above > bless no 60 lobby conquerors, bless in dialog with artek furniture classics / berlin

this quirky lobby installation is both functional for taking a load off for a few minutes and playing mind games – is this lobby an installation or did someone leave assorted remnants lying around. designed by bless, a berlin-based collaborative partnership, works with temporary stores that open in various cities, often in unconventional or domestic spaces. they rethink the conventions of fashion production and manufacture, bypass the definitions of haute couture or ready-to-wear, and challenge the formal confines of function. mission accomplished.

[ 7 january calendar ]

the second edition of the chicago architecture biennial (cab) is the largest architecture and design exhibition in north america, showcasing the transformative global impact of creativity and innovation in these fields. this year’s biennial features over 141 practitioners from more than 20 countries addressing the 2017 theme “make new history.” artistic directors sharon johnston and mark lee have selected architects and artists whose eye-opening creations will invite the public to explore how the latest architecture can and will make new history in places around the world. the main exhibition is free and open to the public from september 16, 2017 through january 7, 2018. we are particularly proud to premiere our opening in 2017 in alignment with expo chicago.

chicago cultural center, 78 east washington street

lucid air, an all-electric that evolved from a battery, now scalable for a broad range of applications including and charges quickly. in matters of taste, the air evokes luxury yacht or executive business jet stylishness: artful enough to remind us now tesla s is showing her age.

the interior design though really shines, less about aesthetics but spacial restraints have vanished. air is narrower, shorter, and lower than a model s, but with the interior space of a long wheelbase s class mercedes. this zero-emission car is designed for an era of luxurious limited space.

[ facts ]
concept > zero-emission luxury mobility sedan
power > all-electric lithium-ion battery cells
number of passengers > 4
drive-train > no details
0-60 > 2.5 sec
top speed > software limited 217 mph (*)
(*) maximum velocity of 235.44 miles on the 7.5-mile oval track / see video below
launch date > 2019

configuration 1 > 400-horsepower / 100 kWh battery / rear-wheel drive / range 240 miles / $60,000 usd / $2,500 usd deposit
configuration 2 > range 315 miles / no price yet
configuration 3 > 1,000-horsepower twin-motor / 130 kWh battery / all-wheel drive / range 440 miles / $130,000 usd
special launch edition option > first 255 of configuration 3 / well-optioned / $130,000 usd / $25,500 usd deposit

we strive to be a pioneer in accessible and affordable innovations for the vision impaired and the deafblind to lead independent, fulfilling lives. ~ dot inc.

the dot watch braille smartwatch is the first of its kind to provide the time with tactile information instead of visual clues. you don’t see time ticking away, you feel it. dot not only tells the time, but also creates text messages, sns, as well as traffic or weather information, with just a tap of your finger.

there’s also an open dot api so anyone can develop apps or services for dot. existing apps can be easily adapted. apps for braille education, social networking, navigation, newsfeed, weather and many more are already in development.

it launched in late 2016 but for practical purposes this is a 2017 product. the dot ‘feels’ like a 2017 best product-of-the-year candidate.

hello — for a detailed map view of milan happenings 2018 please type milan into keywords or location menu below and select find events:

the salone internazionale del mobile was founded in 1961 as a vehicle for promoting italian furniture and furnishings exports and soon became the most keenly awaited and important event in the world presenting all things design and furnishing. 2018 celebrates the 57th edition. #salonedelmobile #milandesignweek

the future is here. since 1928, hinckley has been leading the way in the design of beautiful, highly innovative and timeless yachts. in the spirit of our legacy of innovation, we are excited to announce dasher, the world’s first fully electric luxury yacht. reservations now being accepted for delivery in summer 2018. ~ hinckley yachts

power yachts are considered the biggest environmental offenders. noisy. smelly. fuel guzzlers. but more efficient power and lighter constructed watercraft are appearing more and more. dasher now appears to be a world’s first fully electric in a self-defined category of luxury yachts: ultra-minimal, featuring no roof, no galley, no bunks, no head! but it is loaded with hinckley’s aesthetic sensibilities, craftsmanship, technology, 3d-printed titanium hardware, and price. we’re told something north of $500K usd. DA applauds the vision to venture into zero emission ready-for-production water vehicles.

designed by michael peters.

[ features ]
> designed from the ground up for fully electric propulsion. super lightweight construction, carbon-epoxy composite hull, and hand-painted lightweight artisanal teak, every ounce of weight has been shaved and every curve sculpted.
> the shape of the future is also the sound of silence. blame the silent whisper drive 80hp propulsion system powered by dual BMW i3 lithium ion batteries with zero emissions.
> waterproof bmw i3 lithium ion batteries designed with a prismatic cell design for efficient cooling and temperature distribution, compact and shock resistant.
> dasher accepts dual 50amp dock charging cables will charge twice as fast as the most popular plug-in electric cars – a full charge in under 4 hours.

[ specs ]
loa > 28’ 6”
beam > 8’ 7”
draft > 1′ 11″
displacement >6,500 lbs.
cruising speed >10 mph (est.) *
fast cruising > 18-27 mph (est.) *
range at cruising >40 miles
range at fast cruising > 20-25 miles

above > expo chicago 2017 featuring work by lara schnitger (anton kern) as part of in/situ chronopolitics / curated by florence derieux

In the art world, DesignApplause attempts an objects-only mindset that could include a sculpture, or a photograph or painting of an airstream trailer for example. However, typically the art conversations becomes limited to works by designers showing in design galleries. For Expo 2013, for the first time, we put this question to the dealers we talked to: are there any architecture or design trained artists in your booth today? 2018 is our fourth iteration of this theme.

above > untitled 1945 / richard koppe / richard norton gallery / chicago / booth 275

born in st. paul, minnesota, richard koppe studied at the st. paul school of art with artists cameron booth, leroy turner and nicolai cikovsky. in 1937, koppe moved to chicago and continued his studies at the institute of design (id) with the noted bauhaus masters laszlo moholy-nagy, gyorgy kepes and alexander archipenko. he became an instructor at the institute of design in 1946 and remained an associate professor at the id until 1963. robert koppe was moholy-nagy‘s first design student.

