0:00:00 > 0:00:00- 888
0:00:00 > 0:00:02- 888
0:00:05 > 0:00:07- 888
0:00:10 > 0:00:12- 888
0:00:15 > 0:00:17- 888
0:00:19 > 0:00:24- Tonight, a London hotel - that's both Rough and Luxe.
0:00:24 > 0:00:30- Cutting edge 21st-century design - at the DuoMo...
0:00:30 > 0:00:35- ..and innovative Philippe Starck - design in Buenos Aires.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38- Welcome to 04Wal Gwestai'r Byd.
0:00:51 > 0:00:59- A sedate north London Georgian street - opposite Kings Cross station.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02- It's an area - with a chequered history.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06- Rough Luxe Hotel - stands in the middle of that area.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11- Rough refers to the surroundings.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16- Luxe refers to the luxury - you'll find within its walls.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20- The area is a little bit of rough - in a luxurious London...
0:01:21 > 0:01:25- ..and the hotel is a bit of luxury - in rough surroundings.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28- Small is beautiful in this case, - as we'll see.
0:01:47 > 0:01:52- People at home must be intrigued - by this strange combination.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54- What inspired the design?
0:01:54 > 0:01:59- The concept is to redefine luxury.
0:01:59 > 0:02:05- To offer an enriching experience - not offered by mass-market hotels.
0:02:05 > 0:02:10- Here, the designer has worked - almost as an archaeologist.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14- The building has been stripped back - to its very essence.
0:02:14 > 0:02:20- During the refurbishment process, - layers of wallpaper were discovered.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24- That's a strong element - of the Rough Luxe philosophy.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28- They have amassed - a quirky collection.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32- The owl sits on a branch - that shoots from the lamp.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35- This rabbit clings onto the table.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40- These items make you smile - and most hotels lack humour.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44- You don't expect to see such things - in a luxury hotel.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49- That collection of butterflies - has great charm.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53- Rabih Hage came up with - a very detailed design...
0:02:54 > 0:02:58- ..though it appears - to have come together naturally.
0:03:26 > 0:03:27- This is a bedroom.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32- If you're wondering why anyone - should pay to stay in a hotel...
0:03:33 > 0:03:38- ..where there's no wallpaper, - you may have missed the point.
0:03:38 > 0:03:43- By exposing the walls, you reveal - this building's past lives.
0:03:43 > 0:03:49- Different periods appear, - almost like ghosts, from the walls.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53- The green, blue and red - remind me of a Monet painting.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59- Against the raw background, - you have prints by Aki Kuroda.
0:03:59 > 0:04:04- They're very modern - and not to everyone's taste...
0:04:04 > 0:04:08- ..but they provide - the room's luxurious element.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11- New prints contrast - with the old backdrop.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15- Above the sofa, - which doubles as a bed...
0:04:16 > 0:04:20- ..there hangs - an undeniably rough chandelier...
0:04:21 > 0:04:24- ..compared to those in the picture!
0:04:36 > 0:04:39- This room is on the top floor.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43- There's a strong - design structure here.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46- There are no raw elements to it.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49- It's more ordinary, in a way...
0:04:49 > 0:04:54- ..and yet, the idea of exposing - the walls is used in the bathroom.
0:04:55 > 0:05:00- The most amazing thing about it - is the fantastic copper bath.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05- The picture opposite the bed - is a stroke of genius.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07- It gives you a feeling of depth.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10- It's a constant theme in this hotel.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13- It's a Massimo Listri piece.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15- You're drawn into it, aren't you?
0:05:31 > 0:05:34- This is the breakfast room, - in the cellar.
0:05:34 > 0:05:39- Guests sit around this square table - to eat their breakfast.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43- The table is a patchwork - of different planks of wood.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46- The timber came from - one of Brighton's piers.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49- Probably the one that burnt down.
0:05:49 > 0:05:54- The wind, the sun and the seawater - has added interest to the surface.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58- This creates an ambience - in the room...
