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MADRID: Design, Discovery, and the Energy of the Centro
There’s a certain rhythm to walking through Madrid — where grand architecture, hidden antiques, and contemporary design all coexist effortlessly. Our days moved between antique hunting in La Latina, long walks through the centro, and discovering some of the city’s most inspiring creative spaces.
In La Latina, the charm lies in wandering its layered streets — where antique shops, vintage finds, and small curiosities appear between old taverns and residential facades. It’s an area that feels lived-in and authentic, where every corner seems to hold something slightly unexpected.
Just nearby, an afternoon at Café Gijón offered a quieter pause — a timeless café that still carries the spirit of old Madrid beneath its classic interiors.
A visit to Casa Decor added another layer to the experience. Set within a historic building in the centro, the exhibition brought together some of Spain’s leading designers and brands, transforming each room into an immersive showcase of contemporary living, where heritage architecture met modern expression.
Design remained a constant thread throughout the journey, with a visit to Naharro highlighting Madrid’s refined contemporary design culture through carefully curated furniture and interiors.
No visit to Madrid ever feels complete without a meal at Fismuler — a place we never fail to return to each time we are in the city. The menu shifts with the seasons, always guided by the best produce available at that moment, making every visit feel familiar yet completely new. It is this quiet precision in cooking, paired with its understated interiors, that makes it one of the city’s most memorable gastronomic stops.
But beyond the galleries, restaurants, and showrooms, it was the people who made the city feel complete. Madrid is not complete without the company of locals who have become friends — Paolo and Jose — whose warmth and familiarity transformed the experience from simply visiting a city into truly feeling part of it.
@bcbench @avantgardehome

MADRID in Motion: From Historic Boulevards to Minimalist Retreats in La Moraleja
There’s something captivating about driving through Madrid — a city where history, elegance, and contemporary architecture coexist in constant dialogue. From the grand urban gestures of boulevards like Gran Vía to the monumental presence of Plaza de Cibeles, Madrid unfolds as a layered composition of eras and styles, each street offering a different architectural rhythm.
As the city stretches outward, the atmosphere shifts. In La Moraleja, urban density gives way to calm and openness, where contemporary architecture feels more restrained and sculptural.
Here, the 37 Threeseven residences by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos stand out—minimal, elongated forms set within the landscape of La Moraleja Golf. Defined by pure white volumes and generous glazing, they dissolve boundaries between interior and exterior, creating a quiet, light-filled architecture that feels both precise and serene.
Driving through Madrid becomes a journey from historic grandeur to modern stillness, where architecture gradually shifts from expressive urban form to refined spatial silence.
@bcbench @avantgardehome

BENCH/ in collaboration with Rizzoli New York introduce The Terno: A Century of the Philippine Dress, a landmark publication documenting a hundred years of the Philippine terno through rare archival materials, restored portraits, and modern fashion photography.

Highlighting the iconic butterfly sleeves and the terno’s lasting role in Filipino culture, this publication honors the national dress as a vibrant symbol of heritage and transformation. 

Published by Rizzoli New York, the book will launch internationally, sharing this enduring emblem of national identity with a global audience. Authored by Gino Gonzales and Sandra Castro, it includes over 300 archival and contemporary images of the terno. 

Locally, the release features a special two-volume collector’s edition, including a companion history volume and a custom-designed slipcase. 

This project continues BENCH/’s commitment to promote Filipino fashion and culture worldwide.
Thank you @shanebkk for linking us with Rizzoli ❤️

BENCH/ in collaboration with Rizzoli New York introduce The Terno: A Century of the Philippine Dress, a landmark publication documenting a hundred years of the Philippine terno through rare archival materials, restored portraits, and modern fashion photography.

Highlighting the iconic butterfly sleeves and the terno’s lasting role in Filipino culture, this publication honors the national dress as a vibrant symbol of heritage and transformation. 

