Attitude 125: Soul

There are certain words that contain entire worlds. Soul is one of them. It is music, but also an invisible substance. It is found in places that compel us to pause, in stories that give us goosebumps, in spaces that embrace us – even in silence. 

Join us on a journey with soul, on a route that covers landscapes, places and emotions that touch us in a sensory way. With an inspiration that prompts us to listen to our inner selves, in this edition we navigate more subtle and worldly rhythms: the harmony of a space well lived-in, the serene beauty of architecture that creates dialogues with time, the details of interiors that tell stories. We bring you new destinations in Portugal and beyond which exude essence and authenticity. Places that slow us down, that make us feel and listen – and which, just like soul music, connect us to what is truest.

We bring you a refreshing breeze from what inspires us, places that reflect the way we live and look at the world. Above all, here we make space for what stirs us deep inside: creativity, expression, a lifestyle with purpose and attitude. In the following pages, you will find suggestions, projects and ideas that celebrate the soul in its many forms – in the arts, we talk to Maura Marvão, who approaches the artistic world as “a true ecosystem”; in photography, Diego Costa Peuser's global vision through an inspiring lens; in design and architecture, a series of international names – with a special focus on China, which has impressed us with restrained and careful approaches to new spaces and creatives who are now showing the world what they do. Take a look at our suggestions, from hotels, showrooms and restaurants to family homes that invite us to step inside and stay a while.

We have explored the French Riviera, on the Côte d’Azur, to Le Provençal – a new residential complex where classic ostentation reigns supreme. In the Our Choice section, we feature some unusual projects, notably the Banánka house in Slovakia, where nature and architecture go hand in hand, and the LLDS studio project – Northcote House – which, in the words of the author, performs “pure alchemy” in the transformation of matter.

Take your time leafing through these pages. With every reader having their own rhythm and focus on details, we extend an open invitation to discover things at your own pace. After all, it is in the things that touch us that we find the true meaning of being – full of soul.