A DUALITY OF BALANCE: The Dynamic Design of Dori Hitti.
Editorial
The Dynamic Design of Dori Hitti.
Bronzed lamellar layers rise gracefully along a metallic trunk, balancing asymmetrically to evoke the cedars of Dori Hitti’s Lebanese homeland. At once solidly contemporary and evocatively ancient, this sculpture encapsulates the design ethos brought to his singular projects. As with the contrasting slate-coloured metallic trunk and weathered bronze branches of his cedar, materials are a source of inspiration for Hitti – “in some cases they are the starting point of all that is going to be designed. It is a constant dialogue between the materials and the design.” Though modern and minimalist in character, Hitti remains in conversation with traditional memories, a dialogue which defines his work to its core.
“It is a constant dialogue between the materials and the design.”
Building from this base of inspiration, whether it be a stunning residential home, a sublimely inviting restaurant, or a striking hotel space, Hitti and his team balance their central pillar of good design –functionality and practicality – with “what truly defines the identity and spirit of a space – the artistry and personality aspects. Otherwise all projects would end up repeating themselves and lack the soul factor which is so essential to each project.” This soul is often expressed in light, recalling Richard Meier’s invocation to “allow light to become form.” The inclusion of light is a central element in Hitti’s interior architecture, considered and studied thoroughly as they “develop the design, with the main objective to enhance the existing natural lighting and increase it if possible and, in designing artificial lighting layouts, to seek different layers of lighting that may playfully adjust to the mood required.”
Words: Brodie Duncan
Read the full story in the first edition of MATTER OF HOW.
Released June 2024.