Published by Rizzoli New York, the book will launch internationally, sharing this enduring emblem of national identity with a global audience. Authored by Gino Gonzales and Sandra Castro, it includes over 300 archival and contemporary images of the terno. 

Locally, the release features a special two-volume collector’s edition, including a companion history volume and a custom-designed slipcase. 

This project continues BENCH/’s commitment to promote Filipino fashion and culture worldwide.
Thank you @shanebkk for linking us with Rizzoli ❤️

BUCHAREST: From Ceaușescu’s Monumental Vision to Quiet Urban Elegance
There is an unmistakable presence to Bucharest — a city shaped by contrasts, where wide boulevards and Belle Époque remnants sit alongside bold communist-era planning. At its most dominant stands the monumental Palace of the Parliament, the defining structure of the capital and one of the largest administrative buildings in the world.
Commissioned in the 1980s by Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu, the palace was part of an ambitious urban restructuring campaign that dramatically reshaped the city. Entire historic districts were demolished to clear space for its construction. Designed by architect Anca Petrescu, the building was constructed using vast quantities of Romanian marble, crystal, and wood, with thousands of craftsmen involved over several years. Today, it functions as the seat of Romania’s Parliament, remaining both a political hub and a symbol of an intense historical period.
Beyond this monumental core, Bucharest reveals quieter sophistication in areas like Primăverii. Characterized by tree-lined streets, diplomatic residences, and restrained modernist villas, the district reflects a more intimate architectural language within the city. Its proximity to green spaces such as Herastrau Park enhances its calm, residential atmosphere, offering a contrast to the city’s grand civic scale.
Together, these layers define Bucharest — a city where monumental ambition and understated elegance exist side by side, shaping a capital that is as complex as its history.
@bcbench @avantgardehome @marceladluca
#romania

Fall in love this summer with Jung Hae-in in his Resort Shirt, our newest #GlobalBENCHSetter.

#BENCHxJungHaeIn
@benchtm

Day 4: Between Stillness and Story: Viscri & Sighișoara, ROMANIA
There’s something quietly revealing about arriving in Transylvania—as if the landscape itself is asking you to slow down and really look.
In Viscri, I felt that almost immediately. The roads turned to gravel, the pace softened, and suddenly everything became about the essentials—light, texture, silence. The Viscri Fortified Church stood quietly at the center, not imposing but grounding. There’s a kind of honesty in Viscri that’s hard to describe—nothing curated, yet everything meaningful. You notice the rhythm of daily life, the way homes are kept, the sense that heritage here isn’t preserved for visitors, but simply lived. It’s no surprise that even King Charles III chose to have a home here—drawn, it seems, by the same authenticity that makes the village so quietly compelling.
Then, arriving in Sighișoara, the experience shifted—but not in a jarring way. It felt like stepping into another layer of the same story. The Sighișoara Citadel rises with a certain confidence, its streets more animated, its colors more expressive. Walking through the old town, past the Clock Tower, I became aware of history not as something distant, but as something still present—woven into the façades, the footsteps, the air itself. Even the connection to Vlad the Impaler adds intrigue, but it’s the atmosphere that lingers more than the story.
What stayed with me most is how these two places reveal different truths. Viscri strips things back to what matters. Sighișoara layers history in a way that feels alive. Together, they don’t compete—they complete each other.
@bcbench @avantgardehome @marceladluca

This summer, we’re making memories with our newest #GlobalBENCHSetter. Get ready to lose your heart to Jung Hae In.

@holyhaein
#BENCHxJungHaeIn

Your first love just moved next door. ❤️

Reveal coming soon.

