Simply Abu Dhabi XIV

3 0 3 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I Lasvit is proud to be a follower of the old traditions of Bohemian glass. Lasvit’s glass art designs combine the finest traditions and craft. Czech master glassmakers. The Hyatt Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi –Wave. When Tradition Meets Alchemy The North Bohemian glassmaking town of Novy Bor has been the heart of the fragile art for over six centuries. Its manufacture of glass was radically influenced by gem cutters who worked at the 17th-century Prague court of Rudolph II, the eccentric emperor who surrounded himself with alchemists, astrologists and artists. Craftsmen thrived in an atmosphere of creative freedom and limitless possibilities and adapted the technique of gem engraving with copper and bronze wheels to glass, the first such innovation the world. This hybrid of Bohemian tradition and local abundant natural resources met with technical progress imported from every corner of the Austro-Hungarian Empire allowed the birth of glass-crystal craftsmanship, which has ruled the European market and been a source of inspiration to the creative world for centuries. Thus, Bohemian glass expanded slowly and inexorably to its luxury position today. Innovation and skill in the arts comes from the hands, whether in design or production technique. Unlimited innovation is the ultimate quest of the designer’s and craftsman’s art. Today’s glassmakers are devoted to the art and wedded to the craft. They hope and expect to spend their working lives there, blowing, re-heating, shaping, twisting and heating to blow again, raising their children to aspire to join yet another generation of master-craftsmanship. From Bohemian Furnaces to the Emirates The dedication necessary to produce glass has its fruition in today’s fast-paced environment, and Lasvit is living proof. Through its varied collaboration with architects, designers and developers, the company has successfully spread the art of glass worldwide, from Abu Dhabi with its combination of business and pleasure, modernity and mysticism, across five continents. In the Emirates, world-class examples of Bohemian glass tradition employed by Lasvit are easily found in luxury hotels, such as the St. Regis Nation Towers Hotel and the latest artworks at the Rosewood Hotel. The Reed Wall in the Rosewood lobby is a unique architectural feature of hand-blown glass, inspired by the weave of traditional Asian reed partition walls. The lighting sculpture with the expressive name Bedouin Tent graces the Rosewood Lobby Lounge and draws its inspiration from traditional Middle-Eastern canopy shapes. Among today’s hot topics, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers stands out. Rising majestically from its beachside setting, its dramatic sculptural form and spectacular design set a new standard for luxury hotels in AbuDhabi. The crystal and glass-art lighting creations adorn the Ballroom, Grand Lobby, and Pre Function area, featuring the stunning Oculus. Sixteen meters in diameter, this combination of beauty, fantasy and art glitters with over 260,000 fine crystal beads and hand-blown glass elements. Oculus defines a different dimension, the eye of the Universe, an entire dreamlike realm. The surreal qualities of glass make thoughts of ownership a reality. For those who truly appreciate the fire and light, this irresistible temptation is finally within reach. Attending to the desires of private collectors, Lasvit creates stunning bespoke creations for particular residential clients. Usually working in collaboration with renowned architects and interior designers, these fabulous installations bring pride of ownership to individuals who understand and revere the unusual and can afford the very finest for their personal pleasure and that of their guests. Never at rest and deeply involved with international clients, the company looks with confidence toward its next challenge. Wherever those challenges arise, light, colour, motion and the sensuous qualities of glass will be on their drawing boards.