Designboom - Weblog

jarmund/vigsnaes architecture: triangle house

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:55:00 +0200

the triangle house by jarmund/vigsnaes architecture is a residence in nesodden, norway with a very angular
design. the home sits on a rocky hillside facing the sea on one side and a pine forest on the other. the home
has 286 square meters of space spread over three floors. strict building guidelines dictated the unusual plan,
but the architects maximized the layout with their design. the exterior is clad in wood boards running in a
patch work layout, framed by large window panes on all sides. inside the architects played with
overlapping spaces suing focus and flow as a theme for their structure. the interior is mosly covered in raw
plywood with a number of built-in bookshelves covering entire walls.

http://jva.no

photography: ivan brodey

schindlersalmeron: aluminium hocker stool

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:07:00 +0200

zurich based schindlersalmeron created the minimal hocker stool using three sheets of aluminum folded
together. the three pieces of aluminum are identical in shape and use spatial folding to stabilize each other.
using aluminum allows the stools to stay light, only 1.6 kg, while the splayed design makes them stackable.
while definitely contemporary in style, the stools pointed arch is reminiscent of classic gothic architecture.
this design feature is highlight when all three colours, white, silver and black, are stacked on top of each
other. schindlersalmeron is composed of german designer christoph schindler and margarita salmeron
espinosa of spain.

http://www.schindlersalmeron.com

kitchen ecology by designboom

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:30:00 +0200

kitchen ecology exhibition, graphic illustration design by designboom

from the humble fireplace to electrical oven cooktops, kitchens have evolved over time to become
much more than simply an area for cooking. nowadays it is a place for eating and socializing
- an integral part of our daily lifestyle. as the new hub of the modern home, we expect more
from our kitchen - convenience, comfort, cleanliness, the latest technology - while simultaneously
demanding less - less energy consumption, water usage, and waste.

its a delicate balance, and one that is in a constant state of development.
it's now time for a kitchen strategy session, making it the ideal place to
reduce our environmental impact. just like with any recipe, we need to modify our habits and
experiment with new (and old) ingredients and methods to be successful.

this curated group show expresses subjects and details of our kitchen environment by analyzing the
ongoing conflict of ecology and consumerism. it features works from well known designers and the
freshest young and upcoming international talents, exploring ways to tweak the basic ingredients to
produce the most eco-friendly, energy efficient models possible.

a view of the kitchen ecology exhibition, curated by designboom

soil-powered biological clock by marieke staps
dutch designer marieke staps' designed this clock which
works with copper and zinc electrodes that plug into the soil. the soil functions as an
electrolyte, through which the electrical charge can flow. the natural metabolism of
biological life produces enough electricity to keep the clock working.
of course, one has to remember to water the plants in order for the clock to keep working.
(motto: keep the plant alive and time continues).

panel of the soil lamp by marieke staps

marieke staps uses conductive plates made from copper and zinc buried within the soil
to provide constant and (nearly) eternal light for a LED bulb

'grow I' by SMIT / samuel and teresita cochran

a hybrid-energy delivery device and modular system of photovoltaic panels that works
with solar and wind power

'grow I' is modular and is made up of sheets of 5 leaves each, a strip is capable of generating
85 watts of solar power.

'grow II' by SMIT / samuel and teresita cochran

this modular system of photovoltaic panels works with solar and wind power,
designed to enable crawling plants to grow up the facades of buildings.

'solar ivy' panel in the kitchen ecology exhibition

US designers samuel and teresita cochran founded the sustainably minded interactive technology
office SMIT. the cochran's are a brother-and-sister-team and have created the
'grow I and II' and the 'solar ivy' devices. all devices are still in concept phase and the team is
collecting funding to put them in production, planned for 2011.

'wattcher' panel in the exhibition

wattcher helps you save energy. when you switch on an electrical appliance it will
display that extra power consumption and gives you insight into your energy behavior.

'wattcher' designed by marcel wanders and produced by innovaders
consists of a sensor, a sending unit and a display. the sensor can be placed on any electricity meter
(analog meters with a turning wheel, digital meters with LED pulse and smart meters).
the sensor is connected to the sending unit. Both are placed in the meter closet. the sending unit sends a
radio signal to the display unit, which can be placed in any (euro standard) electricity socket.
wattcher can be self installed by the consumer.

wattcher shows the current power consumption (how much watt is being used at this moment);
the daily energy consumption (the total electricity consumption of the last 24 hours);
and the target energy consumption (how is your daily consumption compared with your own target -
are you really saving energy). soon available with international standards.

a view into the exhibition

gas basket by junktion

bowls made from cut gas cylinders with rubber edging by the israeli design junktion

sam graw of dwell and birgit lohmann of designboom

dwell magazine invited designboom to curate the kitchen ecology exhibition for the
second edition of dwell on design in los angeles, june 26 -28, 2009.

more from the 'kitchen ecology: recipes for good design' exhibition still to come ...

graft architects: camelback houses for make it right foundation

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:20:00 +0200

camelback house by graft architects
rendering courtesy graft architects

as part of the 'make it right program' in the lower 9th ward, new orleans, graft architects
designed 2 houses that have since been completed. the houses use the cradle to cradle
philosophy and received LEED platinum certification. they are prefabricated modular
units, constructed off-site.

for their design they based their ideas using the camelback shotgun typology. historically,
camelbacks emerged as a way for residents to add a partial second story to a residence,
whether simply to gain more space for a single-family home or to add a rental unit at the
rear of a structure. in their design, we utilize the camelback strategy to stack a second
efficiency unit above a first floor shotgun house.

a critical programmatic goal within the design is to establish a strong connection between
the private interior zone of the house and the shared public space of the street. the primary
challenge in achieving this goal lies in negotiating the 8-0 first floor height that is required
to make the houses safer from future flooding of the street level. the broad and spacious deck
located in the front yard mediates the relationship between public and private by raising
the deck 5' - 0' above grade.

