Making a case for native and climate-appropriate plants
We occasionally show our southern California bias... but I am not sure why the New York Times shows theirs so often.
The New York Times published an article yesterday profiling proponents of "native" plants in California, focusing on Rene Russo's crusade to promote native species... an interest we share and which we subtly display with our side bar Dudlea image. In my experience, newspapers are infamously inept in their coverage of nature and landscape, and while this article is interesting and worth reading, I find the poor reporting to be annoying. For example:
Native plants like senecio and aloe, which fill the yard in front of Andree Matton's house in Monrovia, Calif., thrive on less water than grass.
Senecio and aloe are not native even to this continent, let alone to Monrovia, California.
Article: NY Times - Flora With a Star in Its Corner
Reference: Garden/garden (L+L)
This is the quick summary
Link:
Article by Kim Wilkie
Land+Living will be hosting a speakers panel for the upcoming Speakers Conference at CA Boom later this month... more on that later... but related to the topic that said panel will discuss is this article by Richmond, U.K. based landscape architect Kim Wilkie.
The contribution which landscape architects can make at this point is immense and pivotal. Landscape architecture addresses both the built and the cultivated environment. It thinks about city as well as countryside; housing as well as agriculture; cultural history as well as nature conservation.
Mr. Wilkie has several interesting articles posted on his website which is nice to see.
Link: The Future of Landscape Architecture
Reference: Shaping the landscape of the world
Hip digs for your dog
We've been fans of Jesse Doquilo's work for quite some time now (see references below) so it's great to see him putting out new pieces. One of the pieces we like is the mutt dog dwelling.
For the pampered pet, or the owner with an appreciation for architecture, this unique dog dwelling features a skylight, a plush ultra suede cushion, and mod styling to fit your decor.
The mutt is available in poplar (featured at right) and cherry and can be custom sized for small or medium dogs. Horse sized dogs need not apply.
Link: Modern Object
Reference: Min & Italic Tables (Land+Living)
Reference: x-lounge (Land+Living)
Claude Cormier Architectes Paysagiestes
We've always found the website for Claude Cormier Architectes Paysagiestes (that's "Landscape Architects" for you non-franophones) to be rather amusing with it's theme of a landscape architect's Disneyland, excuse-moi, Courmierland in this case, with Frontierlandscape, Fantasylandscapes, Tomorrowlandscapes and Adventurelandscapes. To our dismay, the website is currently a bit low on content, but their work is interesting to browse even in abbreviated form.
What made us decide to feature Monsieur Cormier today was the discussion of our recent Shortcut post, which made us think of Cormier's design of Place d'Youville also in Montréal (shown right and below with more text).
Link: Place Youville
Firm: Claude Cormier Architectes Paysagiestes
For a good time.
The recent post about Sport Utility Furniture got me thinking about skating again and the other day when I was at the local grocer, I picked up a copy of Transworld Skateboarding to try and get back in touch with my skating past (ha, who am I kidding). Anyhow, flipping through the pages, I came across the Nixon Rotolog watch.
What a cool watch! The Rotolog's case and band are machined from stainless steel with walnut wood inlays. It's also available in leather but c'mon, we all know the walnut is way cooler, brah ;-) My only bitch about the watch is the Nixon logo that's on the face. A logoless face would be much cleaner. I would prefer a slightly wider dial window with the logo on the dial. Ah, walnut and steel, so hot right now (ok, that'll be the last time I say "so hot right now" in a post).
Link: Nixon
Join the Land+Living team
We want you... but only if you're good.
We are looking for a creative person with an eye for design and a knack for finding the goods. What will you get in return? You get to hitch your wagon to our kick ass, critically acclaimed design web journal. And, you might even make a few bucks (emphasis on few) in the process.
If you are interested in being a contributing writer to Land+Living, contact us with a brief introduction to tell us why you think that you are up to the task. Good luck.
