During the eighties he renovated the private apartments of French President François Mitterrand in the Elysee Palace. He has also been responsible for recovering spaces that originally served a different purpose, such as the charming Teatriz restaurant in Madrid.
In Rio de Janeiro he was highly praised for his design of the Fasamo Hotel, where the combination of wood, glass and marble as the basic design materials makes for an elegant and sophisticated atmosphere on the waterfront.
In France, the hotel La Co(o)rniche near Bordeaux is specially remarkable.
In the United States he has decorated the interiors of the Royalton Hotel in New York. His most famous work is Hudson New York, where he adopted such an eclectic style that the visitor can arrive to a totally futuristic place and later move around to spaces with Asian flair or inspired in the classical canons of interior design.
Another of Philippe Starck’s creations is the Delano Hotel, in the heart of South Beach in Miami. There, he combined a collection of furnishings and art from all over the world, including works by prestigious artists such as Gaudi, Man Ray, Charles and Ray Eames, Dali and Mark Newson. His palette here is mainly white, emphasizing the bright light that characterizes the Tropics. This hotel has been under renovation and just reopened in August, 2012. The SLS Hotel, also in South Beach, announces as one of their main attractions its Philippe Starck design.
The new hotel chains compete in technology, but also in the sophistication of their design. ■
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. What is Philippe Starck’s style?
A. Philippe Starck, (born January 18, 1949, Paris, France), French designer known for his wide range of designs, including everything from interior design to household objects to boats too watches. He has also worked as an architect.
Q. What materials does Philippe Starck use?
A. Starck likes to use interesting or unusual combinations of materials such as glass with stone, plastic with aluminium, velvet fabric with chrome. He sometimes designs items which have a traditional shape but are made of modern materials.