the new bauhaus was founded in chicago in 1937 by the renowned professor, photographer and artist, laszlo moholy-nagy. the new bauhaus stems from the german bauhaus, a pioneering school of art and design that operated from 1919-1933. the theories and teachings of the bauhaus, which emphasized a synthesis of numerous artistic disciplines, was most influential in championing modernist twentieth century design, fine art and architecture. after adolph hitler closed the german school in 1933, many of the bauhaus teachers, namely through the efforts of moholy-nagy, emmigrated to america to establish and work with the new bauhaus in chicago. industrialist walter paepke, chairman of the container corporation of america, was an early financial backer of the school, which was originally located in the old marshall field mansion on chicago’s prarie avenue. in 1944, the school was retitled the instiute of design (id) and today resides on the campus of the illinois institute of technology. (iit) the school became the first institution in the united states to offer a phd in design. much of moholy-nagy’s curriculum and ideas were outlined in his extensive 1947 book, “vision in motion”. many important prefessors and designers have taught or studied at the new bauhaus/id. these include such artists as serge chermayeff, ivan cherymayeff, alexander archipenko, buckminster fuller, gyorgy kepes, richard koppe, nathan lerner, harry callahan, robert bruce tague, john cage and werner drewes, among others. much of the influence on today’s american modern art, design and architecture may be attributed to the teachings of the chicago new bauhaus.

a serendipitous moment via moholy-nagy chicago design archive and designer steve liska.

above > museum quality #bentply preview of nyc show re moma’s mid-century design exhibitions period works by #isokon #eames and #noguchi / r & company / new york city / booth 131

above > rothko chapel 2018 / gregory scott / catherine edelman gallery / chicago / booth 167

gregory scott was born in ann arbor, michigan in 1957 and received his bachelor degree from the institute of design at iit in chicago in 1979. scott has always blurred the lines between painting and photography, incorporating paintings he did of himself, or his body, back into his photographs. the resulting images were both humorous and odd, challenging the viewer’s perception of photographic truth. then, at the age of 49, scott decided to go to graduate school to strengthen his knowledge of art history and video making. having successfully merged his love of painting and photographs, his interest turned to video and its ability to move and manipulate still images.

above > local 1 chicago 55 west van buren 2008 / david hartt / corbett vs dempsey / chicago / booth 211

graphic design trained david hartt currently is an assistant professor, department of fine arts, school of design, university of pennsylvania

above > www14 2017 / canan tolon / anglim gilbert gallery / san francisco / booth 247

canan tolon, who trained as a designer and architect, explores visualizations of space via illusionistic imagery and constructions. tolon is known for her seemingly abstract paintings with geometric motifs and limited color palettes; over time, however, the rhythmic forms in her compositions begin to come into focus as series of overlain architectural structures and landscapes. these compositions are really tolon’s experiments in visual familiarity, examining the eye’s ability to piece together depictions of space from apparent abstraction. she is also known for large-scale installations with recurring use of dirt, grass, mirrors, and architectural constructions; these reference themes of colonization, urban growth, and land ownership.

above > tecate 2015 / peter alexander / peter blake gallery / laguna beach / booth 261

after initially working as an architect peter alexander rose to prominence in the 1960s with translucent resin sculptures. working with a southern california sensibility, los angeles-based artist peter alexander is most commonly associated with the light and space movement. his primary means of working today is in sculptural forms made of polyester resin reminiscent of his earliest work from 1965-1972. he has also produced paintings, including a series that depicts luminous aerial views of the city lights stretching across the los angeles basin. he also was commissioned to paint a large mural for the walt disney concert hall in los angeles.

above > the conservation center: the laboratory / studiogang / the conservation center / chicago / booth 166

the conservation center: the laboratory by studiogang designers re-imagined in a 19th century warehouse highlighting pre-existing elements such as original finishes and grand arched windows. the conservation center is the largest and most comprehensive private art conservation laboratory in the country. with over 33 years of experience, the center is a leader in the field of art preservation, evolving new treatments and methods to adapt to the rapidly-changing art world.

above > john m armleder / galeria javier lopez & fer frances / madrid / booth 344

swiss artist, john m armleder is internationally recognized for his versatile work that lies in between art and life. his art shows a clear vision of xxth century art history, and he specifically addresses the dilemma of object-ness. from 1979 onwards, armleder began to exhibit his so-called “fs,” furniture sculpture. these pieces comprise the pairing of daily objects with paintings. the artist does this either by integration, in which case the object becomes the canvas, or by placement side by side, where the object becomes like any other element of the pictorial composition. [ full bio ]

back story to this post > apologies, i was told that armleder studied architecture which led him to conceive and juxtapose flat art and 3-dimensional art, i.e., creating the space, an environment, criteria many architects are drawn to. however, research suggests armleder works, which do evoke design and architectural comparisons, is self-taught. he himself believes that art is in the eyes of the beholder. nonetheless, he’s included in this post.

asked how he would define himself and his art armleder said, “obviously i believe that i’m a visual artist, i’ve been interested in painting and doing three dimensional objects since i was a kid. one always believes that the artist knows more, or understands the work he is doing better than the onlooker, or the people who take care of the work, and i think it’s not true. the artist has a very restrictive understanding of his own work because he’s so close to it, and he remembers the moments when he was making it, and the anecdotes, which are just episodes. it’s not at all a universal understanding. i think the art should work on its own, the people who look at the works invent the works again, and the artist is just a side effect. so it’s very difficult for me to say this or that, and i don’t think it’s really my style to try to control the understanding or the focus of the work and say that it’s about this rather than about that. so what binds it all together? it’s obviously time, space—areas. and all that would be wiped out by new time, new spaces.

