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The best international school designs for Ventimiglia revealed

by: Cassandra Tanti
10/10/2022

Four design proposals for the future international school, Borgo del Forte Campus, in Ventimiglia have been selected, with the final project forming a major aspect of the new urban redevelopment project that is transforming Ventimiglia.

On 23rd September, the Marina Development Corporation (MDC), an urban redevelopment company, examined the design proposals of four Italian architectural firms for the construction of the Borgo del Forte Campus in the Campasso di Nervia area in Ventimiglia.

The Borgo del Forte Campus will be situated in the former Campasso railway yard, near the mouth of the Nervia river.

The Borgo del Forte Campus is designed to fit strategically into the overall plan to relaunch the city of Ventimiglia through the new high-end development project, Marina di Ventimiglia, and the Borgo del Forte aspect that is planned for the rear port of the city.

The Borgo del Forte Campus will cover a total of 42,000 square metres and include a sports centre with indoor swimming pool that can be used all year round, a fully equipped gym, changing rooms, services and a dedicated club house, as well as a multifunctional area for indoor/outdoor activities and some tennis courts, all open to the public.

International school design by MCA – Mario Cucinella Architects

A multi-level building will be built next to the sports centre to house the international school – the heart of the Campus. To the south, the 1,600 square metre former railway depot building will be renovated and used as a conference centre with conference room, exhibition/fair area, and offices, all overlooking a large green park.

Finally, the former guesthouse will be renovated and used as an accommodation facility for athletes, students and teachers, and the third existing building will be equipped for reception services, offices and cafeteria. The Campus will also be able to take advantage of over 3,000 square meters of parking.

The following four Italian architectural firms were chosen for their designs: Atelier Alfonso Femia, MCA – Mario Cucinella Architects, One Works and Lombardini22 studios. By the end of the year, the design projects will be presented to the international school operator currently being selected by MDC for the management of the Campus.

Sports centre design by MCA – Mario Cucinella Architects

“It is a great pleasure to have received today in Ventimiglia four of the best architectural firms in Italy who presented their design proposals for Borgo del Forte Campus, all of great value and responding to the requests made during the tender,” said MDC CEO Giuseppe Noto. “This confirms the relevance and quality of the Marina di Ventimiglia urban regeneration project, which we have been carrying out with local and regional administrations for almost two years, for the relaunch of western Liguria through a new hotel, residential and educational-sporting offer.”

Borgo del Forte Campus is an integral part of Marina di Ventimiglia, the large urban regeneration project presented in April last year by MDC, aimed at creating a new tourist destination on the seafront of the western Ligurian city and breathing new life to the Italian Riviera.

Project design by MCA – Mario Cucinella Architects

Marina di Ventimiglia will be developed on a total area of ​​57,000 square metres, with an investment of over €200 million, and it includes several ambitious projects, the main one being Borgo del Forte. It forms part of ​​Marina San Giuseppe which is located behind the port of Cala del Forte, inaugurated last summer and owned by the Port of Monaco. Here will be built a five-star hotel with 25 suite rooms, as well as gym, wellness centre, restaurant, and 130 apartments for sale, all equipped with large terraces. The intention is to create a community that is active and lively all year round.

Other main developments include the construction of a panoramic restaurant called La Rocca, which is close to being built, and Club Italia, transforming the former ACI building into a food and beverage centre of excellence.

 

Click on the images below…

 

 

 

 

 

Eileen Gray villa restoration earns EU Heritage Prize

by: Stephanie Horsman
10/10/2022

A €6 million project by Cap Moderne to return the famous Eileen Gray villa, E-1027 in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, to its former glory has been awarded the European Heritage Prize in Prague.

A marvel of the modern movement in the late 1920s, Villa E-1027, conceived and built by Irish architect Eileen Gray, put Roquebrune-Cap-Martin on the map. It’s clean lines and minimalist design were ground breaking and paved the way for many other similar houses in the region.

Sadly, after decades of environmental stress and general neglect, the house was not in the best shape, prompting the association Cap Moderne to take charge of the site and restore this jewel to its former glory.

The project, funded by the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region’s Department of Cultural Affairs, the Conservatoire du Littoral and the Getty Foundation USA, has not only restored the house, but has turned it into a museum dedicated to Eileen Gray’s architectural skills, as well as to her talents as a furniture designer. The house boasts upward of 180 pieces made by Gray during her years living there.

At a total cost of more than €6 million, the finished project will be run by France’s National Monuments Centre alongside the Eileen Gray-Etoile de Mer-Le Courbusier Association, presided over by Magda Rebutato.

The extensive renovations included structural repairs using a technique that prevents corrosion of the reinforced concrete exteriors and the use of craftsmen from six different countries who repaired damaged furniture and fittings manually to retain authenticity.

