Based in Signal Hill-California, Oddica is an online apparel company that has put great emphasis into promoting the artists and designers who've colalborated on a wide range of T-shirts.
The focal point of our company is our Artists. How they interpret a particular idea, and how that idea looks on a shirt, determines whether a customer is going to buy, plain and simple. Our job is to stay behind the curtain and seamlessly deliver the Artist's vision to our customers.
Apart from the mainstay line of t-shirts, regular contributors Joshua Smith (Hydro74) and Brian Jaramillo (beejay) are collaborating on the inaugural Year in T-Shirts book. Items included will be the top 10 T-shirts of the year, top 10 artists of the year and profiles on a number of designers and brands.
As well the group is working on a kids line for the immediate future simply titled, Oddica Kids.
A sketch competition for duilding designs in dramatic locations
This competition (sponsored by Building Design, SketchUp, et al.) "offers you the opportunity to stretch your creative mind to the full. The buildings, of course, are not going to be built - the aim is to see what you think is possible..." This is a sketch competition - not developed designs - and is open to architects, architectural technicians, students, designers and engineers.
The three sites are: the base of Mount Everest, the Niger desert, and the River Thames estuary. The three briefs will become available for download in different periods.
San Francisco Bay Area painter Laura Elisabeth Bauer creates abstract art works exploring nonobjective constructivism on canvas and sculptural forms. She counts modern masters Matisse, Miro, Mondrian, and Picasso among her influences as well as the period from 1920 through the 1950's, especially the abstract female artists Popova, Hepworth, and Hartigan.
There is a frenetic energy to her work which, to me, seems to speak of the modern world and urban/suburban landscapes which we inhabit. Yet there is a calm grounded quality and connection to the past residing in the layered complexity of her work.
She says:
I am learning that there are many ways of expressing creativity, and I remain open to continue in my exploration into the unknown. I not only enjoy looking to the past for inspiration but I also enjoy revisiting my old work and taking it a step further, using the old and integrating it with the new.
'Manolo is Gonna Have Fun' is a light hearted collaboration between designers Hector Serrano and Lola Llorca that brings a little 'tongue in cheek' humour to design.
This project takes fun to the extreme with everyday objects, combining function with amusement. Manolos products are inspired by toys and the action of playing games. Manolo is Gonna Have Fun introduces the idea of the enjoyable with the mundane.
I love their directions for the 'I Like Football' piece......
Directions:
Before use plug in.
Simply use like a normal lamp football.
For best results always follow Ronaldo’s corner taking skills.
Use only as directed. Intentional misuse can be excellent, even more fun.
Department of design culture edited by Adriean Koleric
We're amping it up L+L a bit here with a slight update to our look and feel, and the addition of a new Branch to expand our offerings.
Edmonton, Alberta based designer Adriean Koleric has been a contributor at Land+Living for some time now - and we are pleased today to announce that DesignBOT, Adriean's design blog, has joined the Land+Living network! DesignBOT will bring turn up the funk on L+L and expand our horizons with more design lifestyle, pop culture and fashion focused content.
The Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design has announced the winners of the seventh annual National Design Awards. The finalists and winners will be honored at an event on October 18, 2006.
"Cooper-Hewitt is delighted to once again recognize, through the National Design Awards, some of the greatest contributions to the world of design made in recent years." Cooper-Hewitt director Paul Warwick Thompson said. "Each year, the Awards grow in scope, and this October we are introducing National Design Week, a new education initiative created to promote better understanding of the role that design plays in all aspects of our lives. During National Design Week, Cooper-Hewitt will host programs and panel discussions on design, and on our website, we will launch design education content for teachers nationwide."
An exhibition at the Barbican Art Gallery in London running June 15, 2006 - September 17, 2006.
From extraordinary houses and incredible towers, to fantasy cityscapes and inhabitable sculptures, Future City showcases the most radical and experimental architecture to have emerged in the past 50 years.
From the visionary artist-turned-architect Constant Nieuwenhuys, to 1960’s giants Archigram and SuperStudio, to deconstructivists Daniel Libeskind and Zaha Hadid and contemporary digitally inspired work by Nox and Decoi, this is the most comprehensive survey of experimental architecture to be held in the UK.
Royal Architectural Institute of Canada honors 12 projects
The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) and the Canada Council for the Arts have announced the winners of the Governor General's Medals in Architecture for 2006.
The Governor General's Medals in Architecture recognize outstanding achievement in recently built projects by Canadian architects.
