It's been a while since we've featured a bentwood piece so here's something from designer Po Shun Leong. This piece is created from two pieces of identically pressed wood and held together with what I'm assuming to be t-bolts (since it's "easy to assemble" I'm thinking IKEA-like hardware).
Link: Po Shun Leong
Sweden and good design just seem to go together... not a bad far as stereotypes go. The work of this group just furthers that image.
Founded by Petrus Palmér, John Löfgren and Jonas Pettersson, this Swedish design collective is focused on product and furniture design. The group also produces a wider range of work including graphic design, illustration, concept design, product visualization and interactive media.
Their designs are funky and fun, but clean and modern... and we're liking it!
Link: Form Us With Love
Now, this topic isn't exactly sexy or fun, but you need to use something to keep your home clean... especially if you are lucky enough to own one of these slick modern glass and concrete houses that we like to feature. And trying to find good products that aren't detrimental to your health and the larger environment is a challenge. A post at Cascadia Scorecard Weblog points us to a website that can help you locate eco-friendly products. And of course, our good friends at Treehugger have a couple of suggestions as well.
Link: Eco-Labels
Via: Cascadia Scorecard Weblog - It's Not Easy Cleaning Green
As long as we're on the subject of retail furniture stores, here's one at the other end of the Golden State.
Edit Furnishings doesn't appear to have any exclusive designs, but they do offer an interesting collection of furniture, objects, lighting and art. They are located in Newark, a town in the (south east) San Francisco Bay Area.
Link: Edit [Thanks, John!]
Here is a word you may not have heard since high school biology class:
Cambium (kam' bë um) a layer of formative cells located below the bark of woody plants, reproducing by division and creating new growth.But Cambium is also the name of the design and construction company of Seattle based landscape architect Tim Moshier. Appropriately, they will provide new growth in your garden.
Their website features a nice portfolio of five residential projects, and we are particularly impressed with their skillful selection of plants for color and texture to create striking effects. Superb design and execution.
Link: Cambium
An article in the New York Times talks about the legacy of Frederick Law Olmsted and the Groundswell exhibit which opens tomorrow at MoMA in New York. The article focuses on the designers and projects that will be featured in the exhibition including Peter Latz, Adriaan Geuze, Catherine Mosbach and the much anticipated Fresh Kills project on Staten Island by Field Operations.
No longer the handmaidens of architects, landscape architects are building huge parks, some on a 19th-century scale, on polluted industrial spaces...Article: NY Times - From Ruin and Artifice, Landscapes Reborn
Born in Finland, raised in Sweden and now residing in San Francisco, California, self-taught designer Lotta Jansson creates a range of beautiful screen-printed home products. Her colorful and fun designs include ceramics, table linens, bags, stationary and more.
Lotta has both a deep appreciation for nature’s limitless beauty and a love for modern urban style. The balance between these two worlds is unequivocally present in Lotta’s contemporary organic designs.She started Lotta Jansdotter in 1996, and opened her San Francisco studio and store front in 2002. Lotta's designs are also available online and at retail stores around the world.
Link: Lotta Jansdotter
Via: urbanSPY
We were blown away by the images of Seattle based photographer Chris Jordan when we ran across his website over at Archinect.
In large-format color, these images take the viewer on a tour behind the façade of the American Dream into the underbelly of our consumer society, where the vast cumulative effects of our individual consumer choices are visible. These images invite viewers to consider the complexity and scale of the consumerism issue, and to evaluate their own role in the consumptive process.Chris's photographs are sublimely beautiful and haunting.
Link: Chris Jordan Photography
It must be photography week here at Land+Living - first the work of eco-artist Kathryn Miller who photo-documents her field projects, then photographer Chris Jordan yesterday, and our photo spread on Groundswell. To top it off, this morning Peter Baker, who we featured back in June, paid us a visit to let us know about his new site: TreeMeat.
We liked his stuff then, and we like it now. Mmmm... TreeMeat... tasty. Seriously, take a look for yourself. Tasty, right?
