ESCANDI DESIGN
STUNNING TROPICAL BALI STYLE TRANSPORTED TO THE COSTA DEL SOL
INTERVIEW WITH JOHAN AND GITTE HELLKE
Tell us about how Escandi Design started… We have always loved furniture and design, so it came quite naturally for us to help clients in our other company, Escandi Designed Vacation Homes, decorate their new holiday homes. But our passion for design and furniture took a big leap the day we landed on the island of Bali over five years ago and rented a private villa. When we took the first step into the villa we saw something both unexpected and surprising: a fantastic mix of traditional Balinese building and modern, almost Scandinavian-style furniture with a tropical touch of teak wood and stone. That second we absolutely fell in love with the ambience and style, and we also understood that it was something unique that we had to do something about.
So how did it progress from there? We didn’t have a shop or any idea about how to get everything all the way from Bali to Spain. But that never stopped us, so as time went on, and as we were still absolutely mad about Bali, the second year we visited we could not
resist any more and we went all in and ordered a full 40-foot container of furniture and decoration pieces – and figured we would solve the rest later. Maybe not the best idea but we just had to do it. The precious container landed in Spain a few months later, we found our selves a warehouse, and our thoughts started to focus on how we needed to find a way to show these amazing pieces of furniture and design to everyone.
What was the next step? One year passed and we finally found the perfect small shop where we could create a design centre and space for our other businesses to work in harmo ny, but the dream was short-lived due to Spanish bureaucracy. Nevertheless, things have a way of sorting themselves out and just a few months later we stumbled onto a large space, too large really, and on top of that we had the horrible pandemic sweeping across the world with all the problems and sadness It brought. Still, we carried on and believed in ourselves, the shop and our products. Now, over one year later, the shop is doing fantastically well. We have so much in
production of our own collections, and we could not be more happy and blessed for the welcome we have received from both locals expats and, of course, our beloved designers.
What has been their response? They travel far just to see us, letting us do their entire projects and becoming a part of the Escandi Design family. And the same phrase is always spoken over and over again to us: that they have never seen anything like it. And that makes us extremely happy and helps us carry on and do better and create more blow-your-mind experiences when people come to us.
In conclusion… The shop is our everything but we could not do it without the help of our new store manager, Allan Petersen, who has a long history in the furniture busi ness. Plus, of course, all the small factories and carpenters who work hard for us on the incredible little island called Bali. We love you!
Escandi Design Crta. de Mijas Km. 3.5 Tel. (+34) 951 068 505 info@escandidesign.com www.escandidesign.com
ALEJANDRO GIMÉNEZ ARCHITECTS
ARCHITECTURE THAT EMBRACES THE LOCAL CLIMATE AND L ANDSCAPE
Where did your passion for architecture come from? I was born in Casares – a classic Andalucian town, highlighted by its white houses, long walls and narrow streets – so the essence of Andalucian archi tecture was in my childhood subconscious. Another key period that defines my architectural style was when I was studying in Mexico, where I discovered and fell in love with the emotional architecture of Mexican architect Luis Bar ragán and his way of incorporating light and colour into spaces.
What provides the inspiration for your projects? For me, architecture has to embrace the identity of the climate where the home is being built, and it must be closely related to its landscape. In Mex ico my teacher Jose María Buendía told us to look around us, as it is what we have there that is a source of inspiration, something unique – opening our eyes to those wonders. Our architecture tries to find its inspiration in the values of Andalucía, in its towns, its exceptional materials, seeking to create contemporary spaces with a Mediterranean soul. Another aspect influencing my projects is Arabic architecture, which I find is so full of mystery and seduction. I try to create spaces and routes that en courage you, as you enter, to discover pathways that are enveloped by pati
os or outdoor views, playing with visual axes that create surprise and mystery. Finally, Japanese architecture has taught me to bring simplicity to my pro jects, where aspects such as ease and simplicity take on added importance. Following the Japanese wabi-sabi philosophy, which is based on the con cept of beauty in the imperfect, I try to find beauty in handcrafted, local materials that are characterised by an imperfect and unique touch. Today the real luxury is craftsmanship.
How would you describe your style of architecture? Single-family homes with a Mediterranean soul that transmit local identity in a contemporary space. You can see this, for example, in Casa Hikari, a project located in Estepona’s historic centre where the façade is integrated into the composition of the other houses. It is a home distinguished by the thickness of its structure, the use of rough plastering on the walls, and espar to grass curtains integrated into the façade. The amplitude and luminosity of its spaces is achieved through double heights and spaces such as interior patios that fill the entire home with natural light. In addition, energy efficiency is paramount, with the thickness of the walls providing excellent insulation, and their orientation enhances natural venti
lation (cross ventilation) that achieves a cool environment in the summer and warmth in the winter. Its sloping roof allows the solar panels to be installed at optimum orientation, taking advantage of the sun in the best way possible.
What are the main materials, colours and ambiences that define your pro jects? Our projects originate from the simplest possible palette, the tiles, the clay floors, deriving from the land itself and introduced into the roof of the house. Walls comprising lime and baked earth are typical features of local architec ture. I try to combine high-quality materials such as wood, clay and white washed walls with the objective of creating attractive contrasts while recon ciling the functional, traditional and modern. In outdoor areas – spaces that are just as relevant as the interiors – vege tation plays an important role. Bougainvillaeas are a very common plant in our gardens, adding colour and contrast to the project. On the other hand, water is also an important element in our architecture. I always try to intro duce outdoor fountains that help create atmospheres which transmit peace, calm and freshness.
In conclusion… Our architecture aims to promote an identity based on Andalucian towns and roots. We try not to lose the Mediterranean soul that makes us different, which is why people choose Andalucía. I believe this vision is especially nec essary on the Costa del Sol, which tends to be exploited by the tourist boom, and is suffering from a loss of architectural identity. Throughout the Costa del Sol “white cubes” are sprouting up: houses with flat plastering and giant windows that transmit a sense of coldness and have nothing to do with our landscape and represent an architectural style that is contrary to the values of classic Andalucian architecture. So, our main objective is to seek univer sality in a local context, respecting what we are and what makes us unique.
Alejandro Giménez Architects Calle Antero 37, Estepona Tel. (+34) 652 591 405 estudio@alejandrogimenez.net www.alejandrogimenez.net
