We name our 20 highly anticipated hotel openings of the year, a residential complex in Moscow gets a colorful facelift, and luxury travel takes a transformational direction in 2020. All this and more in this week’s Five.
20 hotels in 2020
From big brands entering new markets to sustainably focused properties, our most anticipated hotels in 2020 are all about immersive experiences that encourage guests to disconnect. In the year ahead, Six Senses and Aman will take their wellness-first ethos to Manhattan, while the Arctic Bath in Sweden and Kisawa Sanctuary in Mozambique will be eco-friendly alternatives for environmentally aware travelers. Click here to read the full list of properties ready to set a new standard in the decade to come.
Tania Franco Klein proceeds to the route
Siri, the faceless female guide for Apple’s operating system, inspired Mexico City-based photographer Tania Franco Klein’s Proceed to the Route exhibition. This was the phrase Siri repeated when Klein and her boyfriend lost internet connection during a road trip in the California desert. On view at the Rosegallery in Santa Monica, California through January 18th, Franco Klein’s series asks if it is possible to truly disconnect given the conditions of the digital age. Exploring the idea of hyper-connectivity through western microtowns, Klein’s work examines “ambiguous spaces, characters, and time, according to CNN. “My world is more psychological, emotional and intimate,” she told the news organization. “I’m not trying to create a story.”
A residential complex in Moscow receives a colorful facelift
Italian architecture firm Iosa Ghini Associati and Russian firm Mosproekt-3 injected a residential complex in Moscow with some much-needed vibrancy, writes Dezeen. Surrounding two expansive communal courtyards, the 47 high-rise buildings are wrapped in colorful layers and are meant “to counter the monotony in the suburbs.” In addition to adding a joyful and more human dimension to an otherwise ordinary group of buildings, the studio also handled the complex’s bold landscape design.
Fotografiska opens in New York
Fotografiska, the beloved Stockholm-based photography museum, has arrived in a Renaissance Revival-style former church mission house on Park Avenue South in Manhattan. Local firm CetraRuddy spearheaded the renovation of the six-story structure, which dates back to the 1890s, retaining the building’s cast iron steel structure and terracotta exterior. Another highlight of the space is signature restaurant Verōnika. Crafted by Roman and Williams, it serves as the social hub of the museum with a design that pays tribute to grand European cafés.
Where is luxury travel headed in 2020?
The travel landscape is changing in the New Year, according to Skift. Gen Z will be seeking out achievement travel, which aligns with experiences committed to social and environmental responsibility. Further, transformational travel will be a buzzword in 2020. Defined by the Transformational Travel Council as “intentionally traveling to stretch, learn, and grow into new ways of being and engaging with the world,” mindfulness and wellness-related travel will be top of mind. And for those seeking a more high-concept vacation, luxury travel advisory Brown + Hudson coined the term “meta travel,” which promotes self-referential experiences.