#GlobalBENCHSetter
@benchtm

Day 3: Brașov & Bran:
A Journey into Transylvania’s Heart
Tucked within the dramatic landscapes of Transylvania, the twin destinations of Brașov and Bran offer a compelling blend of medieval charm, folklore, and mountain beauty.
In Brașov, cobblestone streets lead you through a beautifully preserved old town framed by the Carpathians. The iconic Black Church stands as a reminder of the city’s Saxon heritage, while lively squares like Council Square invite slow exploration, cafés, and glimpses of everyday life. A walk up Tampa Mountain rewards you with sweeping views of the city nestled below.
A short drive away lies Bran, home to the legendary Bran Castle. Often linked to the myth of Dracula, the castle’s real history is just as intriguing—once a royal residence and a strategic fortress guarding the mountain pass. Its towers, hidden staircases, and moody interiors evoke a sense of mystery that lingers long after your visit.
Together, Brașov and Bran create a seamless travel experience—where history, legend, and landscape intertwine. Whether wandering through medieval streets or standing within castle walls steeped in myth, this corner of Romania leaves a lasting impression of timeless intrigue.
@bcbench @avantgardehome @marceladluca

Day 2: Three Nights in the Carpathians Between Stillness and Splendor
Set in the quiet village of Șimon near Bran Castle, Matca Hotel Relais & Châteaux was our home for three nights—a serene escape in the heart of the Carpathian Mountains.
Designed like a modern Transylvanian village, the hotel blends local craftsmanship with understated luxury. With just a handful of rooms and villas, it feels intimate and deeply connected to its surroundings. Days moved slowly here—mountain views, thoughtful cuisine, and a quiet rhythm that made Matca less a hotel, and more a place to chill.
A visit to Peleș Castle in Sinaia, an hour away reveals the grandeur to reveal a late 19th century palace for King Carol I, Peleș Castle. This Neo-Renaissance masterpiece reflects a blend of German, Italian, and Oriental influences. Inside, richly decorated rooms unfold one after another—intricate wood carvings, stained glass, frescoed ceilings, and finely detailed furnishings that speak of royal craftsmanship at its peak. From the grand Armory Hall to the elegant Music Room, each space feels like a carefully composed chapter in European royal history.
Together, the quiet restraint of Matca and the ornate splendor of Peleș created a journey defined by contrast—one rooted in stillness, the other in grandeur, both deeply tied to the spirit of the Carpathians.
@bcbench @avantgardehome @marceladluca
#Romania

Through Salt and Stone:
A First Day in Romania
Driving through Romania feels like moving across shifting canvases—each stretch of road revealing a different landscape, each turn offering something unexpected.
We began with a flight from Bergamo on Wizz Air, landing in Cluj-Napoca, where rolling green hills and open countryside immediately set the tone for the journey ahead.
From there, the road led to Salina Turda—a surreal descent into vast underground chambers carved from salt, a completely different landscape hidden beneath the earth.
Back above ground, the drive toward Alba Iulia opened into wide plains, where the star-shaped fortress stands in quiet contrast against the horizon—simple, expansive, and grounded in history.
By late afternoon, we reached Bran. The scenery shifted again into forested hills and softer light, with the silhouette of Bran Castle marking the end of the day—dramatic, atmospheric, and fitting for a journey defined by changing landscapes.
@bcbench @avantgardehome @marceladluca
#romania

MILAN Final Edit:
Salone Mobile 2026 - A Personal Drift Through Design and City Life
There’s something about Milan during Salone del Mobile that always pulls me back in. The city feels alive in a different way—quieter in moments, then suddenly full of energy, as if every street is part of the conversation.
I like to wander without much of a plan, especially around Brera, where intimate showrooms and hidden courtyards reveal the most unexpected finds. Over in Tortona, the mood shifts—more experimental, a little raw—where Fuorisalone feels at its most alive.
In between, I return to the city’s constants—standing before the Duomo di Milano, then slipping into the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. I find quiet moments too, at Portrait Milano and Casa Brera, where the pace softens and the experience of design feels more personal.
Milan, during Salone, always feels like something you carry with you long after you’ve left.
@bcbench @avantgardehome @abitareinternazionale