May 03
May 03
May 03
Landscape Music
Posted in: Uncategorized
Red Maple (1914), by A.Y. Jackson
Weather imagery is also a great way for songwriters to tap into a sense of place. Growing up listening to a lot of Canadian music, I enjoyed the way that the music I listened to reflected the world I lived in through subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) ways. The weather (and particularly cold, northern weather) is a theme that runs through many elements of Canadian art, from literature to music to visual art. Songwriters like Gordon Lightfoot (who received a couple spots in the previously-mentioned Weather Channel tournament) and Joni Mitchell helped reinforce this element of Canadian identity.
(Again, and I cannot emphasize this enough, Ice Ice Baby does not count as Canadian weather music!)
Going through my music collection, one of my favorite Canadian weather metaphors is from Blue Rodeo, who conclude Hasn’t Hit Me Yet with the following lyrics: I stand transfixed / Before this streetlight / Watching the snow fall / On this cold December night / And out in the middle of Lake Ontario / The same snow is falling / On the deep silent water / The great dark wonder / Into the waves of my heart.
However, there’s another band and project that deserves special mention: In the early 1990s, the National Gallery of Canada commissioned the indie-rock band The Rheostatics to write music to accompany a retrospective of paintings by the Group of Seven. (For non-Canadians, these were a group of painters who focused primarily on landscape painting in the 1920s and 1930s.) The music that they wrote does an excellent job at evoking that nationalist imagery.
The CBC produced a very good program on the making of this project.
May 03
The iThrone was developed by two recent Art Center graduates, Amaya Gutierrez and Kenji Huang, whom I recently met at their Grad Show. Because they want to cast the iThrone in porcelain, a material too expensive for students to buy in bulk, they’ve turned to Kickstarter to help fund their project. Ceramic is not only a beautiful aesthetic choice and an appropriate material for a throne, it also has natural acoustic properties that enable the dock to act as a speaker without any electronic components.
You can, of course, plug in your phone while it rests cozily in either the sleek, white Art Deco iThrone or the more traditional, embellished black option. I tried out Amaya and Kenji’s prototype with my phone, and even though the prototype wasn’t made of ceramic, the basic geometry of the iThrone naturally amplifies the sound and directs it towards you.
I’m not a supporter of cute or clever design if it lacks functionality or if another product does it better, and I love the idea of a dock that doesn’t use energy and is also a beautiful design object, whether its cradling your iPhone or not.
Check out the pitch after the jump:
May 03
Collaboration Sunglasses
Posted in: shadesNine pairs of new shades from international designers both known and new
This season’s round of eyewear collaborations has brought some of the brightest yet. Well-crafted frames with distinct fashion sensibilities are coming down the pipeline, along with unexpected but welcomed creative match-ups and revivals of yesteryear’s iconic brands. Whether straight from the runway or made for fun in the sun, these nine pairs capture the essence of sunglasses and the upcoming summer season.
A Bathing Ape + Sunpocket
Sunpocket enjoyed massive popularity—on and off the slopes—with its foldable sunglasses during the 1980s. The formerly French brand was relaunched last year in Sweden, in sync with growing interest in vintage and niche shades. Gaining a bit of street cred, Sunpocket collaborated with A Bathing Ape for a limited-edition release in matte army green and polarized lenses. Order them from Zozotown for ¥11,340 ($142).
Barton Perreira + Giovanni Ribisi
The current face of Barton Perreira, actor Giovanni Ribisi graduates to co-designer of two styles for the optical label. Lending much more than his name, he submitted his own 3D renderings of the designs. The Ribisi is a modern-vintage take on the round frame with its sleek lines, classic acetates, and mineral glass lenses. (The other style, the Giovanni, will hit stores later this year.) In stock at Context Clothing for $480.
Richard Nicoll + Ksubi
Deflect the sun’s rays and stares with cool detachment in these mirrored shades from Richard Nicoll and Ksubi. The frames’ metallic matte finish and coordinating lanyard add an extra dose of flash. A part of Nicoll’s spring 2012 women’s collection, they’e inspired by “L’Enfer,” the never-completed French cinematic masterpiece. Available soon from a selection of to-be-announced stockists for around $340.
