Hasta La Ideas

A prayer room occupies a white turret in this house in Chandigarh designed by architecture studio Charged Voids to reference the work of Le Corbusier.

Called Residence 1065, the home is located in Sector 27 of the Indian city. Chandigarh was planned by Le Corbusier and features many buildings designed the Swiss modernist architect.

Charged Voids designed the house for three generations of the same family – a couple, their parents and their children.

Merging what the studio call “Eastern spatial planning” with the “Western aesthetics” of Le Corbusier, the home combines private spaces for each part of the family along with communal areas where they can interact.

Externally, clear reference has been made to the work of Le Corbusier, with its curved concrete roof reminiscent of the nearby Palace of Assembly.

In one corner a white tower houses the puja room. Geometric cut-outs in the curved turret wall bring light into this double-height prayer space.

“The overall concept was devised as a free plan with overlapping spaces and interconnecting volumes,” explained the studio. “A conclusion drawn from a close analysis of the family setups of multigenerational Indian families.”

Set over two storeys, spaces for the older generations of the family sit on the ground floor of Residence 1065.

Areas for the children sit above, split by the vertical and horizontal axes of a central, open entrance hall and stairwell.

Sliding doors allow the ground floor to open onto small external courtyards, as well as a large living and dining area surrounded by glass curtain walls and overlooking a garden.

“The multiple courtyards and terrace garden allow for the penetration of fragments of nature into the interior spaces, bringing its occupants in close contact to it,” said Charged Voids.

“This is also an attempt to reinterpret the transcendent spaces like courtyards and verandas into a modern urban context.”

Alongside the living area is a master bedroom and a study space, connecting to the puja room.

A stair leads up to the first floor, overlooking the central hall and occupied by two bedrooms for the children and an additional guest bedroom.

Internally, surfaces of exposed concrete are contrasted by dark wood and white walls, and inside the puja space thin cuts in the wall draw in natural light.

Previous projects by Charged Voids include another home in Chandigargh called Residence 145, arranged around a central courtyard to bring in natural light and air.

Photography is by Javier Callejas Sevilla.

Project credits:

Architect:Charged Voids
Lead architect: Aman Aggarwal
Design team: Rahul Vig, Akshat Batra
3D visualiser: Haneet Khanna
Structure consultant: Pankaj Chopra

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The phone is one of the few devices that isn’t guided by ergonomic proportions, but rather by its display. Look at the grip on a drill-machine, or your gym water bottle, or even your game controller… the reason they aren’t dominated by straight lines is because there isn’t a single straight line on your hand. These grips are designed so that you hold the product securely, without straining your palm or fingers with prolonged use. Now take a look at your phone and its perfectly rectangular design. The edges are straight lines, and sometimes the phone is so big it’s impossible to use entirely with one hand. You almost always need two hands to use your smartphone, which isn’t ideal for multiple reasons… your second hand could be occupied, it could have gloves on, it could even be injured or disabled, or more relevantly, you could just choose to not want to use both hands to hold your phone, lest you cover it with germs.

I’ve never really been an advocate for PopSockets. I’ve always felt they were thick, inelegant, and looked like your phone was wearing a buttplug, but the reason they’re so popular (and why I often cut them some slack) is because they add that missing human-centric element to the phone by making them more grippy, and easy to hold and use with a single hand. I’d even go so far as to excuse their unfortunate design had I not stumbled upon the Ohsnap, which so clearly demonstrates how a smartphone grip-stand can be versatile, easy-to-use, ergonomic, and still be so incredibly sleek it’s barely thicker than your phone’s camera bump.

The Ohsnap is a markedly better alternative to those socket and ring-based grip-stands in a whole bunch of ways. At 3mm thick, it’s one of the sleekest stands we’ve seen, and can be deployed with a single hand too. Just slip a finger in and the Ohsnap’s elastic band allows you to hold your phone securely with a single finger. Its universal design makes it compatible with every phone and even with most phone cases (as long as there’s a flat surface to adhere the Ohsnap), and that elastic band works easily with hands of all sizes, allowing you to grip the phone when you need to, and retracting into its 3mm avatar when you don’t.