On 26th September, Heritage Architect Claudia Devaux accepted the European Heritage Prize awarded for the project in Prague.

“Villa E-1027 is an iconic building of modernist architecture. It’s complete restoration, including advanced systems to avoid corrosion, is exemplary for the future preservation of modernist architecture, a type of architecture that is too often pushed for demolition. It’s laudable restoration rightfully pays homage to Eileen Gray, an important modernist architect and furniture designer,” said the Award’s Jury.

 

 

Photo about credit: Manuel Bougot

 

 

 

Louise Grether: “Monaco is officially an art destination”

by: Cassandra Tanti
09/10/2022
louise grether by monaco life

Louise Grether has forged a strong reputation in the Monaco art world, initially opening Artcurial’s first gallery space in the Principality before realising the same milestone for Sotheby’s auction house this summer.

The British-native spoke to Monaco Life about the strides made here in the art scene, and how demand among a younger generation of residents is driving the Principality towards a very vibrant  future.

Monaco Life: What made you make the move from Artcurial to Sotheby’s?

Louise Grether: Well, I was ready for a new challenge. Sometimes you have to push yourself into something that you wouldn’t naturally do. I was so attached to Artcurial, I really was, I found it so difficult to make that decision. But I was ready for a new challenge and I could see that it was something similar to what I had done in the past – moving from an office to a gallery space, and I knew I could do it. Sotheby’s is also the number one auction house worldwide, so it made sense. Meanwhile, Mark Armstrong has been here for 40 years, he’s a walking encyclopaedia of knowledge and context.

Can you describe for us some of the big changes you have seen in the Monaco art world since you arrived in the Principality seven years ago?

I think with the opening of the mega galleries, such as Hauser and Wirth, the art offering in Monaco is really stepping up now and people really consider it as an art destination. It’s always had a lot to offer on the cultural side: the ballet, the opera, et cetera. And now they have these great galleries.

I’m the president of Monaco Art Week, which is an association for all the galleries and institutions to unite under for joint events, and we noticed that this year, which is the 4th year, we’ve had an awful lot of interest and success. Art Monte-Carlo was also a great success at the Grimaldi Forum. There are a lot of new residents moving in; there’s a younger crowd. People are starting to buy art here and show us the most wonderful collections that maybe they would have shown in the past at Paris or London.

So, this year’s Monaco Art Week was a success?

Absolutely. It’s a lot of collaboration, which is very important, because we’re all different galleries here offering totally different styles of art. Even in terms of Sotheby’s and Artcurial, it’s probably quite rare that we’ll come into competition with each other, so we must all work together for the good of the Principality at the end of the day. There are no points for working on the sides. We can really collaborate and operate together and that was the principle behind Monaco Art Week.

Is it a similar situation in other cities, or do you think this collaborative approach is unique to Monaco because of its size?

In London, for example, there is Mayfair Art Week, which is very similar; there’s Marrakesh Art Week, and Paris Art Week on a larger scale. But in Monaco, we are such a small Principality, it’s so condensed that you can actually go around the whole of Monaco in one day with your collectors and seek out the best artworks. And it’s wonderful that Hauser and Wirth are here, it is such a great gallery, and I’m sure more will come. In fact, I have no doubt – I’ve heard of one or two large galleries who are thinking of coming, big names that are actively looking for space.

I also think that here in Monaco, we must focus on educating people, and one of our goals here at Sotheby’s is to make sure that everybody is welcome. We organise little workshops to talk to people; we organise masterclasses on Sotheby’s diamonds, for example; we’re permanently organising workshops with our luxury experts who are coming in to talk about how to start a collection, et cetera. Hauser and Wirth do it well, they organise a series of lectures. At Artcurial, we used to arrange workshops for six or seven ladies who would come with their handbags and we would show them how to spot a fake, we’d also talk about it from an investment point of view – ‘Are these bags really worth buying and holding on to?’ It’s all very interesting.

Sotheby’s selling exhibition of works by Francois-Xavier and Claude Lalanne this summer. Photo by Monaco Life

What is your vision for Sotheby’s Monaco?

We have a very interesting calendar of events. We have just had local Franco-Iranian artist Sassan Behnam Bakhtiar, a wonderful contemporary artist, for the month of September. Then at the end of September during the Monaco Yacht Show we had some old masters come in, some wonderful works for a week. We’re also collaborating with Alexander Kraft, owner of Sotheby’s Real Estate France and Monaco. He has a clothing line and he’s very into luxury: he has a wonderful collection of watches and cars. So, we will be organising an expertise day at his hotel La Maison Bleue in the Var where he is going to show his clothing line in October.

I think we really must bring in new and interesting ideas connected to art. It has to be a place that’s vivant, as you say French. That’s why it’s important to do it in Monaco, because people want to come here and live the lifestyle.