camelback house
rendering courtesy graft architects

camelback house
rendering courtesy graft architects

residents may enter the house from the side porch landing, leading them into a large
open space, containing living, dining and kitchen functions. the lower unit has a flexible
three bedroom layout that can be converted into a two bedroom and office layout if desired.
the master suite at the rear of the house contains an en-suite bathroom that shares a common
wet wall with the units other bathroom and kitchen making a cost-efficient plumbing core.

an exterior stair carries the inhabitants of the efficiency unit up to a rooftop terrace entry deck.
this secondary deck level may be utilized as a private deck for the upper dwelling. it provides
a generous outdoor living space, views of the neighborhood, space for a small vegetable or herb
garden, and easy access to the solar panel array for maintenance. the upper unit itself is designed
to be a simple one bedroom dwelling with a living room and dining area facing the backyard.
here the efficiency kitchen shares a wall with the bath to form a cost-efficient plumbing core.
the kitchen forms an L at the perimeter of the living and dining area in order to create an open
and inviting space.

image courtesy graft architects

camelback house
image courtesy graft architects

camelback house
image courtesy graft architects

camelback house -floor plan
drawing courtesy graft architects

camelback house -sections
image courtesy graft architects

SPF architects: aria di zhuhai, china

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:53:00 +0200

the zhuhai opera house by SPF architects
image courtesy SPF architects

the zhuhai opera house by SPF architects is located in the city of zhuhai in guangdong
province, china. the project design brief required the ability to seat 1500 people, provide
a large plaza gathering space, rehearsal hall, restaurants and other public amentities.

the primary element of the design, a critical geographic and cultural element of zhuhai city,
is a stone - specifically the 'dieshi' which means 'stacking rock'. the concept develops
the opera house as 3 stacked dieshi: part of a master plan based on the principle of 'balance'
from five element theory, a traditional chinese philosophy. a red, sandstone plaza invites cultural interaction, and a forest is planted behind the site - the embodiment of growth and sustainability.
the shape of the center stone comfortably houses the opera house auditorium, its curvature
lending perfectly to the intimacy of the space.

the zhuhai opera house
image courtesy SPF architects

the zhuhai opera house
image courtesy SPF architects

the zhuhai opera house - interior
image courtesy SPF architects

the zhuhai opera house
image courtesy SPF architects

the zhuhai opera house
image courtesy SPF architects

the zhuhai opera house - sections
image courtesy SPF architects

hong kong bamboo scaffolding

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:45:00 +0200

bamboo has long been used as an assembly material in china, particularly hong kong,
because of its versatility. one of the most interesting applications of the wood is its structural
function for scaffolding. extremely eco-friendly and cost-effective resource, it continues to be
used for this purpose because it is durable enough to support the weight of builders,
their equipment and materials, but is lightweight itself. unlike typical metal scaffolding,
bamboo can also be cut and tailor-made to suit any contour of construction - it can be configured
into a variety of shapes and follow irregular architectural features of a building,
and takes very little time to build-up. it is light and easily transportable to other sites
and no machinery is required to assemble the scaffold and put it in place.
when one job draws to a close, bamboo can easily be recycled and used for another project.

a high-rise is encased in double-layer scaffolding
image © designboom

double-layered scaffolding consists of a single outer layered scaffold and an inner layer of posts
and ledgers (horizontal limber which is fastened to the vertical uprights of a scaffold)
which are erected inside. between the two layers, short poles or transoms (crossbar pieces)
are used to support timber planks that form working platforms.

image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

the main types of bamboo which are used for the purpose of scaffolding are mao jue and kao jue.
when using the wood it needs to be completely dried out and free of any cracks or rot.
the mao jue variety is the primary component of a scaffolding structure.
it is used for vertical and diagonal members and maintains at least a 70 mm nominal external diameter.
kao jue is used for vertical and horizontal members and are at least 45 mm in their external diameter.

a look at the binding methods used to hold the bamboo components together
image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

the bamboo is arranged to provide elevated stages for construction workers
image © designboom

image © designboom

netting and nylon sheeting are used to stop debris from falling on people below
image © designboom

image © designboom

a worker climbing a grid-like assembly of bamboo
image © designboom

working freely
image © designboom

image © designboom

a building clad in green netting and bamboo scaffolding stands amongst the hong kong skyline
image © designboom

working platforms run around the circumference of a building
image © designboom

image © designboom

a platform extends from a building
image © designboom

platform scaffolding consists of closely spaced horizontal bamboo poles that result in
large working spaces for construction activities. rakers, which are inclined members,
are used to reduce the number of posts needed. this means there is little obstruction to
pedestrians and vehicles underneath.

image © designboom

an example of truss-out scaffolding which is used for small repairs
image © designboom

truss-out style scaffolding is generally used for minor work and relies on the building for support.
they are used in locations where it is not practical to erect a full scaffold structure from the ground.
since they are smaller and function as light duty scaffolds, kao jue bamboo is used.
generally, these types of structures should be no higher than 6 metres.

truss-out scaffolding uses the side of the building for structural support
image © designboom

bamboo framework
image © designboom

the complex framework
image © designboom

bamboo being passed up to workers via harness and sack
image © designboom

different lengths of bamboo being delivered
image © designboom

image © designboom

assembly continues on the double-layer scaffolding
image © designboom

image © designboom

a portion of an apartment is decorated in truss-out scaffolding
image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

bundles of bamboo waiting to be used
image © designboom

image © designboom

they are built in such a way to minimize obstruction to sidewalks and streets below
image © designboom

creating a canopy over the sidewalk
image © designboom

image © designboom

bamboo scaffolding can be adapted to different shaped buildings like this curved façade
image © designboom

image © designboom

the versatile material is also used as a structural frame for houses and buildings
image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

bamboo lined-up on a roof
image © designboom

intricacy of the binding techinques
image © designboom

the frequency in which these structures should be inspected should not exceed more than 14 days.
they would need to be monitored more closely in the event or arrival of any tropical cyclones
or strong winds. in hong kong and other parts of southern china, bamboo scaffolds are one of the
few traditional building systems which have survived through the practical experiences
of scaffolding practitioners over generations. thus, the safety and effectiveness of the bamboo scaffolds
depends primarily on the individual skilled workers. trade knowledge is passed down to
younger workers through an apprenticeship system and on-the-job learning.

