adore. Source and photos courtesy Home Adore, with additional photo courtesy Trendszine. 

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The inaugural DesignLives forum will be a conversation between Benjamin A Pardo, current EVP and design director at Knoll, and Jeffrey Osborne, the company's creative director. This dynamic duo will explore the history of this internationally recognized company, whose products are commemorated in the world's leading design museums (including more than 40 pieces in New York at the MoMA's permanent collection).

In a press release, Pardo explained; "[our products] combine a Modernist aesthetic with residential appeal and connect with a new generation seeking workplaces that are comfortable for everyday living. The perspective of our founders, Hans and Florence Knoll, who embraced the creative genius at the Cranbrook Academy of Art and the Bauhaus School, anchors our approach today.”

These thought-provoking conversations and exploration of the evolution of modern design will not only celebrate the accomplishment of the past but connect us to where we are going next.

DesignLives begins November 1st at the Luminaire Lab in Miami. Click to RSVP for the inaugural evening, or for more information visit the Luminaire or Knoll websites. Above, a classic advertisement for Knoll's Barcelona chair which debuted in 1929. Photo courtesy Eckhart. 

The post Luminaire + Knoll Celebrate the Past and Future of Design With New Forum appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

In addition to the sheer beauty of these pieces, their provenance is equally as attractive. Baldine employs a modern, sustainable approach to her designs, working with GoodWeave, a global nonprofit working to combat the endemic exploitation of child labor found in the production of so many rugs today.  Thanks to her partnership with the nonprofit, buyers can rest assured that no child was involved in the making of Baldine's rugs.

Below, the Haute Design Network team selected three of their favorite designs from Baldine's upcoming collection, each as beautiful as the next! To see more designs, go to http://annmariabaldine.com/

Images courtesy AnnMaria Baldine. All images copyright AnnMaria Baldine 2012.

The post HAUTE COVET: AnnMaria Baldine Rugs appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

It turns out many of the applications for their homes are similar to the technologies these geniuses develop at their own companies, in that prioritize ease-of-use, simplicity, and elegance. This inevitably poses a challenge, because existing home technology and controls systems aren't working in sync, but rather are scattered throughout the home.  Say you want music in the kitchen, living room, bedrooms, and next to the pool, but do you really need four or more audio systems? Coordinating the temperature or shades in each room throughout the house is equally as difficult. In the same way you want your smartphone to do everything in order to avoid carrying around a dozen or more devices, you would want your home technology to be equally as streamlined. Tech entrepreneurs have increasingly turned to a buzzed-about new company called Engineered Environments, a bay area firm that integrates any range of technologies and makes them accessible via iPad or iPhone.

Randy Stearns, the president of Engineered Environments, confided that “top executives from Google, Facebook, Zynga, Adobe, Twitter, Salesforce, Apple, and a large variety of tech startups come to us asking for better solutions. Solutions that make them feel like they are living in a 21^st century home. Some are small or simple automation systems or A/V distribution, but some are more complex custom solutions. For example, we had one client who was particularly interested in astronomy and wanted to view a live feed from his observatory in his living room, and we did it.”

Though the cost of these systems is highly variable depending on the size and complexity of the project, solutions can range from $2k-$150k, while a complete construction will range from $150k to $3 million+. As Bay area residents have discovered, the possibilities are endless. Residents are able to pull up a live video feed of their entryway to see who is at the door, or to hit a single button to extinguish all the lights and media in their home as they go to bed. Truly, Engineered Environments are bringing technology to a new level.

Haute Readers can receive a free consultation and system assessment. Visit Engineered Environments' website for more information or call 510-521-7500.

The post The High Tech Secret Behind the Homes of Silicon Valley’s Masterminds appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

One World Trade Center, previously known as Freedom Tower, is set to open in 2014 at the northwest corner of the plaza. The building is set to become one of the city’s most sought-after locations, with Conde Nast (publishers of Vogue and Vanity Fair among other titles) already signed on as tenants. One World Trade Center, already standing at 1,368 feet, will become the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere when its crowning spire is added. In total the building will reach a symbolic 1,776 feet, in reference to the year America won its independence.