///
note: there were seven galleries who did not hang work at expo chicago, works of their artists who have backgrounds in architecture and design. we plan on adding this work to this post as it comes in.
///

expo chicago (september 27-30, 2018), the international exposition of contemporary & modern art, has established the city of chicago as a preeminent art fair destination. opening the fall art season every september, expo chicago takes place at historic navy pier whose vast vaulted architecture hosts leading international art galleries alongside one of the highest quality platforms for global contemporary art and culture. dedicated to rigorous and challenging programming, expo chicago initiates strategic international partnerships, built alongside strong institutional relationships with major local museums and organizations to open parallel exhibitions and events. the 2018 edition of expo chicago will align with art design chicago, an initiative of the terra foundation for american art, to present various programs and events throughout expo art week (september 24–30, 2018) including panel discussions, performances, and activations across the city.

the seventh edition features art from over 3,000 artists represented by 135 international galleries, 27 countries, and 63 cities. Admission includes a dynamic roster of on-site programming, including panel discussions, site-specific installations, film and new media works, and special exhibitions by renowned institutions.

haysom ward miller architects // riba

[ architect’s brief ] the very energy-efficient structure uses highly-insulated SIP panels, prefabricated to minimize transport an materials. the cladding is scottish larch, charred by the contractor using a variation of the traditional japanese shou sugi ban technique to achieve a naturally varied rich color and improved durability. the house will be completely off-grid, with its own water supply, sewage treatment, and electrical system, all designed to minimize energy use.

the modular form of the house, made up of three simple, pitched-roofed volumes, reduces the apparent scale and height of the roofs and allows sections to be isolated and left unheated when not required. the scale of thew individual sections relates to that of small buildings and shelters that have stood on the peninsula in the past, the ruins of which still remain. the design does not try to copy the style of existing buildings in the area but its straightforward use of local stone and timber and simple forms are common with the traditional craft houses and agricultural buildings in the highlands

the intention is that the development should have minimal impact upon the natural flora and fauna and will instead leave it as undisturbed as possible. rather than surrounding the house with conventional domestic garden planting, the natural materials of the house sit in the natural landscape and, as the ground level falls away to the southeast, terminate with a deck or jetty above the unspoiled surrounding site. new planting will use native species chosen only to reestablish those that have been suppressed by invasive rhododendron or grazing, and to introduce a little more ecological diversity. as the process of clearing rhododendron continues, it is believed that other species should be able to reclaim much of the site with only minimal help – small scots pine seedings are already established and need only protection from grazing. the existing birch, alder, and larch will be augmented, with more planting of native heathers and juniper to add to the diversity of the lower story. yellow flag iris will be introduced to the existing boggy area to the east of the house. the flat ‘green’ roof connecting the pitched volumes will be planted with some of the same mix of sedums, sea pink, and other species found on the rocks nearby.

the scale and siting of the buildings, tucked into a natural fold in the land and designed around the existing established trees, has been carefully considered so that the building feels an integrated part of its surroundings from the outset – a modest and sustainable home that makes the most of, and has minimal impact upon, its very special location.

photography courtesy of richard fraser

also on the shortlist for the award were >
> pheasants by sarah griffiths + amin taha
> red house by 31/44 architects
> coastal house by 6a architects
> old shed new house by tonkin liu
> vex by chance de silva & scanner
> the makers house by liddicoat & goldhill

in 2018, ford gifts us with a special edition mustang commemorating the 50th anniversary of the film bullitt starring steve mcqueen and an iconic 1968 dark highland green mustang fastback. the new special version is a superbly tweaked premium gt model mustang.

with movies in mind, we agree there are certain movies best seen via imax. i’d love to see the following clip then test drive this car.

the special edition bullitt is conceived to capture what the movie audience experienced from arguably the best cinema car chase – full=screen mode and volume up please…

bullitt is old school – v-8, front engine, rear-wheel drive, manual transmission sports car / but curated with today’s tech – improved engine air-flow, tricked out 6-speed manual transmission with rev matching, and customizable lcd instrumentation. and there’s the price difference of bullitt and a performance packaged gt. it’s made clear if you yearn to flirt with red-lining the bullitt the extra cost is worth it.

it’s also worth mentioning DesignApplause in 2018 made a point to shout only eco-minded, electric or hybrid, efforts. bullitt represents an exception to that mindset. bullitt also re-inspires another always fun talking point – that of the varooomm variety – under-the-hood or muffler pipe melodies versus today’s all-electric stealth.

below’s gallery features highlights and at the end we have a treat – a photo of mcqueen and a friend, found on our 2016 los angeles to san fransicso drive along the pacific coast highway in a rental white mustang convertible, of course.

model: ford premium gt mustang
price: starting at $39,355
engine: 5.0-litre v8
power: 460bhp – performance package
transmission: six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive / or 10-speed selectshift® automatic
top end: 158mph
on sale: now

above/below > white falcon / ian barry / 2013 / unique

how can one-off machines compare to production models beloved by the masses? can we draw any conclusions looking at a few very exceptional motorcycles ? and if you’re more comfortable comparing another category of objects go ahead, the rules apply to anything:

[ the production objects ]
production motorcycles can be judged somewhat objectively: by their performance, innovation, their pedigree, their impact on the larger motorcycle world.

above> vincent black shadow / built 1948 – 55 / hunter s. thompson once remarked that “if you rode the black shadow at top speed for any length of time, you would almost certainly die.” the 50-degree v-twin was completely baked in black enamel and produced enough grunt to carry riders to 125 mph in an era where the 100 mph benchmark was barely attainable. the vincent employed extensive amounts of aluminum throughout, and its motor hung from the cross-bar, acting as a stressed member. this kept weight down to 450 pounds, which meant the vincent black shadow would balance a see-saw with contemporary 500cc singles. innovative front forks, a four-speed transmission and finned brakes at both front and rear rounded out a package widely regarded as the world’s first superbike.

above > harley-davidson xr750 street tracker / built 1970 – 79 / essentially a parts-bin special slapped together to meet changing ama dirt-track rules, the xr750 is an example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. after years of domination, harley’s racing department were forced to completely rethink their efforts for the 1970 season. so in under a year they did — and in doing so created the winningest race bike in the history of the ama. thankfully, homologation rules stipulated that 200 race-ready road-goers be made available to the public; a legend was born. evel knievel began jumping the xr-750 at the height of his career between december 1970 and october 1976 (although a failed practice jump was made in january 1977 and captured on film). prior to the failed practice jump, knievel jumped either cars or trucks (or a combination of the two) on the xr-750.

above> ducati desmosedici rr / built 2007 – 08 / only 1,500 models of this street-legal version of ducati’s 2006 motogp entrant were produced. the all-new 200 hp, 90-degree “double-l twin” v-4 engine would scream through its vertical exits in the rear tail all the way to its 10,500 rpm redline and 194 mph top speed. componentry was top notch all around with ohlins, brembo and marchesini put to the task of keeping riders alive and justifying the $72,500 sticker price. the desmosedici rr is often regarded as the ultimate ducati experience, a mechanically and aesthetically faithful reproduction of a genuine motogp racer — it even came with sponsorship stickers, were you so inclined.

