Jun 20
Dezeen Wire: a Chinese firm is planning to build an exact replica of the Austrian village of Hallstatt in the Chinese province of Guangdong – Spiegel Online
Jun 17
V&A acquire work by Nendo, BCXSY and Fredrikson Stallard
Posted in: Design Miami/Basel 2011, Dezeen Wire
Dezeen Wire: the V&A museum in London has purchased work by designers including Nendo, BCXSY and Fredrikson Stallard using a new acquisition fund for contemporary design.
Announced by the V&A and the Outset Contemporary Art Fund in Basel this week, the first collection comprises:
- Cord chair by Nendo
- Chair, Thin Black Line Series by Nendo
- Cabbage Chair by Nendo
- Wood screens Origin – Part I : Join by BCXSY
- Table #1 (Log) (first prototype) by Fredrikson Stallard
- Sofa ‘Pyrenees’ by Fredrikson Stallard
- Fractal Table II by Platform
- Bell Metal table by Satyendra Pakhalé
The details that follow are from the V&A:
Outset Contemporary Art Fund and V&A announce first purchases using new acquisition fund
Outset Contemporary Art Fund and the V&A have announced today details of the first collection of pieces which were purchased following the establishment of a fund to acquire examples of the best contemporary designs.
A panel of design experts, led by Christopher Wilk, V&A Keeper of Furniture, Fashion and Textiles, selected the pieces, which include works by Fredrikson Stallard, Nendo, BCXSY, Platform and Satyendra Pakhalé. The furniture will be displayed in the Museum during the London Design Festival: 17 – 25 September 2011 and will then form part of various V&A exhibitions and galleries (see below for full details)
The Fund, was launched in March 2011 at a Gala event at the V&A, hosted by Yana Peel, Co-founder and Co-director of Outset Contemporary Art Fund and Ben Evans, Director of the London Design Festival and Francis Sultana, Chair of the Design Fund Patrons. The Gala was generously supported by Nadja Swarovski, Vice President of Corporate Communications and Creative Director.
Sir Mark Jones, V&A Director, said: “We are very grateful to Outset for supporting the V&A and enabling us to acquire such wonderful contemporary design pieces for the collections.”
Ben Evans, Director of the London Design Festival said: “I am delighted that the acquisitions from the Outset Fund are going to be put on display for the first time during the London Design Festival. The V&A is our hub venue and our programme there is the highlight of the Festival.”
The fund organisers are also partnering with Æsir Copenhagen, a pioneer in the design world, which has just launched a handcrafted mobile phone by Yves Béhar. This fund has also been made possible by contributions of fifteen individual patrons. Yana Peel commented: “We are very pleased that the generosity of Outset patrons has resulted in the largest donation to date for the acquisition of design at the V&A. The exemplary objects purchased through the Outset Design Fund to Benefit the V&A will have a meaningful impact on the permanent collection and serve as an important extension of our work in supporting public institutions through private patronage.”
Jun 17
Dezeen Wire: plans by Zaha Hadid Architects to extend London’s Serpentine Gallery have been approved by Westminster Council.
An adjacent Grade II listed building will be renovated to contain the new Serpentine Sackler Gallery.
This will be connected to the existing main gallery by a new café and event space with a lightweight undulating roof.
Read about the Serpentine Pavilions »
More projects by Zaha Hadid Architects on Dezeen »
Here’s some more information from the Serpentine Gallery:
Serpentine Sackler Gallery receives planning permission
17 June 2011
Plans by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Zaha Hadid for the renovation and development of The Magazine building in Kensington Gardens, to become the Serpentine Sackler Gallery, have been granted permission by Westminster Council it was announced today.
The Serpentine Sackler Gallery, situated a stone’s throw from the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens will bring a unique listed building into public use for the first time in its 206-year history, providing a new cultural destination and landmark for London. The Gallery is named after Dr Mortimer and Theresa Sackler, whose Foundation has made the project possible through the largest single gift received by the Serpentine Gallery in its 41-year history.
The restoration and extension will offer nearly 900 square meters of galleries and social space. The adjoining extension will be used as a café/restaurant, creating a permanent architectural landmark in the heart of London.
Westminster Council commended the designs in their report: “The proposals will enable an important listed building, in a highly sensitive landscape setting, to be refurbished and brought into public use, and will enhance Westminster’s role as a major cultural destination. It is an overwhelming opportunity to enhance the significance and re-establish a more formal landscape setting of this currently partly redundant and undervalued heritage asset and would provide a national public benefit.”
Julia Peyton-Jones, Director and Hans Ulrich Obrist, Co-Director of the Serpentine Gallery said: “We are delighted that Zaha Hadid’s visionary designs for the Serpentine Sackler Gallery will be realised here in the heart of London. This is an opportunity of a lifetime for the Gallery to create an exciting new platform for contemporary culture for the UK and beyond.”
Zaha Hadid, Director, Zaha Hadid Architects said: “I am absolutely delighted the plans have been granted permission. This is an important milestone for the project that allows the Serpentine Gallery to further develop its acclaimed cultural programmes. I would like to thank all those whose hard work has made this possible both at Westminster Council and the Serpentine Gallery.”
Responding to the Grade II listed building and the Grade I listed landscape, Zaha Hadid has designed a light and transparent extension for the Serpentine Sackler Gallery to be used as a café/restaurant and social space. This will complement the historic structure, which will be refurbished and completed with a new north wing that emphasises the oldest part of the building – the former powder store – as a central citadel. The modern extension will be added to the west, a contemporary lightweight partner to the original building’s classical weight.