The honored design teams are:
Les architectes FABG
atelier TAG, Jodoin Lamarre Pratte et Associés Architectes (2 projects)
Baird Sampson Neuert Architects
Lapointe Magne + Ædifica
Atelier in situ
Florian Maurer Architect, MRAIC
Smith Carter Architects and Engineers Incorporated
Brave Space's flat pack version of their block-game shelves
Nearly two years ago we were inundated with traffic after featuring the work of Brave Space Design. Specifically, it was their Tetris shelving that ignited the firestorm... people were like, freaking out. Totally.
So we're bracing ourselves this time, because the Brooklyn-based design trio has introduced a pack flat version of the block-game inspired shelves: Tetris Flat.
The modular system features wooden sides with metal backing and assembles "in minutes." The frames are available in white or natural wood with multiple color options for the backing. The units are sold block by block for $120 each to create a custom configuration.
Sense of Place is a UK design shop that creates furniture and cabinetry using both contemporary and traditional methods. I discovered Sense of Place after browsing the portfolio of a photographer that photographed their furniture catalog and was impressed both by his work and SoP's craftmanship. Their one-off piece, "The Table", is featured at right.
London based artist Joanna Sands bridges the realms of art and architecture by creating contextual sculptures which challenge and inform the perception of space. She began making large temporary sculptural installations in abandoned buildings in 1993, often using found materials. The use of dilapidated structures as a canvas brings to mind the work of Gordon Matta-Clark - the appropriation and investigation of cast off places. By making visually simple alterations to found spaces, Joanna subverts the spatial expectations of the viewer. These early pieces were ephemeral: constructed, documented, experienced as the venue for a "viewing" party, and then dismantled.
More recently, Sands has begun to undertake commissions for permanent installations and has displayed some of the research models developed in the course of designing her site-specific work. The piece shown at right is located in Joanna's own studio.
Sands' work will be on exhibition 20th May to 10th June at the Optician Gallery in London.
San-Francisco-based designer Galya Rosenfeld has created a system that uses fabric scraps which can be attached and configured without glue, stitching, buttons, etc. to create a wide variety of objects. One of her creations from this ingenious system are Modular Pillows. The beauty of the system is that there are practically infinite configurations of colors and forms - damaged pieces can be replaced and the entire object can be disassembled and recycled.
Galya will be featured at HauteGREEN later this month.
The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has announced the recipients of its 2006 Professional Awards. The jury considered over 500 entries and selected 32 projects to receive awards. The awards will be presented on October 9 at the ASLA Annual Meeting in Minneapolis.
The top "Awards of Excellence" are awarded in several categories:
The General Design Category winners are Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (From Brownfield to Greenfield: A New Working Landscape for Wellesley College Wrenched from its Toxic Past) and Landworks Studio, Inc. (Court Square Press Courtyard).
The Residential Design Category Award of Excellence is awarded to Steve Martino & Associates (Quartz Mountain Residence).
The Analysis and Planning Category Award of Excellence winner is Sasaki Associates, Inc. (Providence 2020 Plan, Providence).
The Communications Category Award of Excellence is awarded to Peter Walker and Partners (Land Forum Magazine).
Top ten examples of sustainable architecture in the U.S.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its Committee on the Environment (COTE) have selected the top ten examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment. The projects will be honored on May 3 during a presentation at the National Building Museum in Washington and again in June at the AIA 2006 National Convention and Design Exposition in Los Angeles.
The 2006 COTE Top Ten Green Projects address environmental conservation and the notion of sustainable development with designs that integrate architecture, technology, and natural systems. They make a positive contribution to their community, improve comfort for building occupants, and reduce environmental impacts through strategies such as: reuse of existing structures, connection to transit systems, low-impact site development, energy and water conservation, use of sustainable or renewable construction materials, and design that improves indoor air quality.
An open competition to design a chair, sofa or stool that reflects our time
Even though the function of a chair as an aid to sitting has not really changed over time, its design has evolved in parallel to society. It has reflected the developments in technology, architecture, and industrial design. Furthermore, chairs have been a social, aesthetic, and symbolic statement. Chair design has been a declaration of attitudes, ideas, and viewpoints.
During the XX Century there were some chair designs that succeeded to reflect the society of their time. Some of the best known examples are Charles and Ray Eames' molded plywood chairs, Alvar Alto's No. 41 Chair or Marcel Breuer's B3 Chair. Their highly innovative designs responded both to ergonomics and manufacture processes.