Mauricio Stein + ASOS
British online retailer ASOS recently unveiled its collection with Mauricio Stein, a Brazilian eyewear designer noted for his offbeat label, MauStein, and numerous collaborations. Starting at $82, each pair—like this one with teardrop-shaped lenses and cutout detailing—has the eccentric stylings of boutique frames without the sticker shock. Visit ASOS to purchase.
Finger in the Nose + Vuarnet
Parisian kidswear brand Finger in the Nose teamed up with France’s Vuarnet to create stylish sunglasses for children. The result: scaled-down versions of Vaurnet’s best-known shades just in time for summer. This includes the Cateye, as worn by ski racer Jean Vuarnet during his triumphant run at the 1960 Winter Olympics, and the Surfer, pictured here in gray tortoise. They sell from Finger in the Nose webstore for €114 ($151).
Eyebobs + Iris Apfel
Interior designer and all-around fashion icon Iris Apfel is unmistakably recognizable in her larger-than-life spectacles, so her partnership with Eyebobs makes total sense. The generously oval-shaped Iris takes after Apfel’s trademark frames and comes in three colorways and standard polarized lenses. At $99 through Eyebobs, the sunglasses are also priced to benefit Lighthouse International, a nonprofit supporting those suffering from vision loss.
Zac Posen + Illesteva
Perhaps Illesteva’s sunniest collab to date—as well as designer Zac Posen’s first venture into sunwear—these shades have created a buzz with their unabashedly retro, ready-for-the-beach vibe. Here in leopard, the cat-eye silhouette is a can’t-miss homage to the 1960s, a style Illesteva had a hand in making popular. Rumor has it they will appear at Colette, Opening Ceremony, and directly from Illesteva for $300.
Giles + Cutler and Gross
British designer Giles never shies away from the playful in his line of womenswear. He goes full-tilt extravagant with the Sonic, nodding to “a Victorian mechanical silver swan” and cygnets. Like every pair from Cutler and Gross, the hand-cut acetate fronts and temples are tumbled in a barrel for several days for just the right amount of smoothness and edges. Cutler and Gross has the sunglasses for $525.
Kris Van Assche + Linda Farrow
It’s hard to keep tabs on all of the Linda Farrow designer collaborations out there. From the look-at-me outrageousness of Jeremy Scott to the spare sophistication of the Row, the resurrected eyewear company has become a go-to collaborator for hip fashion labels. For Kris Van Assche’s current men’s collection, bold experimentation meets understatement in the form of a subtle oil-rainbow effect. For a list of retailers visit Kris Van Assche directly or see them now at Linda Farrow’s e-shop for $516.
May 03
Weather Music
Posted in: Issue 13Weather is a powerful muse in a number of ways, and when it comes to music, it seems to fall into four categories: songs that evoke weather or seasons, but does not mention them directly; songs that uses weather as a metaphor for the themes of the song; songs that use weather as part of the background of a story of scene; and lastly, songs that are simply about the weather.
Earlier this year, the Weather Channel had a tournament, NCAA style, matching 64 weather-themed songs against one-another to determine a weather music champion. Readers voted on songs in head-to-head matchups, and after 63-such matchups, The Beatles Here Comes the Sun was crowned champion. While the reader-voted aspect of the competition was always going to favour mainstream classics (like other contenders Over the Rainbow, Singin’ in the Rain, and White Christmas), it’s a little disappointing that more contemporary music wasn’t featured, even in the early rounds. I think U2’s Beautiful Day and Adele’s Set Fire to the Rain are the only pieces from the last decade featured. One can also question whether some of the songs are really songs about weather. Is Ice Ice Baby a ‘weather’ song in any sense of the word? I’ll save you the trouble of googling the lyrics: it’s not.
So, with the weather channel having taken care of the mainstream selections, what are your favorite underrated weather-themed music?
I think one could probably identify an entire bracket of 64 Tom Waits songs that feature weather imagery in one way or another, with the comic musings of Emotional Weather Report (with tornado watches issued shortly before noon Sunday, for the areas including the western region of my mental health and the northern portions of my ability to deal rationally with my disconcerted precarious emotional situation); and the simple observations of Strange Weather (All over the world / It’s the same / Strangers talk only of the weather) being a couple top contenders.
