In an era of values-based consumerism, companies are going for integrated marketing, where aesthetics and integrity go hand-in-hand. High-end fashion companies are going green and green clothing companies are targeting hipsters. On par with this blurring of boundaries, Ailin surfwear company has just launched out of the fashion-mecca of Manhattan, hoping to present a line that brings urban sophistication to an outdoorsy industry.
The third London Design Festival is taking place all over London, September 15 – 30, 2005.
You've spent considerable time and money crafting your perfect minimalist interior space. Now that you've got the little rugrat running around, you wouldn't dare taint your interior with just any old high chair now would you? No! Fret not, oh minimalist one, as we have the perfect compliment to your Tulip Chairs, the Nest from Mozzee.
The Nest is availble in black or white and features a powder coated tulip base and an easy to clean polyethlyene seat.
Link: Mozzee
I've always thought of a day bed as a piece of furniture that is a lounge seat by day and a bed by night. José Gandia takes the term a little more literally. This is a bed for high noon on the beach or in the backyard. The 80" cubic canopy is a picture of luxurious simplicity, surrounded on all sides but completely open to light and air. The frame is made of anodized aluminum, with removable panel upholstery and a polyuretane foam mattress. (We hope pieces like these will soon meet their "eco" alter ego.) This is the item you were imagining all those times you tried to make a tent with tapestries and giant umbrellas. Now if only it came with the Spanish coastal backdrop.
Buildings that walk and wear "puffa-jackets"? If you thought the Halley V Research Station from 1956 was getting a little drab and dated, then the proposals for the new Halley VI Research Station will delight your intellectual and aesthetic sensibilities.
The Chicago Athenaeum, an International Museum of Architecture and Design, is exhibiting their 2005 American Architecture Award winners.
If laser cutting is the new handcrafted, then Mathias Bengtsson is a master craftsman. Generated by machine, his designs look like they have been carved from centuries of exposure to the elements, but in reality it is the flexibility of laser cutting that allows Bengtsson to create organic forms out of materials that don't normally lend themselves to manipulation.
Need a reason to visit Montreal this winter? Montreal's underground city is a good enough one in my books. With its inception in 1966 the plan for the underground coincided with the opening of Montreal's Metro, and has since grown to include 1,500 offices and 1,600 boutiques. It also has numerous art installations, a skating rink, and leads you through historic and newly constructed buildings. For instance, you can go from IM Pei's Place Ville Marie to Claude Cormier's Lipstick Forest in the redesigned Palais des Congress in Old Montreal without ever surfacing.
Link: amarrages prospectus
Kragh·Rosenberg is a design team based in Copenhagen that produces contemporary printed designs for the home. Their current collection consists of two patterns - Figus and Ming - which are available in an assortment of colors. Inspiration for their patterns comes from Asian and Danish design and folklore (Ming) as well as "life in the garden" (Figus). Fabrics are 100% cotton.
If you happen to be in Frankfurt August 26 - 30, Kragh·Rosenberg will be displaying their designs at the Tendence Lifestyle Fair.
Link: Kragh·Rosenberg [Thanks, Anne!]
Due to the large number of inquiries regarding the "super fantastik" skateboard designs by Tony Larson from Agents of the Area, we decided to investigate a bit.The findings might shock you, so if you have a "mobilia eamesis heart condition", or any kind of bladder weakness when it comes to issues of design excellence, please, STOP READING NOW!
For the rest of us, we are sorry... The designs we featured are a couple of years old, and apparently they have already reached cult status. Your best bet would be to try Ebay or something similar, but good luck with that one.
HOWEVER, fear not, since Tony has provided us with a sneak peek at what promises to easily be as hot a collection of mid-century modernist design artifacts on decks as his first version. He tells us they are to be released sometime this fall. So, I dunno about the rest of you, but I am gettin' in line! And I might buy a couple of the Eames stickers that they feature on Crailtap, just to make the wait bearable.
Last, but not least: PEOPLE! "GIRL" Skateboards are not "skateboards for girls..." It's a cool and hip name of a brand, kinda like "Blind"(not exclusively for visually impaired children),"Bones" (no, not an indication of the materials used), "Birdhouse"(sounds oh so tame and civilized...but guess what)... And then there is "Uncle Touchy" and "Sick Stick." 'Nuff said.
Link: Agents of the Area
Link: Crailtap
Reference: Skate like a girl! (L+L)
When Design Public, an online purveyor of contemporary home products, invited us to participate in their current blogging event, we were happy to oblige. The guys over at Design Public are super cool, the offer great products, and they have their own blog as part of the site.
