Hasta La Ideas

Five more-than-meets-the-eye designs for the patio

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With summer in full swing, poolside patio chic just got that much more appealing with Spain’s top designers on deck to transcend pedestrian lounge sets into sleek and functional furnishings. Turning outdoor furniture into an inward meditation on minimalism and ingenuity, Spanish artisans craft dual-function designs that are as much at home overlooking the Mediterranean coast as they are eying the cityscape from a rooftop terrace.

In celebration of its 50th anniversary, furniture design firm Expormim opened a new showroom featuring outdoor furniture that captures the “Mediterranean way of life.” Both playful and utilitarian, a standout piece is the Ulah, created by Mut Design. The unique seesaw chair is crafted out of woven polyester that serves as a comfortable rocker and as a conveniently collapsible, stackable unit.

Valencia’s Vondom evolves modern furniture design into multi-purpose function with its flowerpot-cum-table series. Created for Vondom’s Moma collection, designer Javier Mariscal customized three table models that accommodate both vegetation and varying degrees of comfort for situational seating (lounging, lunching or standing).

Heating up the innovation of outdoor furniture is Spanish label, Kettal, with its Zig Zag Fire Pit created by Emiliana Design. Doubling as a coffee table or barbecue, this aluminum and mesh-woven design makes for a versatile veranda centerpiece.

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Spanish lifestyle brand Point creates modular reinventions of the wicker standard for outdoor décor. With its mobile table-slash-tray, Point seamlessly merges the craftsmanship of contemporary ingenuity with nostalgic charm.

Inspired by his background in textiles, renowned designer José Gandía experimented with materials and shapes to interpret open-space recreation. Taking outdoor furnishings indoors, Gandia encapsulated the patio experience with his glass-enclosed pavilion titled The Cristal Box that combines a porch and pergola for an all-in-one outdoor living room. Constructed of thermolacquered aluminum and wood, The Cristal Box invites backyard basking all year round.

Interiors From Spain details the latest in Spanish design from upcoming products to project highlights.

Hopkins’ hyperbolic paraboloid-shaped Velodrome for the London 2012 Olympics (above) is one of six projects shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize 2011.

Top and above: Olympic Velodrome London 2012 by Hopkins – photography by Richard Davies

The shortlisted projects are:

»  An Gaelaras, Derry by O’Donnell and Tuomey
»  The Angel Building, London by Alfred Hall Monaghan Morris
»  Evelyn Grace Academy, London by Zaha Hadid Architects (see our earlier story)
»  Folkwang Museum, Essen, Germany by David Chipperfield Architects (see our earlier story)
»  Olympic Velodrome London 2012 by Hopkins (see our earlier story)
»  Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford by Bennetts Associates

Above: Olympic Velodrome London 2012 by Hopkins – photography by Richard Davies

The prize is awarded annually to the architects of the building that has made the greatest contribution to British architecture in the past year.

Above: Evelyn Grace Academy, London by Zaha Hadid Architects – photography by Luke Hayes

The shortlist is drawn from the winners of the RIBA Awards (see our earlier story).

Above: Evelyn Grace Academy, London by Zaha Hadid Architects – photography by Luke Hayes

The winner will be announced at a ceremony in London on 1 October and broadcast in the UK on BBC 2 programme The Culture Show on 2 October.

Above: Evelyn Grace Academy, London by Zaha Hadid Architects – photography by Luke Hayes

Last year’s winning project was the National Museum of XXI Century Arts by Zaha Hadid Architects (see our earlier story).

Above: Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford by Bennetts Associates – photography by Peter Cook

See recent winners of the Stirling Prize on Dezeen »

Here’s some more information from the RIBA:

RIBA Stirling Prize 2011 shortlist announced

The beautifully simple Velodrome in London’s Olympic Park, the carefully crafted remodelling of the Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres in Stratford upon Avon, a highly imaginative London school on a tight urban site, an innovative and vibrant cultural centre in Derry, the transformation of an unremarkable 1980s office building in London into an elegant new office and retail space, and the breathtaking extension of a significant museum in Germany, form the shortlist for the prestigious £20,000 RIBA Stirling Prize.

Above: Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford by Bennetts Associates – photography by Peter Cook

Now in its sixteenth year, the RIBA Stirling Prize in association with The Architects’ Journal and Benchmark is awarded to the architects of the best new European building ‘built or designed in Britain’.