Socially and environmentally responsible furnishings
SCI-Arc people seem to be everywhere I look lately.
Ann Arbor based designer Jonas Hauptman is a part-time faculty member at SCI-Arc, and has just launched a line of environmentally responsible chairs and tables.
The seats are from a composite of reconstituted North American Aspen Tree flakes and a formaldehyde-free adhesive system in a process inspired by the process used to produce shipping pallets. The seats are available in a variety of stock clear and satin tinted finishes. The steel tables feature a heavy duty high gloss white powder coat finish and are suitable for outdoor use.
Link: Hauptman Products Inc.
Via: Inhabit
Landscape installation
This simple landscape installation deals with the inevitable transformation of designed spaces by the people who inhabit and use them. It speaks to a larger issue in the design world in a way that resonates with us.
Montréal based architect Hal Ingberg (and fellow SCI-Arc alumnus) designed a piece that acknowledges and reinforces the traces of unplanned movements to and from a building at the Université de Montréal.
These traces mark the most natural and firect path of movement to and from the building. However, they have not been designed as part of the building's landscape strategy. Marked by the footprints of numerous building users, they are in effect blemishes, inscribed as corrections to the formalized movement sequence.
We can all personally attest to this non-orthogonal tendency as it pertains to human movement. Historically, it has been employed as an opportunity to inflect richly upon architectural space.
Link: Hal Ingberg
"Form follows feminine"
Funny how sometimes you are just not ready to seem something until you are in the right mindset. Way back in May, the New York Times Magazine published their Architecture 2005 issue which included a lengthy piece by Michael Kimmelman profiling the life and career of Brazilian modern master Oscar Niemeyer.
Our fascination this past weekend with images from Brazil has put us in the frame of mind to digest this retrospective, and we highly recommend it to you.
Article: NY Times Magazine - The Last of the Moderns
Link: Slideshow
A traditional terrace house transformed
Sydney based firm Dale Jones-Evans Pty Ltd Architecture is committed to design that is of its place and time, a modern architecture that is truly Australian.
For this re-envisioned terrace house in Sydney, Dale Jones-Evans completely gutted the structure and inserted a new steel framed building into the shell. The center of the house features a vertical floating stairwell and illuminated glazed bathroom core. The floor plane extends out at the rear terminating at a sunken black 'grotto' pool, which is wrapped in a fluid woven metal sculptural veil.
Link: The Water House
Firm: Dale Jones-Evans Pty Ltd Architecture
Images of Brazil's architecture, urban landscape, etc.
I have a penchant for this kind of photo documentation... it reminds me of architecture school (thank you, Mary Ann Ray).
Photo blogger Thomas Locke Hobbs features some very interesting and beautiful photos of his travels and experiences in Brazil; everything from buildings and urban vistas to culinary delights and signage/graffiti. There are also photos of men in drag and tighty-whities, not that there’s anything wrong with that...
Link: Thomas Locke Hobbs
Via: Cityrag
Thumbnail at right: SESC Pompeia, designed by Lina Bo Bardi, São Paulo.
West 8 selected as the design team for Jubilee Gardens in London
West 8’s design concept focuses heavily on developing an organic, lush and green park, with softly undulating hills. Trees and flowers will bloom throughout the year to provide a ‘botanical ambience’ for one of London’s most important green spaces. The sophisticated topography creates paths which are fluid and inviting, prime lookout points which frame dramatic, panoramic views of the Thames, the London skyline and the South Bank, and intimate spaces where people can find their own space to relax and enjoy the micro-climate. At night, a theatrical spectacle of light will subtly animate and play with the new weaving landscape.
Link: West 8 - Jubliee Gardens
Link: Jubilee Gardens
Article: LondonSE1 - Jubilee Gardens: West 8 selected by public for 'world class' park
Reference: West 8 (L+L)
Innovative Garden Structures
This exhibition at the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma, runs April 24 - October 16, 2005.
