In the ever-evolving landscape of technological innovation, one cannot underestimate the power of collaboration between academia and industry. A prime example of this synergy is the groundbreaking concept design project “Forme,” born from a collaboration between Korea Design Membership and LG Electronics in 2022. This visionary project aims to capture the essence of Gen Z’s content consumption habits while redefining the relationship between users and their displays.
People like us, Generation Z, often referred to as digital natives, are reshaping the way people interact with technology. For us, devices are not just tools; they are companions, woven intricately into our daily lives. It’s mostly because we have been born into the age of playing on iPads. (Well, I am a little older than that, so I relate to both sides on a decent level.) “Forme” recognizes this symbiotic relationship and envisions a display that becomes a true ‘Best Friend’ to the Gen Z clan.
From waking up to winding down, Forme seamlessly integrates into the user’s daily routine. This concept acknowledges the strong connection Gen Z has with their devices – sleeping and waking up together, mirroring life patterns, and acting as a canvas for personal expression.
Gen Z yearns for a display that resonates with their emotions, habits, and aspirations. The Forme Display steps into this role as a true confidante – a ‘Best Friend’ who is there through thick and thin. This friendship is underscored by the display’s unique ability to sleep and wake with its user, mirroring the shared moments of rest and rejuvenation. In a society where the boundaries between technology and life are increasingly blurred, this concept breathes life into the display, making it an extension of the self.
The Forme Display ingeniously incorporates an age-old element – window blinds. By drawing inspiration from the familiarity of blinds, the design encapsulates the essence of privacy, control, and versatility. The display itself is reminiscent of a protective roof, a shelter under which Gen Z can express themselves freely. This intuitive design metaphor allows users to easily lift the display, revealing a canvas that showcases not only digital content but also personal mementos, smartphones, and everyday essentials.
The rise of vertical content, synonymous with the snack culture of Gen Z owing to platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, is seamlessly accommodated by Forme Display’s innovative structure. Breaking away from the constraints of traditional horizontal displays, this concept embraces the future by harmoniously integrating both formats. The layered structure not only caters to this duality but also provides a visual representation of the blinds’ intricate mechanism.
The Forme Display embodies a delicate balance between aesthetics and functionality. The carefully chosen ‘Rare Low’ material wraps around the body, imparting a sense of intimacy and warmth. This ‘roof’ serves a dual purpose – not only is it visually striking, but it also offers a practical grip to easily lift the display. Meanwhile, the bottom speaker not only enhances audio quality but also contributes to the product’s overall stability. This amalgamation of elements transforms the Forme Display into a piece of art that seamlessly fits into the user’s environment.
In an era characterized by multifunctionality, “Forme” rises to the challenge. It includes provisions to accommodate a smartphone or essential office supplies, showcasing its adaptability to a variety of tasks. Innovation often hinges on achieving balance, and “Forme” achieves this equilibrium in terms of weight and portability. The design takes into consideration the modern Gen Z lifestyle, where mobility is paramount. By incorporating the concept of a ‘roof’ as the main structure, the product maintains a lightweight yet robust disposition, making it an ideal companion for the on-the-go generation.
The Forme Display Concept stands as a beacon of innovation, a harmonious marriage of tradition and cutting-edge technology. It is not merely a display; it is a friend, a confidante, a custodian of memories, and a canvas for expression. As Gen Z navigates the ever-evolving landscape of digital interactions, the Forme Display serves as a constant companion, adapting, evolving, and encapsulating the spirit of a generation. In this era of rapid change, the Forme Display Concept invites us to embrace the future while cherishing the elements that make us who we are.
From Michelin stars to James Beard winners and even under-the-radar local favorites, the tapestry of NYC is woven with decades of pioneering hospitality ventures. Restaurateur Matt Abramcyk, owner of the critically acclaimed New American restaurant The Golden Swan, is no stranger to the scene. In addition to heading up some of the city’s most beloved restaurants (including Smith & Mills and Tiny’s & the Bar Upstairs), he was also at the helm of one of the most legendary nightlife destinations, The Beatrice Inn. We sat down with Abramcyk to discuss his new dining experience in the West Village and why now was the perfect time to bring The Golden Swan to life.
courtesy of Justin M. Weiner
You led one of the most iconic venues in NYC history. How did that experience help shape your approach to hospitality, to dining, and to the curation that’s involved in everything from the menu to the atmosphere?