Link: Black+Blum
The Raindrops coffee table from cor3 creative works is a sleek table comprised of two rings and a solid center that can be exploded into three separate tables. The table is available in several finishes including steel and plexiglass (detail at right) and a dark wood. A red version is also featured from earlier product displays.
In the spirit of Slinks, Meta Moco, and blogosphere wanderlust, we bring you Clippings, the L+L way of sharing random articles, discussions, and product posts in a quick format sort of way. When a news article warrants a mention but not necessarily a full blog post, look for it here. If there's an interesting discussion going on at one of the many design/architecture related forums, we'll clip it in here. And if one of our fellow bloggers gets the scoop on some great furniture porn, we'll throw it in here as well. 
Designed in the late 1920's and completed in 1930 by architect Adolf Loos, famous for his essay entitled Ornament and Crime which contributed to Modernist ideology. Located in Prague, the Villa Müller is one of the Twentieth Century's most significant modern villas.
| Visit: | Nad Hradním vodojemem 14 |
| CZ 162 00 Prague 6 - Strešovice | |
| Czech Republic |
Casamania has a system of modular furnishings designed to fit into modern residential or office settings. The Web system, featured at right, is geared toward the office space and features a wide range of accessories including a reception area,coat racks, wastepaper baskets, and the like. In contrast, the Matrix system (below) features various elements with squared sections and colored translucent panels.
"The radical architecture of the 1960s developed avant-garde solutions that have only recently become part and parcel of European or American cities thanks to Frank O. Ghery and the Futur System group. Casamania has been part of this process for the last twenty years, offering solutions for the home and workplace. Our designs are essentially light, flexible and able to adapt to the different needs of a varied but aware user group, which views the home without preconceptions when it comes to using objects."Link: Casamania by Frezza (Warning: mildly annoying flash site)
The Royal Forest of Dean sounds like it might have been Robinhood's secret hideout, tucked between two rivers in Western Gloucestershire near Wales. While the forest is one of few remaining ancient woodlands in the area, it has seen its fair share of industrial invasion; between timbering and iron mining for England's shipbuilding industry, the forest has been left with "scowles" - deep cavities in the land where resources have been dug up and removed.
Available in September, Compact Houses by Marta Serrats and Universe Publishing:
"In an age of "McMansions," this international survey of the latest in residential architecture proves that small is beautiful-and responsible. The houses profiled are designed to make maximum use of the smallest possible footprint in order to protect the environment. The houses profiled here prove that efficiency as well as beautiful, thoughtful design can be had in a tiny setting. Each project includes a case history describing its design challenges and how the architect overcame them, a detailed blueprint for each house, full-color photos of the interior and the exterior, and plans of the layout."
It has now been just over a week since CA Boom II closed, and after bombarding you with coverage from the event all last week, we are finally ready to put CA Boom II to rest.
Don't be swayed into thinking your feathered friends, living large in their Modern Birdhouse, will be safe. Modern Birdhouses, in case you hadn't noticed, are constructed of wood. And just like the second little pig found out, houses "built of sticks" are sure to fall down (or get chewed up by rabid squirrels).
A fun little accessory for your tub or sink. The Help! drain stopper is available in orange and green.
"A rubbery hand extends up from the plug mimicking a reach for help out of the watery depths. while essentially providing a non-slip surface for an easy and firm grip in the sink or tub. green."
I'll be honest, I don't know jack about speakers or what qualities to look for when purchasing a new set - other than if they sound good - so I won't try to wow you with all sorts of techno-gibberish about ohms and impedance except to say that these are some of the most attractive looking speakers I've ever seen. The QUAD ESL 57 (featured at right), with its ribbed fabric grill, has a 50's retro feel and looks more like a finely crafted piece of furniture than an audiophile's dream. Considering that they were first produced in 1955, I guess that sort of makes sense.
Can we assume to all agree on the premise that skateboards are cool, and that the act of skateboarding is even cooler? And Eames furniture, veeery cool indeed, right? So, if everyone at any design school knows about these icons of coolness, then how come nobody has come up with combining the two until now?! Shame on all of you!We salute Tony Larson from Agents of the Area, who has managed to design some decks within his Girl Skateboards line that will thrash your hearts out. He even managed to throw on some Roadside Architecture, or Venturi's duck, if you may. Design geeks in the black and grey uniforms now can get a skateboard that does not clash!