Link: TreeMeat
Reference: Peter Baker
In the past, the majority of our landscape posts, with a few exceptions, focused primarily on residential projects. However, when I came across Mikyoung Kim's Contemplation Garden, I thought it would fit in quite nicely with the other posts in this category.
In this spare entrance garden, bamboo, moss, water, and granite are used to create a contemplative courtyard and sculptural pool. The granite water wall invites users to engage directly with the water before entering the contemplative area where the pool reflects the movement of the sky.Also be sure to check out Mikyoung's "Navigations Garden".
Link: Mikyoung Kim
Architecture For Sale is an online resource featuring some of the most sought after real estate on the planet. From Schindler to Neutra to Murcutt, Architecture For Sale has them listed. The prices of these homes are way out of my price range, but if you've got a million plus burning a hole in your pocket and are in the market for a new home, check them out.
Architecture for Sale is the premier online resource for architectural properties around the world. For nearly a decade, architectureforsale. com has featured an eclectic and diverse offering of estates, historic properties and architectural residences. Our current listings may include: a craftsman bungalow in California; a grand Southern plantation inLouisiana; a modernist retreat in Connecticut; a prefabricated house available for construction worldwide; a historic light house in Maine; or an urban loft in Germany. Our goal is to marry a customer with the architectural, historic or estate home of his or her dreams.Link: Architecture for Sale
Symmetry Showroom features rugs handknotted in the "finest wool" available in numerous patterns and designs. They are a showroom for numerous partners including Gus, SpekeKlein, and Ethnicities. In addition, they also carry handpicked items from Tibet, Thailand, Phillipines, Peru, and elsewhere.
Besides rugs, they also feature contemporary home furnishings with an Eastern flair.
Link: Symmetry Showroom
There is a certain equation that we cant resist:
I flipped past this really quickly at Wallpaper a while back... but I was in a hurry and didn't realize that it contained the magic variables, so I didn't delve further.
Located in the middle of South Tyrol at 1500 meters, this resort is accessible only by cable car (add another childhood fantasy point for this one). Designed by Milan based architect (and one time creative director for Swatch) Mattheo Thun, the structure is at once sleek and organic. Each room contains a fabricated rammed earth wall which serves as a divider and thermal mass for the embedded radiant heating elements... nice.
Visit: Vigilius Mountain Resort
Firm: Mattheo Thun
Via: Earth Architecture
Today, on Saint Patrick's Day, we pay tribute to a great Irish-American architect, Lorcan O'Herlihy. Well, actually.... today Archinect just happened to point us to an article from that the LA Times by Barbara King published back in December about Lorcan... so anyway...
We dig Lorcan. He's a very nice guy who does cool work. I actually cold-called his office looking for a job about 5 years ago, and Lorcan spoke to me on the phone for a couple minutes even though he didn't have any openings. The fact that he would even personally take my call blew me away.
So, for our St. Patrick's Day tribute to Lorcan O'Herlihy, we've included a bunch of previously unpublished pics from our tour of his home at last year's CA Boom festival, provided tons of linkage, and we lift a pint of Guinness... well, actually we'd do that anyway. Sláinte!
Firm: Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects
Article: LA Times - All he needs is a little room
Article: Irish-Architecture.com
Link: Kline residence image gallery
Link: ArchNewsNow - Habitat 825
Link: ArchNewsNow - Hillside Haven: Lexton/MacCarthy Residence
Via: Archinect
Reference: CA Boom (Land+Living)
You might not have noticed but we've been making some small changes to the site here at L+L. We've added pagination to our main pages (finally!) and recently fixed a bug that was causing comments to be submitted multiple times. We've also made a few changes to the database so hopefully pages will load a little bit faster. I'm pretty sure things are running smoothly but if you happen to notice any weirdness, give us a holler and let us know, or simply comment below. As always, thanks for stopping by!