The first project I I ever worked on was Employees Only, and I really credit that to my old friend Akiva [Elstein], who I share Smith and Mills with. I had been in another industry and I just had this great fascination with what he was doing every time I would visit him at Schiller’s Liquor Bar. In thinking about that time in New York what made me excited was really the atmosphere that was created through music and lights, and the social environment for kindred spirits. I’ve always been attracted to characters, and I’ve always been intrigued by storytellers.
Specifically at The Beatrice Inn, I found a space that had a whole life before it. It had been this incredible red sauce Italian restaurant for almost a hundred years. The family that owned it had bought the building. They transformed it into something Italian, with clay portico-like tiles and yellow paint and white shutters. It looked like something you might find in coastal Italy. The Beatrice Inn was something of an anti-club because it really wasn’t anything remotely similar or common to nightlife. It was something that was sort of this lo-fi version of what nightlife is. I sort of loved it, with Beatrice, taking this personality of a red sauce joint and then making it something very much the opposite. We sort of did that again here, whereupon we used the personality of the famous Golden Swan restaurant, which had been this creative venue for all of these different types of personalities.
courtesy of Justin M. Weiner
What are some of your favorite parts of The Golden Swan history?
Eugene O’Neill writing the Iceman Cometh in the bar, about the characters that he met in the venue. This sort of New York melting pot atmosphere where you had politicians and bankers, you had criminals and artists. It’s sort of like the perfect salad, if you will, of creative, ambitious people. The spirit of downtown, the restaurant was known as a hellhole. It was certainly not what we’ve done here today. We’ve made the opposite of that. It was a very casual sort of shipman’s bar, but today it’s a different kind of a clubhouse, where people dress in a contemporary, chic way and are served by captains in white jackets and black ties, where the quality of food is paramount. We have a viewpoint wherein we are going to find the most interesting, best quality items and showcase them in our restaurant.
courtesy of Justin M. Weiner
This is not the first time that you’ve delved into the West Village. Why is this neighborhood so important to you and why was this building so important to fulfilling your vision?
In New York, we often find ourselves looking for the perfect sort of area or sort of landscape to come and visit because it’s not only that you’re visiting a venue, a lot of times you’re deciding your venue around the neighborhood. In this instance we have the uniqueness of the most aspirational sort of small city type of neighborhood, where you can find yourself on the most charming street next to the water. I love the low building line. I love the old buildings. The quaintness of the neighborhood, the romance of the building type, the proximity to the water, and then ultimately just being in a standalone building on a corner is so transportive. I challenge people when they’re here and they’re kind of grinning and thinking, “wow, this place feels so unique, so spectacular.”
Being on a corner and being in a building such as this, a kind of a townhouse, you very rarely have what we have here, which is a building like that that’s wrapped in windows. Having that effect of always being within proximity of a window, but also at the same time being very nooky and cozy, it really plays with the sensibilities that make people feel transported and comforted.
courtesy of Justin M. Weiner
There is a sense of comfort when you’re sitting in the restaurant that really puts you in the right mindset to enjoy the cocktails, the drinks, the music, the general atmosphere. How are you aiming to make this one a little different than some of your other restaurants and properties?
In this moment in time in New York we find ourselves seeking out more comfort food. Certain categories of food have been, almost, languishing, and more sort of hamburger and comfort food venues have opened. That really economically became the big driving force of the food and beverage in New York. This is a reaction in large part to that sort of mentality of eating quickly, eating while you’re on your phone, making a plan to pick up food and take it home. All these things that have been occurring that have really kind of broken the hearts of a lot of people that I know who are fascinated and in love with this industry. And so this is our love letter to the people that care so much about being in these transportive environments with their dear friends to have an incredible celebratory moment—and to really be wowed, to celebrate life with the people that are in that community or desire to be in that community.
The building is not a transported vessel in and of itself. It’s with the team—chef Doug Brixton and the passion that he brings. You’re talking about somebody that goes to the market every single day. You’re talking about somebody who’s in the property all day, almost every single day, save Sunday. It’s having leaders like him direct the team and direct the focus of what we’re doing here to inspire people when they’re here, when they’re eating the food.
courtesy of Justin M. Weiner
What came first, the space becoming available with the previous restaurant closing or the concept?
In everything that I’ve done, I think that I can recall, it’s about being inspired by real estate first and then trying to fit the New York personality into that space. I think in this iteration of a building takeover, let’s call it, or a full building redevelopment, the idea here was to reflect on the times in a way that I spoke about before, and really drive a sort of anti-club sort of clubhouse mentality, which included this idea of having a best-in-class food and beverage program, wine program, spirits program, everything being inspired by the absolute best that we can achieve. We’ll be opening for brunch in six or seven weeks, and we’ll be opening for lunch after that. We really are looking at this venue as a place that could help bring back the excitement of going out in New York. The idea of being able to have the best kind of everything in one environment is something that we’re trying to attain for each meal period.
courtesy of Henry Hargreaves
How’d you land on the design and the development of the menus?
