"Have you heard of the Halprin Method? We hadn’t either, until now. In the 1960s, landscape architect Lawrence Halprin and his wife Anna created a set of holistic principles that sought to blend the man-made and the natural environment in a more seamless way. Halprin brought these ideas to life 60 years ago at Sea Ranch, a forward-thinking coastal community in rugged northern California. Our US correspondent, Timothy Anscombe-Bell, writes compellingly (p66) about how a contemporary hotel in the Catskills, Piaule by Garrison Architects, employs Halprin’s principles in its design and makes a strong case for architecture that treads lightly – touching less to protect more. Another facet of Halprin’s philosophy is the idea of ‘material honesty’, with buildings that harness the spirit and shifting patterns of the natural world they sit in, instead of insulating people from it. It chimes with another project featured in this issue, Rammed Earth House by Tuckey Design Studio (p74).
Elsewhere in issue 22, you will find features on the design and culture offer in Mexico City (p58); a new cultural foundation in Venice by fashion designer Dries Van Noten (p30); Barcelona architecture at the centenary of Gaudi’s death (p144); designer Luca Nichetto’s cultural edit (p160); plus, hotel openings around the world, our style picks, new design books to seek out, and the latest product design news."