So, share some of your favorites in the comments!
May 03
Our friends at Brooklyn-based consultancy Pensa have worked with the likes of Johnson & Johnson and McDonald’s—not to mention ID idols OXO—but their multidisciplinary team has still found time to come up with independent projects such as the “DIWire Bender.”
The DIWire Bender is a rapid prototype machine that bends metal wire to produce 2D or 3D shapes.
Simply draw curves in the computer, import the file into our software and press print. Our software can read vector files (e.g., Adobe Illustrator files), Rhino or Wavefront OBJ 3D files, text files of commands (e.g., feed 50 mm, bend 90° to right…) or pure coordinates (from 0,0,0 to 0,10,10 to….). All inputs are automatically translated into DIWire motor commands. During the print, the wire unwinds from a spool, passes through a series of wheels that straighten it, and then feeds through the bending head, which moves around in 3 dimensions to create the desired bends and curves.
What could you use a DIWire for? Wire models are often needed in design, whether they are for furniture (chair leg scale models) or housewares projects (wire baskets) or even engineering parts (custom springs). But why stop at prototypes? The machine can read any data, why not output artwork from a random number algorithm, or internet data like stock prices and weather stats. You can create mass customized products, like eyeglass frames that fit, or be a street vendor printing jewelry from a person’s silhouette, on demand. And it doesn’t have to be aluminum wire; in principal the machine could bend other materials, including colored electrical wires, some plastics, memory metals, even light pipes to create small light forms. And if you don’t like the output, it could be configured to pass the bent wire through the straightener to start again.
The DIWire Bender is Pensa’s answer to the rapid proliferation of other rapid prototyping technologies, such as 3D printers and CNC machines; indeed, the tabletop device is a variation on the latter.
In recent years, 3D rapid prototyping machines have gone mainstream. And we’ve been excited to see 3D printers spreading beyond businesses to individuals, with the aid of a little DIY ingenuity (e.g., Makerbots, RepRap, etc.). All these machines work on the same principal—to create a form, they split a volume into thin slices, and build up the form by printing a layer of material and bonding it to the next. The main difference between the build technologies (SLA, SLS, FDM and others) is the material and the bonding methods.
But there are times when we need to output lines in space rather than volumes. Most 3D printing technologies are not well suited for printing thin lines because the materials are weak, the machine uses a lot of 3D-print support material, and the process is slow. The closest thing to a machine that can output lines is a CNC wire bender, but these machines are used almost exclusively for mass production in factories. They are not used for rapid prototyping because the equipment is large, expensive and takes trained personnel to run. So, we decided to make the DIWire Bender.
The concept, then, is fairly straightfoward, but it still makes more sense when you see the video. The first clip shows the machine producing a simple ‘pound’ sign, as well as a fairly complex distended helix:
May 03
Cross # Towers by BIG
Posted in: Uncategorized
Danish architects BIG have designed two skyscrapers for Seoul that will be bridged by two smaller, horizontally rotated blocks.
Height restrictions prevented the architects from planning taller buildings, which is why they added the interlinking floors to their proposals.
The towers will be located in the Yongsan International Business District, which was masterplanned by New York architects Studio Libeskind, and will provide over 600 apartments, as well as a library, a kindergarten and a gallery space.
Roof gardens for residents will cover the surface of both the bridging blocks and a submerged courtyard will be provided below ground level.
The buildings are planned just around the corner from a pair of towers designed by MVRDV, which caused a stir a few months ago due to their resemblance to the exploding World Trade Centre on 9/11. See images of that project here.
See more projects by BIG here, including their recent proposals for a 150-metre-high skyscraper in Vancouver.
More details from the architects are provided below:
BIG DESIGNS CROSS # TOWERS IN SEOUL, KOREA
BIG’s residential towers in the Yongsan International Business District revitalize the Han riverfront into a new commercial and residential center for the citizens of Seoul.
Situated at the south-east edge of the Yongsan master plan designed by Studio Liebeskind for the Korean development group Dreamhub, BIG’s Cross # Towers will contribute to the developing skyline of Seoul and become a recognizable marker of the new cultural and commercial center of the city. BIG was selected to submit a design proposal for Yongsan International Business District among 19 international offices, including SOM, Dominique Perrault, REX and MVRDV.