The design is really my forte. I’m not a chef or a mixologist, but in terms of a design perspective it was about being inspired by the great New York places, thinking about the history of New York, some literal and some imagined. Working with BWA architects was helpful to achieve that vision.
The tile is a bit referential, although it’s not subway tile, it’s not porcelain tile—it’s Moroccan clay tile. In the way that we use wood, it’s not strips of old wood flooring; it’s this large plank repurposed floor that’s a few hundred years old. We used high gloss paint finishes and brass as a way of creating the sort of character of an English townhouse but with warm coloring. I don’t think anybody has spent more time searching for finishes. I recall spending hundreds of hours looking for the right faucet, which we have a golden swan faucet in the main bathroom downstairs, and going to Marrakesh to pick out and find the tile that we could afford or finding a mill in Pennsylvania for the wood.
courtesy of Henry Hargreaves
As for the cocktail menu, it is a blend of classic and contemporary styles of drinks. We have a house spritz called the Golden Swan Spritz, for example, instead of an Aperol spritz. The Golden Swan Spritz and the Golden Swan Martini are two of our signature drinks. We blend melon and white vermouth and make this cocktail inspired by the 1900 New York City, with a little bit more nuance.
The food is sort of similar, although not exactly as aspirationally creative as the cocktail menu. It’s aspirational in the sense that chef is trying to get the most market-driven menu that he can on the table every day. We have a different menu in the downstairs Wallace Room, as we do in the main dining room. We call our food French Mediterranean, which Resy doesn’t even have a category for, so sometimes we wonder if that makes sense to people. The idea is from California and inspired by the Mediterranean. He’s always felt his personal style was more along the lines of the bright sort of Mediterranean flavor profile, which he could sort of color with the French technique and School of Cookery. Our most popular dish has become the duck. The cooking is obviously masterful. The breast is served perfectly, the skin is crispy.
courtesy of Henry Hargreaves
What’s your dream dinner party or who would attend your dream dinner party?
Well, not to be cheesy, but I have my dream dinner party every night at the restaurant. I have great friends who come by, New Yorkers, artists, people that inspire me. I think people that are inspired by the venue, of course, my best friends and family members would be around in my dream dinner party—my kids, my wife. And actually there’s a great connection between my friends Max Goldman and Maryanne Goldman. They lived on the other side of the wall where we had the DJ booth at Beatrice inn. I remember sitting on their bedroom floor and begging them not to call the police, or anyone else to say that I was bothering them. I soundproofed their apartment and we didn’t have the closest relationship. But over time, it’s funny, we just became the best of friends. I think that story is really a great New York story where you can meet somebody that really kind of messes with you and whatever but then you find yourself years later raising your kids together, having your best memories together, sharing the new memories together. That’s the kind of New York restaurant venue that we want to create.
Named Haringey Brick Bungalow, the 66-square-metre home is accessed through a one-metre-wide passageway hidden between the high street’s commercial premises.
Satish Jassal Architects designed Haringey Brick Bungalow
The 110-square-metre site and narrow passageway was “like building through a straw”, dictating many design and construction decisions.
“This was a very tricky backland site, but the key message is that with careful planning, you can succeed,” said Satish Jassal Architects founder Satish Jassal.
It was made from two staggered volumes
In order to maximise the potential of the small site footprint, the architect staggered two rectangular volumes to create two courtyards – at the entrance and rear of the dwelling.
Two green roofs top the building, characterised by their asymmetrical pyramid shapes topped with rooflights.
The bungalow was made from red handmade bricks
The home was made with red, handmade bricks that maintain their “rough and imperfect texture” to create a “lived-in” feeling to integrate the building into the environment.
The bricks were stacked vertically at the base of the home and horizontally near the roof to create variation in the facade.
“This house is part of a family of brick houses that we have been developing over the last 10 years, often on tricky sites such as this one,” said Jassal.
“All our homes share a common materiality and architectural language and are informed by an understanding of their particular place and the requirements of their residents.”
Haringey Brick Bungalow is part of a collection of brick houses designed by Satish Jassal Architects
Oak-framed windows, white stone sills and black steel elements – such as the entrance gate, courtyard fencing and brise-soleils that deflect harsh sunlight over doors and windows – complete the bungalow’s material palette.
