Wildlings

I’ve pretty much got everything I need, which makes me a nightmare to impress, but a recent detour into the wilderness rattled something. Not in a deep, transcendental, barefoot-in-moss kind of way (relax, the Negroni was never far), but enough to give me a proper shove in the right direction and to realise that not all mega-wealthers are bad. 

As sidekick Markus is rocking in the Alps at Zermatt Unplugged (UB40, Amy Macdonald, MIKA and Ronnie Scott's Club), the newsletter may contain a few errors; apologies if so. 

This week, I go on the hunt for nature, architecture, good-cause thinkers and hotels in bed with Mother Nature. But first, let's all try to avoid the idiots – rocket to Mars at the ready...

A sunrise moment...

Sitting comfortably with perhaps an espresso to hand? It's already Sunday again, it seems that time has upped its speed to a ninja pace, or is that old age? That's great content for another week, but for today, here's your hot new Edit. We kick off with my trip to South Africa last month to celebrate my recent birthday alongside 45 amigos (see, I do have a rather wonderful life). Before the big gathering, I was out in the Western Cape on safari – as pictured above – with a rather circumstantial sundowner G&T in hand (sadly, they couldn’t rustle up a jeep-boot Negroni – the hardship one has to endure). These days spent in raw nature left an incredible mark on me, not just because of the wildlife. 

The following morning at 5 am, I was being flung side to side in a trusty open-sided Toyota Land Cruiser. Josh – our guide and conservationist – was in full swing, scanning the inky black horizon with his torch, tracking the tiniest flicker of movement or the glint of an eye. As the sun lifted over the horizon, I’d sort of forgotten how magical it is, a drama that unfolds every single day and yet somehow gets lost in the daily rituals. Over the days, I began to feel the healing power of being close to raw nature and the quiet thrill of real adventure.

But there was something else tugging at my thoughts as I learned more about the place and the people behind my tented sojourn out in the wilderness. The safari unfolded at Sanbona – a private reserve the size of Singapore on a mission to rewild the arid plains of the Little Karoo. Josh, like all the guides, couldn’t stop singing the praises of the owners and their commitment to this fragile ecosystem. Yes, the Big Five are here (if that’s your thing), but what really struck me was the biodiversity – nearly 3,200 plant species, over 400 found nowhere else. This place is rare and fiercely protected. Sanbona Wildlife Reserve is owned by the CALEO Foundation, led by Carmen Elvira Ellinger, who, after her husband’s passing, committed their wealth to something that actually matters – conservation and culture with a long-game mindset.

How wonderful, I thought – and how wildly different from the egotistic idiots parading around on global stages, who will hopefully board that rocket to Mars sometime soon and leave the rest of us in peace.

Over sundowners, watching a cheetah digest her dinner (dignified, feline, entirely unbothered), I started thinking about themes for these Sunday Edits – a celebration of wild spaces, good people and beautiful ideas.

This week is packed with goodness. There’s a family that acquired 220,000 acres in Scotland and set about rewilding the Highlands. Then to Norway, where another family purchased an archipelago the size of Manhattan and reimagined it as a heritage hotel wrapped in wilderness, insistent that the history and land remain untouched. Still in Norway, have you ever wandered its vast open-air art gallery spanning 40,000 square kilometres?

We explore architecture as cinema with Marcio Kogan and chat to Paul, founder of AEDES, who shares his thoughts on legacy, ethical building, and designing for a better life. We drop into Somerset in the English countryside, where former fashionistas now handcraft ethical skincareand candles from the land.

We meet Angus, a Scottish maker shaping furniture with soul, and an Austrian botanist sourcing the power of vines. Naturally, we also have some of our favourite wilderness dens – remote stays stitched into the edge of Mother Nature – from the Alps to Scotland via Switzerland and Norway, from Alpine ridges to the Aran Islands. 

We also meet the man rethinking traditional building in Austria's Bregenzerwald and we revisit the legendary eco-architect Matteo Thun – visionary, bold and always ahead of his time – plus discover a soulful outpost in Tirol designed by the one and only Mario Botta.

The world can still surprise us for all the right reasons.

Hugs,
Iain & Co.

PS: Spot two Swiss beauty spots on my to-do list this summer and watch this space, South Africa here we come.

220,000 Acres of Conservation

Where the Glenfeshie pinewoods once reigned, only 1% of their original range remains. The Caledonian Forest – once the Highland heartwood – was ravaged by centuries of felling, overgrazing and land mismanagement. Wildland is reversing the trend with an approach rooted in ecological realism. This is not a cosmetic restoration – it’s a rebalancing of the natural order. 

The Fjordic Diorama

An unfussy architectural gem that floats above a bed of the greenest and most delicate fauna like a scene from the latest Hobbit epic, this is total immersion in nature from your spectacular viewing pods – here, less is definitely more.