Besides, the Ohsnap functions surprisingly well as a stand too. Designed to work in both landscape and portrait formats, the Ohsnap allows you to prop your phone up at multiple angles, so you can consume content without holding your device. The grip-stand is even magnetic, allowing you to snap your phone onto surfaces like your metal cupboard, fridge, or even that car mount with ease. It’s all in the interest of enabling you to use your phone without needing to constantly hold/fumble-with it – a feature that was a convenience a year ago, but may now be more of a standard practice now… and speaking of standard practices, the OhSnap was even designed to be compatible with wireless chargers. With a thickness of 3mm, the grip-stand is thin enough to support most wireless chargers (it may be a stretch if you’re using a case too), but the guys behind the Ohsnap have a better solution with the snapcharge, a wireless charger designed specifically for phones with the Ohsnap. The snapcharge’s unique design fits the Ohsnap like a puzzle piece, allowing you to quickly and magnetically snap your phone to the charger so they align perfectly every time… and the charger works with Airpods too, just in case you’re wondering.

In essence you need to know that the snapcharge is a magnetic wireless charger and its the first of its kind. The Ohsnap grip doesn’t need snapcharge to charge wirelessly; it can work with other magnetic chargers – it just works best with the snapcharge.

Each Ohsnap grip-stand comes with a lifetime warranty too, which makes sense given that phones, apart from being large, glossy, and slippery, are expensive too. The Ohsnap, in that regard, promotes easy and secure one-handed usage, allowing you to browse social media and send texts with just one hand. This means being able to use your phone while lying down without accidentally dropping it on your face, or casually checking your fitness app while holding a turmeric latte in your other hand. More importantly though, the Ohsnap promotes hands-free use too, allowing you to prop your phone up on tables whenever you need to, or magnetically mount it inside your car or on your fridge when your hands are occupied… or when you don’t want to unnecessarily keep touching your phone. Makes sense, right?

Designer: Dale Backus

Click Here to Buy Now: $15. Hurry, only 5/5400 left! Raised over $550,000.

Ohsnap Grip: How Smart People Use Smartphones

Ohsnap is a powerful grip, stand, and magnet wrapped inside a super-thin frame, now compatible with snapcharge: their magnetic wireless charger! It makes life with your phone happy, productive, and care-free without the cheap, bulky, or ugly plastic. Ohsnap works for all phones and finger sizes, and is easily adhered to the back of your phone in less than 20 seconds.

Grip

Secure, one-handed gripping is quick and easy with the Ohsnap grip. Just slide your finger through the loop. It’s there when you need it, and not when you don’t.

Kickstand

Ohsnap transforms into a multi-angle stand, so whether you’re on Facetime with a friend or taking a break to watch some YouTube, this handy kickstand has you covered. 3-angle kickstand for comfortable streaming, anywhere.

Magnetic

Ohsnap is magnetic, so now multitasking is easier than ever. Gym equipment, fridges, car mounts and more… it sticks to them.

The Ohsnap grip has worked with every wireless charger on which it’s been tested, but they cannot guarantee compatibility with all wireless chargers.

Snapcharge – Magnetic Wireless Charger

Not only did the team take the phone grip to the next level, but they also added to it with the first ever magnetic wireless charger, Snapcharge. Snapcharge uses the Qi charging standard which works with almost all devices including wireless charging enabled phones, Airpods, and more. With snapcharge, you can pick up and use your phone without interrupting the charging process.

Snapcharge sticks to your magnetic car mount for a quick and easy charge, on the go.

In-depth look at Snapcharge

While Snapcharge works with every phone that has wireless charging capabilities, they cannot guarantee wireless charging compatible with all cases.