[ the custom objects ]
custom motorcycles, as they divert toward art, demand a more subjective judgment: the celebrity of the artist, a track record of recognized style and quality, and in the artworld’s subjective judgment, the black and white of the price of the art for confirmation.

above> white falcon / built in 2013 / acrylic, 7075 + 6061 aluminum, brass, cloth, chromally, copper, enamel, epoxy, glass, light-emitting diodes, leather, magnesium, nickel, pyrex, rubber, silver, springs, stainless mesh, stainless steel, steel, titanium, 1967 works ‘squish head’ velocette venom thruxton engine, gp carburetors, avon venom tires, 21″ wm1 avon, 19″ wm2 borrani, archimedes mount / 33 x 30 x 73 inches – sold for a rumored $750,000 at the kohn gallery in los angeles.

below> bsa 500 black / hazen motorworks

“every bike that I create is 1 of 1, made by my own 2 hands here in my workshop, each bike is unique and never replicated. i push myself to make something new with every project and build the most interesting designs that i can think of in the most elegant way possible.” ~ max hazen

below > captain america / built c 1967 – 68 / arguably the most famous iconic custom bike because of the 1969 movie, easy rider. called “captain america” and before it was customized it was a 1952 harley-davidson hydra-glide police bike built by two chopper builders, cliff vaughs and ben hardy. the bike kept its original h-d panhead engine. two captain america bikes were made but before the movie aired one was stolen and parted and the other bike was crashed in the last scene of the movie.
[ npr backstory ] [ captain america sells for $ 1.3 million ]

[ 51 most iconic motorcycles of all time ] [ art demystified: what determines an artwork’s value ? ] –

the notre-dame fire, horrific, but the human spirit by design, brings people closer together.

“utterly heartbroken.” ~ britain’s queen elizabeth and her son and heir prince charles said expressing deep sadness. The fire is a “catastrophe for France, for Spain and for Europe,”

spanish prime minister pedro sánchez tweeted the fire is a “catastrophe for france, for spain and for europe,” adding that the flames are destroying “850 years of history, architecture, painting and sculpture.”

german chancellor angela merkel offered her country’s help to rebuild a part of “our common european heritage”.

“notre-dame will always remain – and we have seen this in these hours – a place where believers and non-believers can come together in the most dramatic moments of french history.” ~ pope francis.

french president emmanuel macron told reporters near the scene that he will seek international help, including from the “greatest talents” in the world, to rebuild notre dame.

the notre-dame fire reminds us of the frailty of our architectural treasures. “we are used to thinking about them as eternal simply because they have been there for centuries, or a thousand years, but the reality is they are very fragile.” paolo violini, a restoration specialist for vatican museums, who added that the pace of the fire’s spread had been stunning.

as the embers cool, the world joins hands to restore an extraordinary diva.

above > skievvar, 2019 / joar nango

the artist-architect joar nango is a member of the sámi people, an indigenous group from the north of norway and sweden. he creates site-specific installations and self-made publications that explore indigenous perspectives via contemporary architecture. there’s an archival window called skievvarcoolli, designed and built by oceangoing sámi people out of dried halibut stomachs spanning wooden frames. for the biennial, nango’s creative team developed a prototype for a new kind of window screen using this old technology. skievvar is a slightly absurd anti-capitalist piece of ancient-futurist technology carrying old wisdoms through its simple material, presented in chicago, itself a cradle of modernist architecture.

[ curatorial statement ] titled …and other such stories, the 2019 chicago architecture biennial is rooted in close readings of the spatial realities of its host city. sitting at the crossroads of the great plains and the great lakes, chicago has been shaped by planetary forces: colonial expansion, mass migration, extraction economies, and rapid industrialization. thus, chicago’s urbanism is inextricable from the flows of people, goods, and capital—and the concurrent exploitation of bodies, labor, and nature—that have contributed to its making. today, despite the promise of economic development, chicago, like many other established and emergent global metropolises, faces challenging urban conditions that require the reimagining of forms of exchange between human activity, technology, and the natural world. by extension, owing to its physical geography, chicago is a singular context in which to address climate and ecological concerns shared by many postindustrial societies.

the third edition of the biennial will open 19 september 2019 thru 5 january 2020, and will convene the world’s leading practitioners, theorists, and commentators in the field of architecture and urbanism to further explore, debate, and demonstrate the significance of architectural concepts in contemporary society. the 2019 chicago architecture biennial is led by artistic director yesomi umolu with curators sepake angiama and paulo tavares.

[ events – weekly view ] #cab19 @chicagobiennial

above > the gun project memorial project 2019 / mass design group – exhibit designers

“…you hear those numbers all the time, but you never tie names to them. i wanted you to see who my son was.” pamela bosley, mother of terrell bosley / co-founder of purpose over pain

two chicago women whose sons were shot to death inspired the creation of the memorial. pamela montgomery-bosley’s 18-year-old son, terrell, was gunned down in a south side church parking lot helping a friend unload drums from a car. annette nance-holt’s 16-year-old son, blair holt, was killed as he was riding a cta bus home from his south side high school.

designed by the boston office of the mass design group, the reminders, artifacts of those slain, will be displayed in each of four houses. by showing objects from a wide range of victims, the architects are confronting the notion that gun violence is exclusively the province of young african american men belonging to gangs.

each house has 700 openings and there’s space for many more remembrances to be added.

the memorial, which honors u.s.a. gun violence victims, probably will be one of the most talked-about exhibits in the biennial. #stopgunviolence

[ curatorial statement ] titled …and other such stories, the 2019 chicago architecture biennial is rooted in close readings of the spatial realities of its host city. sitting at the crossroads of the great plains and the great lakes, chicago has been shaped by planetary forces: colonial expansion, mass migration, extraction economies, and rapid industrialization. thus, chicago’s urbanism is inextricable from the flows of people, goods, and capital—and the concurrent exploitation of bodies, labor, and nature—that have contributed to its making. today, despite the promise of economic development, chicago, like many other established and emergent global metropolises, faces challenging urban conditions that require the reimagining of forms of exchange between human activity, technology, and the natural world. by extension, owing to its physical geography, chicago is a singular context in which to address climate and ecological concerns shared by many postindustrial societies.

the third edition of the biennial will open 19 september 2019 thru 5 january 2020, and will convene the world’s leading practitioners, theorists, and commentators in the field of architecture and urbanism to further explore, debate, and demonstrate the significance of architectural concepts in contemporary society. the 2019 chicago architecture biennial is led by artistic director yesomi umolu with curators sepake angiama and paulo tavares.

