Hangzhou, located on the banks of river Qintang in China, was historically known as 'Quinsai'. The beautiful 13^th century city has also been praised by the Italian traveller Marco Polo who visited China during the Yuan dynasty. Just as the Italian explorer’s accounts would describe, the city has always been blessed with spectacular landscapes featuring the hills, the river, and the idea of a great city. Marco Polo first established a Sino-Italian cultural exchange in the Yuan dynasty, and now, the 21^st century is witnessing another version of the multi-cultural exchange through the design vision of the meta-luxury brand Visionnaire.

Visionnaire is renowned for its one-of-a-kind design approach in creating customised interior spaces to fit a customer's personal needs, style and taste. Founded by the company IPE in 1959, the brand operates in 55 countries across the world. Following an enticing showcase during Milan Design Week 2022, Visionnaire has now come up with a new interior design and housing solution for a 400 square metres, single-storey apartment in the Kaidijinzuo skyscraper in Hangzhou, China.

Matching the spectacular cultural dimension hosted by Hangzhou city, where commercial and cultural interests live in harmony, Visionnaire completed the whole concept solution by paying heed to every micro aspect of the interior and furniture design. The resulting design concept interflows with oriental aesthetics while representing the actual life philosophies of the family that owns the apartment. The apartment is designed with floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room, where bright sunlight shapeshifts as a natural spotlight for Kathryn armchair. Meant for internal and external settings, the armchair is accompanied by a pouffe from the same collection whose soft and familial texture ascertains a cosy and restful atmosphere.

Furthermore, the smoky glass console - Mondrian - placed strategically, perfectly reflects the city’s landscape. The marble slab below the mirror appears as an abstract painting while the mirror offers an enhanced amalgamation of Hangzhou’s identity within the home. Next to the elegant Ca' Foscari sofa, the set of Granger side tables is placed, which appears as a sculptural artwork with its practical and aesthetically appealing heights. The Italian brand also plays around with colours and contrasts by placing a pair of velvet blue Sontag armchairs along with the Cyborg coffee table. The diamond-shaped armchairs do not mute the aesthetics of the space, and the metallic and almost reflective finishes of the coffee table pair well with it to form the perfect corner for a private conversation.

The design of the Ekos bench and the Kerwan dining table also works well as a pair, where both pieces are highlighted with marble and metal legs. The two materials are held in tension with each other to achieve a perfect balance of ingenious craftsmanship. When one sits on the Ekos bench, the Flamingos artwork on the opposite wall offers a transcendental artist space. The artwork created using glass, Swarovski crystals, and mother-of-pearl is the brainchild of Italian artist Michele Astolfi. The combined outlook offered by the birds, the water, and a play of lights and shadows, creates aesthetics similar to a Chinese ink painting. The leafy Astrid chairs sing the perfect duet with the Akira chandelier, just as the light swims across the petal-like lampshades, creating a poetic dialogue between the living room interior and the exotic natural landscape.

The silhouette of the mountains - the original protagonists of oriental paintings – is the inspiration behind the headboard of the Ca' Foscari bed.

The marvellous open view of the Qiantang River paired with the 'pure white mountains' in the room translates the Chinese expression of 'near the mountains, by the water' living attitude, a philosophy close to the Chinese to reality.

Additionally, the Alice chaise lounge adds a touch of European inventiveness with its gentle feel and elegant touch within the room.

Hangzhou offers a personality comprising contemporary design and historic delineation, governed by tall skyscrapers, low-rise estates, mountains, ancient monuments, and an intercontinental glimmer. Visionnaire complements every aspect of the Chinese city's character to create a narrative around their designed space. They attentively consider every dimension of life to interpret each product and blend them perfectly with a unique perspective in design. Visionnaire converges the essence of cultures from different parts of the world, to create a unique home experience for each client.