Alan Faena ― Alchemy & Creative Collaboration; Architecture, Design, Art

Every generation an extraordinary figure captures the imagination of the design public, allowing us to dream and see what is heretofore impossible. That man of the moment is Alan Faena.

Raised in the restrictive regimes of 1960s Argentina, Alan Faena came of age when the country opened up to the West and Alan transformed himself into the icon of this new spirit, first as the founder of a popular Argentine fashion company, then as the hotelier of the highly sought-after FAENA hotels, in Buenos Aires and Miami. In each of the two cities Alan Faena did not simply build a hotel, but a whole universe of luxury design by working with the best talents of the day: Philippe Starck, Rem Koolhaas, Norman Foster, Damian Hirst, and the film director Baz Luhrmann, among others. The results are immersive dream places, full of color, life, and high design.

In this revealing memoir, profusely illustrated with images of the hotels and Alan's private homes and retreats as well as his famous and beautiful friends, Alan Faena details how his ambition to create beauty was realized with gorgeous interiors and restaurants, lavish gardens and pools, and the very best that can be dreamt of.

Alan Faena came of age in Buenos Aires during the exuberant days after the fall of Argentina's military dictatorship, which propelled him into a successful career as a fashion model then as a fashion designer before going into hotels.