[ events – weekly view ] #cab19 @chicagobiennial

above > secrets of a digital garden / photos > gloria araya

nothing is conventional in this garden. 50 slices of earth containing ‘digital’ flowers has been brought to chicago to narrate the absurd dis-connectivity of palestine and the attempt to reclaim it through the 50 villages project.

in a collaborative project with riwaq: centre for architectural conservation, yara sharif and nasser golzari have curated the exhibition entitled secrets of a digital garden: 50 flowers, 50 villages.

secrets of a digital garden is a future imaginary scenario set up in rural palestine in the form of a digital garden with 50 interactive flowers representing 50 palestinian villages. the work draws on their collaborative work with riwaq on revitalizing 50 palestinian historic fabrics and their on-going research by design as founders of ng architects and palestine regeneration team (part).

in this installation for the 3rd annual chicago architecture biennial, underneath the surface, a process of production is in place. capsules containing physical and digital dna is trapped in each flower to capture and share the story of the 50 villages. in real life when you qr code capture each of these flowers it connects you to the digital palestinian museum archives one of the most virtual platform of the palestinian museum components.

the museum works on building a digital archive that is open to the public and continuously updating, with the aim of documenting collections of photographs, films, sound recordings and other important materials that are threatened with loss, damage or confiscation, through digital preservation, to be available to researchers, artists and the general public on the museum’s virtual platform. , and on virtual platforms of other partner institutions in europe with the aim of reaching the widest possible audience. the archive will include all the digital collections that the museum has been able to collect and digitize in previous initiatives, including the family album project, which focused on exploring the photographic treasures that palestinians keep in their homes and documenting them for future generations,

above > yara sharif

[ curatorial statement ] titled …and other such stories, the 2019 chicago architecture biennial is rooted in close readings of the spatial realities of its host city. sitting at the crossroads of the great plains and the great lakes, chicago has been shaped by planetary forces: colonial expansion, mass migration, extraction economies, and rapid industrialization. thus, chicago’s urbanism is inextricable from the flows of people, goods, and capital—and the concurrent exploitation of bodies, labor, and nature—that have contributed to its making. today, despite the promise of economic development, chicago, like many other established and emergent global metropolises, faces challenging urban conditions that require the reimagining of forms of exchange between human activity, technology, and the natural world. by extension, owing to its physical geography, chicago is a singular context in which to address climate and ecological concerns shared by many postindustrial societies.

the third edition of the biennial will open 19 september 2019 thru 5 january 2020, and will convene the world’s leading practitioners, theorists, and commentators in the field of architecture and urbanism to further explore, debate, and demonstrate the significance of architectural concepts in contemporary society. the 2019 chicago architecture biennial is led by artistic director yesomi umolu with curators sepake angiama and paulo tavares.

[ events – weekly view ] #cab19 @chicagobiennial

the whole point of fashion is to make fashionable clothes available to everyone ~ mary quant 1966

dame mary quant defined the young, playful look of the 1960s, becoming britain’s best-known designer, a fashion icon, and a powerful role model for working women. harnessing an explosion in shopping and the media – in photography, graphics, journalism and advertising – she helped shape a forward-looking, innovative identity for post-war britain.

above > 1944 sketchbook by mary quant
made when quant was just 14, this sketchbook shows her early interest in drawing figures, here in the nostalgic style of mabel lucie atwell. in her 1966 autobiography, she recalled admiring a childhood friend’s short black skirt and tap shoes worn for dance lessons – the sort of clothes which later inspired her designs for the miniskirt.

above> courtesy of victoria and albert museum collection

quant was a self-taught designer, attending evening classes on cutting and adjusting mass-market printed patterns to achieve the looks she was after. once technically proficient, she initiated a hand-to-mouth production cycle: the day’s sales at bazaar paid for the cloth that was then made up overnight into new stock for the following day. the look was fresh and competitively priced.

1960-64 victorian-modern
quant combines victorian nineteenth century fashion with a fruitful source of inspiration often resulting in surprising styles which helped to get publicity for the mary quant brand.

above – below > early 60s – death of the debutante
snobbery has gone out of fashion / fashion editors endorse bazaar with its distinctive designs, witty window displays and jazzy fashion shows. quant’s shop becomes a destination for professional women seeking streamlined, modern fashion. buying a new dress is a new rite of passage for london’s fashionable elite, as aristocratic customs such as ‘deb of the year’ and court presentations become outdated.

above > 1960-64 – english eccentrics
like a good dancer, she accommodates her steps to the changing rhythms of fashion / quant brings an entertaining slant to fashion. repurposing victorian frills and childrenswear, she play with color and silhouettes. inspired by serviceable cottons and dependable woolens and tweads, she works directly with weavers and manufacturers in wales, wittshire, and yorkshire. at the same time she revives the boyish look of the 1920s flapper. he bewigged, gawky mannequins strike unusual poses in bazaar’s window displays, alongside props such as live goldfish, stuffed birds or dead lobsters. passerby stop to stare.

above > 1963-65 the ginger group
quant clothes at budget prices to buy a piece at a time / quant strides into new territory with her ginger group collection. the name is a political term for a pressure group, derived from the use of ginger as a verb to pep things up. the first ginger group collection is based on the american sportswear principle of interchangeable separates. with a new graphic identiy and a lower price point, the range provides countless mix-and-match possibilities combined wit the cachet of quant.

