Hasta La Ideas

Leonard (Martin Starr – “Freaks and Geeks”, “Silicon Valley”) exists in slow..(Read…)

Le Rijksmuseum d’Amsterdam a récemment exposé un travail du studio hollandais Drift : « Shylight ». Il s’agit de cinq suspensions cinétiques de luminaires qui imitent le mouvement organique d’éclosions de fleurs. L’ouverture et la fermeture de leurs « pétales » dépendent de l’obscurité et de la lumière.

Hong Kong designer André Fu has installed glass cubes and a miniature zen garden on one of the city’s piers to create a presentation space for fashion brand COS.

Fu’s studio AFSO designed the installation for the brand’s first presentation in seven years, which took place on the upper level of Hong Kong’s Central Ferry Pier 4 last night.

“I’ve was invited by COS to create a special installation to embrace where the brand sits within the context of modern Asia,” Fu told Dezeen.

The two-storey pier’s lower deck still functions as a terminal for ferry passengers travelling to nearby Lamma Island, while the empty upper level is now used for events.

Fu and his team took over the space to create the COS Urban Landscape, transforming the long narrow floor plan into a series of smaller rooms.

“It’s conceived as a journey,” said Fu. “Guests can walk through various parts of the installation, which will be scattered throughout different parts of the pier itself.”

On arrival, visitors entered the Cube – a glass structure supported by a white metal frame that actually measured three metres wide and four metres high.

Positioned within a grey-painted vestibule, a green bridge passed through the centre with the glass sections on either side.

The next area took advantage of the pier’s large windows, where visitors descended a series of ramps set within a series of white steps edged with grass.

Sheets of tinted vertical glass stood on each step beside the first portion of ramp, after which an alternative route was provided by an L-shaped bridge between clear glass walls.

Another enclosed space followed next, with surfaces painted a similar dark grey colour as the first vestibule.

“The key colour that we have in the entire installation is a cool grey,” said Fu. “We have also imposed two other shades of grey, so all together there is a lighter and a darker shade as you go along.”

Moss-covered spheres placed on a bed of white pebbles occupied a circular depression in the floor, which Fu described as his interpretation of a zen garden – the traditional Japanese rock garden.

The final space at the end of the pier was used for the presentation of COS’ latest collection. Models wearing the brand’s garments walked through a pair of cubes – one transparent and one mirrored – against the backdrop of the Victoria Harbour lights.

“The installation is about embracing the modern Asian spirit, within which the presentation takes place,” said Fu.

It took more than 40 people over 45 days to install the structural and decorative elements, which were fabricated off-site, assembled and tested before being brought to the venue.

COS had previously chosen not to show its collections in catwalk presentations since its early shows after its 2007 launch.

During an exclusive interview with Dezeen, managing director Marie Honda said that the brand preferred to share its new ranges directly with customers via the website and a print magazine.

Breaking from tradition with this event, COS chose Hong Kong over international fashion hubs London, Paris, Milan and New York to present its collection and local designer Fu to create the installation.

“André Fu is internationally renowned for his inspiring spaces and keen attention to detail,” said Honda in a recent statement. “He was an obvious choice to collaborate with in Asia.”

Among COS’s other collaborators is Japanese studio Nendo, which create an installation based on the brand’s signature white shirt in Milan last year.

The post André Fu creates “modern Asian” installation
for COS presentation in Hong Kong appeared first on Dezeen.

This week a single grand opening ushered in a new life for two Portland, OR institutions. The Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) opened the doors of its new home in the beautifully restored and updated Federal Post Office building, now known as the Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Center for Art and Design. It’s always exciting when things go well for schools, and for this century old institution things are looking very bright. The move into the 96 year old building has taken over a decade of work and $34 million to complete, and brings massively expanded space for studios, lectures, material labs, exhibitions, screenings, and community gatherings.

PNCA was originally conceived as the school for the Portland Art Museum in 1909, making it the first museum school on the West Coast. The 1919 six-floor Post Office building was originally designed by Lewis P. Hobart, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Now, the school and building are positioned to become a ground-breaking anchor for the creatively quiet Park Blocks and Chinatown neighborhood nearby and the Northwest at large.

The renovation was spearheaded by Allied Works Architecture, headed by Brad Cloepfil, and must have felt more like an excavation. After undoing decades of dank “improvements” (think oppressively dropped ceilings and covered up windows) the new building almost hums with light. The finished remodel proudly displays gorgeous old molding, rich materials and soaring windows, and is additionally opened up with a modern atrium, skylighting and clean new finishes. The stoic grandness of old federal architecture is relieved by inviting curved balconies and spaces. The new and old are pinned neatly together with details like the bright but original cherrywood flooring, kept, as Cloepfil put it, “Because it’s awesome.”

The school is situated at a nexus of interesting and rapidly changing development around the downtown Portland Park Blocks. Centrally located and facing a long band of green space, the 511 building has views of industrial areas and swanky boutique districts alike. The facilities reflect that old and new mix, with dedicated spaces for a range of traditional methods and new technologies. 

The press opening was graced with simple fanfare and remarks from representatives of the many groups that have been pulling during the project’s development. The overall tone carried pride in the successful partnerships and great faith in the importance of investing in creative capital for the success of both individuals and communities. After years of incremental growth, PNCA is expanding as a cultural resource and touchstone. In PNCA President Tom Manley’s words, “We invite Portlanders to explore our galleries and engage with our public programs and be a part of this new era in PNCA’s rich history.”

Business Insider makes a host of changes to its editorial leadership team. Jay Yarow goes from deputy editor to executive editor, replacing Gus Lubin, who is off to “a big new role,” presumably something at the new site BI plans to launch. West Coast bureau chief Matt Rosoff moves up to technology editor, with Lisa Eadicicco taking over as news editor on the tech vertical. Alyson Shontell scores a promotion from senior correspondent to deputy editor, with senior editor Jenna Goudreau earning a deputy editor title as well. Leah Goldman gets a new role as assistant managing editor, with Tony Manfred replacing her as sports editor. The site also recruits IB Times and Huffington Post veteran Marcus Baram as deputy editor. So many deputies…

The New York Times hires 20 op-ed and Sunday Review writers, most of whom will contribute on a monthly basis, mostly online. The biggest names include Jennifer Weiner, Roxane Gay and Texas Monthly executive editor Mimi Swartz. One writer who will not be getting a regular spot is Razib Khan, who saw his place revoked after Gawker methodically demonstrated his “association with right-wing racist publications.”… The Los Angeles Times lands S. Mitra Kalita as managing editor for editorial strategy. She had been executive editor-at-large at Quartz… The New York Daily News loses Alexander Hitchen, who had been in charge of the photo department. He moves to Bauer Publishing, where he’ll be news editor. Insiders wonder whether more defections are on the way as owner Mort Zuckerman looks to unload the money-losing publication… Katharine Viner has been named editor-in-chief of The Guardian. She was most recently deputy editor there and editor-in-chief of The Guardian U.S. Viner will succeed EIC Alan Rusbridger when he steps down this summer… Read More