As our society has changed we are looking for a chair design that succeeds in communicating the XXI Century personality.
This is an open competition to design a chair, sofa, or stool that reflects our time.
My chair is a reflection on style, trend, attitude, and culture.
Toronto is home to a diverse group of designers working under the collaborative effort of VEST Collective.
Consisting of 10 members, VEST not only focuses on design, but the craft aspect as well. To some the word 'craft' may be a dirty word, but definitely not to this talented group. Case in point is the well executed entry to the Gladstone Hotels annual 'Come up to my room' exhibit that they entitled 'The 1889 Project '.
Vest Collective is a loosely knit group of designers and craft practitioners based in Toronto. Work produced under the Vest moniker adheres to the principle that objects can affect positive change on the people and other objects with which they come in contact.
Equal emphasis is put on the quality/longevity of the work produced, and its relevance to contemporary culture. With an appreciation for different disciplines, Vest produces work demonstrating that design is full of the potential to communicate a wide range of ideas.
Also of note, VEST is holding their collective spring show in Toronto from April 20-May 16, 2006. More details at thier site.
There is nothing more glamorous for an architect than designing America's malls... except perhaps designing 13,000 square foot faux-Tuscan additions to 9,000 square foot even-more-faux-Tuscan houses... ahem.
This project in Anaheim, California, has been in the proposal stage for years, and it appears that it is finally going to move forward. Situated right across the street from Disneyland, the architects absolutely had to out do themselves... and indeed they have turned architecture on its head. Don't believe me? Let's take a closer look just for shits and giggles...
Link: GardenWalk
Via: Curbed (LA style) - Anaheim Approves New Tourist Trap
As Clipped earlier, the prefab home designed by Ray Kappe for Living Homes is being installed in Santa Monica, California today, and we have lots of pictures (after the jump).
If there ever was a cool, day-time non-planned architecture party, then this was it! A bunch of SCI-Arc and UCLA alumni standing around in the sun, "oooing" and "awwwing" over witnessing the structural frame and panels being hoisted over our heads into place by a huge crane, and placed onto a slab with more level changes than the Villa Malaparte! The possibilities are great for this, and once economies of scale are allowed to take place, man could this change the industry and the profession as a whole! Will it? Who knows, but congratulations, Ray, for again pointing us in a new and exciting direction! The design is beautiful, and it will surely give prefab a whole new image in the future.
Paulo Mendes da Rocha of Brazil was announced today as the winner of the 2006 Pritzker Prize winner. The 77-year old architect is Brazil's second Pritzker laureate joining Oscar Niemeyer who was honored in 1988.
In announcing the jury’s choice, Thomas J. Pritzker, president of The Hyatt Foundation, said:
Mendes da Rocha has shown a deep understanding of space and scale through the great variety of buildings he has designed, from private residences, housing complexes, a church, museums and sports stadia to urban plans for public space. While few of his buildings were realized outside of Brazil, the lessons to be learned from his work, both as a practicing architect and a teacher, are universal.
The formal ceremony will be held on May 30, 2006 in Istanbul, Turkey.
Mendes da Rocha began his career in the 1950's and was part of what was then considered the avant-garde in São Paulo, known loosely as creators of the Paulist brutalist architecture. During a career that spans six decades, he has maintained his own practice, taught for many years at the University of São Paulo, and contributed to the professional community through his work as president of the Brazilian Institute for Architects.
Following is a sampling of Mendes da Rocha's work.
Albano Daminato is an interior architect and designer based in Singapore. His recent projects have included small scale hotels, private residences, retail stores, restaurants, bars and cafes, from overall concepts through to the design of furniture, objects and even uniforms.
His work is rigorous and architectural in approach as is evident in the form, detailing, spatiality and materiality of his projects. There is a duality to Albano's work; it is subtle yet strong, minimal yet complex.
OK prefab junkies, here is your exotic South African prefab fix. Though we saw a bunch of prefab at CA Boom, it was basically stuff we had seen before, but this wasn't there, and it is new to us.
Designed by architect Eric Bigot, the concept behind the company is to make building a house as simple as buying a car. The concept behind the design is simplified minimal mode of living in a space 3.4 meters wide. The design is expandable from a studio unit at 6 meters in length up to a 2 bed/2 bath sized home at 23.6 meters long as well as variations in between. Conceivably a double-wide configuration of units is possible as well.