0:05:58 > 0:06:01- ..as does the collection of chairs.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05- Every generation - has brought something to the table.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10- Behind me, a picture has been pasted - onto the wall.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13- There are cupboards behind it, - which is clever.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18- There's a picture of a church cupola - on the ceiling.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22- It all creates an illusion - of space and luxury.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45- Designs such as this - make striking a balance difficult.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47- Is it a success?
0:06:47 > 0:06:48- It's a magical design.
0:06:50 > 0:06:51- It's very charming.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55- It certainly challenges you - to think outside the box.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00- It offers a different perspective - on luxury.
0:07:00 > 0:07:05- It's no bad thing because we often - feel uncomfortable about luxury.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09- It's certainly a new way - of looking at luxury.
0:07:09 > 0:07:15- The aim is to convince people - that the exposed walls...
0:07:15 > 0:07:19- ..are every bit as valuable - as that picture.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01- We have travelled - along Italy's Adriatic coast.
0:08:01 > 0:08:07- Along Italy's backbone, in a way, - to the DuoMo hotel in Rimini.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13- It's an ultra-modern interior - inside an ancient building...
0:08:13 > 0:08:16- ..or an old building, at least.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21- It was designed by Ron Arad, - which explains the red doors.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28- What a strange experience!
0:08:28 > 0:08:32- It's like being invited - inside the walls of Jericho!
0:08:32 > 0:08:36- The doors - are like giant pinball flippers.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40- The pillars - add to that pinball machine feel.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43- There's an amazing sight - in front of me.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01- I've been around the block - a few times...
0:09:01 > 0:09:05- ..but I can honestly say - I've never seen anything like this!
0:09:06 > 0:09:10- It certainly redefines - the reception desk.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14- Yes, and it fills the room.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17- It's a stainless steel ring...
0:09:17 > 0:09:21- ..set with a desk - rather than precious stones.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26- The round shape has softened - the barrier between hotel and guest.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29- It almost looks like a smile.
0:09:29 > 0:09:35- Yes, this gigantic reception desk - shatters your concept of gravity!
0:09:37 > 0:09:40- It stands - at a seemingly impossible angle.
0:09:40 > 0:09:45- I've only moved from the front door - to the reception desk...
0:09:45 > 0:09:48- ..and my jaw has hit the floor - several times!
0:09:48 > 0:09:52- That's what you expect - from a Ron Arad design.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55- He uses a lot of steel in his work.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57- He also uses bulbous shapes.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03- Ron Arad was born in Tel Aviv - in 1951.
0:10:03 > 0:10:09- He's a trained architect - who's also a furniture designer.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14- In 2009, he exhibited his work - at New York's Museum of Modern Art.
0:10:25 > 0:10:30- If you want home comforts, - the DuoMo isn't the place for you.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33- You won't find any here.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37- This hotel's concept - is all about new experiences.
0:10:37 > 0:10:42- It looks like a futuristic - sci-fi film set!
0:10:43 > 0:10:48- It looks like a spaceship - that hops from planet to planet.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01- This lobby also feels futuristic.
0:11:02 > 0:11:07- Like the reception desk, - it reverses design expectations.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10- They have created a room - in the corridors.
0:11:11 > 0:11:16- The futuristic tone is evident - - it's quite an alien experience.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19- Having said that, it's comfortable.
0:11:19 > 0:11:24- Sculpture, architecture - and furniture all seem to blend.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28- This is oversized, - like the reception desk.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31- It goes from floor to ceiling.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35- The lights are inserted - flush with the walls...
0:11:35 > 0:11:37- ..maintaining the clean lines.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40- Everything is sleek - and design-led...
0:11:41 > 0:11:45- ..but the numbers look - as if they were painted by a child!
0:11:45 > 0:11:49- The graphics are also - the designer's work.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52- This is his handwriting.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54- It looks a bit rough, doesn't it?
0:11:54 > 0:11:57- Yes, it contrasts - with the sleek walls.