Ultra Thin

The team engineered the grip to be incredibly thin, at only 3mm.

Won’t get caught on your pants!

360º Rotation

It fully rotates, so you can get the best possible angle that works for your unique gripping style.

Durability

The Ohsnap grip is designed with ultra-strength, tear-resistant silicone that is guaranteed to last millions of cycles.

Colors

Easy Install

In 3 steps, Ohsnap is attached securely and you’re ready to go.

Compatibility

The Ohsnap grip fits all phones.

Click Here to Buy Now: $15. Hurry, only 5/5400 left! Raised over $550,000.

From ambient and poignant to buoyant and playful, our favorite new music this week

St Vincent: New York (Acoustic Version)

St Vincent (aka Annie Clark) recorded a stirring, acoustic rendition of her sublime “New York” as part of the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s virtual gala, which is streaming in full until 20 May. Gently lit in a dark room, Clark performs an exquisitely stripped-back version of the resplendent song, a sombre ballad that mourns a relationship and name-checks various spots in NYC—a combination that feels all the more poignant at the moment.

A.K. Paul: Hungry Beat

Returning for the first time since 2016 with a song under his own name, London-based A.K. Paul (Anup Kumar Paul) shares “Hungry Beat,” a song composed during lockdown. Paul performed all instruments and vocals for the track, as well as production and mixing. The result is a sultry, moody and richly layered piece of music with plenty of surprising elements popping up along the way. The somewhat elusive Paul sporadically releases music, but always seems to be working—collaborating with Miguel, Jessie Ware, Mura Masa and others; as well as running the label, Paul Institute, with his brother.

Au Revoir Simone: How Long

Au Revoir Simone’s sprawling new Bandcamp (and Spotify) release, “How Long,” sets listeners upon an orbit of interstellar beauty. With production from Jorge Elbrecht, the wondrous track came as a surprise. It’s the Brooklyn-based, synth-pop band’s first release in several years, though they appeared in 2017’s Twin Peaks: The Return (episode four) and member Erika Spring released the acclaimed EP, Scars, in 2018.

Desire: Liquid Dreams

Brimming with disco and ’80s pop influences, “Liquid Dreams” by Desire—singer Megan Louise, producer Johnny Jewel (of Chromatics and Glass Candy) and percussionist Nat Walker (also of Chromatics)—appears on their upcoming album, Escape. Despite the song’s bubbly and upbeat vibe, the lyrics transform it as Louise repeats, “Why you wanna hurt me?”

Tyler, The Creator: BOYFRIEND

Initially exclusive to the vinyl pressing of Tyler, The Creator’s 2019 album, Igor, “BOYFRIEND” appeared on streaming services this week to the delight of fans who missed out on purchasing the limited edition physical release or abstained from indulging in leaked versions. Comprising a complex, constantly morphing instrumental that samples Twink’s “Fluid” and interpolates Tyler’s “Glitter,” the track dips into pop, R&B, rock, electronic, soul and hip-hop, showcasing Tyler’s growth as a producer. Plus, vocalists Charlie Wilson and Santigold appear at opposite ends of the four-minute song.

Jamie xx + The Avalanches: NTS Radio Show DJ Set

The most recent installment of Jamie xx’s monthly radio show for NTS manifested as a joyous, hour-long DJ set with The Avalanches. Jamie xx (aka James Smith) said the back-to-back performance was an “actual dream come true” and the setlist spans genres and eras, including tracks like Hamilton Bohannon’s “Me & The Gang,” Theo Parrish’s “Early Byrd,” Carly Simon’s “Tranquillo (Melt My Heart),” plus several songs from The Kay Gees. Listen for 58 minutes of bops, deep cuts and pleasure.

