La Gazelle | Page 137

voyage dans le temps I journey through time I Italian, we eat Italian, we dress Italian and we spend our week-ends in Italy. » The local vision of the dolce vita especially resonates with a highly cosmopolitan population whose greatest pleasure is to enjoy a fresh beer (served by the liter) in a Biergarten (litteraly the beer garden), in particular the Englischer Garten, at the foot of the Chinese tower. A constant concern for innovation and technology Inhabitants of Munich have other favorite activities : the culture, with an impressive cultural programming and a variety of places, and the sport, with sometimes unexpected disciplines like the surf, which is practiced on an artificial wave initially created to regulate the flow of the river that goes through Munich, the Eisbach. Apart from ambient hedonism, the transalpine influences are also found in a permanent quest for aestheticism, a constant concern for innovation and technology. Konstantin Grcic, a designer born in Munich, recently confirmed in an article published in the Express : « Munich isn’t the center of the world, but there are interesting people here, businesses, industries, artisans. We should also mention the traditions, the cooking, the simple life to which I am very much attached. Munich is a city where we can work in peace. Perhaps that’s an important part of the success… » Konstantin Grcic, elected designer of the year in 2007 at the trade fair Now! Design à vivre/Maison & Objet (his Chair One is already cult), is not the only contemporary creator from Munich to be internationally renowned. Numerous designers and artists, young or confirmed talents, live and work there. The maestro of light, Ingo Maurer himself, who has long ago installed his workshops and design studio in this city, has also opened a large showroom at the beginning of the year. Design and contemporary art, across-the-board Clemens Weisshaar, designer from Munich and former assistant of Konstantin Grcic, is also positive : « In Munich, the infrastructures are very reliable, the weather is pleasant, the food and the quality of life are good. The airport plays a crucial role for us : it is Lufthansa’s hub for Germany’s South, which allows us to easily go everywhere. We have our products done on the outskirts of Munich and then shipped all around the world. That represents an incredible resource… Even though Munich is an integral part of Germany, the Mediterranean influence is strongly felt, much more than anywhere else in the country. Munich is nearer to WHERE TO SLEEP IN MUNICH Bayerischer Hof (6) The historical palace of Munich, inaugurated in 1841, has 363 rooms and suites, of which 45 have recently been rearranged in a contemporary style, with furniture and lamps by Philippe Hurel. It always welcomes great worldly appointments, but also some more unexpected events, such as a lecture series on design organized this year. It should be noted that the restaurant, refurbished last summer, is signed by the Belgian decorator and antique dealer Axel Vervoordt and that the staff is dressed by another Belgian, Dries van Noten. The Blue Spa, achieved by Andrée Putman, is also a must. (see the bars section). Promenadeplatz 2-6 Tel. : 21 200 www.bayerischerhof.de ‫رحل