above > 1963 – 65 the wet collection
bewitched…with this super shiny man-made stuff and its shrieking colors…its gleaming liquorice black, white and ginger / quant launches her wet collection in april 1963 at the hotel de crillon, paris. the collection features a relatively new material called polyvinyl chloride (pvc), a shiny plastic-coated cotton which reflects increasing fascination and modernity. because of mass-production delays of sealing pvc seams the collection takes two years to launch on the high street.

above > 1966-75 style evolution
switching to the sounds of the seventies / having created the minimal look which defined the 1960s, quant’s style becomes eclectic and retrospective amid the economic and political uncertainties of the 1970s. still combining victorian details with bright colors and a clean modern finish.

above > 1965-75 liberated fashion
i didn’t have time to wait for women’s lib / in this time of growing activism and struggle for equal rights, quant has a visionary take on the role of women. her assertive, liberating minidresses express the changes of post-war-briton, giving women an independent style of their own. she credit’s her king’s road customers as her inspiration and the ones leading the feminist rebellion. in 1967, she describes the young as, ‘prototypes’ of a whole new race of women…it’s their questioning attitude that make them important and different.

above > 1966-73 girls will be boys
i didn’t want to grow up, perhaps that’s something to do with it / from 1966, tomboyish models like the teenaged twiggy promote the minidress-look in typical quant style: knock kneed in gawkish poses, often sporting cropped hair and resisting the constraints of adult stereotypes. these often provocative styles reflect increasingly relaxed attitudes in society towards sexuality in all its forms, reinforced legally by the decriminalization of homosexuality in 1967.

above > quant and vidal sassoon 1964

above > 1965-67 underwear
foundation garments needn’t be surgical. get a birthday suit and be your own sweet self (minus six pounds) / the silhouette of quant’s dresses requires a new kind of underwear or ‘foundation garment’. magazines aimed at adventurous young women feature ‘q-form’ worn by models in dynamic poses. the images promote unrestricted movement and the new ideal for a lithe, childlike physique. later these are replaced by quant’s simple ‘booby traps’ and knickers.

above > 1965-67 alligator rainwear
since when did the raincoat go wild? since mary quant designed for alligator / quant’s fascination with shiny, waterproof pvc is realized with her collaboration with alligator rainwear. alligator’s manufacturing expertise resolves the wet collection issues, allowing a new bright range of colors, capes, zips and contrasting collars.

above >1965-67 the jersey dress
i want free-flowing, feminine lines that compliment a women’s shape…i want relaxed clothes, suited to the actions of normal life / quant discovers a new type of wool jersey that’s heat-bonded to an acetate backing and available in the brightest, deepest colors. previously used in underwear and for rugby or football kit, jersey’s smooth, fluid qualities are perfect for quant’s signature sportry minidresses. worn with matching berets, tights and shoes giving a total top-to-toe block of color.

1962-66 the miniskirt
the shock of the knee / quant’s knee-skimming outfits are first noticed by the media in 1960. an emerging street style, shorter skirts develop in tandem with teenage dance crazes. quant’s designs, often based on practical schoolgirl pinafores, adapt the look for grown-ups with hemlines gradually rising to well above the knee. although exclusive paris couturier andré courreges achieves international publicity for the higher hemlines in 1964, quant, the female celebrity designer, becomes recognized as inventor and ambassador for the style. the miniskirt becomes an accepted part of fashion as well as an international symbol of london’s youthful look and of women’s liberation.

above > crêpe dress with frilled collar and cuffs by mary quant for ginger group, modeled by patti boyd with the rolling stones. photograph by john french, 1960s, london. museum no. ct64253. © victoria and albert museum, london

the above feature created from the victoria and albert museum‘s installation mary quant, open thru 16 february 2020

above >thunberg skipping school in august 2018, sitting in front of swedish parliament to demand climate action / michael campanella—getty images

starting in august 2018, a swedish 15-year-old greta thunberg began a global movement by skipping school. she did so by setting up shop in front of the swedish parliament holding a sign painted in black letters on a white background that read skolstrejk för klimatet: “school strike for climate.” her question for adults, for people in charge: if you don’t care about my future on earth, why should i care about my future in school?

by now you know the time magazine 2019 person of the year is greta thunberg. the runners up were: hong kong protesters (won the readers poll), nancy pelosi, donald trump, the whistleblower in trump-ukraine scandal.

winning does come with controversy. but we won’t talk about that at this time. here.

on the first day of her climate strike, thunberg sat alone. she posted about her strike on social media, and a few journalists came by to talk to her, but she spent day one alone.

on day two a stranger joined her. “that was a big step, from one to two,” she recalls. “this is not about me striking; this is now us striking from school.” within a couple of days, a handful more joined in. then they became a group – from one person pushing back became two, then 10, then 50, then hundreds. then thousands

by september, enough people had joined her climate strike in stockholm that she announced she would continue every friday until sweden aligned with the paris agreement.

the fridays for future movement was born.

at the end of 2018, tens of thousands of students across europe began skipping school on fridays to protest their own leaders’ inaction. in january, 35,000 schoolchildren protested in belgium following thunberg’s example. the movement struck a chord. when a belgian environmental minister insulted the strikers, a public outcry forced her to resign.

a year later in september 2019, the climate strikes had spread beyond northern europe. in london, 100,000 swarmed the streets near westminster abbey. in new york city, 250,000 reportedly marched in battery park and outside city hall. in germany, a total of 1.4 million people took to the streets, with thousands flooding the brandenburg gate in berlin and marching in nearly 600 other cities and towns across the country.

on 20-27 september 2019, a global climate strike brought an estimated 4 million people of all ages to protest. their signs told a story. in london: the world is hotter than young leonardo dicaprio. in turkey: every disaster movie starts with a scientist being ignored. in new york: the dinosaurs thought they had time, too. hundreds carried images of thunberg or painted her quotes onto poster boards. make the world greta again became a rallying cry. the 20 september protests were likely the largest climate strikes in world history. more than 2,000 scientists in 40 countries pledged to support the strikes.

in a little more than a year, one frightened, angry, defiant 16-year-old, became a game-changer, became an icon who brought climate to the forefront. after noticing a hundredfold increase in its usage, lexicographers at collins dictionary named thunberg’s pioneering idea, climate strike, the word of the year.