laurent massaloux: 'vanity tidy' bowl

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:23:00 +0200

'vanity tidy' by laurent massaloux

french designer laurent massaloux created 'vanity tidy' bowl on the theme
of the vanities of life: time, wealth and ownership.
the form was captured from the web, digitally manipulated, and then transmitted
to a rapid prototyping program where it was formed three dimensionally by laser
fusion in polyamide powder. 'vanity tidy' is composed of seven human skull structures
placed in a circular mode.

'vanity tidy'

'vanity tidy'

william krisel - affordable modernism

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:33:00 +0200

palm springs architect william krisel, 84, brought elegant modern design to mass-produced housing.
he entered the arena of architecture in the boom times that followed world war II and left in 1979
when the profession became 'too uptight' as a result of lawyers and stricter building codes.
during his career he built more than 30,000 houses throughout southern california.

the alexander residence, royal desert palms (twin palms) in palm springs, 1957
built by alexander homes, one of the biggest single-family-house developers of the modernist era.
photo by julius shulman
© j. paul getty trust

more images here

twin palms back yard
photo by julius shulman
© j. paul getty trust

photo by julius shulman
© j. paul getty trust

william krisel
portrait © designboom

krisel never won as much acclaim as richard neutra or albert frey, architects who designed
the custom homes that defined midcentury desert modernism, but krisel was able to offer
affordable modernism. rather than designing individual homes, he has worked for a succession
of production builders since the early 1920s.
he had pared the houses down to essentials. they were of modest size and made of modest
materials. houses with a minimal square footage that have all the comforts of an expensive
place; 'after all,' he said, 'budgets and costs arent criteria for doing good design.
modernism isn't a style or a trend. it's a language, a philosophy. the components of a
structure become its ornamentation.'

at dwell on design conference
krisel said today's architecture industry needs to reclaim its soul.
image © designboom

the butterfly house was restored in 2006 under the supervision of krisel himself.
krisel also did all the landscaping with these round grass features dropped into neat rock- or gravel-filled grids.
photo by john ellis

see more images of the renovated butterfly house here

william krisel also built the house of tomorrow,
a futuristic house conceived as an experiment in modern living.

the house later gained fame as the honeymoon home of elvis and priscilla presley.

william krisel was born in 1924 in shanghai of american parents working overseas for the U.S. state
department. lived in china until age 13, when his family returned to the US, where he attended beverly
hills high. while at USC in the 1940s, krisel studied under modern landscape pioneer garrett eckbo,
a student of bauhaus founder walter gropius. palmer & krisel architects was founded by bill krisel
and his partner, dan palmer. 20 years have passed since he retired as a practicing architect.
the getty museum has just acquired his papers.

michael jackson lego statue to debut 3rd july 2009

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:20:00 +0200

as a tribute to the pop icon model builders in california created a four-inch tall
minilander of michael jackson that can be seen by park guests as he exits a limousine in front
of grauman's chinese theatre. the scene included photographers and random paparazzi
surrounding the limousine as minilander fans try to catch a glimpse of the pop icon.
while trying to capture the most recognizable version of jackson, the three model builders
who worked on the project have actually created five different versions which were being posted
to CNN.com allowing viewers to comment on which model is the most fitting.

the los angeles times reported that legoland california abruptly halted its plans to immortalize
the late michael jackson in a scene that was scheduled to be installed at the park today.

via
boing boing

the los angeles times

below is artist nathan sawaya's model of the pop icon from 1989.

and another man in the mirror: artist nathan sawaya's 1989 model of michael jackson

will carey: 'ticker tape' radio and 'native commodities'

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:14:00 +0200

'ticker tape' radio
image courtesy of will carey

designer will carey has sent us images of his new work. the first is the 'ticker tape' radio,
an internet radio for people who desire tailor-made content. using the internet,
'ticker tape' scans for news stories around the world and broadcasts it to the listener
who can manage content via the corresponding 'ticker tape' website. by pulling the cord,
the listener can determine the length of broadcast they want to hear. the project explores
the creation of internet material and how it is controlled, how we assert control over what
we see and listen too, and how this content can take control over us.

pulling out the tape to desired length
image courtesy of will carey

listening to a short broadcast
image courtesy of will carey

pulling out the tape determines how long your broadcast will be
image courtesy of will carey

there is a 'ticker tape' website which listeners go to and chose their content
image courtesy of will carey

web interface for 'ticker tape'
image courtesy of will carey

'native commodities'
image courtesy of will carey

the second project is 'native commodities' which studies the intolerable limits of sharing,
manufacturing and interacting with biological data from our bodies.
the aesthetics of three spittoons for capturing bodily fluid have been explored.

as genome technologies promote open sourcing of the human body, can such data be extended
into other forms of biological manufacture? synthetic biology and nanotechnologies have made
it possible to reprogramme cells, but would be be prepared to consider using our bodies to do this?

breathing into one of the devices
image courtesy of will carey

a long metal straw and a glass vessel make up another spittoon
image courtesy of will carey

the spittoon device can easily be hand-washed
image courtesy of will carey

will carey graduated from central st. martins in 2002 and has since worked for such
consultancies as IDEO. his work looks at the often intractable problems of emerging technologies,
and the exploration of new interactions in product design.
will carey participated in designboom's handled with care exhibition, with his 'butler' and 'print' projects.