“The dark metalwork, red brick, yellow oak, and white stonework complement each other and transition from dark to light and smooth to textured,” said Jassal.
“The materials have been selected to complement each other and to weather gracefully together over time.”
It has oak-framed windows, white stone sills and a black steel entrance gate
The interior of the bungalow consists of a similar range of materials with exposed brick walls, oak flooring and glulam beams.
“The tones and textures of materials are expressed both externally and internally, bringing in the warmth of the natural external materials internally and humanising the spaces,” said Jassal.
The spaces are topped with skylights
Two bedrooms are located diagonally across the home from one another, connected by a central living, dining and kitchen space – this open plan allows access into the courtyards from all spaces within the home.
“The two accommodation wings of the house were rotated and overlook the courtyards,” said Jassal. The living spaces span both wings and look out to both courtyards, bringing in a different quality of light throughout the day.”
“The two courtyards provide aspect and light from multiple directions making the house feel more open and spacious than the floor area suggests,” he continued.
The two bedrooms are accessed from a central living, dining and kitchen space
The structure of the extruded roof is supported by a steel frame, designed to track sun rays to illuminate the central space during the day.
Glulam beams were spaced evenly down the coffered ceiling, reminiscent of a chandelier – this aims to emphasise the three-and-a-half-metre height at the centre of the ceiling.
“The peaks of the two asymmetrical roofs hover over the living spaces, and the joists step up to two central roof lights, making the house feel voluminous,” said Jassal.
Glulam beams are spaced evenly down the coffered ceiling
Due to the narrow access of the site, materials were chosen for their modularity and ability to construct without large machinery.
For example, steel screw piles were used to eliminate the need for a large piling rig – individual brick modules were used to calculate the house’s dimensions.
The individual bricks were used to calculate the dimensions of the house
Architect: Satish Jassal Architects Client: Shazad Ashiq Structural engineer: Corbett Tasker Project manager: Satish Jassal Architects Interior designer: Satish Jassal Architects Approved building inspector: London Building Control Main contractor: PK Construction London Groundworks contractor: All Ground Solutions Energy Consultant: Atspace Arboricultural: Arboricultural Solutions
Lime-washed bricks and a black overhanging roof characterise this house that Dutch studio Chris Collaris Architects has completed in a verdant garden near Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
Appropriately called Lime Wash House, the home is designed for a family who wanted an intimate connection to their surroundings in the suburb of Sonniuspark in Son en Breugel.
Chris Collaris Architects has created Lime Wash House
Chris Collaris Architects placed the home in the middle of the plot and incorporated generous openings to ensure a link between the house and the garden, which was landscaped by local studio Frank Heijligers.
The studio’s design fits three floors across what appears to be a two-storey volume, with an open-plan living space on the ground floor, bedrooms on the first floor and an attic study in the roof.
It is located in Sonniuspark in Son en Breugel
Large gable end walls clad in tumbled bricks with a pale lime wash are coupled with a large sandwich panel roof to help exaggerate the proportions of the home.
“Together with the big roof extensions [and] minimal detailing, the house looks familiar yet strangely familiar,” studio founder Chris Collaris told Dezeen. “You understand the clear form, yet the volume is more fierce.”
The home has a large overhanging roof
The garden, which surrounds all sides of the Lime Wash House, is designed to offer different environments to sit, play and relax. It can be accessed from four points on the ground floor.
“The garden organisation is connected to the structure of the house,” said Collaris. “When water falls from the roof it goes directly from the overhanging roofparts towards the flower beds.”
The entrance to the home is positioned under the roof’s overhang, highlighting its timber underside and its gutter-free eaves.
Inside Lime Wash House, a hallway with a triple-height void leads to an L-shaped living space housing the kitchen, dining room and living room. Here, warm timber joists line the ceilings.
Visual connections to the outdoors are prioritised
A connection to the outdoors is prioritised, with the northwest corner of the home opening up completely to link the dining space to an outdoor terrace.
On the upper storeys, the timber joists of the roof are expressed in the bedrooms and family bathroom.
Timber joists are left exposed inside
A highlight of the home is the dual-storey dormer. Shared between the bathroom and the study space above it, it has sliding full-height windows and offers views across the verdant garden.
