50 DIGS.NET
| 7.15.2022
P R O F I L E | H A U S E R & W I R T H
Hauser & Wirth. "The interior architecture features the restored
original wood beams, and the walls across the two buildings
have been washed with traditional lime plaster, leaving the scars
on the sandstone walls visible." Environmentally, the project
features rainwater collection protocols and energy-efficient
climate controls for the buildings. A water plant to reuse water
for ground irrigation also was created. Every effort responds to
our increasingly precarious environmental moment and to the
sensitivity of the built environment.
The garden is spectacular, designed with beautifully manicured
abandoned by noted Dutch landscape designer Piet Oudolf,
whose composition of low-growing grasses, flowers and other
native Mediterranean plants, is an earthy delight of color and
texture that sets off the pale pink stone and rapturous blue
beyond. These glorious yet quiet grounds frame outdoor sculp-
tures by the likes of Spanish Catalan artist Joan Miro. "When I
first visited Menorca, I was inspired by how periods of flowering
spread throughout the year, which makes the garden interesting
at all seasons," explains Oudolf. "I am most interested in the
structure of plants, and used perennials adapted to the climate
to create a garden rich in shape and textures."
Hauser & Wirth Menorca is never far from its roots. The naval
theme manifests in nautical-inspired design details, including
cording, metal hardware and splashes of blue and red. In the
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restaurant Cantina, which is modeled after a proper "sea bistro,"
one dines on sustainable and local produce amid sailing flags,
stripe-covered seating and peppy royal-blue light fixtures that
pop against crisp-white walls. The exhibition galleries are them-
selves as white as a crashing wave, highlighting thoughtfully
curated exhibits. Opening with an exhibition from Los Angeles
artist Mark Bradford, Hauser & Wirth Menorca continues its art
engagement with the world by once again crossing the seas to
stage the exhibit "Sodade" by another American artist, Rashid
Johnson, this summer. hauserandwirth.com