The 21 000 m2 site is positioned next to the existing urban fabric in the future development zones of the Yongsan master plan. BIG’s design includes two elegant towers with a height of 214 and 204m. To meet the height requirements of the site, the exceeding building mass is transformed into an upper and lower horizontal bar, which bridge the two towers at 140m and 70 m height. The two towers are additionally connected through the arrival bar at the ground level – and a courtyard below ground.
“The Cross # Towers constitute a three-dimensional urban community of interlocking horizontal and vertical towers. Three public bridges connect two slender towers at different levels – underground, at the street and in the sky. Catering to the demands and desires of different residents, age groups and cultures the bridges are landscaped and equipped for a variety of activities traditionally restricted to the ground. The resultant volume forms a distinct figure on the new skyline of Seoul – a “#” that serves as a gateway to the new Yongsan Business District signaling a radical departure from the crude repetition of disconnected towers towards a new urban community that populates the three-dimensional space of the city.” Bjarke Ingels, Founding Partner, BIG.
Both the upper and lower bridge introduce rooftop sky gardens accessible to residents, allowing for outdoor activities, while a courtyard at the heart of the development is an integral part of the overall architectural design.
Dramatic views towards the neighboring towers and visual connections across the courtyard from the retail zone create an exciting space for the residents and visitors.
The outdoor landscape is envisioned to draw from the charm of traditional courtyards combined with the modernity of the project.
Pedestrians at the arrival deck which connects the towers at ground level can enjoy impressive views to the bridges above and to the submerged courtyard below.
“The typical tower inherently removes life from the city it occupies. Circulation is linear and social interactions occur only in lobbies or awkward elevator rides. We propose a building that triples the amount of ground floor – triples the amount of social interaction and reintroduces the idea of neighborhood within the tower complex.”, Thomas Christoffersen, Partner in Charge, BIG.
The development will offer over 600 high-end residences and amenities, including a library, gallery space and a kindergarten. BIG’s design ensures that the tower apartments have optimal conditions towards sun and views.
The bar units are given value through their spectacular views and direct access to the roofscapes, activating the outdoor realm. The exterior facades are developed to correspond to the different orientations and solar conditions, creating a diverse façade which varies from the viewer’s vantage point and the position of the sun.
May 03
Cool Hunting Spring 2012 Playlist
Posted in: chplaylist, soundtrack Sixteen songs to get you ready for longer days and warmer nights
As we’ve found out the hard way in NYC, spring can often be an unwelcoming start to summer. Sunny one minute and raining the next, the juggling of temperatures can really drag down any premature warm weather celebrations. So while you’re still deciding on when to pack up your winter wears, we’ve pieced together the following playlist to pay tribute to the ups and downs of the spring season. Starting with Grimes’ catchy ode to new beginnings and rounding out with Sleigh Bells’ solemn salute to what we hope is the end of those dreary winter days, the following 16 songs will have you ready for days in the park and brews on the stoop.
May 03
Alternative 2012 souvenirs
Posted in: André Klauser, Barnaby Barford, Designed in Hackney, ed carpenter, Thorsten van Elten
(Mostly) Designed in Hackney: east London designers Dominic Wilcox, Ed Carpenter, André Klauser, Barnaby Barford and Donna Wilson have created a range of alternative souvenirs for visitors to east London during the Olympic games.
Three of the designers are based in Hackney: Dominic Wilcox will make a vinyl record featuring the sounds of things being made in east London, Ed Carpenter has created a series of name badges featuring cockney rhyming slang and his colleague André Klauser offers a paperweight shaped like the bollards found along east London canals.
Donna Wilson, who’s just over the border from Hackney in Tower Hamlets, designed a series of exercise books that are decorated with pictures of Londoners exercising and include tips for enjoying the city’s parks and pools on the back.
Meanwhile Barnaby Barford has created a series of miniature porcelain houses, shops and a public house, each modelled on east London buildings with a story to tell.
The series is commissioned by arts organisation Create, and curated and produced by Thorsten van Elten.