bernard tschumi architects: new acropolis museum

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:22:00 +0200

exterior shot of the new acropolis museum
(photo credit: christian richters)

the new acropolis museum designed by bernard tschumi architects opened at the end of last month in
athens, greece. the new museum was specifically designed to house the unique collection of archeological
remains and boasts over 150,000 square feet of exhibition space. tschumi deliberately created a non
monumental building, allowing the importance of the artifacts within to be the feature. the final design
evokes the classical clarity of ancient greek architecture, updated for the context of today. the project began
in 2001 when tschumi was selected in a design competition. during pre-construction, it was discovered that
the museums site contained remains from ancient athens, which were then integrated into the building
design. the final structure has three layers, the base, middle and top. the base hovers over the remains while
the middle houses the main exhibition space. the top houses the parthenon gallery and is rotated 23 degrees
from the rest of the building, aligning directly with the parthenon.

http://www.tschumi.com

a view of the new acropolis museum from the acropolis.
(photo credit: bernard tschumi architects)

outside the new acropolis museum looking at the entrance canopy
(photo credit: christian richters)

view from the archaeological excavations, looking up to the ground level of the new acropolis museum
(photo credit: christian richters)

view of the parthenon from outside the new acropolis museum
(photo credit: bernard tschumi architects)

statues from the porch of the caryatids welcome visitors
(photo credit: peter mauss/esto)

the parthenon gallery
(photo credit: peter mauss/esto)

the archaic gallery
(photo credit: peter mauss/esto)

view of the excavations at the museum entrance at night
(photo credit: peter mauss/esto )

aerial view of the new acropolis museum and surrounding area
(photo credit: nikos daniilidis)

view of the museum, showing archaeological excavations on the site
(photo credit: christian richters)

are mokkelbost: ion series

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:17:00 +0200

detail from ion - omni, no. 05 (paper collage) 2005-2008

the paper collages by norwegian artist are mokkelbost prove cut and paste is not just childs play.
mokkelbost started the ion series of paper collages in 2000 as a student. his latest works in the series were
made over a long period of time, some over three years. mokkelbost collects small scraps of paper from
magazines and slowly builds them into large scale artworks. most of the imagery is found in fashion and
lifestyle magazines and categorized to make assembly easy. however instead of simply pasting them down
to create a 2-d image, mokkelbost meticulously chooses pieces to give each piece three dimensions with
their own lighting and colour schemes. the resulting works are seamless and bear next to no trace of their
collage process.

http://www.b-o-r-g.org

are mokkelbosts studio in oslo (photo by pal laukli)

ion - omni, no. 03 (paper collage) 2005-2008

ion - omni, no. 04 (paper collage) 2005-2008

ion - omni, no. 05 (paper collage) 2005-2008

ion - omni, no. 07 (paper collage) 2005-2008

ion - omni, no. 09 (paper collage) 2007-2008

ion - omni, no. 11 (paper collage) 2005-2008

SA Baxter

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:45:00 +0200

SA Baxter designs and manufacturers architectural hardware by merging traditional techniques with cutting
edge technology. the company has a team of artisans trained in jewelry making, metalsmithing, furniture
and product design working to create custom and semi-custom designs. the team begins by designing
pieces in cad, producing 3-d models working with clients throughout. from this point on the designs are
sent to the company_s foundry located in the new york hudson valley. the foundry allows the company to
keep every aspect of their products in house. the artisans employ a unique wax-casting process for creating
their moulds. once the metal is poured, the pieces are coated in the customers choice of finishes. the result
is hand-crafted hardware that harkens back to manufacturing of the past, updated for today.

http://www.sabaxter.com

designboom recently spoke to SA Baxter's founder and CEO scott baxter to learn more:

scott baxter

why did you start SA Baxter?
SA Baxter was started as a result of building a series of luxury homes. during that process I discovered that
there was a real lack of resources in the existing market to build custom architectural hardware, or even
modify existing hardware to the specs that I wanted. one of the problems I encountered was the
manufacturing of a simple, clean product in nickel finish. so I went out and did it myself basically by
researching and hiring many different trades: a machine shop to make molds, a foundry to cast the metal,
a plater to plate the pieces, and so on.

as a business builder, I thought, what would it take to do this all in-house under one roof? after about six
months of research, I decided to launch the company SA Baxter and it took about a year and half from
there to open our doors.

example of SA Baxter hardware

what kinds of things do you make at SA baxter?
we make custom architectural hardware start-to-finish in our own foundry and atelier. from doorknobs to
hinges, window latches to drawer pulls, we design and hand-craft hardware with the same quality,
complexity, and technique as some of the finest jewelry in the world.

the company has over 200 designs and continues to introduce new lines from its own design team.
our hardware is manufactured in the industry's widest selection of finishes and alloys -- we can create
just about anything you can imagine.

an artisan working on a wax prototype

what is your role at the company?
I'm very hands-on and involved on all of the levels of a working design environment. from pouring
molten metals in the foundry to collaborating with architects and designers around the world, I'm there.

what part of the process of creating a product is your favorite?
it is the well-choreographed dance of pouring the metal! after weeks of preparation and creation of wax
parts, in one very fast and felt swoop it is all destroyed and replaced with molten metal. just before the pour,
every member of the cast takes their position knowing that if they make one small error, all of that work up
to that moment is lost. once the movement begins, orchestrated perfection is a must. the reward is a perfect
piece of fine jewelry for the home.

door hinges as wax prototypes

wax door knobs

pouring metal at the foundry (CEO scott baxter on the right)

will the company manufacturer items beyond architectural hardware? what are the possibilities?
we currently do, and have in the past. we manufacture various architectural details like medallions, lamp
bases, wall sconces, and even levers for plumbing fixtures to match the door hardware. our latest example
is a request to make a solid bronze floor that we intend on introducing this fall. we also will eventually offer
plumbing fixtures.

