A mainstay atop quality-of-life charts, Zurich is synonymous with polished efficiency, pristine nature and its financial powerhouse status. Yet beyond beauty and banking, it has a few secrets to keep – like playing host to the world’s most attended techno parade. Every August, the movers and shakers of the city’s music, arts and rave culture welcome up to a million visitors – almost three times the city’s population – to the Street Parade, an exuberant, inclusive celebration of its storied underground rave culture. Photographers Sophie Green and Christian Werner ventured beyond its surface and into the city’s cultural underground, capturing its moods and moments in off-parade events, hidden local institutions, and liminal spaces. Released exclusively on Ignant, their images shed new light on the city’s vibrant electronic music and rave scene. To accompany the series, entitled ‘Uncovering the Underbelly’, Sophie and Christian reflect on their routes through the city, the moments that caught their eye, and how their experience cut through the stereotypes to reframe their view of Zurich’s subcultural credentials.

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In the heart of the Serra da Estrela Natural Park in northern Portugal, among the stunning views and clean mountain air, lies Casa de São Lourenço—part of Burel Mountain Hotels. Born out of the building whose history dates back to the 1940s, Casa de São Lourenço charms with its minimalist concrete interior while offering all the amenities of the luxury hotel.

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Set against the backdrop of the majestic Dolomites and surrounded by picturesque vineyards lies Bolzano, the capital of Italy’s South Tyrol province. The Alpine town is known for its historic city center, spectacular natural landscapes, and lively mix of cultural influences, and its proximity to Austria has earned it the reputation of being the bridge between Europe’s North and South. At the heart of the charming city, you’ll find Parkhotel Mondschein—a tasteful sanctuary for those seeking to disconnect and embrace il dolce far niente.

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Frothy waves lazily lap powder-white sand. Overhead, palm fronds filter a soft breeze. The curved sail of traditional dhow boat carves a striking silhouette against a sky smudged pastel pink. A sanguine moon hangs plump above the shimmering sea. Perched on a sliver of land between ocean and lagoon in Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago, paradisical Sussurro appears as a mirage; a rare destination deserving of superlatives. Taking its name from the Portuguese word for ‘whisper’, the off-grid, eco-inclined, six-bungalow hotel opened in 2022 after five years of building that began with its founders, Zimbabwean couple Sarah Birkett and Adam Humphreys, integrating into the local community. Realized exclusively by African designers, builders and growers, Sussurro celebrates craft, ingenuity and creation across Mozambique, East Africa and the continent at large. Every element of its considered guest experience exemplifies the potential of privileging locality, time, and genuine human connection. In conversation with Ignant, Sarah Birkett shares how her idyll found its form.

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For those with a keen eye for thoughtfully designed interiors and spaces, it’s nearly impossible to oversee Eva Papadaki and her 10AM projects when zooming in on the creative landscape of Athens. There, within the walls of a former industrial building, she has built a multifunctional space that spans more than six floors and functions as a haven for like-minded people from around the world. In the final days of summer, Ignant travelled to Greece and visited Papadaki in her space, which is defined by a meticulous sensitivity to materials and forms.

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Prized since ancient times for its alluring hue and medicinal properties, indigo holds an illustrious history of textile coloration and enhancement across Asian, Africa and South America—from Tutankhamen’s burial linens to the garments Samurai wore under their armor. Today, its use as a pure natural dye has become a rarity; its methods industrialized; its recipes forgotten.

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Founded two years ago as an online art gallery, VASTO has garnered international attention after unveiling its physical location in Barcelona. An eye-catcher for admirers of minimalist architecture, the gallery slips away from simple definitions. An apartment? An art gallery? For Carmen Riestra, VASTO’s founder, this division is redundant. Sharing the space with her life partner, Albert, she lives and works from there, with a 500- square-meter space often being transformed into a dynamic playground for her creative ventures. We visited Carmen at VASTO to talk about her experience of living in this unique space while navigating the contemporary art scene.

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In our post-tourism world, the compass is shifting on travel. As a confluence of dynamics – heightened ecological awareness, rising costs, and the enforced stillness of recent years – prompts reconsideration of why and how we move throughout the world, an international collective of women is offering a new way forward with mindful, community-centered sojourns. Welcome to the era of she she retreats.

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We were invited by Landfolk, a specialized bookings platform akin to Airbnb but for design lovers, to spend a weekend at one of its summer house listings. With the Danish company’s recent expansion into Germany, we didn’t have to travel far from Berlin to our stylish rural idyll on the outskirts of Lindenhagen, a peaceful village in the Uckermark region of east Brandenburg.

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Chicago has long been a hub of artistic expression, where a dynamic blend of established institutions and emerging artists unite to celebrate creativity and harness the transformative power of art. The city maintains a robust reputation, reinforced by the annual return of EXPO Chicago, as it consistently embraces fresh artistic perspectives, encourages community involvement, and nurtures an environment that fosters innovation and boundless imagination. During IGNANT’s visit for the fair’s momentous 10th anniversary last month, we had the privilege of immersing ourselves in the city’s vibrant artistic scene and gaining insight into the ever-evolving landscape of the broader art world.

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Since fall of last year, the picturesque town of Ericeira has had a new restorative getaway: ‘Aethos’. Nestled along the rugged coastline of Portugal’s Silver Coast and overlooking the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, the fazenda-converted-hotel is a true gem of minimalist architecture, designed with a community-focused and locally engaged approach. Similar to many travel enthusiasts, we couldn’t resist its allure and had to indulge first-hand in all it has to offer.

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On the opening night of ‘Trio’, a spacious and contemporary new eatery in the Berlin district Mitte, dozens of friends, family members, and passers by are packed into its charming interior, and spilling out onto the street: with glasses of wine in one hand and bowls of goulash in the other. The venue is buzzing with life and energy—a sign of what’s to come—a welcoming place that will serve the Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz square well.

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In the idyllic setting of Bad Gastein, a new design hotel—the cōmodo—has opened its doors. Through a coherent design concept, the resort combines a warm 60s nostalgia with a contemporary alpine flair. Last month, we travelled to the small, snow-covered village in the Austrian mountains and were instantly captivated by its magical nature and latest hotel addition.

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Just outside of JFK Airport Terminal 5, TWA Hotel—the airport’s first on-site hotel—is a jump into the swinging 1960s. Ideal for an overnight sleep or a cocktail visit during a layover, the stunning space is a wanderer’s paradise with a strong sense of design—a playful maze in which to get lost in the best of ways.

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Amid the flowing hills, woodland trails, and pristine coastlines of the Alentejo region in Portugal, sits ‘Pa.te.os’—a series of interconnected concrete courtyard houses overlooking the Atlantic. Designed by acclaimed architecture studio Aires Mateus, the complex is a breathtaking place to disconnect, regenerate, and delve head-first into the region’s stillness, slow-life pace, and beauty. Last summer, we had the chance to experience the retreat in person, and it took little to draw us into it.

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