Honoring 65,000 years of Austrailan culture, Breville has worked with Alison Page—a Wadi Wadi and Walbanga woman of the Yuin nation and founder of the National Aboriginal Design Agency—to create the Aboriginal Culinary Journey collection. Four different artists created original works for the collection; they each own the copyright to their works and receive royalties from the sale of the products. Further, Breville is donating 100% of the profits from this collection to be split between the National Indigenous Culinary Institute and an Indigenous scholarship fund at the University of Technology Sydney. A total of 10,000 units were produced with the goal to raise AUD$1,000,000. Shown here is the Piruwa Kettle by Yalti Napangati.
With fewer than 15 hearing-impaired people training to become architects in the UK, the Deaf Architecture Front platform has launched to boost accessibility and representation in the industry.
The Deaf Architecture Front (DAF) is “an all-in-one platform” aimed at levelling the playing field for Deaf people in architecture through campaigns, research and improved resources.
It has been kickstarted by Chris Laing, an architectural designer with first-hand experience in navigating the obstacles faced by Deaf people entering and working in the industry.
“DAF will make the journey much easier”
“The DAF was founded in response to all of the barriers and obstacles I have faced in my journey as a Deaf person trying to build a career in architecture,” Laing told Dezeen.
“Throughout my architecture education, I was constantly working to source interpreters, notetakers and learning support, worrying that disability funding would run out, struggling to keep up with things like software training, working out how to translate specialist terminology into British Sign Language (BSL) – fighting for my right to learn on an equal footing with my peers.”
DAF exists to support members of the Deaf community in the architecture industry experiencing these same issues, while also maximising visibility and Deaf-friendly spaces.
“It is my hope that the DAF will make the journey much easier for those who come next,” Laing added.
Chris Laing has launched Deaf Architecture Front. Photo is by Ashton Jean-Pierre
According to Laing, there are fewer than 15 Deaf architecture students in the UK and even fewer qualified architects. Of the three per cent of people in architecture who identify as disabled, just 0.2 per cent are Deaf.
His motivation to launch the platform was prompted by the Black Lives Matter movement and the Future Architects Front group, which he said showed that “society was becoming more receptive to issues surrounding access and inclusion”.
“I realised that building a unifying platform for the Deaf community in spatial design was the first essential step in effecting change,” he said.
The ambitions of DAF are two-fold. While reducing barriers to Deaf people working in the field of architecture, it also hopes to ensure the experiences of people with hearing impairments are properly considered in building design.
To achieve this, it is campaigning to expand British Sign Language resources within the sector, such as funding interpreters and improving work-experience opportunities, while ensuring architecture studios are adhering to DeafSpace – an approach to architecture based on the requirements of Deaf people.
It responds to the barriers faced by Deaf people in architecture
“Hearing architects rarely consider, because they do not understand, that the way in which Deaf people experience and navigate a building is very different to hearing people,” said Laing.
An example of this includes the presence of squared corners that limit visibility and, therefore, increase the likelihood of Deaf people colliding with others as they cannot rely on audio cues to know if there is someone nearby.
Public toilets can also be anxiety-inducing for people who are hard of hearing because if there is a fire alarm sounding, you cannot see people evacuating.
DAF could expand into other countries
“To fix this, it is essential to ensure Deaf people have a stake in architecture, and part of the way we achieve that is by ensuring they have a professional route into the sector,” Laing explained.
According to Laing, despite the low numbers of Deaf people entering and working in the architecture industry, “the UK is at the forefront in terms of access, compared to other countries”.
“At the moment there are no figures or clear statistics from other countries available for comparison, and there are no organisations similar to the DAF that promote Deaf architects or provide resources to enable better access for the Deaf community,” he said.
Laing has developed a lexicon of architectural terms in sign language
It is his ambition that DAF may one day be able to expand into other countries. However, the platform’s immediate focus is on raising funds to achieve its initial three-year plan.
This strategy includes updating Signstrokes – a lexicon of BSL architectural terms that Laing developed with architectural assistant Adolfs Kristapsons – and teaching it to interpreters and translators.
DAF is also aiming to create a structure for training its own consultants while establishing “a DeafSpace Lab” to share resources and host workshops about the design approach.
Architecture is a notoriously inaccessible profession. Alongside the launch of DAF, the last few years have seen an increase in awareness of the gender pay gap and lack of racial diversity in the industry.
At 93 storeys and 325 metres tall, the SHoP Architects-designed Brooklyn Tower in New York is the tallest building in the borough. Though the mixed-use tower topped out in March this year, its intricate black and bronze facade was only recently completed.
Blackened steel panels run from the top of the skyscraper towards the bottom, where it meets the preserved, historic Dime Savings Bank at its base. Bronze and copper pilasters give definition to the black facade, creating a staggered appearance.