0:11:58 > 0:12:03- Yes, but the metallic paint - carries echoes of its surroundings.
0:12:03 > 0:12:08- We've already seen a red room - and this must be the purple floor.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10- This is a three-storey hotel.
0:12:10 > 0:12:15- Each floor has a different colour, - working with a monochrome palette.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19- There's a purple floor, a red floor - and a lime floor.
0:12:30 > 0:12:35- You can see Ron Arad's hand - in every detail of the interior.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39- If the hotel had a signature, - I think it's this pod.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42- The idea of the egg within the box.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48- Yes, Ron Arad's background - is in industrial design.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50- That's evident here.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53- Everything is packaged here.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57- It's engineered - and all integral to the design.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01- It wasn't decorated, it was created.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03- There's a bathroom within the pod.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06- It's separate from the main bedroom.
0:13:29 > 0:13:34- Just when I thought that this hotel - had yielded all its surprises...
0:13:34 > 0:13:37- ..I come across - one more amazing nugget.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39- This room is it.
0:13:39 > 0:13:45- It's a bar, a nightclub - and a dining room in one.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50- The bar top defines the room.
0:13:51 > 0:13:57- From one angle, it looks like liquid - flowing from corner to corner.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01- From another angle, it looks - like a Henry Moore sculpture.
0:14:01 > 0:14:06- Tying the design together - is this glorious bronze.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11- It's like a ribbon, - flowing to the far end...
0:14:11 > 0:14:15- ..up the wall, along the ceiling - and out of the hotel.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33- In order to set a hotel - in its context in Wales...
0:14:33 > 0:14:36- ..designers tend to use - local materials.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40- Ron Arad has made no effort - to do that here.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45- No, nothing here reflects Rimini - or Italy in general.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49- This hotel immerses you - in Ron Arad's imagination.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53- He has a really active imagination!
0:15:06 > 0:15:06- .
0:15:08 > 0:15:08- 888
0:15:08 > 0:15:10- 888- - 888
0:15:12 > 0:15:18- The Faena hotel, in the redeveloped - Puerto Madero area of Buenos Aires.
0:15:18 > 0:15:24- The building looks like a typical - northern England cotton mill.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29- In fact, it is built - from Manchester bricks.
0:15:29 > 0:15:34- It was actually a granary - rather than a cotton mill...
0:15:34 > 0:15:39- ..built when Argentina was one - of the world's economic powerhouses.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42- Look at some of its features.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45- The classical structure, - the windows...
0:15:46 > 0:15:50- ..and this F, the personal motif - of the owner, Alan Faena.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13- This is the entrance, - which is quite intriguing.
0:16:13 > 0:16:18- How can such a large building - have such a narrow door?
0:16:18 > 0:16:21- There's a touch - of Alice In Wonderland about it.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23- The carpet of red tiles...
0:16:24 > 0:16:28- ..the wonderful brass poles - and the large flowerpots.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32- You can sense something special - lies within.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53- Converting an industrial building - into a luxury hotel isn't easy.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56- That's why they employed - Philippe Starck...
0:16:56 > 0:16:58- ..to create this masterpiece.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03- The corn motifs on the mirrors - recall the building's original use.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08- They're also cruciform, - and there are religious overtones...
0:17:08 > 0:17:14- ..in the red stained glass - and the underlit benches.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18- The lobby - is known as The Cathedral.
0:17:19 > 0:17:24- There are religious touches - dotted around the whole building.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29- The really striking thing - about the lobby is its length.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31- It seems almost endless.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47- You're a fan - of Philippe Starck's work.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50- Has he created - something special here?
0:17:51 > 0:17:55- As you enter the hotel, you see - a temple of beauty and adventure.
0:17:55 > 0:18:00- It conveys the Belle Epoque - - the Beautiful Era.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03- The gold and red...
0:18:03 > 0:18:06- ..and the long corridor - are a part of that.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10- It's a theatrical experience - and you're the star.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13- Is it also essentially Argentinian?