Architects from across North America were invited to submit design proposals for a contemporary vision of a traditional architecture type - the garden pavilion. The winning designs will be constructed and will "land" on Philbrook grounds as a six-month open-air exhibit, allowing audiences of all ages to explore and experience architecture-as-art in the landscape. The project will highlight Philbrook Gardens with structures that are in harmony with the landscape, introduce audiences to a variety of contemporary architectural forms, demonstrate that good design can be both affordable and friendly to the environment and enhance public awareness of promising, emerging architects.
Link: Philbrook Museum of Art
Originally posted 3/31/2005
UPDATE: The Archinect Image Gallery features some nice images of the installed designs.
Architectural tour by satellite
A Daily Dose of Architecture picked up the satellite imagery theme yesterday as well... must've been something in the air, or sunspots or something... and featured images of architectural landmarks yesterday.
We decided to do some reconassance as well and have a few architecture images of our own below. Let us know about your spy finds as well!
Link: The Grand Tour
Link: Google Maps
Thumbnail at right: Getty Center, Los Angeles by Richard Meier
Student work from the north-east
We find student design work to be incredibly interesting because of how it reflects the design world and speaks to the future.
The Architect's Newspaper features the work and thoughts of students from architecture schools in the "tri-state" (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut) area. Professors at 13 schools were asked to select one outstanding project from the last academic year. Check it out.
Link: The Architect's Newspaper - Kids These Days
Via: Archinect
Landscapes from space
Today I saw something at Pruned, a new landscape blog that we like, that piqued my interest: satellite images of Land Art.
Pruned's post touts the merits of TerraServer, a site that I also prefer for aerial imagery and shows views of Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty and Michael Heizer's Double Negative (beautifully manipulated images, by the way).
But, the post at Pruned inspired me to seek and share more sources for aerial landscape images.
Satellite Imagery Resources:
Related: Spiral Center for Land Use Interpretation
Related: Spiral Jetty Travelogue
Reference: Earthworks revealed (L+L)
Design / build remodel of industrial space into loft apartments in Tel Aviv
Designed and built by Tel Aviv, Israel based partnership U-I, Avi Laiser and Amir Shwarz, the lofts were built in an old diamond polishing factory that was vacant for more than 10 years. The project is aimed at a young population who look for contemporary rental spaces in the center of Tel Aviv’s business/industrial district, and desire a creative lifestyle.
The lofts were built on a very low budget in a speed time of 4 months using a flexible wall construction method that allows joining two spaces or more to create larger spaces in the future. The polished concrete floors are continuous and each unit got a colored wall or box that defines the usages of the open space. Right now the project is fully occupied with happy tenants.
UPDATE (7-29-09): Avi Laiser now has his own firm AR/Arch. We're not sure what Amir is up to these days.
Tom should've proposed here*
We've danced all around the work of Jay Griffith on Land+Living, but we've never dedicated a post to his firm's work. We've featured the work of his former partner Rob Steiner, the garden of his current partner Russ Cletta and we linked to an article in the LA Times Magazine that featured his design for a residence in Rustic Canyon. But for some strange reason, we have never come across Jay's website before. Well, today we did, and we want to share it with you.
Jay Griffith's work is fit for a Hollywood movie, his landscapes are dressed sets in the best sense. So it is only fitting that many of his clients are Hollywood types as well. Jay's firms have always produced stunning visual compositions of color, material and space that unfold in carefully scripted sequence.
Firm: Griffith & Cletta
Built to last
Now here's something that I can appreciate. The Three Sixty Table from Sports Utility Furniture. A table made with skateboard trucks and wheels. So cool. There was once a time when a skateboard was practically attached to my feet at all times. I skated everywhere and everything. It's not too often that a piece of furniture evokes such great childhood memories but for some reason, this piece is doing it for me. I see kids skating everywhere these days and it's fairly common to see contests on TV so I can't say I'm no longer exposed to skating since I see it in some form almost daily, but for some reason, this table gets me stoked and makes me want to hop on a board and go skate some vert.