Sustainability, Nature & Respect

Farms, hotels, residencies and offices - meet the charismatic founder of AEDES - an Amsterdam-based property development company as we talk about his mission to create a legacy for the future - rewilding, restoring, preserving heritage and pushing the boundaries of research and science.

Wonderfully Lost

An elemental experience on the Aran Islands off the coast of Ireland awaits at these natural designer dens, private-hire holiday houses for small groups, where cashmere hugs, rock walls shield and simplicity is elegant.

A 40,000 km² Art Gallery

While endless innovative projects continue to pour out of Denmark and Sweden, oftentimes their smaller but no less creative Scandinavian sister, Norway, is overlooked. Introducing Artscape Nordland, a permanent exhibition of 33 spectacular sculptures adorning 32 Norwegian municipalities.

The Muliebral Scot

Hearty Scotland meets the smooth Nordic around the crackling fireplace at this farmhouse hotel. Functionality snugs up to woolly throws, and the kitchen table takes centre stage. Naturally beautiful, this creative hotel retreat in the Cairngorms National Park brings rural urbanity and Highland adventures laced with design.

Handmade Furniture

From a bluebell wood in Perthshire to a smoothly sculpted piece of furniture for a special spot, Angus Ross is a wood crafter and expressive designer of extraordinary proportions.

Archipelago Escapism

Set to a permanent scene of dancing light and shadows, a tangle of Arctic wilderness, North Atlantic waters, the heady scents of briny seaweed, frontier beaches lined with lyme grass, sea sandwort, silverweed and Jurassic rock formations rising like sentinels hugging the emerald fjord are the purest form of luxury here.

A supporting cast of nature across this outpost, the size of Manhattan, surrounds the hotel Nusfjord Resort & Village, located on the famed Lofoten Archipelago at the northern tip of Norway. 

Dolce far Niente

Distilled from nature, hotel Corte Pravecchio successfully chronicles a nod to history in an uncomplicated manner and embraces better-for-the-planet initiatives. Inside, the interior design colludes with minimalist Nordic style, creating a youthful, modern aesthetic that captures its unstaged beauty – a sweet simplicity of aged trees, twisted vines and grasslands.

Sustainable Luxury Skincare

Skincare with soul. Born in Austria’s vineyards, Vinoble merges nature with science – luxury without compromise, sustainability without limits. Beauty that works, backed by innovation and ethical craft.

Mario Botta

One of Austria's architectural landmarks in the Alps by Swiss architect Mario Botta sits on top of the Penkenjoch, Mayrhofen, Zillertal, adopting the garnet crystal form of a dodecahedron.

Chilled Gingham Recluse

Wonderfully humble, this authentic exclusive-hire farmstead hideaway dating back to 1885 comes with the mandatory choc-box appeal of a rural alpine chalet besieged by the hush rhythms of lush green pastures, ancient forests and hum of the mountain waters.

Simplicity, Durability and Lightness

Thun simultaneously designs and innovates within the medium of interiors, product design and architecture with an aesthetic that stays within the parameters of simplicity, durability and lightness.

Shred, Hike, Chill in Style

Adelboden hits different. High-octane ski runs, pulse-racing hikes, après-ski energy and a design-led alpine retreat. Powder, peaks & pure Swiss edge – where adrenaline meets style. Ready for the rush?

Cinematic Modernism

Architecture as cinema — Marcio Kogan crafts spaces like an auteur, where light, material and silence take the lead. Enter a world of design-led hotels, private escapes and immersive modernism.

Architecture in the Alps

Although we associate the Alps with tradition, it’s also a hotbed of radical innovation as seen in our lineup of cool mountain architecture by some of our favourite architects, artists and designers. 

Read on for mountain eye-candy of style in the Alps from super cool ski stations, architectural alpine cabins, thought-provoking art installations to standout sharp viewpoints.

Untouched Alpine Escape

Lose yourself in the wild beauty of Oeschinensee — where glacial waters shimmer, cliffs rise like giants, and the Swiss Alps whisper secrets only the boldest travellers will hear.

The Baumeister

Jürgen Haller is the gentle giant of a guy, a genius Baumeister in Austria’s Bregenzerwald. Over the past years, he has carved a name for himself with his imposing architecture, engineering and design narrative.

The Art of Sustainable Self-Care

Transform your wellness routine with mindful luxury crafted from nature. Commune's creations blend sustainability and elegance, elevating everyday rituals into extraordinary moments.

Scottish Vogue

Dun Aluinn is a luxury private-hire estate house nestled in over five acres of painterly misted Perthshire countryside, a quintessential beauty spot of Scotland on the doorstep of the Cairngorms National Park – 4,500km² of wilderness. An exclusive abode of tailored style, Dun Aluinn is an über comfy boutique lodge peppered by salvaged Scottish heritage married to a layering of smart contemporary design overlooking the Tay Valley.