more metal pouring at the foundry

wax mmoulds

what is the process of creating a product at SA baxter?
the most basic goal of SA baxter is to enable design. we do this by challenging ourselves, external artisans,
designers, and our customers to be original. no other hardware manufacturer offers this flexibility to design,
and this is evident when you look at various hardware manufacturer lines that showcase the same designs
over and over. SA baxter literally has broken the mold.

whether a simple sketch, CAD drawing, or a hand sculpted piece, the combination of our state of the art
technology with old world craftsmanship enables us to produce unique hardware that is simply not
available elsewhere. using the ancient art form of 'lost wax' casting, we inject the mold with wax, which is
then treated by hand, melted out (hence 'lost') and replaced with the metal of the client's choice. the end
product is an exact metal version of the original 3d model. then we proceed to the remainder of the
manufacturing process, where one of 200 possible finishes is applied and the product undergoes final steps
to fine-tune its design.

finishing process

door hinge

door knobs

a variety of hardware at SA Baxter

michael jackson christian audigier clothing-line

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:57:00 +0200

designboom was actually in LA and took this picture on the same day, before michael jackson's death was made public.
'the king of pop' died aged 50 after a cardiac arrest at his LA home, USA, 25 june 2009
image © designboom

michael jackson and christian audigier

michael jackson was in the process of designing a clothing collection with french fashion guru
christian audigier before his untimely death last week. referring to the comeback shows michael was
due to perform in london this month, christian explained : 'I was working on merchandising with
him and launching a new line of clothes, which was actually michaels dream. it was based on
various types of merchandising on different products, also accessories.
what he wanted from me was the t-shirts and the hoodies and the caps.'

http://www.christianaudigier.com

via

kitchen ecology designboom exhibition in los angeles

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:15:00 +0200

last weekend in los angeles, designboom in collaboration with dwell on design
hosted the 'kitchen ecology: recipes for good design' exhibition

'stem herb planter' by peter pless
http://www.peterpless.com

grow your own herbs in a home-planting-device, like a broom it leans against the wall.

inside the exhibition

seth grizzle and jonathan junker (graypants) hang their scrap lights made out of salvaged pieces of corrugated cardboard
http://www.graypants.com

kitchen ecology - recipes for good design, curated by designboom exhibition of 150 'eco-proposals'

eames demetrios (grandson of charles and ray eames) and wife shelley mills at the show
http://www.eamesdemetrios.com

'ceramica' pots and pans coated in ceramics by italian producer moneta
http://www.moneta.it

this is the future of coating: ceramics!
it resists high temperatures, scratches and doesn't peel off. a luminous signal on the
handle indicates when it's reached 140 °C, so you can lower the flame of your stove
and use less energy.

removable wash basins encourages the use of grey water.
why not use the water to clean your vegetables to nourish your flowers?

washing up bowl
flexible rubber bowl designed by ole jensen and produced by normann copenhagen
http://normann-copenhagen.com

kitchen ecology at dwell on design conference

sam grawe, editor-in-chief of dwell and birgit lohmann of designboom at the conference

more images to come, stay tuned.

charles jencks: 'northumberlandia' green goddess

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:27:00 +0200

'northumberlandia' artist rendering by charles jencks

plans have been unveiled for 'northumberlandia' a landmark feature designed by
world renowned artist charles jencks.

lying at the entrance to south east northumberland, near the town of cramlington, UK
she will be up to 30 metres high and 1/2 kilometre in length. most importantly she will
be the centrepiece for a 25 hectare public park in the urban fringe between the rolling
countryside of mid northumberland and the urban areas of south east northumberland
and newcastle to the south.

this ambitious piece of public art will be made from some two million tonnes of soil
and clay from shotton surface mine. 'northumberlandia' commissioned by the banks group
and blagdon estate were looking to challenge some of the preconceptions about mining
activity. jencks will use the opportunity and resources made available by the mining
operations to create the new landform.

'this is very much like alchemy; turning coal into energy and landscape into art. it
offers us the opportunity to create art from the necessity of extracting coal' - charles jencks.

'northumberlandia' aerial view

charles jencks' impression of 'northumberlandia'

charles jencks' impression of 'northumberlandia'

a computer generated impression of 'northumberlandia' looking north north west

a computer generated impression of 'northumberlandia' looking north

a computer generated impression of 'northumberlandia' looking north east

nicolas le moigne: 'materia' exhibition at the nextlevel galerie, paris

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:30:00 +0200

materia series by nicolas le moigne
image: tonatiuh ambrosetti & daniela droz
courtesy nextlevel galerie

french designer nicolas le moigne is currently exhibiting at the nextlevel galerie in paris.
his first solo show entitled 'materia' features objects devoted to the combination of art
and handcraft, highly refined objects using materials such as wood, glass, clay and steel.
the exhibition will be on view until 25th july, 09.

nicolas le moigne was the winner of designboom's RE-think + RE-cycle competition in 2005.

'narcis' tray, 2009, birch plywood, mirror steel, velvet
edition of 12 + 1 AP
image: tonatiuh ambrosetti & daniela droz,
courtesy nextlevel galerie

detail of 'narcis' tray, 2009, birch plywood, mirror steel, velvet
edition of 12 + 1 AP
courtesy nextlevel galerie

'gaïa' plate, 2009, enamelled clay
edition of 24
image: tonatiuh ambrosetti & daniela droz
courtesy nextlevel galerie

'flore #2' vase, 2009, blown glass, enamelled ceramic, cork
edition of 12 + 1 AP
image: tonatiuh ambrosetti & daniela droz
courtesy nextlevel galerie

detail of 'flore #2' vase, 2009, blown glass, enamelled ceramic, cork
edition of 12 + 1 AP
image: tonatiuh ambrosetti & daniela droz
courtesy nextlevel galerie

detail of 'flore #1' vase, 2009, blown glass, enamelled ceramic, cork
edition of 12 + 1 AP
image: tonatiuh ambrosetti & daniela droz
courtesy nextlevel galerie

detail of 'vesta #3' table, birch wood, thermolacquered aluminium
edition of 8 + 2 AP
courtesy nextlevel galerie

view of the exhibtion
courtesy nextlevel galerie

nicolas le moigne was born in 1979 in fontainebleau, france.
he lives and works in lausanne, switzerland.