Work on Two World Trade Center, located at the northeast corner of the plaza, has no set date for completion. The building will eventually reach 88 stories high, but until the building’s commercial spaces are bought up construction has focused on the other buildings. Three World Trade Center, set to open in 2015, will rise to 88 stories. Four World Trade Center, located at the southeast corner of the plaza, is set to open in 2013 and construction has already reached the full height of 977 feet.

In these stunning new photos from The Architect’s Newspaper, construction forges ahead. The view from work on the 103rd floor of One World Trade Center is a sneak peek at the incredible views which will greet guests to the observation decks planned on floors 100th, 101st and 102nd. Looking down from the top of the building, the memorial reflecting pools shine brightly. We will continue to monitor the completion of these buildings, which are such a poignant symbol of resilience and valor.

Photos courtesy The Architect’s Newspaper by photographer Tom Stoelker.

The post A Look at the Progress of Construction at the World Trade Center Plaza appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

One World Trade Center, previously known as Freedom Tower, is set to open in 2014 at the northwest corner of the plaza. The building is set to become one of the city’s most sought-after locations, with Conde Nast (publishers of Vogue and Vanity Fair among other titles) already signed on as tenants. One World Trade Center, already standing at 1,368 feet, will become the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere when its crowning spire is added. In total the building will reach a symbolic 1,776 feet, in reference to the year America won its independence.

Work on Two World Trade Center, located at the northeast corner of the plaza, has no set date for completion. The building will eventually reach 88 stories high, but until the building’s commercial spaces are bought up construction has focused on the other buildings. Three World Trade Center, set to open in 2015, will rise to 88 stories. Four World Trade Center, located at the southeast corner of the plaza, is set to open in 2013 and construction has already reached the full height of 977 feet.

In these stunning new photos from The Architect’s Newspaper, construction forges ahead. The view from work on the 103rd floor of One World Trade Center is a sneak peek at the incredible views which will greet guests to the observation decks planned on floors 100th, 101st and 102nd. Looking down from the top of the building, the memorial reflecting pools shine brightly. We will continue to monitor the completion of these buildings, which are such a poignant symbol of resilience and valor.

Photos courtesy The Architect’s Newspaper by photographer Tom Stoelker.

The post A Look at the Progress of Construction at the World Trade Center Plaza appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Knoll and Savoir will also host an auction event to benefit the Christopher Reeve Foundation in New York on November 15. The foundation was established in memory of the late actor Christopher Reeve, famous for his iconic role as Superman. The actor suffered a debilitating spinal cord injury, and dedicated his life to finding a cure for such injuries. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the auction will go to support the foundation.

Knoll Luxe creative director Dorothy Cosonas designed a special Swarovski-encrusted headboard for the bed that will be up for auction. Cosonas spoke to the personal meaning of the headboard’s motif, “Dream for the Sky”. “This project is personal. My 24 year-old daughter became paralyzed suddenly from a rare autoimmune disease. The Reeve Foundation is a place that creates hope.”

For information about the benefit or purchasing the exclusive collaboration beds, contact Knoll at 718-230-8032 or Savoir at 2 12-580-0835. For more information about the foundation visit www.christopherreeve.org.

The post Knoll and Savoir Collaborate for the Christopher Reeve Foundation appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Head designer Stuart Geller set out to create a boutique company which would specialize in delivering stylish yet functional homes which reflect his clients and their lives. Geller has a penchant for classic design and decor, shirking one-off trends in favor of enduring style. The company is full-service, meaning they can guide clients from the consultation through to renovation and decoration.

Uninspired spaces are transformed into inviting rooms which play up architectural significance through minute attention to detail, down to the impact of lighting from daytime to nighttime. This exclusive peek into the stunning work of Geller Design Group offers a taste of home.

Visit www.stuartgeller.com for more information or call +305 937 0111.

