40 OCTOBER 2019
JOSHUA SCOTTThe first answer—because there are two—is that they are
all the products of the extraordinary mind of the late Iraqi-
born architect Zaha Hadid. The second answer is that all three
star in different parts of this special design issue of Robb Report
that you have in your hands.
While preparing this month’s magazine, we canvassed an
array of influential experts across a wide variety of disciplines:
car, watch, yacht, interior, jewelry and fashion designers;
architects and chefs; creative directors and gallerists. We asked
them for two things: their nominations for what they believe will
be seen as the most iconic piece of 21st-century design, and what
they feel to be the most undervalued example from the previous
century. And then, in a moment of mischief, we also plotted
a rundown of the things from any era that might have looked
sensational on paper—or even once put into production—but
failed in one small way when it came to the crunch: They didn’t
work. And, peculiarly, Zaha Hadid figures in all three categories.
I remark on this coincidence not to diminish Hadid in any
way, for she achieved that thing only truly great designers
accomplish: An instantly recognizable style which she managed
to reinvent time and again. But the peculiarity is worth
highlighting purely because good design, no matter how simple
it might appear, is improbably difficult. Sir James Dyson, one of
Britain’s most successful businessmen, spent 15 years attempting
and failing to create a new type of vacuum cleaner. He tried
5,126 times before discovering the correct formula for a bagless
vacuum that didn’t lose suction. It took its toll on him and his
family—now he’s the largest landowner in England, with more
acres than the Queen. Good design pays off, then. Our story on
the icons of 21st-century design starts on page 126.
Elsewhere, our watch editor, Paige Reddinger, traveled
to Switzerland, to the home of Greubel Forsey, makers of
some of the most complicated and spectacular timepieces
in the world, to tour a truly impressive workshop. A
refurbished 17th-century farmhouse has been welded to a huge
modernist glass shard that angles into the ground. Sounds
improbable? See what we mean—and read how the marque’s
insistence on safeguarding the fast-disappearing traditional
techniques seems somehow to fit with the building that houses
it, on page 162.
Ever since watching a documentary on him some years ago,
I’ve been itching to commission a story on Danish starchitect
Bjarke Ingels. So I’m delighted that we were able to send editor
at large Mark Ellwood to Copenhagen to meet the man who
is responsible for some of the most unusual and, dare we say
it, fun buildings we’ve ever seen. The Danish creative is not
short on confidence, which makes for entertaining reading,
but he’s a visionary who has achieved a huge amount in a
relatively short space of time. And he also issues an invitation
of sorts to Robb Report readers: He has so far taken on very few
private homes because, he says, “making a house for someoneis architecture as portraiture,” so he insists on time to get to
know the client. Many won’t or can’t oblige. “The design [of the
home] has to be someone’s dream. Not mine, necessarily, but
someone’s. Because if it isn’t, why are we even bothering to do
it?” Up for the challenge? Discover why Ingels is architecture’s
Mr. Big on page 154.
Speaking of visionaries, ever wondered where some of the
greatest to have put pen to paper first got their breaks? When it
comes to the folks who dream up cars for a living, chances are
they went to one of the four elite schools we profile in “Learning
Curves” (page 144). Although these colleges are separated by
continents, what they all share (beyond a hugely impressive list
of alumni) is a passion for form and function, and a desire to
instill in their students the willingness to go that extra mile for a
great idea. Because, ultimately, good design is everything.
Enjoy the issue. Editor’s Letter
What do the curvaceous Heydar Aliyev Center in
Azerbaijan, an unbuilt concept for the Cardiff Bay Opera
House and another concert hall, this time fully realized,
in Guangzhou, China, have in common?
Paul Croughton
Editor in Chief
@paulcroughtonG2G_Oct_EdLetter.indd 40 8/30/19 3:54 PM40 OCTOBER 2019
JOSHUA SCOTTThefirstanswer—becausetherearetwo—isthattheyare
alltheproductsoftheextraordinarymindofthelateIraqi-
bornarchitectZahaHadid.Thesecondansweristhatallthree
starindifferentpartsofthisspecialdesignissueofRobbReport
thatyouhaveinyourhands.