Link: Sports Utility Furniture
Via: Sensory Impact
Images of the Lotus House by Kengo Kuma
Nine images of the Lotus House by Tokyo based Kengo Kuma and Associates were recently posted at Archinect.
Kengo Kuma deftly balances the physical and the ephemeral, with a keen sense of the relationship between materials. Among the many awards he has received are the Spirit of Nature Wood Architecture Award, the International Stone Architecture Award and the AIA DuPONT Benedictus Award for Water / Glass.
Link: Archinect - Kengo Kuma Lotus House
Firm: Kengo Kuma and Associates
Book: Kengo Kuma: Selected Works
Material Reuse
We received an email from Carlos over at Scrapile alerting us to several new pieces in their 2005 collection. Images we received include a wall-mounted shelving system, a circular table with tripod legs, and accessory boxes in several sizes. Scrapile produces their products out of discarded wood from local wood shops. Thanks, Carlos!
Email: ScrapileNYC
Related: Scrapile L+L
Energy efficient lighting solutions
We love getting tips. Especially when they are for such inventive and witty pieces like these light fixtures from Italian manufacturer Tecnodelta. Most of Tecnodelta's fixtures come in wall, floor, hanging, and table variations and Tecnodelta uses the most advanced technology in the production of its lighting devices – fibre optics, LEDs, electroluminescent sheets – in addition to the traditional technologies.
The Bahiana (2004, featured at right) is formed by two pieces of Murano glass held together with a pair of hooks and separated by the bulb socket.
Link: TECNODELTA [Thanks, Marcus!]
Q + A with "thought leader" Thom Mayne
Architecture's bad-boy-cum-shining-star has garnered quite a bit of attention recently... something to do with winning the Pritzker Prize perhaps?
I.D. online features an interview with architect Thom Mayne of Morphosis.
A cult figure for 30 years, architect Thom Mayne says he’s surprised now to find himself in the mainstream.
Check it out.
Article: I.D. online - Q + A - Thom Mayne
A new variation of residential courtyard architecture
Designed by Los Angeles based architects Sharon Johnston and Mark Lee, the Sale House was designed to engage an early Morphosis project, the 2-4-6-8 house, in Venice, California (circa 1978-1981). The reconceptualized site concept created an internal configuration around exterior courtyard living spaces.
Living spaces were designed as an open and flow and are transparent to the outside. Taking cues from the colorful Morphosis building, each private interior room was "conceived as a unit of color, lined with resin panels of bright pink, turquoise and yellow orange."
Link: Johnston Marklee & Associates Sale House
Frank Lloyd Wright's Marin County Civic Center - Part II
I mentioned previously that I became engrossed in research while putting this together. The most fascinating find on the web was Frank Lloyd Wright Resources (linked below) page hosted by the Marin County Library. This page includes a nice historical brief, photo gallery including images of the design and construction process, a project chronology and a listing of FLLW resources in the library's collection.
But what enthralled me the most was the voices of the Civic Center page which features clips in mp3 format of speeches by Frank Lloyd Wright from 1957 and 1958 and interviews with other architects, politicians and journalists who were involved with the project.
Before Wright's death on April 9, 1959, he had finished the supervision of drawings for the main building and the master plan for the site. In this section we will finish our exploration of Wright's design, and take a look at some of the changes and developments after his passing.
A stunning photo by William Allin Storrer depicts and early view of the Hall of Justice. The photo captures a landscape in keeping with what Wright had experienced before additional landscaping and trees were added to the site.
Link: Marin County Library FLLW Resources
Photos: Lee Sandstead
Photos: Picture the Scene
Photos: Digital Imaging Project
Photos: Digital Imaging Project (Post Office)
Part I - Three hills bridged with graceful arches
The 6th edition at Redford Gardens in Quebec
The 6th International Garden Festival will run from June 24 to October 2, 2005, at Redford Gardens in Grand-Métis, Québec.
