est magazine is a global design resource curating the best in architecture, design, interiors and products. Uniting the creative talents of architects, designers, photographers, stylists, writers and tastemakers, est inspires exceptional living.
I spoke to French designer Pierre Yovanovitch during his recent visit to Melbourne, who shared his strong need for contact with nature and time spent with animals as an antidote to Paris life. In this issue, we see how architecture and design can create a closer relationship to nature and the profound impact this connection can have on our mental and physical health. We view wellness through the lens of the tactile and introspective interiors of a harbourside apartment redesigned by Arent&Pyke and Gwyneth Paltrow’s serene family sanctuary by Brigette Romanek. At the same time, Danish studio Norm Architects’ contemporary rendition of a traditional summerhouse reflects a Nordic approach to biophilic design. Our latest film takes us to Topanga, California, inside the Saddle Peak Residence by Sant Architects overlooking the…
FABIAN MARTINEZ Fabian Martinez is a photographer and visual artist based in Mexico City. As a photographer, Fabian is known for his particular style: elegant, simple and often melancholic. For the past five years, Martinez has focused on photographing well-known architects, gallerists, interior designers and artists and their work. In this issue, Fabian captures the Mexican nature retreat Casa Cometa by Gabriela Carrillo and Mauricio Rocha. @fabianml HOLLY BEADLE Since joining the est living editorial team in early 2022, Holly has penned countless pieces on exceptional architecture, design and products for estliving.com and in the past nine issues of est magazine. The senior writer and digital content creator speaks with LA-based designer Brigette Romanek on the design of Gwyneth Paltro’s home and Melbourne designer Meredith Nettleton on her own renovation…
LOCATION Mazunte, Mexico Punta Cometa is a community nature reserve on the southern edge of Oaxaca, Mexico. Taking its name from a mountain that juts out into the Pacific Ocean, it’s a place of both environmental and pre-Hispanic historical significance. “You can see the sunrise and sunset between the steep slopes, the imposing sea, and the arrival of flocks of migratory birds,” architect Gabriela Carrillo says, who was approached alongside architect Mauricio Rocha, to design a retreat-like home for a prominent hotelier in the town of Mazunte that borders the National Park. Gabriela describes the location for their Casa Cometa project as a medium-sized jungle that loses its leaves in the dry season and becomes ‘lush and exuberant’ in the rainy season. The architects, who’ve worked together for 19 years,…
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LOCATION Heatherhill, Denmark Heatherhill, a coastal reserve on the Danish island of Zealand, is characterised by rolling grass-covered hills, rocky beaches and quaint retired fishing villages. Here, atop a hill overlooking the Kattegat Sea, Copenhagen-based studio Norm Architects have harnessed both traditional Nordic architectural traditions and the raw beauty of the landscape to craft an enduring seaside retreat. “In every facet, this home is a testament to the beauty of simplicity and the splendour of nature,” architect Sofie Bak says. “It is a home that not only respects the environment but also invites it in, creating spaces that are truly one with the world outside.” Heatherhill Beach House explores the notion of a traditional Danish summer house – an approach reflected in its pared-back architectural forms and the choice of…
LOCATION Gadigal Country / Sydney, Australia ARCHITECTURE Allied_Office Set within the grounds of an 1879 Captain’s House with a rich, recorded history, it reflected something of the fluctuations of the Sydney economy: prosperity to poverty, ownership to tenanted, including a time as a residential facility for patients with mental health issues, complete with a Yurt in the backyard. The current owners acquired the heritage-listed Captain’s House in 2013. They engaged heritage specialists Hector Abrahams Architects to revitalise the house and Allied_Office to create the pool, boatshed and harbour connections. “We had a clear demarcation of responsibilities, and it worked well, as our clients were prescriptive about the siting of the pool and its dimensions – it needed to be precisely quarter-Olympic-size,” Allied_Office principal Telly Theodore says. They also wanted to…
