The fashion house of Dolce & Gabbana put Sicily on the fashionista map and spread the island’s crafts worldwide by incorporating iconic Sicilian images in its bold prints like the colourfully decorated horse cart, ripe lemons and oranges. This was an early inspiration for the interior design concept created for the hotel by The Hickson Design Partnership (THDP), a London-based interior designer and architectural practice with a team of 50% British and 50% Italian designers.
Giardini Naxos, founded in 734 BC by colonists from Chalcis in Euboea, and was the first Greek colony in Sicily. Ancient Naxos was destroyed in 403 BC, and the centre that rose in its place in the Middle Ages as a fishermen's village. In the late 19th century elegant villas were built, used as holiday mansions by the upper classes.
The Greek heritage that remains in Sicily can be seen in the architecture of a few very important buildings. The Temple of Concordia today is a popular seaside-resort, offering more than 40 hotels, and a great number of vacation homes. Throughout the year the island plays host to numerous artistic, cultural, and religious events. Sicilians love a celebration!
The ancient Phoenicians and Greeks brought their artisanal traditions to the island, creating amphorae, kraters, kylixes, and other typical ancient wares and the technique of laying bright, saturated colours have been introduced into Sicily during the Muslim conquest.
The building presents most of the room facing the sea allowing the Mediterranean light to enter from the big windows and the guest can enjoy the salty air from the guestroom balcony. It sits at the feet of Etna volcano and near to Taormina.
Detailed local research guided the narrative of the entire concept project, commencing with the refurbishment of the main public areas, lobby and lobby bar, guest check in, Restaurants Panarea & Sciara, and creating a new Pool Terrace and Fluido bar.
The interior design concept was inspired by the natural beauty of the volcanic beaches, the sea, mount Etna’s super-natural presence and the features of the island of Sicily and the ambition was to bring them into the centre of the hotel. By adding local decoration, artworks and colours the goal was to add character, a deep sense of authenticity and a refined and resort-based palette of natural tones with touches of colours of the sea.
The lobby was a large open space of over 700sqm meters, previously decorated in a heavy baroque style, the concept from the outset was to re-activate this space, giving it a new heart and focal point – and to be appealing to both guests and to walk-in locals.
From the outset THDP considered adding a new lobby bar to the centre of the space, being both a visual anchor but also dividing the space and making it feel more intimate. With the new layout smart workers and leisure guests can meet using a polyvalent area which can host all, thanks to the different typology of seating. The style is elegant, Mediterranean with sea colours and Taormina’s stone colours melting indoor and outdoor colour palette.
The bar utilizes local materials to create a new feature in the centre of the lobby space, the bar top from local company Nero Sicilia is a made from volcanic lava stone extracted from the quarries of mount Etna glazed in cracked white glass. The bar fluted and curved front is formed from woven faux leather by Natutex, the rear bar features antique mirror with the joinery finished in Italian Oak and Rattan.
The seating in the Quintessenza features two room divider style banquet seating, fitted with USB and power outlets it’s the perfect place to work and relax, the backs of the banquets are finished in woven faux leather by Naturtex. The bar offers a range of seating options from the bar stools facing the bar from Gervasoni to the lower relaxed armchairs are from Miniforms and Torre 1961. The tables and banquets were manufactured to THDP’s design by Riabita. The new highly decorative wall covering is by Janelli & Volpi.
The reception has been inspired by the Sicilian attitude of welcoming and it has been translated in three large reception desks, the feature rear wall is tiled with hand painted local tiles by La Fauci, the accent decorative lights are from Aromas del Camp and are of copper and rattan, thus from the very beginning of their journey the guest is surrounded by an authentic and local experience.
The reception desks are finished in dark grey lava stone by Nero Sicilia, with a façade of woven faux leather by Naturtex adding warmth and texture, the fronts of the desks feature oak panelling mimicking the fluted effects of classical columns of the Temple of Concordia.
New desks, headings and rear artwork and tiling by La Fauci were all custom designed by THDP.
The Panarea Restaurant is the place in the morning for breakfast but easily converts during the day to host lunches, special events and dinner in the evening. The layout of the restaurant focuses on the new buffet counters which are aligned to the show cooking area - allowing guest to admire the chefs preparing their dishes to order. The restaurant has materials, features, and shapes that reminds guests of antique craftsmanship, incorporating hand painted tiles in the niches at the entrance with traditional motifs from La Fauci.
The buffet counters are cantered into the new restaurant and are closable during evening set up and special events with a custom designed screening. The counters feature built in an invisible heating and cooling elements which allow all the dishes to be moved around and swapped around to offer maximum flexibility to the hotel. During events the buffet counters can be stripped back and closed off - giving the restaurant less of a ‘breakfast’ space feel and more of a space for fine dining.
The buffet area has screens featuring irregular but geometric shapes hanged from the ceilings that recall ancient Greek terracotta jars. The artisan tributes continue on the walls covered with a braided woven leather cowhide effect inspired by ancient Greek sandals.