Some thought the supertall skyscraper was a “beautiful” addition to the Brooklyn skyline, others gave it a “one out of 10”.
“All it needs is the Eye of Sauron,” wrote James Beckett, referencing the comparisons that some New Yorkers are making between Brooklyn Tower and the architecture of the Lord of the Rings film s.
Chris saw a likeness between the tower and a different film franchise: “looks great and [there’s] a bit of Gotham about it as well.”
Floooo called the tower “one of the most beautiful skyscraper additions to New York in a long time”, while Snessnyc agreed that “it most definitely is a striking landmark in the best way”.
Other commenters weren’t quite so generous in their comparisons. “A vertical castle: heavy, defensive, dominating,” wrote Jesse Lockhart Krause. “Poor outcome. One out of 10 from me.”
“This is a giant step backwards for Brooklyn,” warned Jb, while Marius was curious to “see the developer’s bottom line”.
“Good to see a new house designed in the traditional, vernacular manner, with lots of pleasing quirks and character,” wrote AlfredHitchcock. “The staircase, gallery landing and timber partition are particularly lovely.”
“This is rather nice and appears to settle restfully in the local context,” agreed Smorgasbord. “Good to see some photography showing the house as lived-in, too.”
Jb posited that “architecture informed by architecture is refreshing”, while Jerry Dickman-Wilkes called the dwelling “wonderful and beautifully executed”.
“It’s nice to see more liveable places on Dezeen’s radar,” concluded Design Junkie.
While some commenters praised the centre’s “gorgeous” exterior, others wondered whether it bore more resemblance to a “crematorium” than a kiln.
“Kiln-like indeed – it looks like a crematorium,” wrote Tosh Fieldsend, while BBOB branded it an “awful-looking building”.
“What a beautiful structure,” allowed Danny De Jayeff. “Unfortunately, after looking at the interior photos of the light wells, it seems [that the] way they’re being used doesn’t really match with the more dramatic possibilities that a space like that commands. It looks like a common office interior and [is] quite disappointing.”
But the project had just as many admirers as detractors, with JZ praising the “unbelievably gorgeous exterior material”.
Design Junkie was on the same page and was “loving the mono-exterior, single-material cladding.”
“This looks like a baker’s paradise,” concluded Niall. “Would love to visit.”
Dezeen is the world’s most commented architecture and design magazine, receiving thousands of comments each month from readers. Keep up to date on the latest discussions on our comments page and subscribe to our weekly Debate newsletter, where we feature the best reader comments from stories in the last seven days.
From a 93-kilometre cycle highway encircling Dubai to satirical proposals responding to events in the news, the list includes sports centres, skyscrapers, parks, and residences that push the boundaries of design.
British studio Apollodorus Architecture designed a Colosseum-like stadium in Bath as a response to the proposed redevelopment of the Recreation ground put forward by Bath Rugby club.
Apollodorus’s proposal features an oval-shaped stadium that nods to the classical detailing and forms of Roman amphitheatres, with capacity for 18,000 fans.
London-based architecture studio JAA revealed a proposal to encase Grenfell Tower in a sarcophagus of black concrete as a memorial to the 72 victims of a fire that destroyed the building in 2017.
The studio argued the project would ensure that the disaster is properly remembered but the proposal drew criticism from the area’s MP, who branded it “misery porn”.
Designers Sandra G Matthews and Michael R Henderson proposed a luxury resort for Dubai that would feature a recreated surface of the moon enclosed in “the world’s largest sphere”.
According to Henderson, the top floor of the resort would be dedicated to the moon-surface attraction, featuring “10 acres of authentic undulating lunar surface incorporating a highly detailed working lunar colony”.
Architecture studio ZN Era envisioned a circular skyscraper built around the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in downtown Dubai as a solution to the city’s rapid urbanisation and population growth.
The 550-metre-tall structure would contain two interconnected rings containing the building’s residential, public, commercial and cultural spaces.
As a response to the 2021 Capitol riots in Washington, DC by Donald Trump supporters, architecture studio Opposite Office proposed that the government building be wrapped in a 1.5-metre-thick wall.
The proposed design would use bricks made of recycled waste and serve as a “fortress to protect democracy”, in the words of the studio.
Designer Sebastian Errazuriz suggested turning Notre-Dame Cathedral into a rocket launchpad in an “act of creative one-upmanship” as a response to the flurry of design proposals put forward by architecture firms after the landmark’s roof and spire were destroyed in a fire in 2019.
