Bal Harbour

BAL HARBOUR 207 OFF THE GRID: Houses for Escape Dominic Bradbury surveys a series of homes off the beaten path in this volume, which features state-of-the-art houses secluded in the wilderness, eons away from the distractions of urban life. The gorgeous edition captures an array of hideaways—all of them self-sustaining with renewable energ y—from Tasmania to New York, from hillside to coastline. Bradbury's selects offer a dreamy escape while also highlighting the practicality and beauty of sustainable, off-the- grid living that keeps us close to the natural environment. (Thames & Hudson) Mistral: The Legendary Wind of Provence Photographer Rachel Cobb has been fascinated by the winds in the South of France for decades. Here, she captures the essence of Provence through the mistral gusts that sweep through the Rhône Valley, cold and powerful, during winter and spring. Her striking images include a leaf caught in ÁLJKWDEULGHWDQJOHGLQKHUYHLO and a sky full of colorful kites. (Damiani) Double Vision: The Unerring Eye of Art World Avatars Dominique and John de Menil Dominique and John de Menil's Philip Johnson-designed house was a creative haven and a hub, with their guests ranging from Marlene Dietrich to René Magritte. William Middleton KDVJRQHRQWRZULWHWKHÀUVWGHÀQLWLYH biography of the celebrated collector couple, sourced from the family's archives. And it touches on everything: their groundbreaking exhibitions, their development of progressive galleries and museums DQGVLJQLÀFDQWO\ the couple's civil rights activism and humanitarian efforts. (Knopf) As someone who explores an array of homes and lifestyles, what do you consider the ideal living situation? On a personal and professional level, I have become more and more interested in 21st-century country living. I live in a small, rural village and love the sense of freedom that this gives me in comparison with my years of living in London. I feel more inspired, more creative and more in tune with the world in the countryside. My new book (Off the Grid: Houses for Escape) explores country living in a fresh way, looking at those who have managed to balance creating extraordinary homes in rural settings with thoughtful sensitivity to the environment in every sense. What prior education or exposure has sculpted your eye for architecture and design? Or were you simply born with an eye for aesthetics? I studied English literature and history at university, followed by a post-graduate diploma in journalism, so the written word has always been incredibly important to me. But at the same time I have always loved architecture, interiors and design, so that's the subject I have followed for the last 20+ years and through my books. Travel is a reoccurring topic in your work. Why is it so important to expose the public to different cultures and ways of life? It's such an important theme now. I think, generally, we are all so much more worldly, well- informed and better travelled than ever before, `À>Ü}yÕiViÃ>`ëÀ>ÌvÀ> over the globe. As writers and publishers, we need to be aware of this. For me, travel has always been a really important part of the whole creative process. What do you consider to be the fundamental elements attached to superior design? What are a few qualities you look for when deciding which properties to cover? I am always looking for homes and buildings with a unique character. I'm looking for strong ideas and for a wonderful story to explore and celebrate. Often, such truly original projects are a positive collaboration between a client with a dream and an architect who responds to that dream and builds upon it. Or it might be an architect's own home, perhaps, where he or she has the freedom to explore new ideas and invent something new. As a long-time writer specializing in architecture, have you recognized an increase in sustainable design over the years? Yes, absolutely. I think it's becoming a really important and vital strand in architecture and design. Architects have been talking about this for a long time, of course, but now their clients are also seeing it as a priority. Construction and house building takes up a lot of energy, so there is a huge responsibility to be as sustainable as we can and as sensitive to the environment as we can. Going off the grid, using passive design techniques and home-grown heat and energy is one way of living up to that responsibility. Dominic Bradbury has compiled a stunning collection of the world's most serene and sustainably-built homes in his latest book, Off the Grid: Houses for Escape. IDYLLIC ESCAPE PHOTOGRAPH © 2019 PATRIC JOHANSSON; PHOTO BY F. WILBUR SEIDERS, COURTESY OF MENIL ARCHIVES, THE MENIL COLLECTION, HOUSTON

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