Daniels Real Estate
Seattle, Washington
Portraits of Italy: A Roman Holiday
In April 2016 I received a commission from Kevin Daniels, President of Daniels Real Estate to journey with his team to Italy to photograph the selection of marble and travertine for their latest project, THE MARK in downtown Seattle. The Mark is a glistening skyscraper on the Seattle skyline, and a significant part of the design of the building is based on the class and style of actress Audrey Hepburn. Hepburn's first movie was Roman Holiday, set in the Rome of 1952 and my commission was to locate the areas of The Eternal City where Roman Holiday was filmed and recapture images from the iconic film and transform them into images with a mid-century vintage feel. During one unforgettable day, I was taken by my own private driver through the crowded streets of Rome in search of film locations. Such was the thrill of being set free in Rome to recapture the grandeur of the City as it was in 1952.
Visit the Rome Gallery to preview images of Roman Holiday locations.
The photographs below feature the Italian location shoots at the Sameva Marble Factory in Tuscany and Mariotti Travertine Factory in Tivoli. Also included below are creative photos of the town of Colonnata Village, from where the Carrara marble is originated.
Savema Marble Factory
Founded in 1975, Savema is one of the leading global producers of fine marble for large scale projects throughout the world. Savema, in partnership with Daniels Real Estate, has provided the internationally renowned Carrara marble for the grand lobby of The Mark in downtown Seattle. Savema installations include One World Trade Center and the 911 Memorial, and The Shard in London, and the National Geographic Building in Washington D.C.
The Daniels team visited the Savema headquarters in Tuscany to inspect the marble destined for Seattle. Following this visit, the team headed to the Carrara hills to visit the village of Colonnata to view first-hand the marble quarries whose flawless white stone has been prized for centuries by famous sculptors from Michaelangelo to Henry Moore.
Previewing the Marble Floors at Sameva
Mariotti Travertine Factory and Quarry, Tivoli, Italy
Located in Tivoli, Italy, where handcrafted travertine has been produced since ancient times, Mariotti Carlo & Figli S.p.A. have been producing travertine since 1895. Some of the most famous buildings in the world have been clad with stones produced by Mariotti. Buildings such as the Getty Center, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the World Trade Center, and the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts all contain travertine that was carved and finished by the hands of their artisans.
Working in concert with Daniels Real Estate, Mariotti's travertine stones, destined for The Mark in Seattle, awaited the team for inspection. Each stone was assembled like a colossal puzzle on the ground exactly as it will be installed in Seattle. The team also toured the Mariotti factory and quarry and witnessed the process of creation first-hand.