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The original Nest showroom became renowned for its carefully curated selection of ultra modern and chic decor among high-end clients. The inventory is personally selected by Colombo, who travels to Europe frequently, identifying pieces made with precious and natural materials, including leather, wood, silk, cashmere and exotic skins. The new showroom will offer the same exclusive picks, as well as custom services. Homeowners and interior designers alike are sure to make this new Miami Design District location another mecca for impeccable taste.

For more information visit www.nestcasa.com or call +1 305 672 9611.

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The company has no restrictions when it comes to design or pricing; at their studio outside Austin, Texas, their team of designers have extensive capabilities to fulfill your heart's desire. The bold color, texture and unique design of these pieces have us re-imagining our rooms from the ground up!

For more information visit www.kylebunting.com or call +1 512 264 1148.

The post Found: the Perfect Hide Rug by Kyle Bunting Design appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Scala Luxury’s shagreen furniture is made from the most exotic of materials: stingray skin. Throughout history, shagreen has been a highly sought-after material, renowned for its beauty and durability. The material was used by Japanese samurai to cover their sword handle, coveted for its unique, non-slippery texture. The material was also popularised among the French aristocracy after designer Jean-Claude Galluchat featured shagreen prominently in designs commissioned for King Louis XV. Use of the material has become more rare today, as a high degree of technical skill is required to process the stingray skin. Which makes these designs by Scale Luxury true collectors pieces!

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Tomás Saraceno was born in 1973 in the small town of San Miguel de Tucuman, in northern Argentina. Saraceno began his career as an architect, receiving formal training at the Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires. In 2001 he moved to Germany for postgraduate studies in the hybrid Art & Architecture program at the Academy of Fine Arts in Frankfurt. Saraceno received early acclaim for his innovative installations, including winning the Calder Prize and being named artist-in-residence at the International Space Studies Program of NASA. Below, Saraceno's concept sketch for Cloud City.

Saraceno’s works set out to establish a dialogue between people, objects and spaces. “Art is a space to imagine a possible future...it is a necessity to think about how we want to live. That’s something that we should try to pose, this question, much more often, because people are kind of lazy, right? It’s easy to let someone else think the future. It’s important to engage in the possibility of thinking [yourself]...”

Previous works such as Air-Port-City have expressed the artist’s fascination with futuristic living arrangements of cloud-like units which would float above cities. Cloud City is part of this ongoing conceptual fascination; it is a constellation of interconnected, reflective modules. The highly reflective surfaces of the units show the surrounding Manhattan skyline and Central Park below, creating an almost camouflage-like effect. Viewed from across the garden, it almost looks as if the installation really is floating above New York.

Cloud City will be on view from now until November 4 on the roof of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. For a hands-on experience of the installation, head to the museum early to snag one of the first-come first-served tickets which give you access to climb the structure. The museum is located at 1000 5th Avenue; for more information visit www.metmuseum.org.

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The company was even featured in an exhibit at New York’s Museum of Arts and Design. In honor of the exhibit, which highlighted nature in design, the company created a special piece titled Eight Thousand Miles of Home. The piece was a light sculpture constructed from more than twelve thousand silk cocoons assembled on a hand-soldered wire matrix. A celebration of nature’s strength, each cocoon measured nearly a third of a mile when laid flat, so that the whole sculpture would total eight thousand miles.

The company now has more than sixty models in demand all over the world, in addition to creating exclusive, large-scale one-of-a-kind installation pieces.

For more information, visit www.angoworld.com or call +66 2 873 0167.

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For more information on Baxter sofas, visit www.internum.com or call +1 305 576 1135.

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For more information on the made to order kids collection by Nitzan Home for Nitzan Design, visit www.nitzandesign.com or call +1 646 209 3246.

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Lewis began her career as an interior designer in the 1970s, but became frustrated when she was unable to find pieces with the style and quality she wanted. Lewis enlisted a small group of craftsmen to realize her own designs, and before long was  the first woman to open a showroom on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood. Lewis’ designs were a departure from the mass marketed goods of the 70s; she pioneered a fresh approach which came to be known as “California Design”. Pale tones and textures feature in a minimalist fashion, with a keen awareness of design’s relationship to existing architecture. Lewis also translated her appreciation of couture into her upholstery designs, featuring silks, chenilles, fine wools, and rich textural weaves.

