The Corridor of Maps

The Gallery of Maps, or Galleria delle carte geografiche (sounds more sexy in Italian), is a corridor containing 40 panels of maps depicting the regions of Italy. I particularly liked the intricately decorated ceiling in this corridor, which is well-lit enough to see the frescoes and carvings. At the risk of being too gimmicky, the …

To Infinity and Beyond

The interior of the Mandarin Oriental hotel is a surprise, simply because you wouldn’t expect it, coming in from the lobby. Laid out in a concentric manner, the levels draw your eye in toward the apex of the interior. It almost looks as if the elevator is about to be shot out into space, ala …