Link: Contact
Is it wicker? Is it wire? Is it a "high-tech plastic"? We're not sure, but whatever it is, Lebello shapes it and paints it in some cool colors. Their product line ranges from ottomans and lamps to chairs and stools. The Hollow ottoman (featured at right) provides an open frame for books to be placed in its center. Each product is available in a wide range of fun colors.
Link: Lebello
Link: Available Colors
Last summer in our coverage of CA Boom, it was noted that Sami Hayek was on the panel of a conference that James attended. We included a link but unfortunately didn't feature any of his work. I recently visited his site, and, well, being the huge fan of bentwood furniture that I am, I was impressed with the work that I found. I was most impressed with the Inana cocktail table (below, bottom left). His work is available in finishes such as walnut, maple, and leather. Featured at right is the rambius shelving unit.
Link: Sami Hayek
Reference: CA Boom (Land+Living)
Based in Spain, Luzifer Lamps manufacturers suspension, floor, wall, and table lighting in a wide range of styles. Shades are available in materials such as timber, veneer, parchment, and polypropelene. If you're the type that enjoys matching fixtures throughout your home, Luzifer makes many of their styles in each of their lighting categories. However, since variety is the spice of life, why limit yourself to one style? Go ahead, mix it up a little!
Link: Luzifer Lamps
Unfortunately, this fits with my informal assessment of friends and colleagues who are architects here in the United States... so, be nice to your designers, won't you?
Link: City & Guilds
Via: The Dirt
We have been experiencing some technical problems today... more accurately, our web host has had some trouble, thus, Land+Living has been offline at times today.
While we've had more down time than we'd like in the past, it has never been this bad. So, please accept our apologies if you have had trouble reaching us. We're going to try to remember why we extended our hosting agreement...
With all these UK posts, one might think we're turning into L+L London (hmmm, there's an idea). Well, here's yet another UK blog. In the same vain as the Fold House this traditional Waterloo home gets a clean modern addition.
"The garden extension to this grade II listed building in Waterloo is a simple pattern of solid and glazed panels repeating the original openings of the rear façade which are then repeated in reverse on the roof. The additional floor space extends the family living area and acts as an open connection between kitchen and dining area. The works also included lowering the existing semi-basement to create a utility room, storage and study and refurbishment of the house throughout."
Firm: Dive Architects
Dublin County, Ireland based John Doolin of Imbue Furniture Design brings a traditional vibe to his decidedly modern furnishings. All of Imbue's pieces show superb attention to detail and functionality.
John Doolin’s approach to furniture owes as much to a great respect for the traditional skills of cabinet making as to modern design principles and methodology.Link: Imbue Furniture DesignThe guiding principle throughout his work is the belief that the real value of any product is not only in the sum of its size and materials, but in the way in which it serves its user - the function it performs.
This question comes up all the time for me: when I design houses for clients, and lately my wife and I have been thinking about just exactly how we want to live as we consider purchasing the property where we live that is zoned multi-family. How much of the lot should we use for ourselves versus for rental units? How much space should we allocate to specific uses, and how can we use spaces for multiple uses? How efficient can our home be while still providing needed personal space? Less is more, but it is more work to figure out how to do less! But I digress...
We've touched on the issue of home size here at Land+Living many times before, and an article in today's Los Angeles Times takes a look at the question of home size. The article includes an interview with Sasha Tarnopolsky & John Jennings of Los Angeles based architecture and landscape design firm DRY Design.
Article: LA Times - What makes a home the right size for you?
Reference: Size Matters (Land+Living)
Reference: The Very Small Home (Land+Living)
If this image doesn't get you going... leave... just go. We love the architecture and designs of Richard Neutra... perhaps it is our regional bias for California Modernism.
House Industries, in collaboration with Dion Neutra and Otto Design Group is offering a limited number of Neutra designed Boomerang Chairs, as well as Neutra patterned pillows.