With their commitment to luxury and high quality, J. Robert Scott has a longevity in the design world which will set them apart for years to come. Three of the company's most iconic pieces are featured in our exclusive gallery below.

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The year 2008 marked the first time in history that more than half of the world’s population lived in cities and towns rather than in the rural countryside. Though this incredible population shift passed us by with little remark, the design world has worked for years to adapt to our new urban environment, particularly with regards to the impact on children. The urbanization and industrialization of the 20th century wrought incredible change on society, both positive and negative; mass production, World War I, World War II, the boom years, the Cold War. Through it all, society began thinking about its children through design.

In 1900 Swedish design reformer and social theorist Ellen Key wrote her seminal treatise called Century of the Child, in which she predicted the change to come. The previous century had not been kind to children; industrialization in England, for example, exploited poor children as a cheap source of labor. Governments lacked even the most basic social security net for their youngest and most vulnerable. Goods and services virtually ignored the existence of children. Parents raised children to be neither seen nor heard.

At the turn of the 20th century, things began to change. New Art, an amalgam of the Arts and Crafts movement and Art Nouveau, merged with the Kindergarten movement to mandate a prescribed number of years wherein children could draw, dream, and learn, protected by law from demand for cheap labor. Designers encouraged this movement early on by creating spaces for children to play, such as Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s design for a toy cupboard pictured below.

The horrors of World War I, with its mechanized and systematized traumas, drove designers to contemplate how to save society from another such breakdown. Children, the “citizens of the future”, were seen as the answer. Creative environments were conceived in an effort to allow children to retain the innocence which designers hoped would better society. Toys, playgrounds and children’s books abounded, and mass production meant more children were afforded access to such designs, including the Skippy-Racer, pictured below.

Unfortunately, these hopeful ambitions for children to save the world were not enough to stave off the explosion of socio-political tensions which led to the outbreak of World War II. Suddenly, designers were being drafted to create military uniforms and propaganda showing children as the troops of the future. Even board games were designed to incorporate political messages and notions of victorious war. The game Gioco delle 3 oche pictured below was given to children in wartime Italy; it depicts enemies as silly geese ready for slaughter.

It was not until the dust had settled after World War II that designers revisited the possibility of design as an agent of change and political transcendence. Designers, manufacturers, educators and child psychologists created international coalitions to develop “good toys”. Safe, nonviolent toys re-imagined the place of children in post-war cities around the world. As schools went up all over the world, designers like Jean Prouvé responded with practical but elegant designs, such as the school desk pictured below.

As children’s spaces like schools and playgrounds grew to represent larger parts in the design of cities, the space of children in the commercial market grew as well. Major manufacturers grasped the significance of the untapped market represented by children, and began designing and marketing goods specifically for children. The tin toy Ford cars pictured below engendered lucrative feelings of brand loyalty. Retail consultant Paco Underhill remarked on the phenomenon, saying; “You no longer need to stay clear of the global marketplace just because you’re three-and-a-half feet tall, have no income to speak of and are not permitted to cross the street without Mom. You’re an economic force, now and in the future, and that’s what counts.”

Children now control a significant interest in the markets and design of prosperous cities. However, as we move forward we must embrace the capacity of design to help children where inequalities persist. Though there remains much work ahead, the designer Sugata Mitra has demonstrated how simple designs can effect change. Mitra’s Hole-in-the-Wall Learning Stations provide children in urban slums and rural locations with computer access through simple outdoor designs encasing PCs in durable materials. Children gather at these stations, taking turns playing and learning valuable skills to enrich their potential. We cannot predict the future, but we can try our best to design it.

Century of the Child: Growing by Design (1900-2000) will be on display at the MoMA until November 5. For more information, visit www.moma.org.

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