The proposal was not a serious submission, but rather a plea to fellow designers to stop coming up with concepts, which included an aquaponic farm, a swimming pool and a greenhouse, among others.
Barcelona-based studio ON-A proposed replacing the area around FC Barcelona’s Nou Camp football stadium with a 26-hectare park that would envelope the structure underneath a hill.
The studio proposed the design to demonstrate how cities might introduce more parkland into urban centres.
Istanbul-based Hayri Atak Architectural Design Studio proposed a boutique hotel featuring a cantilevered swimming pool on the side of a steep cliff in Norway.
Designed to capture the feeling of “living life on and beyond the edge” the hotel would include nine guest suites buried in the rockface, with a viewing deck and rectangular pool suspended beneath.
The Loop, designed by architecture studio Urb, would be a covered pedestrian and cyclist highway wrapped around Dubai in order to stitch together disconnected roads throughout the city.
The 93-kilometre-long structure would be enclosed in an amorphous glass tube and contain pathways lined with plants, trees and vertical farms in a climate-controlled environment.
A collaboration—years in the making—draws inspiration from Fire Opals to create a deeply unique limited edition EVDNT shoe and accompanying apparel collection
Advisory Board Crystals and Vans Present: Miracle Conditions
A collaboration—years in the making—draws inspiration from Fire Opals to create a deeply unique limited edition EVDNT shoe and accompanying apparel collection
For over 50 years Vans has made products that inarguably symbolize a Californian vibe of style-forward sportswear. More recently Advisory Board Crystals (Abc) has upped the ante by leaning into a playfully ethereal aesthetic. The two Cali-based brands have now come together to design a collection inspired by counterculture and the mysticism of crystals and symbolized by the fire opal. Fire opals, among those who feel stones’ energies, are known to activate the crown chakra and assist in bringing clarity and inspiring wonder. The collaboration collection is called Miracle Conditions.
” data-medium-file=”https://150102931.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2-2-2-e1692178214945-300×142.jpg” data-large-file=”https://150102931.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2-2-2-e1692178214945-1024×485.jpg” src=”https://150102931.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2-2-2-e1692178214945-1024×485.jpg” alt=”” class=”wp-image-345972″ />Courtesy of Abc
At the core of this collaboration is the EVDNT, a newer shoe model from Vans, which has undergone a dramatic transformation under the artistic influence of Abc. Drawing inspiration from the kaleidoscopic effect of fire opals, the shoe mirrors its multi-hued shimmer and depth. The technical construction of the EVDNT was ideal for this re-imagination, allowing for intricate layering, innovative transparency, and the blending of a medley of materials to capture the abstract essence of the stone. Cobranded easter eggs hit on the shoe and packaging at an unprecedented level of collaboration for either brand.
Courtesy of Abc
Attention to design detail is palpable throughout the shoe. Custom Swarovski eyelets provide a hint of elegance, while varying suede colors, mesh tones, transparent holographics and opal patterns come together to evoke the shoe’s sculptural, gem-like feeling. The matte silver components complement the riot of colors, while the vegan leather lining ensures wearability isn’t sacrificed for style. An Abc lace lock cleverly transforms the EVDNT into a slip-on, ensuring it’s not just an art piece but a practical wardrobe addition. And with transparent holographic covers on the foot bed insoles the idea of a direct connection to the stone is suggested.
Courtesy of Abc
Beyond the EVDNT an apparel and accessory line, crafted in Abc’s factory, seamlessly extends the fire opal design narrative. Swarovski rivets, fire opal graphics and special multilayered holographic patches are design highlights that harmoniously echo the shoe’s opulent theme. The earth-toned apparel, versatile in its aesthetics, is embellished with references to the opal, making each piece a statement in itself.
Courtesy of Abc
Courtesy of Abc
Courtesy of Abc
Courtesy of Abc
Courtesy of Abc
Courtesy of Abc
Courtesy of Abc
Courtesy of Abc
Courtesy of Abc
Courtesy of Abc
Courtesy of Abc
This collaboration between Vans and Advisory Board Crystals is not just a tribute to counterculture and creativity, but a masterclass in design innovation. It’s where meticulous attention to detail, rich artistic influence, and product functionality converge to create a collection that’s as much art as it is attire. The EVDNT Vans are a limited release available via raffle today. Join their mailing list to find out how to enter. The apparel and accessory collection drops at Advisory Board Crystals on 17 August 2023 at 10:30am EST.