Link: House Industries
WAIT! READ THIS! I know that you are scrolling right on past this post... but this is required reading for Land+Living... HOLD ON! Really... keep reading.
You may, like us, care about the environment and the well being of the planet, but often find it to be difficult to "live green," the response is always, that's great but what can I do? Don't despair... you can change the world by your actions, no matter how small.
Whoa, now that seems awfully optimistic. Well, if you like, please continue reading my explanation of my green optimism... but, you can skip my explanation and get right to the assignment by following the link below for a very helpful, non-preachy article with suggestions and tips for what you can actually do.
Read it. No really. Bookmark it or print it for later, or screw the work you should be doing and read it now, but please read it... and pass it on.
Article: Natural Capitalism, Inc. - But, What Can I Do? (pdf file)
Link: Natural Capitalism Solutions - Recommended Resources
Link: Rocky Mountain Institute
Book:
Natural Capitalism - Creating the Next Industrial Revolution
Architect William McDonough continues to garner attention for his "cradle-to-cradle" vision of an industrial revolution that uses nature as a model, completely rethinking the current concepts of recycling and production.
Imagine buildings that generate more energy than they consume and factories whose waste water is clean enough to drink.Article: Newsweek - Designing the FutureOur job is to dream—and to make those dreams happen.
Reference: Cradle to Cradle (Land+Living)
Reference: "Cradle To Cradle To Washington" (Land+Living)
Related: What Can I Do? (Land+Living)
I participated on a jury for a USC landscape architecture studio as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago and had intended to do a write up last week. But (in addition to just being busy) I soon realized the challenge that lay before me as I began to sift through the notes and images that I have compiled.
The problem: how to do justice with limited time and space to all of the hard work of this group of students? Since I have already had my chance to "review" them, I will refrain from offering too many comments and will instead provide a gallery of their work.
The studio was entitled BrownLAb: Wunderkammer @ the Yellow Car Maintenance Yards. The project location is a brown field site in south Los Angeles, a former maintenance yard for the defunct Yellow Car rail transit network. The industrial functions of the facility over the years have left the site contaminated.
Currently, the site is underused but does serve several functions. The MTA uses some of the remaining maintenance buildings on the south edge and a school for "at-risk" students occupies the north west portion of the site. The most active function of the site is a swap meet on the north eastern edge which functions as a community gathering place for the surrounding neighborhood.
Seeing student work is refreshing. Unlike the majority of my work in the "real world," it is all about the process of design, analysis and presentation. The limitations on creativity are basically nonexistent. David Fletcher and Tom Leader created an outstanding studio project and environment; the resulting student work was well developed and intriguing, the product of collaborative investigation and individual design development.
We really like the clean graphic quality and compostion of these lino prints by London-based printmaker and illustrator Paul Catherall. His designs are inspired by classic 20th century poster desgin, Soviet propaganda art and artists such as William Nicholson.
His subjects include many modern and historic architectural constructs from London and New York, capturing momumental impressions of everyday urban experience.
The lino cuts are printed on 100% cotton acid free paper with the finest quality oil based inks. Limited edition prints are available for purchase through Paul's website.
Link: Paul Catherall
Via: I Like
The famous annual garden show at Chelsea is now open, and the garden design winners have been announced. Here are a few of our favorites from the winners list.
Link: Chelsea 2005 awards
Link: Chelsea Flower Show 2005
Link: BBC Coverage of the Chelsea Flower Show
Reference: Chelsea 2005 (Land+Living)
An article in the Sydney Morning Herald by Anne Susskind profiles this remodeled home designed by sustainability focused Kennedy Associates of Sydney.
Front of the semi-detached home was retained with contemporary two storey addition at the rear. The garden continues the space out the back with a courtyard and features an innovative water recycling system as a design feature.
Three rain water tanks and 'green wall' gray water treatment system enable the house to use 75% less water for the town water system. The house is heated and cooled using a solar powered system by Sun Lizard.
Firm: Kennedy Associates Architects
Article: smh.com - The art of space