🌟 Lifestyle Roundup: The Week’s Most Noteworthy Stories in Architecture, Yachts, and Fashion
From a nature-inspired supertall skyscraper rising in Vancouver to a tennis superstar’s custom catamaran and a landmark fashion exhibition opening in London — here are three stories that caught our attention this week.
🏗️ 1. Vancouver’s First Supertall Skyscraper Draws Inspiration From Ancient Sea Sponge Reefs
Image: Henriquez Partners Architects / Holborn Group, via Dezeen
Vancouver is set to get its first supertall skyscraper — and its design story is unlike anything you’ve seen before. Local studio Henriquez Partners Architects has unveiled plans for a trio of towers as part of the Georgia & Abbott development for Holborn Group, anchored by a striking 1,033-foot (314-metre) tower at 595 West Georgia Street.
What makes this project truly unique is its biomimetic inspiration: the structural expression is modeled after rare ancient glass sea sponge reefs found off the coast of British Columbia. The tower will feature a steel exoskeleton wrapped in white GFRP (glass-fiber reinforced polymer) paneling with highly translucent glass spans, evoking the organic lattice of sea sponges.
“This natural metaphor is expressed not only in distinct silhouettes and the sculptural form of its tallest tower, but in their environmental performance towards a net-zero carbon operation,” the studio said.
At its crown, a massive tree-filled public atrium will offer a unique urban oasis accessible to all. The development also incorporates social housing and a dedicated First Nations art gallery, while preserving the facade of the historic 1926 Randall Building. The project recently received unanimous support from Vancouver’s Urban Design Panel and heads to public hearing this summer.
Source: Dezeen
⛵ 2. Tennis World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz Is Building a Bespoke 88-Foot Sunreef Catamaran
Image: Sunreef Yachts, via Robb Report
At just 22, tennis phenom Carlos Alcaraz — current world number one and winner of three of the past four Grand Slams — is making his first major move into the luxury marine world. The Spanish superstar has commissioned a bespoke Sunreef 88 Ultima catamaran and signed on as a brand ambassador for the Polish shipyard.
Alcaraz’s love affair with catamarans began after the 2024 Paris Olympics. Following his loss in the men’s final to Novak Djokovic, he spent a week aboard a catamaran to unwind. “I just loved how comfortable it was; the space and the stability,” he told Robb Report. “I think it isn’t comparable to anything else.”
The 88-foot multihull — roughly eight feet longer than fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal’s custom Sunreef 80 Power Great White — is still in the design phase, but can be configured with a hybrid propulsion system for emissions-free cruising and a “solar skin” that generates clean energy. As standard, the 88 Ultima accommodates 10 guests in five ensuite cabins, with a flybridge entertaining area and an aft garage for water toys.
“I just really, really want to have fun, you know,” Alcaraz said. “I just want to put my Jet Ski on there and enjoy the water.”
Source: Robb Report
👗 3. V&A Opens Landmark Schiaparelli Exhibition: “Fashion Becomes Art”
Image: Jamie Stoker, via Dezeen
London’s Victoria and Albert Museum has opened Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art, the first UK exhibition dedicated to the legendary fashion house founded by Elsa Schiaparelli in 1927. Running through November 1, 2026, the show brings together over 400 objects — including approximately 100 garments and more than 50 works of art.
Among the highlights is the only surviving Skeleton dress, a 1938 collaboration between Schiaparelli and Salvador Dalí that uses a trapunto quilting technique to bring a skeleton to life across sheer fabric. Dalí’s iconic Lobster Telephone (1938) is also on display, alongside the original Shocking perfume bottle designed by artist Leonor Fini in the shape of actress Mae West’s dress form.
“There could be a misconception that she simply took surrealist motifs and stuck them on her clothes, when in fact, she was an active collaborative partner in the design process,” said V&A senior curator Sonnet Stanfill. “People considered her couture salon in Paris as the beating heart of the surrealist movement.”
The exhibition also bridges past and present, featuring new pieces by current creative director Daniel Roseberry — including the glittering custom gown worn by Ariana Grande at the 2025 Oscars, with its heel motif paying homage to Dorothy’s ruby slippers.
Source: Dezeen
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. All information is sourced from the referenced publications. Images are credited to their respective owners.
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