MELBOURNE

MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE AND MTC THEATRE

The freshly completed Melbourne Recital Centre and the new building of the MTC theatre are two of the grandest Australian cultural projects of recent years. The two adjacent constructions have already gained the status of the new symbol of the city. Both were designed by ARM Architecture Urban Design Masterplanning with the objective of creating a building with a story: inspirational, imaginative, realistic, abstract and, at the same time, technological. The image of the MTC building seems to be inseparably blended together with its content - the theatre. Since most performances take place in the evening hours, the building is designed for its narrative to reach the culmination of its splendour and depth at night. The MTC is the oldest Australian professional theatre company, and the completion of the new building is also a significant fact in its history in that the company, previously housed in rented facilities, has finally acquired a home of its own. The new MTC building is equipped with an auditorium that seats 500, a number of spacious rehearsal and backstage rooms as well as a cafe and a bar. The building will be officially unveiled in January 2009.
The new Melbourne Recital Centre will open its door in February 2009 with a special opening festival, featuring, among other artists, Gidon Kremer and Kremerata Baltica (on 9 and 14 February) who will appear in the main 1000-seat auditorium. The new concert hall boasts excellent acoustics and a contemporary 21st century image, ideally suited for chamber music, jazz, World Music and New Music alike. The building also features a separate salon which seats 130 - for more intimate performances and experimental music.

Corener of Sturt Street and Southbank Boulevard

www.mtc.com.au
www.melbournerecital.com.au

12/2008

CAPE TOWN

THE GRAND DADDY

Long Street is the main artery of Cape Town and the main entertainment scene of the city as well, lively and vibrant all around the clock. Victorian time architecture and multitude of bars, restaurants and shops fuse together, crating unbelievably colorful mix of cultures. Recently opened and located on the same street, The Grand Daddy Hotel (a former Metropole Hotel) is a perfect lodging for those who wish to feel the pulse of the city. Housed in a historic building dating back to 1870, it boasts the oldest operating lift in South Africa, still preserved in its entire historic splendor. The Grand Daddy's 26 rooms feature contemporary minimalism in décor, spiced up with a touch of African style. The Daddy's most precious gem, however, is a trailer park penthouse - seven vintage American Airstream aluminum caravans, hoisted on top of its roof. They serve as true icons of their time, much admired by Jack Nicholson and Sean Penn as well. Varying in size, each trailer is decorated by a different local artist. No doubt, it's one of the funkiest lodging of Cape Town now. The entire city glitters at your feet and its symbol - Table Mountain, seems just a stone's throw away. The Grand Daddy is the third project by the same owners. Sited on the same street is also Daddy Long Legs, which has been featured in numerous style magazines already. Each room of this trendy low cost lodging is a unique artwork, developed by a different author - a musician, a graffiti artist, a photographer and a poet being among them. Located nearby are Daddy Long Legs self-catering apartments. The only flaw of The Grand Daddy seems to be its café and restaurant that test your patience with a snail-slow service. Unlike many more places in Cape Town, it is definitely not the best spot for a good breakfast.

38 Long Street
Cape Town
South Africa
www.daddylonglegs.co.za

11/2008

TORONTO

ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO

On 14 November, after four years worth of reconstruction work, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is opening the door to reveal its new image - incredibly the first ever project by the starchitect Frank Gehry in his native Canada. The number of rooms in the building has now almost doubled to the impressive number of 110. For the first time AGO will present the whole 2000-piece strong Ken Thomson Collection donated in 2002 and famous as the largest philanthropic gift in the history of Canada; the pride of the collection is Rubens's Massacre of the Innocents. The sculptural staircase linking the historical part of the building - Walker Court - with the contemporary art wing belongs among the most vivid trademarks of Gehry's architecture. The new South Wing of the museum - a four-storey glass and titanium construction - houses a centre for contemporary art and rooms for young artists, a restaurant, café and a store. The historic wing of the gallery now also boasts a new glass roof.
The Art Gallery of Ontario has a 108-year long history and its permanent collection amounts to over 68 000 pieces. The pride of AGO is its impressive collection of Canadian art; the permanent exhibition also includes works by 17th century Dutch masters, 17th-18th century Italian artists and 19th century classicists, as well as an extensive collection of contemporary art.

317 Dundas Street West
Toronto Ontario Canada

DOHA

MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART

On 22 November Doha, the capital of Qatar, will see its new Museum of Islamic Art open the door to the public. The building was designed by the world-renowned 91-year old Chinese-born American architect I.M.Pei whose list of past projects includes the famous glass pyramid of the Louvre, the Raffles City Complex in Singapore and the new wing of the Suzhou Museum in China. The architect devoted a lot of time to Islamic studies during his work on the project and cites the Mosque of Ibn Tulun in Egypt and the Alhambra complex in Granada as major influences.
The building, unobscured by other structures, is located on an artificial island some 60 metres from mainland Doha and can be reached via a special pedestrian bridge. It has already been labelled the new symbol of Qatar and predicted to bring Doha the benefits of the so-called "Bilbao effect". The carcass of the façade is comprised of giant limestone cubes and Arab-style windows; indoors the enormous atrium is lit by a glass wall with a sea-view.
The permanent exhibition of the new museum will feature examples of Islamic art dated from the 8th-19th centuries: ancient manuscripts, ceramics, textiles, metallic objects, etc. An ambitious five-year series of exhibitions is planned in association with the British Museum, the New York Metropolitan Museum, Louvre, the Royal Collection of Morocco, Egyptian Museum of Islamic Art and the Paris Cartier Foundation. The opening exhibition - Beyond Boundaries: Islamic Art Across Cultures - will comprise works of art created in 25 countries; each of the countries - including the USA, Italy, India and Syria - will be represented with a single item.

www.mia.org.qa

11/2008

SINGAPORE

THE WHITE RABBIT

The White Rabbit is one of the brightest newcomers on the current Singapore restaurant scene. Much favored by locals, it is sited in an old, yet recently renovated chapel. Historic architectural elements perfectly fuse with contemporary design there. Large, spacious room, overflowing with sunlight, still features authentic floor tiles and beautiful stained glass windows. Classic European style cuisine in performance of Daniel Sia, a present-day star chef of Singapore, is very good.

39C Harding Road
Phone: 64739965
www.thewhiterabbit.com.sg

11/2008

ARCHIVE