If walls could talk, they would have a lot to tell: The magnificent Fort Barwara in Rajasthan dates back to the 14th century and was originally owned by a royal family. Now the Six Senses Group, known for its extraordinary houses, has turned it into a fascinating oasis of relaxation. Carefully restored and converted with a focus on sustainability, the dream hotel in the Indian palace invites you on a fairytale journey through time into the history and culture of the country …

A design “grandmaster” was chosen by the Persian Gulf emirate to create an institution that celebrates its cultural heritage and landscape: the National Museum of Qatar in Doha. For this project, Pritzker prize-winner Jean Nouvel produced an avant-garde building inspired by the desert rose, an ornate formation of crystal clusters with overlapping discs primarily found in dry desert regions. And architect Koichi Takada continued this analogy with nature for the interior design of the gift shop.

Spectacular architecture coupled with sustainable building is usually at home in urban settings. But Norway’s towering mountains are now the backdrop for contemporary architecture that is a welcome retreat after a long hike. Tungestølen is found on a plateau at the foot of Jostedalsbreen, Europe’s highest mainland glacier. These mountain cabins have far more to offer than the usual food and lodgings with a dormitory full of mattresses. And so it is no coincidence that the project was designed by Snøhetta, one of the world’s most prestigious architectural firms. Their client was Luster Turlag, a local branch of the Norwegian National Trekking Association.

One villa – five manufactories: the overall interior design concepts and objects of Hering Berlin, Steng Licht, Wood & Washi, Tischlerei Prödl and Lohberger can be experienced directly, for example, in the Villa Hering on Berlin’s Schlachtensee. What all five companies have in common is the holistic approach that forms the core of the manufactories’ philosophy…