Link: Agents of the Area
Some more Skate Art: Skate or Die!
I have been a fan of this house since the first portion was built some years ago, and was able to tour the expanded home last year at CA Boom. When I saw that the home would be featured again this year, I was not disappointed... actually I was excited to have the chance see it again. I hyped this tour above all others to Anthony as CA Boom approached, and upon our visit, his enthusiasm matched mine as is evident in the wealth of images in our extended photo gallery.
Photo Gallery: McKinley Residence
Link: Syndesis / David Hertz AIA
Article: Outside
Reference: CA Boom II Day One (L+L)
Reference: CA Boom II Day Two (L+L)
Reference: CA Boom II Day Three (L+L)
Also on the second day of the home tours was the home of architect Glen Irani, which I had the opportunity to see last year at CA Boom. If the Kanner House is a riot of color, then the Irani house is an orgy.
Located on one of the Venice canals on a 30' x 95' lot, the house is a modernist grid of steel, glass and brightly colored planes. The house is painted mainly in shades of bright blue offset by lime green, orange, red, blackened steel, natural maple, and polished concrete floors.
Photo Gallery: Irani House
Link: Glen Irani
Reference: CA Boom II Day One (L+L)
Reference: CA Boom II Day Two (L+L)
Reference: CA Boom II Day Three (L+L)
The second day of home tours started off on a good note. The Kozely/Farmer Residence by Sant Architects is designed to make great use of indoor/outdoor space. The landscape by Jay Griffith forms a lush frame for the house, and extends garden rooms from every room of the house.
The building is designed as three simple volumes that are shifted in relationship to each other to define exterior spaces as well as to modulate volume and light within the house.
Photo Gallery: Kozely/Farmer Residence
Link: Sant Architects
Link: Griffith & Cletta
Reference: CA Boom II Day One (L+L)
Reference: CA Boom II Day Two (L+L)
Reference: CA Boom II Day Threee (L+L)
Prophecy magazine is looking for submissions to include in a section of their mag titled "The Lab". The Lab usually features anywhere from 3-5 projects of theoretical architectural ideas and renderings. If you're itching to get your undiscovered brillance out to the world, look them up. Prophecy Magazine is an internationally distributed bi-annual magazine of architecture, art, fashion, music + culture.
Link: Submission Specs
Link: Prophecy Magazine [Thanks, CW!]
Originally built in 1956, the Troxell House in Pacific Palisades, California has been rigourously renovated by architecture firm SH_Arc. The house had been occupied by the original owner until recently, and few changes had been made over the years.
A prime example of Neutra's California Modernism, the stucture is a simple post and beam grid with a broad flat roof. The house is approached from one end where a carport and storage area tuck beneath the roof with an entry path located between the house and the hill sloping up to the street. A long hallway inside bisects the east end of the house with four small bedrooms along the street side and the bathroom, laundry and kitchen along the other. The living room, entry and dining room are arranged in an "L" at the heart of the house with floor to ceiling windows and doors opening to a broad terrace perched on the hillside. The far west end of the house contains the master bedroom.
Photo Gallery: Troxell Residence
Link: SH_Arc
Reference: CA Boom II Day One (L+L)
Reference: CA Boom II Day Two (L+L)
Reference: CA Boom II Day Threee (L+L)
Visiting the Entenza Residence on day one of the CA Boom II home tour came as a surprise. It was not listed on the tour handouts so it was an exciting stop on the tour. The house was originally designed for John Entenza by architect Harwell Harris. According to Michael Folonis, the architect who handled the restoration project of this home in 1998, it is quite possible that Entenza's Case Study program was conceived at this home.
Photo Gallery: Entenza Residence
Link: Michael Folonis
Link: Case Study Houses
Reference: Harwell Harris (L+L)
Reference: CA Boom II Day One (L+L)
Reference: CA Boom II Day Two (L+L)
Reference: CA Boom II Day Threee (L+L)
Another day at CA Boom and another day of home tours. I always figured that most people prefer to save the best for last, but today's selection of home tour residences, while featuring some nice homes, was lacking when compared to days one and two. The standout home today had to be the Ehrlich Residence (featured at right) by John Friedman and Alice Kimm. The Kumagai Residence, by Glen Irani, while only about 80% complete, promises to be quite the exciting residence when it's complete. I have a feeling we'll see this on next year's tour.
Photo Gallery: Ehrlich Residence
Photo Gallery: Kumagai Residence
Photo Gallery: Church/Loft