The last day of CA Boom 3 brought back the sunshine to our deprived LA architourists. The focus of the day was prefab and other alternative building methods, and we were not disappointed.
From a butler structure that will house a single family dwelling (and is supposed to be finished at a cost of $130 a foot), to an elevated, very clean "Swiss" abode, to a beautifully restored ranch house with an ecologically-sound terraced garden behind it... then a huge loft, above the architects' office, in the architects' building, and, last but not least, two very interesting variations of a prefab building solution.
The last day was a worthy epilogue to a great overall event, with the organizers focusing on innovative and future oriented technologies, building techniques and ideas about architecture as a whole.
Thanks, do stay tuned for more in depth product features etc. in the next few days, and we look forward to next year's event!
A UC Berkeley design team has won the competition for a 15-acre park in Chiayi, Taiwan, a monument to peace commemorating the 228 Incident - a tragedy which occurred on February 28, 1947, when government soldiers killed thousands of Taiwanese citizens. It was illegal to discuss the events of 1947 until 1992 when the Taiwanese government issued a formal apology.
The design team, comprised of Professor Judith Stilgenbauer and graduate students Kit Shihting Wang and Calder Gillin, named their proposal Conceal/Surface, stating: (it) is about time, growth and the inevitable revelation of historical truths. The central design element is the bamboo room, a partially sunken courtyard planted with bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens Mazel) and enclosed by semi-translucent glass walls offering veiled views of the bamboo within. An underground glass enclosed viewing room will provide floor-to-ceiling view of the bamboo room.
Day 2 of CA Boom 3 featured some great work overall, even if the weather was not cooperating today. Granted, there was no snow or rain (this is Southern California afterall, for all you non-CA peops), but the inside outside notion of living pursued in Steven Ehrlich's and David Hertz's projects did not come across quite as pleasantly, with cool, foggy and windy conditions making the visitors shiver at times.
All projects were worth having a closer look at, and it is great to see plenty of innovative work right outside of our doorstep. The tours were again well organized, and we were very happy that there was not another "no pictures of this project" incident today... Our galleries should be up and running in no time, and do stay tuned for the coverage of day 3, which featured mostly pre-fab and eco-friendly projects of the tour.
The exhibition marks the re-launch of the CUBE gallery in Manchester, UK
The exhibition Future Landscape shown at CUBE, Manchester, has now come to an end. Over the two months of being opened to the public, the exhibition has gathered under one collection several projects, bridging Architecture and Landscape, which, in a near future, will shape the North West region of England.
Projects of prominent architects based mostly in the region were thus displayed to give the opportunity to the public to gain an insight on how the region will be shaped in the years to come and also to express their views on such regeneration projects.
Varied graphic styles, design approaches and thus resulting design-forms were highlighted by this exhibition which brought to the viewer an understanding on the diversity of the projects and their suitability for the chosen sites.
Through walking and observing the works on display, the viewer was certain to find a project which stimulated his/her imagination.
Weren't we just here? The third year of CA Boom is underway and we're here for the third time - only seven months after we wrapped up our coverage of last year's show. They have moved the date up a few months this year for whatever reason, but it works for me since the weather is a lot nicer... though it is cutting into a potential ski weekend...
Some first impressions for this year compared to last: it seems a bit more crowded, fewer frills but overall seems better organized, a solid line up of homes for the first day tour, and a somewhat expanded exhibition area. There is a good vibe this year as things seem to settle in... as they say, third time is the charm.
Featured after the jump are some images from today's home with links to galleries of the day one home tours. Watch L+L for more content soon.
This competition (sponsored by Building Design, SketchUp, et al.) "offers you the opportunity to stretch your creative mind to the full. The buildings, of course, are not going to be built - the aim is to see what you think is possible..." This is a sketch competition - not developed designs - and is open to architects, architectural technicians, students, designers and engineers.
San Francisco Bay Area painter Laura Elisabeth Bauer creates abstract art works exploring nonobjective constructivism on canvas and sculptural forms. She counts modern masters Matisse, Miro, Mondrian, and Picasso among her influences as well as the period from 1920 through the 1950's, especially the abstract female artists Popova, Hepworth, and Hartigan.
Kidrobot is slated to release the next series in the highly succesful Dunny line.
'Manolo is Gonna Have Fun' is a light hearted collaboration between designers Hector Serrano and Lola Llorca that brings a little 'tongue in cheek' humour to design.
We're amping it up L+L a bit here with a slight update to our look and feel, and the addition of a new Branch to expand our offerings.
The Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design has announced the winners of the seventh annual National Design Awards. The finalists and winners will be honored at an event on October 18, 2006.
An exhibition at the Barbican Art Gallery in London running June 15, 2006 - September 17, 2006.
The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) and the Canada Council for the Arts have announced the winners of the Governor General's Medals in Architecture for 2006.
An exhibit at the Arizona State University Art Museum in Tempe, Arizona running September 9, 2006 - January 27, 2007.
Nearly two years ago we were inundated with traffic after featuring the work of Brave Space Design. Specifically, it was their Tetris shelving that ignited the firestorm... people were like, freaking out. Totally.
Sense of Place is a UK design shop that creates furniture and cabinetry using both contemporary and traditional methods. I discovered Sense of Place after browsing the portfolio of a photographer that photographed their furniture catalog and was impressed both by his work and SoP's craftmanship. Their one-off piece, "The Table", is featured at right.
London based artist Joanna Sands bridges the realms of art and architecture by creating contextual sculptures which challenge and inform the perception of space. She began making large temporary sculptural installations in abandoned buildings in 1993, often using found materials. The use of dilapidated structures as a canvas brings to mind the work of Gordon Matta-Clark - the appropriation and investigation of cast off places. By making visually simple alterations to found spaces, Joanna subverts the spatial expectations of the viewer. These early pieces were ephemeral: constructed, documented, experienced as the venue for a "viewing" party, and then dismantled.
San-Francisco-based designer Galya Rosenfeld has created a system that uses fabric scraps which can be attached and configured without glue, stitching, buttons, etc. to create a wide variety of objects. One of her creations from this ingenious system are Modular Pillows. The beauty of the system is that there are practically infinite configurations of colors and forms - damaged pieces can be replaced and the entire object can be disassembled and recycled.
The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has announced the recipients of its 2006 Professional Awards. The jury considered over 500 entries and selected 32 projects to receive awards. The awards will be presented on October 9 at the ASLA Annual Meeting in Minneapolis.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its Committee on the Environment (COTE) have selected the top ten examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment. The projects will be honored on May 3 during a presentation at the National Building Museum in Washington and again in June at the AIA 2006 National Convention and Design Exposition in Los Angeles.
Even though the function of a chair as an aid to sitting has not really changed over time, its design has evolved in parallel to society. It has reflected the developments in technology, architecture, and industrial design. Furthermore, chairs have been a social, aesthetic, and symbolic statement. Chair design has been a declaration of attitudes, ideas, and viewpoints.
Toronto is home to a diverse group of designers working under the collaborative effort of VEST Collective.
There is nothing more glamorous for an architect than designing America's malls... except perhaps designing 13,000 square foot faux-Tuscan additions to 9,000 square foot even-more-faux-Tuscan houses... ahem.
As 
Paulo Mendes da Rocha of Brazil was announced today as the winner of the 2006 Pritzker Prize winner. The 77-year old architect is Brazil's second Pritzker laureate joining Oscar Niemeyer who was honored in 1988.
Albano Daminato is an interior architect and designer based in Singapore. His recent projects have included small scale hotels, private residences, retail stores, restaurants, bars and cafes, from overall concepts through to the design of furniture, objects and even uniforms.
OK prefab junkies, here is your exotic South African prefab fix. Though we saw a bunch of prefab at 
The last day of CA Boom 3 brought back the sunshine to our deprived LA architourists. The focus of the day was prefab and other alternative building methods, and we were not disappointed. 
A UC Berkeley design team has won the competition for a 15-acre park in Chiayi, Taiwan, a monument to peace commemorating the 228 Incident - a tragedy which occurred on February 28, 1947, when government soldiers killed thousands of Taiwanese citizens. It was illegal to discuss the events of 1947 until 1992 when the Taiwanese government issued a formal apology.
Day 2 of CA Boom 3 featured some great work overall, even if the weather was not cooperating today. Granted, there was no snow or rain (this is Southern California afterall, for all you non-CA peops), but the inside outside notion of living pursued in Steven Ehrlich's and David Hertz's projects did not come across quite as pleasantly, with cool, foggy and windy conditions making the visitors shiver at times.
The exhibition Future Landscape shown at 
Weren't we just here? The third year of CA Boom is underway and we're here for the third time - only seven months after we wrapped up our coverage of last year's show. They have moved the date up a few months this year for whatever reason, but it works for me since the weather is a lot nicer... though it is cutting into a potential ski weekend...