massimiliano fuksas: scenography of medea and edipo for the greek theatre of siracusa, italy

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:43:00 +0200

scenography of medea and edipo for the greek theatre of siracusa, italy by massimiliano fuksas
image courtesy massimiliano fuksas

architect massimiliano fuksas has created a greek theatre for the fondazione INDA
(istituto nazionale del dramma antico) in siracusa, italy

according to fuksas the element of thought and inspiration for this scenography was
the horizon. a very simple horizon - he adds- that speaks about the catharsis element
and the landscape, the place and the action for the conscience of the ancient spectators.
as the landscape and the scenery are changed in the course of time, the contained intention
in this scenography is the reconstruction of the lost horizon, staged by a 'concave blade'
that mirrors all that happens around, that involves the audience, that reflects and invites
to reflect.

scenography of medea and edipo for the greek theatre of siracusa, italy
image courtesy massimiliano fuksas

scenography of medea and edipo for the greek theatre of siracusa, italy
image courtesy massimiliano fuksas

scenography of medea and edipo for the greek theatre of siracusa, italy
image courtesy massimiliano fuksas

scenography of medea and edipo for the greek theatre of siracusa, italy
image courtesy massimiliano fuksas

scenography of medea and edipo for the greek theatre of siracusa, italy
image courtesy massimiliano fuksas

scenography of medea and edipo for the greek theatre of siracusa, italy
image courtesy massimiliano fuksas

scenography of medea and edipo for the greek theatre of siracusa, italy
image courtesy massimiliano fuksas

scenography of medea and edipo for the greek theatre of siracusa, italy
image courtesy massimiliano fuksas

scenography of medea and edipo for the greek theatre of siracusa, italy
image courtesy massimiliano fuksas

scenography of medea and edipo for the greek theatre of siracusa, italy
image courtesy massimiliano fuksas

scenography of medea and edipo for the greek theatre of siracusa, italy
image courtesy massimiliano fuksas

general info
object: scenography of the greek tragedies medea and edipo a colono
project: massimiliano and doriana fuksas
site: greek theatre of siracusa, italy
date: 2009
client: fondazione INDA - istituto nazionale del dramma antico
type: realized project

fabrica: 'colors of money' exhibition

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:18:00 +0200

fabrica: colors of money
july 4th to november 1st, 2009
expo carrérotondes, luxemburg

'I pledge allegiance'
photo by joshua levi / fabrica

invited by the cultural space carrérotondes in luxemburg, fabrica will present 'colors of money',
an exhibition which explores the approaches, uses and understandings of money.
based on the 73rd issue of colors magazine, the show concludes that 'money is an illusion'.
it brings together a myriad of contradictions embodied by money's role in our modern society.

works exhibited will include photography, creative writing, art and interactive installations
which have been conceived by fabrica artists. in this current state of financial problems,
'colors of money' provides unorthodox insight into our world effected by this economic crises.

'colors of money' is a journey through the unexpected, diverse drifts of the monetary world.

colors 73: money- 'the christ of havana'
photo by erik ravelo / colors

'piggy bank'
photo by sam baron / fabrica

colors 73: money - 'ithaca hour'
image courtesy of reed young

colors 73: money - 'vanuatu'
photo by kitra cahana / colors

'time is money'
photo by joao henrique wilbert in collaboration with gabo gesualdi / fabrica

colors 73: money - 'vanuatu'
photo by kitra cahana / colors

'the podium'
photo by erik ravelo / fabrica

'the look of love'
photo by jacqueline steck / fabrica

colors 73: money - 'golden teeth'
photo by newsha tavakolian

faces of money - 'queen elizabeth'
photo by piero martinello / fabrica

faces of money - 'mahatma gandhi'
photo by piero martinella / fabrica

faces of money - 'selma lagerlof'
photo by piero marinello / fabrica

faces of money - 'charles I of hungary'
photo by piero martinello / fabrica

faces of money - 'ivan yakovych franco'
photo by piero martinello / fabrica

faces of money - 'genghis khan'
photo by piero martinello / fabrica

faces of money - 'tjut njak dhien'
photo by piero marinello / fabrica

faces of money - 'maria montessori'
photo by piero martinello / fabrica

MVRDV and city of almere present vision 2030

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:10:00 +0200

almere 2030
image courtesy MVRDV architects

dutch new town almere plans to grow with 60,000 houses, 100,000 work places
and related facilities. consequentially almere will become the fifth largest city of
the netherlands in an effort to relief and to offer new qualities to the urbanised west
of the netherlands. MVRDV was commissioned to collaborate with the city to design
a concept structure vision to accommodate this growth. the growth will take place
in four main areas: almere ijland, a new island off the coast in the ij-lake, almere pampus,
a neighbourhood focused on the lake and open to experimental housing, almere centre,
an extended city centre surrounding the central lake, and oosterwold, an area devoted
to more rural and organic urbanism. together the proposals form the new framework to
accompany the growth of the city until 2030. the design of ijland has been a collaboration
with adriaan geuze of west8 and william mcdonough of mcdonough and partners.

almere 2030
image courtesy MVRDV architects

almere 2030
image courtesy MVRDV architects

almere 2030
image courtesy MVRDV architects

rintala eggertsson architects: 'graph' crossing dialogues emergency architecture

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:43:00 +0200

'graph' by rintala eggertsson architects
image courtesy rintala eggertsson architects

'graph' by rintala eggertsson architects was developed for the 'crossing: dialogues
for emergency architecture exhibition held at NAMOC (national art museum of china).

their concept was based on modular building blocks made from laminated wood with
a textile cover that provides insulation and waterproofing. these structures are easily
transportable and lightweight, allowing them to be easily assembled in disaster stricken
areas.

