Travel is one of the best ways to find inspiration. This week, we asked seven designers—Kristine Anderson, Jessica Katz, Ruben Marquez, Derek Miller, Marcos Santa Ana, Jordan Sholem and Kelly Zerbini—for their top creativity-fueling getaways.
A Spanish Dream
“I’m endlessly inspired by travel, especially places where architecture and culture have such a defined visual language. I recently returned from Barcelona and was completely taken by [Catalan modernist architect Antoni] Gaudí. There’s this incredible freedom in the way he approached color, pattern, form and nature. The palettes especially stayed with me: earthy terracottas and warm ochers mixed with saturated blues, greens and unexpected flashes of color. Nothing feels overly coordinated, yet somehow it all works together beautifully. I love destinations that remind you to be a little less restrained and to trust an unusual combination. Barcelona definitely did that for me.”—Kelly Zerbini, Dunnam Zerbini Design, New York
Architectural Masterpiece
“The [7132] Thermal Baths in Vals, Switzerland, is a remarkable building that speaks to me personally and to the ethos of our practice at Alloi. Peter Zumthor embedded the building, completed in 1996, into a hillside beneath a planted roof. Seen from the slope above, the building defers almost entirely to the topography. The construction of layered Valser quartzite, quarried from the surrounding valley, forms a series of monolithic blocks, each supporting its own cantilevered concrete slab. The slabs stop just short of one another, and the glazed joints invite daylight as narrow, shifting apertures across stone and water. I find Zumthor’s treatment of the interstitial most instructive. The Japanese concept of ma describes the interval between as a condition with its own presence. At Vals, the corridors, thresholds and shadowed edges between volumes are resolved with the same rigor as the principal spaces, and they are just as essential to how the building is experienced. The building’s exterior reads as quietly prioritizing the interior experience. Each room, with a palate of warm water, cool stone and filtered light, is tuned for stillness. The architecture is introspective, enticing one into a deep and lasting calm. The building speaks our language and evokes the essence that we pursue at Alloi. Our design language slows the day, sharpens the senses and brings the people to peace.” —Marcos Santa Ana, Alloi Architecture + Construction, Los Angeles
Unexpected Inspo
“I find a tremendous amount of inspiration in less-obvious places, particularly rural areas along the East Coast. The hotels, restaurants, parks, and even the Airbnb you stay in can become design destinations in themselves. I love seeing how people collect and curate objects over generations, with prized possessions passed down through families, or how they solve everyday design problems using whatever is available within a few miles of where they live. There’s something valuable about stepping away from endless social scrolling and the pressure to attend whatever European furniture fair is currently considered a ‘must.’ Getting out and seeing how people actually live can reset your eye. You start to notice different materials, different ways of solving problems, and different ideas of what makes something beautiful or useful. Sometimes the best design inspiration comes from seeing something you haven’t been trained to look for.” —Derek Miller, Lauren Thomsen Design, Philadelphia
All Over the Map
“Barcelona has always been so inspiring to me, given the creativity to blur the boundaries between architecture, art, craft and landscape. The energy of the city, the undulating surfaces of the buildings as you walk down the street, embody the originality of the city. I still recall walking down Passeig de Gràcia and approaching Gaudí’s Casa Milà. I stopped and observed the building—the ins and outs of the smooth surface, the ornamentation—and frankly couldn’t believe I was there to see it. The texture of the city is inspiring to the work we do, thinking about being fearless in the design decisions we make and consider. Rome and Florence pull me in for a different reason: the layering of history. Experiencing how buildings, public spaces, streets, art and landscape have transformed and evolved over time, yet still feel alive and part of the everyday life of today, is something that I love. If I consider ‘local,’ some of my other favorite destinations are places where architecture, culture and landscape are intertwined. Having lived in Arizona and California, I’m drawn to the desert of the Southwest where light, shadow and material have a symbiotic relationship between indoor and outdoor. The landscape and the architecture work together.” —Kristine Anderson, PKA Architecture, Minneapolis
Well-Traveled Bona Fides
“This is a hard one to nail down, so I will just spill all my destinations: I travel to San Francisco and Palm Springs quite regularly. Internationally, I love London, Paris and Mexico City. I always find something new, whether it’s a new line of furniture, textiles, vintage finds or even artists—not to mention the fabulous hotels always tell an interesting story and often inspire many of my designs. When I’m out of town and not in ‘work mode,’ my eye is able to capture things that I wouldn’t normally do in L.A. I think that a well-traveled designer makes a good designer.” —Ruben Marquez, Ruben Marquez Interior Design, Los Angeles
Look Across the Pond
“London and Paris are two of our favorite design destinations. In London, we always make time for Pimlico Road. The concentration of incredible showrooms like Soane Britain, Cox London and Rose Uniacke make it such a special place. We are drawn to the wonderful mix of history, craftsmanship and eccentricity that feels distinctly British. Paris is endlessly inspiring in a different way. We love to wander the gardens tucked throughout the city and admire the proportions, stonework and architectural details of the old buildings. There’s an effortless elegance to Paris that always leaves us inspired.” —Jordan Sholem and Jessica Katz, J2 Interiors, Los Angeles
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