bravo greta !

greta is the z generation – ages 7 to 22. in 2050 she will be 46. in 2080 grandchildren will be 25. according to a december amnesty international survey, young people in 22 countries identified climate change as the most important issue facing the world. they know how much adults are failing them.

above> greta thunberg smiles during a press conference / lito lizana/sopa images/shutterstock

[ time person of the year ] the tradition of selecting a man of the year began in 1927, with time editors contemplating the news makers of the years. the idea was also an attempt to remedy the editorial embarrassment earlier that year of not having aviator charles lindbergh (see guinnes world records below) on its cover following his historic trans-atlantic flight. by the end of the year, it was decided that a cover story featuring lindbergh as the man of the year would serve both purposes.

in 1999, the title was changed to person of the year. since the list began, every serving president of the united states has been a man or person of the year at least once with the exceptions of calvin coolidge, herbert hoover, and gerald ford.

record-breaking american aviator charles lindbergh became the first person to be named time man of the year in 1927

[ quotables ]

“we can’t just continue living as if there was no tomorrow, because there is a tomorrow, that is all we are saying.” – greta

“i want you to panic, i want you to feel the fear i feel every day. and then i want you to act.” – greta to the annual convention of ceos and world leaders at the world economic forum in davos, switzerland, in january.

“people are underestimating the force of angry kids. we are angry and frustrated, and that is because of good reason. if they want us to stop being angry then maybe they should stop making us angry.” – greta

“for sounding the alarm about humanity’s predatory relationship with the only home we have, for bringing to a fragmented world a voice that transcends backgrounds and borders, for showing us all what it might look like when a new generation leads, greta thunberg is time’s 2019 ‘person of the year.” – time’s editor-in-chief edward felsenthal penned a column explaining the choice.

brilliant decision for @time to choose @gretathunberg as its person of the year. greta embodies the moral authority of the youth activist movement demanding that we act immediately to solve the climate crisis. she is an inspiration to me and to people across the world. – @algore

“don’t let anyone dim your light, like the girls i’ve met in vietnam and all over the world, you have so much to offer us all.” – the former first lady michelle obama wrote on twitter

“so ridiculous,” “greta must work on her anger management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! chill greta, chill!” ~ donald j. trump

“a teenager working on her anger management problem. currently chilling and watching a good old fashioned movie with a friend.” – greta’s twitter bio in response to potus tweet

@gretathunberg @time @greenpeaceusa #climatestrike #fridaysforfuture #parentsforfuture #climate #climatechange

illinois governor j.b. pritzker issued a “stay-at-home” order for the entire state starting saturday, 21 march, as officials take drastic measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus. pritzker announced the directive at a 3 p.m. friday news conference along with chicago mayor lori lightfoot. for dior sometime before midnight the store began a facelift that was completed by 8 a.m. saturday.

we capture several showrooms within a three-block section on rush near oak street that were busy in the wee hours of saturday morning. on a normal day rush street has quite a bit of foot traffic. but nothing is normal right now. we’ll attempt to visit this area and michigan avenue in the upcoming days.

above > rush & walton :photo taken wednesday 30 october 11 a.m. // below > photo taken saturday 21 march 9 a.m. // boards were painted to match.

above > rush & oak photo taken friday 20 march 11 a.m. // below > photo taken saturday 21 march 9 a.m. // one block away a clever-sweet board up.

above > rush & oak photo taken wednesday 20 november 3 p.m. // below > photo taken saturday 21 march 9 a.m. // commencing board up.

above > rush & delaware photo taken friday 24 january 5 p.m. // below > photo taken saturday 21 march 9 a.m. // there’s no board up but all the cars have been removed, an empty showroom save three tesla roadsters.

above > rush & delaware photo taken monday 2 september 3 p.m.

[ DesignApplause covid-19 response ]

to aid the fight against covid-19, foster + partners has designed a general-purpose prototype face visor, suitable for cleaning and reuse. it is specifically aimed at fast mass production.

[ foster + partners press release ] we are sharing the design templates and material specifications as an open-source design asset. this is to encourage both designers and in particular large-scale manufacturers to investigate the potential of digital and laser cutting machines as an alternative to 3d printing technology.

the prototype visor, designed by a team of industrial designers, model makers, architects and analysts, is made from three components: a visor made from 0.5mm optically clear petg, an interlocking soft pp headband, and a surgical silicone rubber head strap that ties the two together. these were all cut on the practice’s digital flatbed cutters by its printroom and model making teams. each visor can be cut from sheets in under 30 seconds and the elements can be assembled in under a minute. with a single cutting machine, we were able to cut and assemble components for 1,000 visor masks in a day, representing a reduction of days in the time taken to produce 3d-printed alternatives.

the visors can be produced and assembled or flat-packed and distributed in large quantities in a short span of time. an important advantage is that the visor can be easily disassembled, cleaned, sanitized and reused, addressing the growing shortage of raw materials for visor production. we are now delivering these prototype visors to a number of london hospitals where they are being tested. we are also exploring means of getting the design approved for mass production and use by health workers.

> flat-pack reusable visor comes in two sizes — short and long.
> visor, headband and strap can be cut by a flatbed digital cutter or laser cutter.
> cutting time: assembly: each visor can be disassembled and cleaned for reuse.

> visor: 0.5mm petg or equivalent
> headband: 0.75mm polypropylene (pp) or equivalent
> adjustable strap: 1mm silicone

click here to download the assembly instructions
click here to download the file for the digital flatbed cutter (.dwg)
please note that by downloading these files you are accepting the following terms and conditions:

1 > this design for a flat pack laser cut visor (the design) is created and owned by foster + partners limited and is licensed for non-commercial use under the creative commons attribution-non commercial 4.0 international public license (“the ccl terms”).
2 > as set out in section 5 of the ccl terms, no representations or warranties of any kind concerning the design are given.
3 > by downloading and or using the design files, you:
accept and agree to the ccl terms.

acknowledge that:
a > this design has been created by foster + partners in response to the global covid-19 pandemic;
b > foster + partners has no prior expertise in the design and manufacture of personal protective equipment (ppe) and therefore this design has neither been made by reference to any specific regulations nor subject to any formal testing regime;
c > that any user of the design shall assume all responsibility for developing the design in conformity with regulatory and testing requirements of any markets it intends to make the visor available in.

notes to editors:

1 > one zund g3 m 2500 cutting machine or equivalent can cut 217 per hour.
2 > the template offers two sizes – short and long.