Do Sotheby’s host auctions in Monaco?
They haven’t hosted any auctions in Monaco – apart from Karl Lagerfeld because they were obliged to host one auction in Monaco. The auctions are held in Paris.

We’re not ruling out any auctions that might make sense in Monaco in the future. But everything in this gallery is for private sale, so that’s a different way of working. It’s a different way of negotiating with people, of deciding with clients whether they want to put something in a private sale or at auction. I think a lot of people prefer to sell it private sale, or at least have the choice, because it’s more confidential, there’s possibly more of a guarantee – you’re not taking quite the risk that you might if you’re putting something at auction with an attractive estimation.

Sotheby’s are very flexible and they’re definitely working with the times. Everything is digitalised, there are no catalogues these days. It’s difficult for some people, particularly for the older generation. But that’s the way it is today – everything is quick and immediate. Buy now. That’s why I admire Sotheby’s, they took the plunge and it works.

What about digital finance and NFTs?

Yes, they’re leaders in NFTs, crypto and digital. But I don’t think it’s coming to Monaco just yet, I need to understand that a bit more. I prefer to focus on the physical object.

In terms of the current geopolitical situation and Covid-19, what impact have those had on the art market?

I would say they’ve had a very positive impact because people are seeing art as a safe haven, a good investment – we’ve never had such great sales. The auction houses, if you look at their results, haven’t suffered at all. It’s very interesting, actually. But I think it’s a safe investment for most people, even things like watches and jewellery, and particularly diamonds this year.

Where do you see the future of the art industry in Monaco, and what are you most excited about?

I feel very positive about it and I know that everyone I’ve spoken to here, the directors of the galleries, we’re all in this very positive movement to make sure that Monaco is really stamped on the map as a place to be for the art market, and I can only see things getting better.

There are a lot of people who really want to make it work here, and I know that even collectors have changed their mindset about what’s on offer here. And that’s one of the first steps, I think. From what I can see, they’re really respecting what the galleries are doing in Monaco and how things are developing,

SEE ALSO:

Podcast interview: Artist Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar

 

Photo of Louise Grether at Sotheby’s Monaco, credit: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life

 

 

 

Boccone-Pagès makes history as first female president of National Council

by: Stephanie Horsman
09/10/2022

For the first time ever, Monaco’s National Council has elected a woman to sit at the helm, voting unanimously for Brigitte Boccone-Pagès to step in as new President, replacing outgoing leader Stéphane Valeri.  

History was made on Thursday 6th October as Monaco’s National Council elected their very first female President, Brigitte Boccone-Pagès. She was joined by the newly-elected Vice-President Balthazar Seydoux, who will take on double duty and remain the President of the Finance and National Economy Commission until the end of this term.

Madame President was humble in her acceptance and assured the elected officials that she will follow closely in the footsteps of her predecessor, Stéphane Valeri, who left the position on 3rd October to take up his new role as Deputy Chairman of the Board at Société des Bains de Mer (SBM).

“Dear colleagues, by electing me, you have chosen continuity. This is a strong political choice that leads to an unprecedented situation since I have the honour of being the first woman to chair the National Council since its creation. How not to have a thought, in the form of thanks, for the ones who will have marked the history of this assembly for the benefit of our national community and the Principality as a whole (…) It is a question of continuing on the path of the commitments which were made before the Monegasques in 2018 and all throughout this term,” said Brigitte Boccone-Pagès in her acceptance speech.

Vice-President Balthazar Seydoux, photo source: Monaco National Council

Though she honoured her former colleague Stéphane Valeri, she clearly has an agenda of her own to set forth and wasted little time getting down to business.

“I intend, dear colleagues, that we approach the important pages that remain to be written for the end of this term of office, starting, in a moment, with the examination of the Amending Budget Law 2022.”

She went on to speak of another hot topic in the Principality, that of housing, saying, “Thanks to the extensive delivery schedule of state housing announced in 2019, the first objective, which was to reduce the shortage of recent years, will be achieved in 2023. However, solving this critical situation was only the first part of the question, since we know that we must build enough new housing each year to avoid another shortage.”

Monaco is now amongst an elite group of nations whose National Assemblies are headed up by a woman, signalling Monaco’s progressive thinking and making a strong stand on the side of gender equality in politics.

Newly elected Vice-President Seydoux made clear his support for Boccone-Pagès in his acceptance speech, saying, “I must tell you, dear colleagues, how proud I am to become the vice-president of the first woman president of the National Council. This moment is historic and highly symbolic in the tradition of President Valeri who has done so much during his successive mandates for gender equality. What a beautiful symbol, and what an important moment for the evolution of our society.”

 

 

Photo source: Monaco National Council

 

 

 

 

Monaco celebrates International Day of the Girl by promoting women in politics

by: Cassandra Tanti
07/10/2022

As part of the International Day of the Girl, over 20 Monaco high school students will visit the National Council on 11­th October to meet the new president and other female members of parliament, and learn more about the role and importance of women in politics.  