0:18:13 > 0:18:16- As you'd expect - in a Philippe Starck design...
0:18:16 > 0:18:18- ..there's real wit here.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21- The gnome table is witty...
0:18:21 > 0:18:24- ..as are the swan-shaped chairs.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26- The colours are Argentinian.
0:18:27 > 0:18:32- Starck worked with Alan Faena, - who comes from Argentina.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36- The full name of the hotel - is Faena Hotel and Universe.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39- What is the Universe element?
0:18:40 > 0:18:46- It reflects the confidence - of the hotel's owner, Alan Faena.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48- Off the long corridor...
0:18:48 > 0:18:53- ..are a series of rooms - conveying aspects of Buenos Aires...
0:18:53 > 0:18:59- ..both its business side - and its creative, artistic side.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02- They're separate worlds.
0:19:15 > 0:19:21- The darkness of The Cathedral - becomes bright white in the bistro.
0:19:21 > 0:19:26- It has the glorious plaster ceilings - and magnificent chandeliers...
0:19:27 > 0:19:33- ..that were favoured by the city's - early 20th century cake shops.
0:19:33 > 0:19:37- There are imperial touches - on the furniture.
0:19:37 > 0:19:42- The sofas against the wall - look like pumped-up dining chairs!
0:19:44 > 0:19:48- That in itself would offer - a rich dining experience...
0:19:49 > 0:19:54- ..but the unicorn heads - take the design to another level!
0:19:55 > 0:19:58- The red eyes are the cherries - on the icing on the cake!
0:20:29 > 0:20:34- This is the only suite in the hotel - not designed by Philippe Starck.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36- Alan Faena himself designed it.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40- He uses this suite - when he stays here.
0:20:40 > 0:20:45- There are two 40-inch TVs here, - one on either side!
0:20:45 > 0:20:48- You can do that in a room this big.
0:20:49 > 0:20:50- It's symmetrical.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54- There are Chesterfields - on both sides of the room.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59- The design of the chandelier - is echoed in the carpet.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01- They're similar shapes.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03- What about the kitchen?
0:21:03 > 0:21:05- Could anyone use that hob?
0:21:05 > 0:21:08- The tabletop is made of marble.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13- Those wonderful, curved legs - contrast with the style...
0:21:14 > 0:21:18- ..yet it's in harmony - with the romantic dining area.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23- The bedroom is more contemporary.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27- Yes, it's a simpler, - less ornate design.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30- The cherrywood panels are stunning.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35- There are echoes of the main room - in the chandelier...
0:21:36 > 0:21:40- ..and the chairs' swan design - is reflected in the bath taps.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48- The dining area - is more romantic than the bedroom!
0:21:48 > 0:21:50- He must love food!
0:22:04 > 0:22:09- Another planet in Faena's universe - is the El Mercado restaurant.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13- It's like walking - into someone's home.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16- Rather than family photographs - on the walls...
0:22:17 > 0:22:22- ..we see pictures - of famous Argentinians.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26- Yes, there's a more - eclectic collection in this room.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31- It mimics the atmosphere - of rural taverns around the city...
0:22:32 > 0:22:35- ..but with an European influence.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39- This is the result.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41- The chairs feel French.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46- The ceiling is covered - in original aluminium panels.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52- The pendant lights - add an industrial edge.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56- Display cabinets - cover the structure of the building.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59- The cabinets are full of ornaments.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04- Yes, they're from San Telmo, - an area noted for bric-a-brac.
0:23:19 > 0:23:24- We're on the roof of the Faena, - looking out over Buenos Aires.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26- Is the hotel essentially Argentinian?
0:23:26 > 0:23:28- Is the hotel essentially Argentinian?- - Yes, very much so.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31- This radical design - uses a new visual language.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36- It offers a glimpse of the future - while paying homage to the past.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40- It's a design - steeped in Argentinian culture.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10- S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones