Latest news with #Brutalist-inspired
Tatler Asia
5 days ago
- Business
- Tatler Asia
Co-founder of Bell & Ross Carlos Rosillo on the brand reaching the 20-year milestone with its iconic luxury square watch
Photo 1 of 3 Bell & Ross BR-03 Skeleton Black Ceramic Photo 2 of 3 Bell & Ross BR-03 Skeleton Grey Steel Photo 3 of 3 Bell & Ross BR-03 Skeleton Lum Ceramic The BR-03 Skeleton Black Ceramic comes in a full ceramic case with baignoire-style indexes and numerals, as well as skeletonised hands. These indicators are coated in Super-Luminova that glows a surreal green in low-light conditions. The BR-03 Skeleton Grey Steel features polished and satin-finished surfaces with faceted indexes for a striking Brutalist-inspired sculptural look. Described as the more luxurious version of the skeleton series, it is limited to 250 pieces. If the Grey Steel is luxury, the BR-03 Skeleton Lum Ceramic is sci-fi sleek, also limited to 250 pieces. The black ceramic is paired with a black dial highlighted with neon-like luminescent SLN C3 and placed on a translucent smoked plate for a tinted effect. The green outline illuminates the outline of the cutouts, evoking the appearance of a glowing car grille. Read more: Why the new Tissot PRC 100 Solar deserves your attention Above After 20 years, Carlos Rosillo is still surprised that the Bell & Ross 'circle within a square' case shape has become so iconic We caught up with Carlos Rosillo, co-founder and CEO of Bell & Ross, on arriving at this significant milestone. Congratulations on 20 years. Did you imagine the brand would grow to this point when you started? The last 20 years for Bell & Ross have been bold in terms of creation, taking risks and innovating. I didn't expect the square watch would become so popular. It was a watch from the cockpit (instrument)—a watch that made a statement. And today, it is an icon. Take us back to the beginning. How insane was it to launch a luxury sport watch in a square shape? It was absolutely insane! But I asked, how could we differentiate ourselves in the competitive market? What would make us different? We were—and still are—influenced by the airplane, by its cockpit. So Bruno (Belamich, co-founder and creative director) took up the challenge to design a watch that corresponded to the cockpit instrument. It was simple, straightforward, no superfluous details. And since then, he was able to regenerate, innovate and come up with something that always surprises every year. Just look at the new BR-03 Astro—timekeeping is indicated with the help of a satellite. It's weird but you could tell it's a Bell & Ross by its case shape. Above The BR-03 Astro features an astronomical display of the Earth, Sun, and Moon on the dial How does Bell & Ross keep this spirit of boldness? Bold, to us, is the ability to be creative without fear. It's having the capacity to be different and defy expectations. I'd go as far as to say that the Bell & Ross square shape is a classic. Why do you think it has endured? Probably because it's a very simple design. It's a combination of two strong shapes—the square and the circle. Do you often have conversations with Bruno about design? Bruno is a talented designer—he knows how to be consistent but also always be surprising. We have a product meeting every week where we discuss how to innovate by combining different aspects such as design, engineering, manufacturing, and professional use. What is your favourite moment from the last 20 years? It's a difficult question to answer because I've had many important moments. I remember the first reaction [to our square watch] from a Japanese collector who told us we had made a big creative jump. There have been many more memorable moments after that, but I will never ever forget that first reaction because it was a big surprise.
CairoScene
16-03-2025
- Business
- CairoScene
Sir David Chipperfield Brings His Architectural Rigor to Dubai
Sir David Chipperfield Brings His Architectural Rigor to Dubai In the ever-evolving architectural landscape of Dubai, where ambition meets spectacle, Sir David Chipperfield - the 2023 Pritzker Prize Laureate - brings his signature restraint and meticulous rigour to the city's Canal District. Park Lamar, a 160,000-square-metre development by Lamar Development balances exclusivity with accessibility, private sanctuaries with dynamic public realms. Slated for completion in 2028, the project unfolds as a composition of five buildings, integrating nearly 200 residences with a carefully curated mix of boutiques, a 72-room boutique hotel, restaurants, cultural spaces and offices. At its heart, three floors of amenities - including pools, spas and fitness spaces - cater to a spectrum of lifestyles. Chipperfield's architectural language at Park Lamar is a study in measured elegance. The design echoes the rhythmic clarity of his earlier Brutalist-inspired works, yet here, softened by a palette of natural materials, it leans into a more contemporary sensibility. The façade, defined by a strict modularity and stepped volumes, establishes a quiet dialogue between form and function, structure and experience. Perhaps its most striking gesture, however, is its seamless connection to Safa Park, Dubai's largest urban green space. The development's gardens act as a natural extension of this 64-hectare oasis, while generous atriums, landscaped terraces, and pedestrian promenades carve out intimate, walkable micro-neighbourhoods. The result is an architecture that resists the impulse to separate - blurring the boundaries between indoor and outdoor, private and public. Photography Credit: David Chipperfield