Monaco-based association SheCanHeCan has been collaborating with the National Council of Monaco since 2017 to raise awareness about the role of women in politics.

In visiting the Council on 11th October, the students will be encouraged to learn from elected female MPs about their experiences and specifically the challenges they face.

They will be welcomed by Brigitte Boccones-Pages, the first female President of the Conseil National, and Nathalie Amoratti-Blanc, President of the Commission for the Rights of Women and Family, as well as other key officials including Commissioner in charge of Education, Youth and Sports Isabelle Bonnal, and Interministerial Delegate in charge of Women’s Rights in Monaco Celine Cottalorda. Once again, several elected officials from the Mairie will also take part in the event.

The female students will have the unique opportunity to ask questions, and exchange and share their ideas about the role of women in politics. They will also learn more about the role and history of the National Council, as well as the history and challenges faced by female politicians globally. 

The International Day of the Girl, declared by the United Nations in 2011, aims to raise awareness about the specific challenges faced by girls. Since 2014, SheCanHeCan has organised numerous events to mark the day, from movie screenings to art exhibitions and, since 2017, this collaboration with the Conseil National to bring students to visit their local parliament.  

The 2022 international theme is ‘Our time is now: our rights, our future’ and, says Vibeke Thomsen, founder of SheCanHeCan, “it is crucial to call on elected officials to address factors which might still hold girls back in their countries and to call on all officials to make the targeted investments to tackle inequalities still experienced by girls”.

SheCanHeCan is a Monegasque association created in 2011 which aims to support girls to take up leadership roles and encourages all individuals to realise their full potential, independent of their gender and other social identities.

 

 

Photo source: National Council of Monaco

 

 

 

New funding initiative to channel donations to Pelagos Sanctuary

by: Cassandra Tanti
06/10/2022

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation has joined forces with UBS Optimus Foundation Europe and UBS Monaco to accelerate climate action and strengthen marine mammals’ protection in the Mediterranean.

On 30th September, in the presence of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, UBS Optimus Foundation Europe, UBS Monaco and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation signed a partnership agreement to increase climate mitigation and adaptation thanks to the protection of coastal and marine ecosystems in the Pelagos Sanctuary.

Projects supported through this alliance will be dedicated to promoting the reinforcement of marine protected areas and no take zones as well as the restoration of coastal ecosystems. Special attention will be given to the protection of marine mammals, conservation of biodiversity and resilience to climate change, but also to the engagement of coastal communities.

“Joining forces with UBS Optimus Foundation Europe and UBS Monaco, with whom we share the same vision of impactful philanthropy, is an honor for the Foundation,” said Olivier Wenden, Vice-President and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. “Accelerating collaborations and scaling-up solutions for a greater preservation of marine species and ecosystems is vital to tackle the issue of climate change. That is why this support is so meaningful for us in our mission to progress ocean and planetary health.”

The collaboration takes place in the framework of the Pelagos initiative launched in 2021 by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation alongside its partners WWF, IUCN and Medpan, with the aim to strengthen conservation projects within the Pelagos Sanctuary.

The Pelagos Sanctuary is a marine territory of 87,500 km2 in the waters of the Principality of Monaco, France and Italy. The Sanctuary is home to a remarkable biodiversity, with many species of marine mammals such as dolphins, cachalots, and fin whales.

To achieve the goal and create a dedicated funding window for climate-oriented projects, UBS Optimus Foundation and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation each commit to one million euros in support of projects conducted by civil society to protect marine mammals in the Pelagos Sanctuary and promote this iconic area of the Mediterranean – a conservation action that will also enter the portfolio of sustainable projects proposed by UBS Optimus Foundation Europe to their clients. UBS Monaco will top-up to match the donations that will be made by their clients or employees to UBS Optimus Foundation towards the Pelagos Initiative, with 10% or more.

“We are delighted to be partnering with the Prince Albert II Foundation to raise awareness of and funds for the Pelagos Initiative which is advancing credible, scalable solutions to protecting marine areas,” said Alejandro Velez, UBS Country Head Monaco and Head FIM Europe. “Together, we can make a bigger environmental impact and, in support of this important goal, UBS have committed to add a minimum 10% match to all client and employee donations.”

On 29th September, an exclusive event was organised for the launch of the partnership, at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort, addressing conservation issues in the Mediterranean Sea and better protection of marine mammals. The high-level panel event started with welcome remarks from Olivier Wenden and Alejandro Velez, followed by discussions with Suzanne Gallon, Scientific Manager at MedPan, Hannah Wood, Program Director Climate and Environment, USB Optimus Foundation, and Marco Lambertini, CEO of WWF.