Artificial intelligence could give rise to a “neoclassical futurist” architecture style and will become “an everyday tool of necessity”, says designer Tim Fu in this interview for our AItopia series.
The project saw Fu generate a series of column capitals using AI image generator Midjourney that were then hand-carved in stone by Apfel. It is an example of how AI can combine different concepts, according to Fu, who thinks this is AI’s main strength.
“AI’s best ability is to fuse things,” Fu told Dezeen. “So if you take two distinct concepts that are very recognisable and you fuse them, that hybridism would give you this very successful and unique result that is also novel.”
Tim Fu AI-designed a column that was then hand-carved in stone
This could be especially interesting when it comes to architecture, according to the designer.
“The ability to fuse classical architecture and futuristic architecture could be like neo-classical futurism, new fusions that never existed,” he said. “It’s what I call hybridism, which is a very unique concept.”
By using AI design tools, Fu believes that architects could create modern buildings that hark back to more classical designs.
“I hope to usher in more ornamentation and move away from the minimalism that was ushered in by the industrial revolution,” he explained.
“The industrial revolution was about human ideation and machine fabrication,” he added.
“Finally, AI allowed us to put the machine at the ideation phase, so that potentially we can use human fabrication instead and revert the role of the two.”
The designer has created designs for baroque-like exteriors using AI
The hand-carved stone project is an example of this, according to Fu.
“We’re flipping the narrative – it’s now machine ideation and human fabrication. And that can potentially usher in a new sort of design narrative that has never been thoroughly explored,” he said.
Much of the criticism against AI has focused on this idea that the creative control would be held by a machine, leaving humans to do the physical work. But Fu doesn’t see this as a negative, arguing that human handicraft cannot be replaced.
“Handicraft such as carving stone is very human and it’s also millennia of human knowledge,” he said.
“It’s well-respected as a profession and machines to this day cannot carve anything better than a human hand.”
He believes that letting AI do the designs would free architects and designers up to create more innovative ornamental buildings.
“We love Renaissance cathedrals so much, yet we’re building boxes everywhere,” Fu said.
“So why not bring back ornamentation, bring back the beauty and the aesthetics that we once held so highly in the classical era, and also allow machines to continue to fabricate and produce feasibly for us and free us up to do the more intricate and beautiful parts?” he added.
“It is what we do with parametricism as well; we’re celebrating maximalism and trying to bring back these essential beauties that we see in old architecture.”
Fu also designed art nouveau-style buildings
Fu thinks of the hybridist AI style as “neoclassical futurism” and has written a manifesto on the concept.
“AI, under the thoughtful control of the designer, can elevate classical styles into contemporary contexts, giving rise to what I believe to be the unique style to be described as neoclassical futurism,” the manifesto states.
“This style holds the promise to flourish in the coming days as AI becomes more prominently used in design.”
“Through AI and the emergence of neoclassical futurism, we potentially stand on the brink of a new era of architectural innovation, where the past and future converge in exciting and unanticipated ways.”
Fu aims to bring back more ornamental design styles
LookX was first founded in China as XKool by Wanyu He before the English-language version of the platform was launched, and Fu believes that China could eventually become a world leader in AI tools.
“China has huge amounts of resource,” he said. “So it’s one of the few instances I think, like TikTok, where a Chinese company can actually take monopoly over something.”
“I think China is an interesting case when it comes to their economy and their growth,” Fu said.
“They don’t get enough credit by the media, but really they’re starting to become a hub of innovation, surprisingly,” he added. “My opinion of China used to be negative, but it has proven itself to really, really stand up in the innovation sector.”
“They are booming in the tech industry of their own and innovation, so it’s not surprising to see them trying to not only come up to par but compete and replace things like Midjourney with their own version, which in my experience right now is superior.”
He believes AI could help create “neoclassical futurism”
Eventually, AI will become an “everyday tool of necessity,” Fu believes.
“There’s an overarching concern with all of AI development with the public with regards to AI replacing us,” he said.
“And I would always allude to historical precedence, like with any technology that has come – it will obviously replace certain elements of our task, but at the same time, it will transform our industry and where we focus,” he added.
“Our human input will be reallocated, as opposed to being replaced.”
The images are courtesy of Tim Fu.
Dezeen In Depth
If you enjoy reading Dezeen’s interviews, opinions and features, subscribe to Dezeen In Depth. Sent on the last Friday of each month, this newsletter provides a single place to read about the design and architecture stories behind the headlines.
This article is part of Dezeen’s AItopia series, which explores the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on design, architecture and humanity, both now and in the future.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