See alternative commemorative plates for last year’s royal wedding here and rapid-prototyped souvenirs that can be emailed to loved ones and printed locally here.
See all our stories about the London 2012 Olympics here.
See more about design in the east London borough of Hackney here.
Here’s some more information from Create:
CREATE 2012 Souvenirs
CREATE has commissioned design authority Thorsten van Elten to work with five east London designers and artists to create some well-considered souvenirs to celebrate east London and its cultural heritage. CREATE 2012 Souvenirs is a series of irreverent London souvenirs made in the UK and will be the desirable antidote to the overly-commercial, tacky souvenirs on sale across London this summer. The souvenirs go on sale the first day of CREATE’s summer programme, Thursday 21 June.
The five designers are Barnaby Barford, Ed Carpenter, André Klauser, Dominic Wilcox and Donna Wilson and the designs include a series of three exercise books that illustrate some of the best places to exercise in London, a cast-iron multi-purpose paperweight/bookend/doorstop based on East London’s Regent’s Canal mooring bollards made in a local foundry and a series of bone china miniature east London landmark houses and shops. Prices will range from £10 – £50 and each item will be embossed as a ‘CREATE 2012 Souvenir’.
Hadrian Garrard, Director of CREATE, said: “We are very pleased to be working with a group of talented east London designers to create unique souvenirs which show off the best of east London designers and UK manufacturing. We have commissioned a series of fun and desirable products that will last as a special reminder of a huge year for east London.”
CREATE Souvenirs will be on sale in selected shops and online via the CREATE website from 21 June.
Deutsche Bank is the main sponsor of CREATE 2012’s summer programme.
Exercise Books by Donna Wilson
Donna has always been interested in words with double meanings and uses them often in her work. For example ‘Tell me a tale’ written in a fox’s tail and a compliments slip with a complement on it. Donna has designed a set of three Exercise Books with illustrations of people doing exercise, loosely relating to the Olympic Games. Living and working in east London, Donna is very familiar with the parks, the lido and east London cyclists and she will be sharing some tips for parks and pools on the back of the books. Donna is known for her collection of knitted creatures and cushions. She was named Designer of the Year at the 2010 British Design Awards.
Regents Domestic Bollard by André Klauser
Water and canals have played an important role in the development and connection of east London, and canals have recently had a massive surge in popularity. André has created a book end/paperweight/door stop based on the mooring bollards along east London’s canals. The bollards will be cast in iron by a foundry based on Regents Canal, by Broadway Market in Hackney. The company previously cast fences for the British Museum and National Gallery. André has previously designed the Mechano, a chair inspired by the aesthetics of industrial shelving.
Sounds of Making by Dominic Wilcox
Dominic Wilcox has created a vinyl record that celebrates the act of making things and the unusually high number of skilled ‘Makers’ based in east London. Sounds include ‘The sound of making an outfit for Lady Gaga in Hackney’, ‘The sound of a book binder at work in Walthamstow’ and ‘The sound of a record being pressed by a company which had to relocate from what is now the Olympic Park’. Dominic’s previous work includes his War Bowls, made from melted plastic army figures, as well as his Watch sculptures, built on the faces of wrist and pocket watches.
Cockney Rhyming Badges by Ed Carpenter
Ed Carpenter has designed a series of colourful gilt and enamel badges that celebrate the dying art of Cockney Rhyming Slang. Sold in sets of three, there will be three collections available based on the subjects of food, work and compliments/swear words. Ed Carpenter also designed the celebrated Pigeon light.
Houses by Barnaby Barford
Barnaby Barford has designed a set of five bone china miniature houses depicting homes, shops and a public house all with a story attached to them. The houses will depict a small part of the long history of east London and will include a house on Cable Street, scene of clashes with fascists in 1936; E. Pellicci, an Italian café in Bethnal Green which has been in the same family for over 100 years; The Golden Pound pound shop; The Blind Beggar Pub; and the former home of Benjamin Waugh, the founder of the NSPCC. The houses will be double–sided and will feature 10 different landmark buildings. Barnaby is known for his ceramic figurines, made by reconfiguring found porcelain figurines to create more contemporary figures.
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