On display will be new designs by seven selected designers from Australia, France, the United States and Canada as well as four gardens created for the fifth edition of the Festival.
Link: International Garden Festival
Visit: Jardins Métis, Redford Gardens
Poor man's La-z-boy
Last month, we learned about Adriean Koleric's Edith Mailbox and liked its style. We decided to check back in and see what was up with the site and went looking for any new product updates/info. The site is still under construction but the background image caught our attention. Being the curious blokes that we are, we fired off an email to Adrien to get the scoop on the new design. Here's what we heard back:
"The piece you're asking about is called 'SUGAR'. It's an adjustable lounger that's upholstered in vinyl over 3" foam. The yellow/orange band in the middle has a textured finish like scales on a fish, the white is a typical smooth texture. The pipe in the back acts as a support which fits into either of the 2 openings to create a laid back setting or more of an upright. I sometimes refer to it as a 'poor mans la-z-boy'. The pipe itself is pvc wrapped in vinyl as well. I also use it as a magazine holder."
Along with the updated website, Adriean will be adding a few more pieces to I T E M's product lineup in the coming weeks so keep an eye out for them. We certainly will.
Link: I T E M
Related: Edit Mailbox (L+L)
Frank Lloyd Wright's Marin County Civic Center - Part I
A couple of weekends ago, I was in Marin County, California, and I realized that while I have seen it from the freeway, I have never actually visited Frank Lloyd Wright's Marin County Civic Center.
Serendipitously, Frank Lloyd Wright was born on this day in 1867, and (most) of the photos I took at the Civic Center are the only ones that my malfunctioning digital camera did not corrupt. So today seems like a good day to share those photos, as well as some information about this important work by Frank Lloyd Wright.
I developed a childhood fascination with Wright's architecture nearly 20 years ago (ok, yes, I was an archi-geek even then), and spent much of my early self-guided architectural education reading as much as I could about Wright. While I continued this interest into my college years, I became much more interested in European modernism and new architecture, leaving my interest in Wright more or less latent until last week. As I began to put together what I intended as a very brief photo gallery of the Marin County Civic Center, I found myself engrossed in the research of details and history of the project. While by no means exhaustive, we have a two-part look (through photos and abundant linkage) at the Marin County Civic Center as it was planned, as it is now, and as it may be in the future.
| Visit: | Marin County Civic Center |
| | 3501 Civic Center Drive |
| | San Rafael California |
| | 415.499.6646 |
Photos: Marin County Civic Center Photographs
Book: An Architecture for Democracy: the Marin County Civic Center by Aaron Green
Part II - Marin Again
Limited-edition street banners
Apparently I'm not alone in the notion of seeing a museum banner hanging from a streetpole and thinking how great that would look hanging in my living room. BetterWall took that idea and turned it into a business. On their website, you can purchase banners advertising an Ansel Adams gallery at the Art Institute of Chicago or Warhol's exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. But these aren't just reproductions of those banners, they are the real deal.
" All of BetterWall’s beautiful banners are the real McCoy! They have been displayed on streetlamp posts and museum facades in cities across the country. Made of vinyl or heavy-weight canvas, the banners are well-equipped to withstand outdoor display.
All banners are in excellent condition with no rips, tears, fading or large blemishes. Minor surface blemishes or other slight signs of wear do not detract from the beauty of the images and add to the banners’ value and authentic charm. Some banners have wind-slits, small half-moon shaped cuts that allow the banners to withstand high wind without ripping."
To date, BetterWall has helped their museum partners keep 10 tons of vinyl out of landfills. Also, by purchasing a banner from BetterWall, you are also supporting the arts, as a percentage of proceeds is returned to the museum featured on the banner. Great idea, guys!
Link: BetterWall [Thanks, Nora!]