Julianna Barwick: Inspirit

Accompanying the announcement of her new studio album, Healing Is a Miracle, ambient composer Julianna Barwick released the lead track, “Inspirit,” by way of an appropriately ethereal music video filmed in Iceland. Employing her mesmerizing vocal loops, the song’s hypnotic pull pairs well with the rugged landscapes. The LP, out on 10 July via Ninja Tune, will feature a collaboration with Icelandic singer Sigur Rós’ Jónsi, as well as Nosaj Thing and Mary Lattimore.

Dijon: rock n roll

Beneath the genre-bending and distortion of singer-songwriter Dijon’s newest song, “rock n roll,” lies a tale about a woman. “She don’t like rock’n’roll / We talked about it / She don’t like radio / We talked about it,” he sings. Dijon (aka Dijon Duenas) name-checks songs and albums by Prince, Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, Sly and the Family Stone, and others, lobbying on their behalf. It’s altogether glitchy, playful but powerful. The single appears on the artist’s new EP, How Do You Feel About Getting Married?, which is available now.

Yellow Days: Love Is Everywhere

New from Yellow Days (aka UK singer/songwriter George van den Broek), the retro-tinged “Love Is Everywhere” is described by the artist as “upbeat existential millennial crisis music.” Steeped in nostalgia, the song’s ’70s vibe can be attributed to crisp percussion, a funky bass line and a little cowbell. Van den Broek also says, “The track is funky as hell… This is really my first record where I can let it fucking all out.” Watch the Kevin Lombardo-directed music video below, and stay tuned for A Day in a Yellow Beat in August.

Listen Up is published every Sunday and rounds up the new music we found throughout the week. Hear the year so far on our Spotify channel.

Australian architecture studio Wood Marsh designed Towers Road House as “a sculpture to live within”, with high concrete walls that arc under a disc-shaped zinc roof.

Set in the Melbourne suburb of Toorak, the house features galleries for the resident’s art collection and a living room with a sunken conversation pit.

Wood Marsh took inspiration for the house from the Christo and Jeanne-Claude‘s 1976 piece Running Fence, an art installation of over 24 miles of billowing fabric strung between posts.

“Like a curtain, the substantial concrete wall carves out a series of landscaped arcs,” said Wood Marsh.

The house is topped by an unusual roof, clad in zinc and shaped like a disc cradled between the concrete arcs.

“The top of the building is a horizontal line, finished with a three-dimensional hemisphere draped to gently penetrate the seemingly impenetrable mass below,” added the studio.

The concave walls are blank and windowless, facing the street as towering raw concrete monoliths.

At the back of the property, two curved walls of windows look out over a garden with a 150-year-old plane tree and an oval-shaped swimming pool.

The zinc-clad roof overhangs the walls where they dip in, forming shady spots punctured by an oculus over the terrace. Pocket-shaped gardens occupy the other niches formed by the irregular floor plan.

To reach the front door, a winding path leads down between the concrete walls to a single door in the centre of a cut-away arc.

A dark, narrow anti-chamber curving between the walls opens out on to the open plan living room with a sunken conversation pit.

Double black metal floating staircases run up either end of the curved concrete internal wall, leading to the first storey.

Four private bedrooms and bathrooms occupy this top floor, with a large walk-in wardrobe for the master suite in the parent’s wing, and a playroom in the children’s wing opposite

On the ground floor, an art gallery occupies one wing, with a large kitchen and dining space in the other.

The basement level features another art gallery, along with a wine cellar and underground car parking.

Towers House Road was built for Australian billionaire Daniel Besen and his wife Danielle. The pair never lived in it, and sold it for $26 million in 2016 after splitting up – setting a record for the most expensive house sale in the state of Victoria.

Wood Marsh is an Australian architecture practice, founded in 1983 by Roger Wood and Randal Marsh and based in Melbourne.

Concrete lends itself well to dramatic residential projects.  Contaminar Arquitetos used raw concrete to create an elaborate cave-style house with angular walls, and Aires Mateus made a hidden house with a cantilevering concrete roof that emerges from the landscape.

Photography is by John Gollings unless otherwise stated.

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