The new seating offers relaxed arrangements with a mix of table sizes, featured in fabrics reflecting the colours of the sea, visible from the restaurant. THDP also designed high tables, which can be used in the morning for breakfast to display local pastries and in the evening a high table dining experience. The adjustable tables made by Riabita, who also carefully prepared all custom furniture for the project and project managed their execution on site.
The custom designed carpeting by THDP is made by Ulster Carpets, the ceiling lighting are re-purposed light fittings from a hotel in Milan owned by the client – made in Murano.
The word “Sciara” is a local term, used in Sicily in the Etna area to indicate the accumulations of volcanic ‘waste’ that form on the surface or on the sides of the mountain. The term gives it name to the fine dining restaurant at the hotel, where the interior concept is intense and reflects power and wonder of the volcanoes spilling lava – dark intense with touches of blue & red - recalling colours of the sea at night, foreboding, dark yet attractive and welcoming.
The walls were finished with rough hewn lava stones, giving a raw and natural feel, to compliment this toughness the seating by contrast is curved and flowing and features 4 signature tables finished in enamelled lava stone by Nero Sicilia, the booths too are curved and help give the restaurant a centering. There are screenings in copper tones which feature so the design of super scaled rattan, adding a sense of privacy whilst not robbing the restaurant of its sea and pool views. The flooring is stained Natural Oak laid in a herringbone design by Havwoods. The copper-coloured feature lighting is from Utu, the hexagonal mirrors by Sovet.
The bar, show kitchen and wine display area were all uplifted, with lava stone from Nero Sicilia used for both the bar top and front, and in a glazed motif for the table tops.
The Fluido Bar is located on the pool terrace, just outside La Sciara Restaurant offering breathtaking panoramic views of the Mediterranean sea and the unique grey volcanic sandy beaches. The pool Bar is characterized by a contemporary, indoor meets outdoor styled residential look and feel. The walls are finished in a cement-coloured panels by Cosentino, the bar top is white Dekton and the bar front is feature tiles in raw and glazed lava stone by Nero Sicilia.
The bar serves pre-dinner aperitives with signature cocktails, open to guests and locals, the ambition is to become a destination bar for the hotel adding to its local night scene. The seating is part dining, part informal lounge sofas with outdoor furniture by Etimo & Varaschin. The flooring is a grès tiling from Gruppo Florim, who also provided the surround to the pool and its interior. Large ecru umbrellas offer shade to the guests during the summer times. THDP created a warm garden style lighting effect, selecting outdoor weathered wall fittings by Aldo Bernardi & suspended light by Faro Barcelona. The large pergola and pavilions are custom designed and supplied by Corradi.
About THDP
THDP was founded in 2005 by partners and couple Italian Architect Manuela Mannino & British Interior Designer Nicholas J. Hickson. The studio is based in south east London and Italy and has a team of 10 people between the two countries. The studio designs hotels, restaurants, and residences internationally, focusing on the south and east part of Europe and Italy. THDP aim to be flexible and able to react to the fast-moving waters of the hospitality sector, prioritizing authentic narrative based on local research and curated selections of artisans, local companies and talented artists. This work is reflected in the guests experience that will be dotted with details to discover during their stay. THDP's approach springs from an endless creative curiosity, enthused by the founders to every team member, each one of them a true passionate designer and a talented focused team, who is integral part of the successful accomplishments of our projects.
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Surprisingly, there is no current UK legislation to control the composition of quartz work surfaces, nor set a minimum material performance standard for the quartz materials marketed and sold in the UK. SBID Accredited Industry Partner, Italian Luxury Surfaces expresses concerns over consumer safety and the importance of proper material certification as the Sales & Marketing Director, Phil Winter tells us more.
The quartz manufacturers who currently hold independent verification of their material quality, do so voluntarily or because consumer protection legislation in other markets demands it. There are three recognised dangers posed by untested & uncertified quartz materials. These are the potentially harmful levels of VOC emissions (Volatile Organic Compounds), the micro porosity that can make the surface difficult to clean or sanitise and most importantly, the surface finish leaching of toxic chemicals that can contaminate food.
The Risk of VOC
The VOC risk within quartz comes from the ‘resin’ element, the composition of which is often unknown, and it can vary hugely from manufacturer to manufacturer. Typically, the resin content when measured by weight, represents between 7% - 15% of the material. By volume, the resin proportion is much higher. Because VOC’s are volatile, these compounds vaporize and emit gasses, even long after the quartz has been formed and fabricated. Paint, for example, emits only half of its VOCs in the first year after application.
Marc Lallanilla, a sustainable living and green design expert, and Member of the Society of Environmental Journalists, summarized the issue in stark language in his recent article, ‘VOCs are linked to a range of health problems, including some very serious diseases. Benzene, for example, is one of several VOCs that's known to cause cancer. It's not suspected, it's known, beyond any doubt. Other health effects besides cancer include kidney damage, liver damage, damage to the central nervous system (including the brain), as well as minor complaints like headaches and eye, throat, and nose irritation’.