'graph'
image courtesy rintala eggertsson architects

'graph' can be easily packed and transported
image courtesy rintala eggertsson architects

'graph' assembled
image courtesy rintala eggertsson architects

'graph' interior
image courtesy rintala eggertsson architects

'graph'
image courtesy rintala eggertsson architects

'graph'
image courtesy rintala eggertsson architects

'graph'
image courtesy rintala eggertsson architects

'graph'
image courtesy rintala eggertsson architects

'graph' plan
image courtesy rintala eggertsson architects

'graph' plan
image courtesy rintala eggertsson architects

architect: rintala eggertsson architects
client: national art museum of china
curators: zhou shu and qing pan
collaborator: central academy of fine arts / lv pinjing and fanlin
sponsors: yan xiang wei ye construction company, dalian shuanghua wood company,
norwegian ministry of foreign affairs, norwegian university of technology and science,
embassy of norway in beijing, helly hansen pro
design-/construction team: sami rintala, dagur eggertsson, vibeke jenssen, yashar hanstad,
magnus henriksen, andreas grantvedt gjertsen, erlend bauck sole, pasi aalto, olav fasetbru kildal,
silje strom solberg, mario vahos, alexander eriksson furunes, trond hagen hegvold, xie wei long,
lin yi ting, fa feng gui ying, zhao chao, hao li yun, lu jia xing, su le tian, zhang si yu, liu ting ting,
niu zhi yu, zhou teng fei, shi bing jie, li dan and kong seng gi.

huang yong ping: 'buddha's hands' at venice art biennale 09

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:35:00 +0200

buddha's hands, 2006
image © designboom

huang yong ping - french artist of chinese origin is exhibiting as part of arsenale at
venice art biennale 09. ping's work has its roots in confrontation, contrast, exchange,
and the coexistence of different cultural and spiritual worlds. his oversize recreations
of the hand of buddha is made from a type of cedar tree traditionally used in chinese
medicine, that dwell in the ambiguity of references to both spiritual and earthly realms.

image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

mathieu lehanneur: delicious storage

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:48:00 +0200

the delicious storage collection by french designer mathieu lehanneur takes its inspiration from manhattan
hot-dog stands. the series of small storage cupboards are each covered in the wafer-patterned stainless steel
that is found on the sides of new yorks famous hot-dog stands. the metal has been restyled and transformed
into a stackable storage system that comes in four sizes and colours. the units are covered with the pattered
steel and feature a handle at the side of a door on their front. inside they are outfitted with a wood shelf
mounted in the center.

http://www.mathieulehanneur.com

menis arquitectos: cuchillitos park

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:29:00 +0200

located in santa cruz de tenerife, spain, this park is based on a geometry that has adapted to the existing
topography. the park sites on a large slope that has level differences as large as 30m. to create a coherent
whole, the architects created a series of paths configured to the geometry and divided the space into
3 zones. at the west end is a circular esplanade that connects to the entrance. in the east two paths rise to
the viewing platform, while the southeast features a winding path that weaves back and forth around
planting beds. the park also features a small skate park as well as a jungle gym area for children. the park
is dotted with seating designed by cutting large boulders into furniture forms. the chairs, chaises and
benches have been placed to take advantage of the views.

http://www.menis.es

©roland halbe fotografie / 2007

©roland halbe fotografie / 2007

©roland halbe fotografie / 2007

©roland halbe fotografie / 2007

©roland halbe fotografie / 2007

©roland halbe fotografie / 2007

sony ericsson 'green heart'

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:56:00 +0200

sony ericsson released the first green heart sustainable phones meeting a variety of green standards
such as being made from at least 50% recycled plastics. the new brand of mobile phones will use less
packaging and also opt for e-manuals over traditional printed paper ones. the company has already
launched two mobiles and one handset meeting these guidelines and plans for more in the future.
sony ericsson states that one of the models, the MH300, uses 100% recycled plastic in most of its
plastic parts.

http://www.sonyericsson.com

2A+P/A: 'a diamond is forever' - bouwkunde building competition

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:30:00 +0200

faculty of architecture building at delft university
image courtesy 2A + P/A

on may 13 2008 the faculty of architecture of delft university was devastated by fire.
the fire shook the foundations of the dutch architectural community. nevertheless,
the community soon joined forces to set to work again. in order to rebuild they organized
an international competition for the new faculty building.

rather than to create a new form entirely italian firm 2A + P/A proposed a tall
structure consisting of edges based around diamond cuts.

faculty of architecture building at delft university
image courtesy 2A + P/A

faculty of architecture building at delft university
image courtesy 2A + P/A

faculty of architecture building at delft university - elevation
image courtesy 2A + P/A

site plan for the faculty of architecture building at delft university
image courtesy 2A + P/A

diamond cuts for the exterior of the building
image courtesy 2A + P/A

faculty of architecture building at delft university - floor plan
image courtesy 2A + P/A

faculty of architecture building at delft university - floor plan
image courtesy 2A + P/A

faculty of architecture building at delft university - floor plan
image courtesy 2A + P/A

faculty of architecture building at delft university - floor plan
image courtesy 2A + P/A

faculty of architecture building at delft university - floor plan
image courtesy 2A + P/A

faculty of architecture building at delft university - floor plan
image courtesy 2A + P/A

the former faculty of architecture building at delft university
image courtesy 2A + P/A

the former faculty of architecture building at delft university
image courtesy 2A + P/A

general info
type: ideas competition 'building for boukunde'
program: educational building
project: 2A+P/A
client: TU delft
location: delft, netherlands
year: 2009
size: 33.000 m2

milton glaser turns 80

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:35:00 +0200

glaser with members of his studio - image © 2009 milton glaser inc.

last week (june 26th) the influential american graphic designer milton glaser celebrated his 80th birthday. his 55 years in design and art were recently the subject of the film 'to inform & delight: the world of milton glaser' directed by wendy keys.