Above: Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford by Bennetts Associates – photography by Peter Cook

The winner will be announced on Saturday 1 October at Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham and will be broadcast on a special edition of BBC TWO’s The Culture Show on Sunday 2 October, presented by Kevin McCloud.

Above: Folkwang Museum, Essen, by David Chipperfield Architects – photography by Christian Richters/VIEW

This year is the first time the shortlist includes practices who have all previously been shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize; and also includes two RIBA Stirling Prize winners: David Chipperfield Architects and Zaha Hadid Architects.

Above: Folkwang Museum, Essen, by David Chipperfield Architects – photography by Christian Richters/VIEW

William Hill is again offering odds on the shortlisted buildings. The six buildings competing for this year’s title and their odds according to William Hill are:

»  An Gaelaras, Derry by O’Donnell and Tuomey (8/1)
»  The Angel Building, London by Alfred Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) (7/1)
»  Evelyn Grace Academy, London by Zaha Hadid Architects (5/2)
»  Folkwang Museum, Essen, Germany by David Chipperfield Architects (5/1)
»  Olympic Velodrome London 2012 by Hopkins (2/1)
»  Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford by Bennetts Associates (4/1)

Above: Folkwang Museum, Essen, by David Chipperfield Architects – photography by Christian Richters/VIEW

Ruth Reed, RIBA President, said:

“The RIBA Stirling Prize celebrates architectural excellence and this year we have another outstanding collection of culturally significant buildings on the shortlist; projects that have each made a significant contribution to the evolution of architecture.

Above: An Gaelaras, Derry by O’Donnell and Tuomey

“Creative redevelopment is a strong theme in this year’s list, with a major museum extension, a remodelled theatre complex and the innovative retrofit of an old office building featured, showing how even with tight planning and building constraints, talent and imagination can totally transform existing structures and sites. From recycling to cycling: this year’s shortlist features the first Olympic venue, a beautifully clever exemplar for the UK’s Games. Another ‘first’ is a significant cultural centre in Derry, Northern Ireland’s first building to make it onto the shortlist.

Above: An Gaelaras, Derry by O’Donnell and Tuomey

“Finally I am delighted to see a brilliant academy on a tight urban site completing the list; a school project that demonstrates what can be achieved when the architect and clients ‘think outside the box’. I look forward to seeing which project the judges select as the worthy winner.”

Above: An Gaelaras, Derry by O’Donnell and Tuomey

The 2011 RIBA Stirling Prize judges who will visit the six shortlisted buildings and meet for a final time on the day of the presentation to pick the winner include: Angela Brady, Chair of the judges and RIBA President (commencing September 2011); Sir Peter Cook – architect and academic, formerly of Royal Gold Medal winning Achigram; Hanif Kara – engineer, Adams Kara Taylor and Dan Pearson – landscape designer and RIBA Honorary Fellow.

Above: The Angel Building, London by Alfred Hall Monaghan Morris – photography by Tim Soar

Previous winners of the RIBA Stirling Prize include: MAXXI Museum, Rome by Zaha Hadid Architects (2010); Maggie’s Centre at Charing Cross Hospital, London by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (2009); Accordia housing development by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios/Alison Brooks Architects/Maccreanor Lavington (2008); The Museum of Modern Literature, Marbach am Neckar, Germany by David Chipperfield Architects (2007).

Above: The Angel Building, London by Alfred Hall Monaghan Morris – photography by Tim Soar

The RIBA Stirling Prize principal sponsors are The Architects’ Journal and Benchmark; associate sponsors: Ibstock, NBS and SIV.

Above: The Angel Building, London by Alfred Hall Monaghan Morris – photography by Tim Soar

See also:

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MAXXI National Museum wins Stirling Prize 2010	Maggie’s Centre wins Stirling Prize 2009	Accordia wins Stirling Prize 2008

Wallets, cuffs and buttons made from old booksMagic Industrie takes old book covers and turns them into wallets, wrist cuffs and buttons. It was appealing to see all of the producs en masse. The “magic” wallet is a fun trick, as demonstrated by Ryan above, but perhaps not so practical if you need to carry more than a few dollars!

The Crossover Chair was introduced 18 july in Turku, Finland the European cultural capital 2011. The feedback has been good and crossover is ready to ..