Consumer Misconception
An understandable misconception made by consumers, designers and interior architects alike is to assume that ‘country of origin’ or familiarity of a brand name provides a guarantee on a specific quartz material’s test and certification status. It does not. Fully certified quartz surfaces originate from all parts of the globe and worryingly, so do many currently uncertified and therefore potentially harmful quartz materials.
Thankfully, responsible counterparts within the kitchen industry are now starting to act, insisting that their sales and design teams are communicating the importance of only specifying independently tested and certified worktops to their customers. But many continue to place their customers at potential risk.
The only way to be 100% sure that your own quartz work surface is not placing the users at risk is to check if your quartz brand is certified for low VOC emissions by visiting www.greenguard.org. For material composition and food contact suitability, you can also check www.nsf.org.
Sadly, there are those within the kitchen industry who choose to hide behind the consumers’ ignorance of the very real health risks posed by poor quality quartz materials, with excuses such as, ‘no one has ever asked me for it’ when referring to material certifications or worse still ‘they won’t pay for it’, inferring that somehow a low price absolves the specifier from a professional duty of care towards their clients.
How are quartz surfaces certified?
When a surface is tested and certified by NSF International for food contact, they verify the composition of the material and they certify that the finish will not leach toxic chemicals that could contaminate food. Since quite literally anyone could mix their own blend of random materials, ‘bake it’ and sell it as ‘quartz’ in the UK.
Materials certified for specification in a ‘Food Zone’ are also evaluated for the temperature they can withstand before degradation occurs. High temperature resistance being an indicator of resin stability and therefore material quality and safety.
NSF’s testing is less stringent for materials designed to be specified and used in ‘Splash Zones’, where the focus is on durability, construction and clean-ability. Here micro porosity of quartz has practical issues as well as health risks. Materials with porosity are more susceptible to staining as the (relatively) open structure creates pockets that fluids can fill, discolouring the surface.
It would be incorrect to say that all untested and uncertified quartz materials are definitely dangerous. Until they are tested that is of course unknown. Equally, unless regulators insist that the quartz brand owners, importers and manufacturers submit their products to suitably qualified and independent agencies for testing, it is not possible to say with any certainty that they are 100% safe.
Verifying Certification Claims
Worryingly, the growing trend of unscrupulous manufacturers claiming certification they do not have has forced NSF to issue a warning on their website as they are “concerned about fraudulent downloading and manipulation of website text." Encouraging consumers to always confirm this information by obtaining accurate information, here.
No doubt there will be manufacturers and agents of other consumer product groups reading this article with a degree of disbelief. Most likely, reflecting on the rigorous R&D work and testing that they will have done. Quite rightly, they will be wondering how this vital element of a 21st century kitchen has escaped regulation!
Do the right thing, protect your family and clients by only using NSF 51 and GREENGUARD certified quartz.
About the Author
Phil Winter is the Sales & Marketing Director at Italian Luxury Surfaces, the sole UK Distributor of Stone Italiana. Previously, Phil has had the privilege of working with some of the most respected brands in the Kitchen & Interiors industry, such as Poggenpohl, bulthaup, Gaggenau and Bosch.
This article was written by Phil Winter, Sales & Marketing Director at Italian Luxury Surfaces.
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Matt Robb, Digital Media Executive at Stone Federation shares how 100 years of experience in the natural stone industry help them guide, support and inform design professionals when specifying stone for their projects. Keep scrolling to find out more about the SBID International Design Awards sponsor for the Healthcare & Wellness Design category.
What are the origins of your brand?
Stone Federation has existed in various guises for over a century. We have over 100 years’ experience in the natural stone industry with the longstanding goal of connecting specifiers with the very best materials and companies. There has always been a need for an independent body to champion natural stone and to promote best practice within the industry and in this way, the activity and aims of the Federation have stayed the same while the methods and markets have developed.
How do you work with interior designers?
Our work with interior designers is primarily focused around connecting them the best materials and companies for their project. We have a wealth of free design and technical resources to help design professionals take full advantage of the potential that natural stone provides. We also connect interior designers with the member companies who are best placed to service their specific requirements.
What value does your sector add to the interior design industry?
Natural stone has a rich history of providing interior designers with a wealth of options in both texture and colour. The natural stone sector has a high value for best practice and education and works hard to ensure that we provide specifiers with the right information for the materials they use.
How does your offering enhance an interior designer’s projects?
As the independent natural stone source point, we connect interior designers with a wealth of technical resources, stone sourcing guidance and opportunities to connect with suppliers.
What are the latest trends you’ve noticed in your client’s requests?
We’ve seen an encouraging increase in the number of specifiers placing a higher value on materials that deliver not only the required aesthetic but also the ethical and sustainable assurances that more and more clients are looking for.
Why did you want to become a sponsor for the SBID Awards?
SBID and Stone Federation have a strong working relationship built upon a mutual desire to promote best practice and education within the design and architectural sectors. There is a natural synergy between interior designers and the vast design potential that natural stone provides.
Sponsorship for the SBID International Design Awards 2020 is now open.
To find out more about becoming an SBID Awards sponsor next year click here or email [email protected]
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