Hueso | Guadalajara, Mexico

by Maleeha Sambur

Mexico-based architect and designer Ignacio Cadena and his firm, Cadena + Associates, built Hueso, a restaurant in Guadalajara's Lafayette design district, for his brother, chef Alfonso Cadena. It's aptly named, given that thousands of cast aluminum animal bones line the walls. The theme is echoed in the bone-white painted brick of the interior, as well as the gorgeously tiled exterior. While it sounds a bit morbid, the result is actually a wonderfully light, airy, awe-inspiring dining space. More images here and here, and interview with Ignacio Cadena here.

Photos by Jaime Navarro

Ricardo Bofill's La Muralla Roja

by Maleeha Sambur

Apartamento co-founder Nacho Alegre's gorgeous photographs of La Muralla Roja, the Ricardo Bofill-designed housing complex in the Mediterranean town of Calpe, Spain, have been dancing in my head ever since I spied them on Vogue.com over the summer. They continue to haunt me, resurfacing in my Pinterest and Instagram feeds every other day or so. 

Built atop a rocky cliff, the design of the complex was inspired by the walled fortresses of North Africa, its flow dictated by a series of inter-connected stairs and access bridges that lead to the 50 apartments. The vivid color scheme consisting of pinks, reds, and blues was intended to interact - either as complement or contrast -  with the changing colors of the sky. 

While I'm pretty much a fan of all of Bofill's works, these images in particular had me jonesing hard for a trip to the Alicante. However, it was Alegre's beautiful, spot-on description of the place that really stuck:

I imagine it as a Postmodern interpretation of a casbah, with its labyrinth-like circulation, overlapping stairs, impossible balconies, and endless series of patios. 

Read more about his impressions and see the rest of the photos here.