[ DesignApplause covid-19 response ] #covid19 #coronacvirus

right now, someone, something, is jumping up and down, knocking on our head for us to take notice that we have on a silver (lining) platter a timing is everything happening: a vivid graphic that climate and covid-19 have a lot in common in that the outcome is the same.

we’re in an unexpected natural experiment. the opportunity in the crisis. a real reckoning moment. a picture is worth a thousand whatevers.

the perfect timing is a climate-induced world with catastrophic weather, fire, agriculture, and health problems and a novel virus pandemic that’s killing millions and crushing economies. it’s also time to implore our leaders to ponder america’s long-term big picture handling of pandemics and climate initiatives.

these images leave little room for debate. that it didn’t take long for covid-19 to wreck havoc and the world to address it. and no one expected such a dramatic by-product from a little rain tied to amping down the fossil fuels.

staying home works for covid-19. firing up sustainable industries and similar creature habits works for the economy.

above/below > new delhi 1 november 2019 / 20 april 2020 | photo manish swarup / ap

above top/bottom > india gate war memorial new delhi 17 october 2019 / 8 april 2020

above/below > nitrogen dioxide (red) levels prior to and during stay at home lockdown. the los angeles graphic is a vivid glimpse of what an electrified world would look like.

above > a nearly empty interstate 280 in san francisco 22 march 2020

below > notice the nitrogen dioxide readings at height of chinese lockdown in mid-january and march when stay-at-home was relaxed.

a dystopia is a community or society that is undesirable or frightening. It is translated as bad place and is an antonym of utopia,

“the beginning is the most important part of the work.” – plato

all of us are really wanting a fresh new year! this video made in 2019 by tbwa/paris for the national society of french railways (sncf) captures what our mind’s eye was seeking: a celebration of new life, a feeling of hope and optimism. may all your plans bloom and blossom beyond your wildest dreams.

the video was a way for the sncf to give thanks to those “preserving the planet” by traveling by train. according to the sncf, trains give off 30 times less co2 than individual cars and 20 times less than planes. thus, the national railway body is positioning itself as a healthy alternative to other modes of transport.

to illustrate this sentiment, the successive blooming of flowers – a time lapse that covers 200 hours. to capture each one of the 50 varieties included, every flower was photographed once every five seconds, day and night, which accumulated in 14,000 images per flower.

in the film, every flower that blooms is accompanied by the wheezing bang of fireworks, to illustrate the celebratory nature of the campaign. the sncp aims to transition from diesel-powered rail to developing stations that are autonomously powered by 2035.

#hello2021

top> eames lounge chair / charles and ray eames / herman miller — bottom > barcelona chair / mies van der rohe / knoll

between them, herman miller and knoll have 19 brands and a presence in more than 100 countries. how they market themselves going forward is a case-study-worthy event in the making.

herman miller has acquired knoll. both iconic office furniture companies have more similarities than differences and it’s fair to say the roots to their present-day success is architecture and design. herman miller started with wood, knoll started with the bauhaus. great starts to mark the beginning of this very interesting story.

above > back to the future photo of the j miller house (no relation to herman miller) in columbus indiana. in 1953 the miller’s select architect eliel saarinen and by now herman miller’s head of textiles, alexander girard to create their home. in the foreground is knoll’s saarinen furnishings on a girard rug – below > girard’s touch in foreground and middle ground a seating area of both herman miller and knoll furnishing. today girard is listed as co-architect

herman miller was founded in 1905 and initially the company produced wood furniture, especially bedroom suites, in historic revival styles until 1930. with the coming of the great depression the company was forced to explore new products to survive and debuted a line of modern furniture at the 1933-34 century of progress exposition in chicago. in 1942, with the introduction of the “modular executive office” group (eog), the company was primed to lead the industry during the 70s open plan workplace.

in 1945 architect george nelson joined the firm as director. over the next four decades nelson influenced herman miller through both his personal designs and the designers that he recruited including; isamu noguchi, charles and ray eames, robert propst, and in textile designer alexander girard. beginning in the late 1940s, the period under nelson’s guidance saw herman miller produce some of the company’s most recognizable pieces of furniture, including the noguchi table, eames lounge chair, marshmallow sofa,

above > homage to alexander girard in a herman miller pop-up during icff 2014 – below > cosm / studio 7.5

above> living office/placemaking – below > healthcare

[ herman miller designers ]
edward barber and jay osgerby
ayse birsel
todd bracher
charles and ray eames
naoto fukasawa
alexander girard
jasper morrison
george nelson
robert propst
bill stumpf
others…

[ why herman miller magazine ]

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hans knoll was born in germany in 1914. his father was a modern furniture manufacturer, who supported the national socialist regime. perhaps because of his father’s views, or perhaps because he wanted to follow many other german modernists who had emigrated, knoll left germany in 1936 and moved to england. in 1938, he moved to new york city to found a furniture manufacturing company of his own.

in 1943, knoll was approached by florence schust, an architect who had studied under ludwig mies van der rohe and eliel saarinen. schust convinced knoll that she could help bring in business to his company even in america’s wartime economy by expanding into interior design and working with architects. hans and florence married and changed the name of the company to knoll associates. today knoll has over 40 of its designs–such as breuer’s wassily and cesca chairs and the barcelona chair by ludwig mies van der rohe–are in the permanent collection at moma.

above > classic southern california mid-century modern cool – imagining catching the view while listening to brubeck on vinyl / photos knoll

above > noguchi collection / isamu noguchi — below > platner collection / william platner

above > knoll office – below > knoll textiles

[ knoll designers ]
gae aulenti
neils diffrient
frank gehry
hans and florence knoll
isamu noguchi
jens risom
eliel saarinen
ettore sottsass
mies van der rohe
lella and massimo vignelli
others…

#hermanmiller #knoll #architecture #design #graphicdesign #interiordesign #productdesign #officedesign #workplacedesign #midcenturymodern
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