Whilepreparingthismonth’smagazine,wecanvassedan
arrayofinfluentialexpertsacrossawidevarietyofdisciplines:
car,watch,yacht,interior,jewelryandfashiondesigners;
architectsandchefs;creativedirectorsandgallerists.Weasked
themfortwothings:theirnominationsforwhattheybelievewill
beseenasthemosticonicpieceof21st-centurydesign,andwhat
theyfeeltobethemostundervaluedexamplefromtheprevious
century.Andthen,inamomentofmischief,wealsoplotted
arundownofthethingsfromanyerathatmighthavelooked
sensationalonpaper—orevenonceputintoproduction—but
failedinonesmallwaywhenitcametothecrunch:Theydidn’t
work.And,peculiarly,ZahaHadidfiguresinallthreecategories.
IremarkonthiscoincidencenottodiminishHadidinany
way,forsheachievedthatthingonlytrulygreatdesigners
accomplish:Aninstantlyrecognizablestylewhichshemanaged
toreinventtimeandagain.Butthepeculiarityisworth
highlightingpurelybecausegooddesign,nomatterhowsimple
itmightappear,isimprobablydifficult.SirJamesDyson,oneof
Britain’smostsuccessfulbusinessmen,spent 15 yearsattempting
andfailingtocreateanewtypeofvacuumcleaner.Hetried
5,126timesbeforediscoveringthecorrectformulaforabagless
vacuumthatdidn’tlosesuction.Ittookitstollonhimandhis
family—nowhe’sthelargestlandownerinEngland,withmore
acresthantheQueen.Gooddesignpaysoff,then.Ourstoryon
theiconsof21st-centurydesignstartsonpage126.
Elsewhere,ourwatcheditor,PaigeReddinger,traveled
toSwitzerland,tothehomeofGreubelForsey,makersof
someofthemostcomplicatedandspectaculartimepieces
intheworld,totouratrulyimpressiveworkshop.A
refurbished17th-centuryfarmhousehasbeenweldedtoahuge
modernist glass shard that angles into the ground. Sounds
improbable? See what we mean—and read how the marque’s
insistence on safeguarding the fast-disappearing traditional
techniques seems somehow to fit with the building that houses
it, on page 162.
Ever since watching a documentary on him some years ago,
I’ve been itching to commission a story on Danish starchitect
Bjarke Ingels. So I’m delighted that we were able to send editor
at large Mark Ellwood to Copenhagen to meet the man who
is responsible for some of the most unusual and, dare we say
it, fun buildings we’ve ever seen. The Danish creative is not
short on confidence, which makes for entertaining reading,
but he’s a visionary who has achieved a huge amount in a
relatively short space of time. And he also issues an invitation
of sorts to Robb Report readers: He has so far taken on very few
private homes because, he says, “making a house for someoneis architecture as portraiture,” so he insists on time to get to
know the client. Many won’t or can’t oblige. “The design [of the
home] has to be someone’s dream. Not mine, necessarily, but
someone’s. Because if it isn’t, why are we even bothering to do
it?” Up for the challenge? Discover why Ingels is architecture’s
Mr. Big on page 154.
Speaking of visionaries, ever wondered where some of the
greatest to have put pen to paper first got their breaks? When it
comes to the folks who dream up cars for a living, chances are
they went to one of the four elite schools we profile in “Learning
Curves” (page 144). Although these colleges are separated by
continents, what they all share (beyond a hugely impressive list
of alumni) is a passion for form and function, and a desire to
instill in their students the willingness to go that extra mile for a
great idea. Because, ultimately, good design is everything.
Enjoy the issue. What do the curvaceous Heydar Aliyev Center in
Azerbaijan, an unbuilt concept for the Cardiff Bay Opera
House and another concert hall, this time fully realized,
in Guangzhou, China, have in common?
Paul Croughton
Editor in Chief
@paulcroughton