the documentary is currently being screened at various locations across the US after a three week run at cinema village, NY.

glaser is best known for the enduring 'I ♥ NY' logo and his iconic bob dylan poster. more recently he has worked on the identity for manhattan's new tibetan and himalayan buddhist culture museum RMA rubin museum of art, brooklyn brewery, stony brook university, the school of visual arts and numerous others. in april this year milton glaser's released his latest book 'drawing is thinking', which explores the idea that all art is a form of meditation.

read designboom's interview with milton glaser

atelier tekuto: 'aluminium ring house 3'

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:15:00 +0200

'aluminium ring house3' - system flow by atelier tekuto
image courtesy atelier tekuto

the construction of 'aluminum ring house 3' by atelier tekuto is progressing smoothly
and its due to completed in late july. unlike 'aluminum ring house 1' and 'branching coral
(aluminum ring house 2)' where the building was based on a wooden structure with
installed aluminum rings that also functions as radiators, lighting fixtures and partitions,
'aluminum ring house 3' is fully based on a structure made of aluminum except for its
basement. it has more ecological approaches such as circulating solar energy from sunlight
and geothermal heat through aluminum rings in order to achieve zero running costs.

'aluminium ring house3' - construction

'aluminium ring house3' - construction

matthias ries: new work

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:53:00 +0200

german matthias ries design office has designed new products.

among them are 'bottleclip', a bottle holder concept for the bicycle,
'piegato one' shelf and 'recone bowl' which easily changes shape.

'bottle clip' by matthias ries design office

'bottleclip' is designed as a cheap bottleholder that simply snaps onto any standard sized
bicycle. due to its normed thread most bottles can be screwed directly into the clip.

'bottle clip'

'bottle clip'

'piegato one' shelf

'piegato one' is a laser cut, powder coated steel sheet, which allows users to easily
fold into a shelf.

'piegato one' shelf

'piegato one' shelf

'recone bowl'

'recone bowl' consists of a sandwich structure of different fabrics that makes the
bowl strong enough without constraining its flexibility.

'recone bowl'

'recone bowl'

stefano boeri architects: ex military arsenal project at la maddalena, italy

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:45:00 +0200

recovery of ex military arsenal at la maddalena - glass cube (conference hall) by stefano boeri architects
image courtesy stefano boeri architects

the restructure and recovery of the ex military arsenal on the island of la maddalena
in northern sardinia, italy have been completed in record time.

a hotel, a congress centre, a conference building, two large exhibition and commercial
spaces, a quay for 700 boats, were all part of the project designed by stefano boeri architects.

initiated a year ago with the scope of hosting the G8 summit, recently moved to the
earthquake hit zone of laquila, the constructions have reclaimed and equipped an area
of 155.000 m2, providing with a series of port, receptive, formative and convention
infrastructure that will transform the ex arsenale at maddalena into one of the principle
nautical poles of the eastern mediterranean.

due to the incorporation of active design strategies that conserve and value resources such
as seawater for air conditioning the buildings take advantage of renewable resources
such as wind and sun the project is a model of sustainable practice tuned to the improvement
and preservation of the extraordinary qualities of the mediterranean landscape and the natural
biodiversity that distinguish the archipelago of la maddalena.

recovery of ex military arsenal at la maddalena - glass cube (conference hall)
image courtesy stefano boeri architects

recovery of ex military arsenal at la maddalena - glass cube (conference hall)
image courtesy stefano boeri architects

recovery of ex military arsenal at la maddalena - glass cube (conference hall)
image courtesy stefano boeri architects

recovery of ex military arsenal at la maddalena - glass cube (conference hall)
image courtesy stefano boeri architects

recovery of ex military arsenal at la maddalena nautical pole and school of excellence
image courtesy stefano boeri architects

recovery of ex military arsenal at la maddalena - glass cube (conference hall)
image courtesy stefano boeri architects

recovery of ex military arsenal at la maddalena
image courtesy stefano boeri architects

recovery of ex military arsenal at la maddalena
image courtesy stefano boeri architects

recovery of ex military arsenal at la maddalena
image courtesy stefano boeri architects

a maddalena g8 project - january 2008 /june 2009

architectural design
stefano boeri
with
michele brunello (project coordination)
davor popovic (project leader main conference and delegate area)
barbara cadeddu (project leader interventions extra arsenale)
2+1 officina architettura (responsible architect definitve project arsenale residence)
vincenzo vella (responsible architect executive project arsenale residence)
liverani / molteni architets (responsible architect catering building)
marco brega (director studio stefano boeri)

and:
javier deferrari (main conference, delegate area)
andrea grippo (masterplan and external areas, delegate area)

and with:
andrea barbierato (delegate area)
daniele barillari (main conference, delegate area)
mario bastianelli (main conference)
maurizio burragato (delegate area)
marco dessì (external areas)
marco giorgio (main conference)
eugenio feresin (arsenale residence)
marco tradori (arsenale residence)
costantina verzì (outdoor areas)

with the contribution of:
alessandro astori, lorenza baroncelli, stefano baseggio ,kristina drapic,
moataz faissal farid, stefano onnis, , edoardo boi , alessandro gioffrè ,
inge lengwenus, piergiorgio loi, corrado longa, yari marongiu, fabrizio piras,
sebastian russi, vittorio secci, walter dejana

consultants
furnishing and outdoor areas arredi e sistemazioni esterne: maddalena de ferrari
and andrea balestrero a 12
landscape: emanuela borio e laura gatti
technical consultants: favero & milan
lighting: ferrara palladino
video: attu studio
visualization area 4: stack studios
visualization area 5: studio cast & ello e arch. gianni dedola
models: on&off e sebastiano conti gallienti
hall and presidential suite hotel interior design: antonio marras with stefania beltrame

general contractor: anemone costruzioni s.r.l.
structure: italingegneria
mep engineering: enetec s.r.l.