Covered by a lightweight tensile membrane, the extension compliments rather than competes with the main building. The structure is defined by a single roof surface that playfully undulates, at times dipping down to touch the ground before rising up again. Roof lights punctuate the peaks of the surface, bringing natural light into the interior. The surrounding grounds, created by the landscape designers Gross Max, also take on an undulating form. Protected trees and hedges, as well as the historic ha-ha, will be retained.
The Serpentine Sackler Gallery will present the best in emerging international talent across all art forms, complementing the existing programme at the Serpentine Gallery. Commissioning new works, public engagement and cultural learning will be at the heart of its programmes, which will include an annual large-scale light installation inside the building and an outdoor Playscape for children and adults of all ages. Like the Serpentine Gallery, it will be free of charge and accessible to all.
Jun 17
D&AD award winners announced
Posted in: Dezeen Wire
Dezeen Wire: the winners of the D&AD awards were announced at a ceremony in London last night.
Winners include the iPad and Plumen 001 light bulb in the consumer product design category, Thomas Heatherwick’s Seed Cathedral at Shanghai Expo 2010 and Studio East by Carmody Groarke in the spatial design section, and Puma’s Clever Little Bag in the packaging category.
Jun 14
“Eco-friendly mosque planned for Germany” – Guardian
Posted in: Dezeen Wire, mosques, Selcuk Ünyilmaz
Dezeen Wire: German architect Selcuk Ünyilmaz has prepared designs for a £2.2 million mosque near Hamburg with wind turbines in its minarets – Guardian
Jun 13
Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners propose a bridge over the O2 Arena
Posted in: Dezeen Wire, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners
Dezeen Wire: UK architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners have submitted proposals to Greenwich Council for a walkway spanning the roof of London’s O2 Arena, which was completed by Richard Rogers Partnership back in 1999 – Greenwich.co.uk
Jun 09
Former Foreign Office Architects principal Alejandro Zaera-Polo launches studio
Posted in: Dezeen Wire
Dezeen Wire: former Foreign Office Architects co-founder Alejandro Zaera-Polo has opened his new studio, Alejandro Zaera-Polo Architecture (AZPA).
Zaera-Polo’s partner in Foreign Office Architects, Farshid Moussavi, launched her new studio earlier this week.
Foreign Office Architects closed in 2009 – see our earlier story.
The information below is from Alejandro Zaera-Polo Architecture:
As of last week, Alejandro Zaera-Polo Architecture (AZPA) started trading as an international architectural practice with offices in London and Barcelona.
AZPA is a legacy practice of FOA and will be the vehicle for my professional activities. AZPA will continue a multidisciplinary commitment to innovation in architecture and urban design, combining technical expertise with design excellence.
Our projects include a wide range of scales, typologies and locations. These range from the Birmingham New Street Station Redevelopment in the UK to the Cerezales Foundation in Leon, Spain. Other projects include the 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championship Facilities in Santander, the Gapyong Community Centre in Korea, the Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova en Lleida and the BioPol Science Centre in Barcelona, among others.
Jun 09
Dezeen Wire: architects including Foster + Partners, Aedas and BDP have accused the UK Conservative Party of exaggerating the fees architects were paid under the previous government’s Building Schools for the Future scheme – Building Design
Jun 07
Dezeen Wire: the Design Council in the UK have announced a new Board of Trustees, following their merger with CABE in April.
Here are some more details from the Design Council:
Design Council announces new Board of Trustees
The Design Council has announced the appointment of its new Board of Trustees
including influential thinkers and globally respected names from the worlds of design, business, the built environment, arts and education.
The full list of trustees follows.
Chair of the Trust Board: Martin Temple, CBE, businessman and Chairman of the Engineering Employers Federation.
Deputy Chair and Chair of Design Council CABE: Paul Finch, design writer, critic and Director of the International Architecture Festival
Trustees in alphabetical order:
- Pam Alexander, Chief Executive of SEEDA and ex-Chair of the Peabody Trust
- Rab Bennetts OBE, architect, Board member of the UK Green Building Council
- Sandeep Dwesar, COO and CFO of the Barbican Centre, Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the London Symphony Orchestra
- Jim Eyre, Architect and former President of the Architecture Association
- Wayne Hemingway MBE, designer, commentator and broadcaster
- Sir Mark Jones, outgoing Director of the V&A and Master of St Cross College Oxford.
- Deborah Meaden, businesswoman, and panel member of ‘Dragons’ Den’
- Marek Reichman, Design Director of Aston Martin
- Simon Waterfall, award-winning and globally recognised digital designer
- Peter Williams, businessman and ex-CEO of Selfridges
The appointments are part of the restructuring of the Design Council following the organisation’s merger with CABE and its change of status from being a public body to being a charity as of 1st April 2011.
The new Trust Board takes responsibility for the governance of the Design Council including setting the vision and strategy, acting as guardians of the assets and ensuring that the objectives of the charities continue to be met in the public interest.
Commenting on the new Trust Board, Martin Temple said:
“That such an influential group of people have volunteered to lead the Design Council at this important time says a lot about the relevance of the mission to the UK and the interest in bringing the full spectrum of design together. I am excited at the prospect of working with such a talented and expert group and am delighted that Paul Finch has agreed to be our Deputy Chair and Chair of Design Council CABE.”
Former Chairman, Lord Bichard will continue to be closely involved in the Design Council and will Chair the policy forums announced in Martin Temple’s Review to the Department of Business Innovation & Skills. The first of these forums will be a summit on Design for Growth, taking place on 23 June.
The first meeting of the Design Council’s new Board of Trustees takes place on Thursday 9th June 2011.
Jun 07
Dezeen Wire: New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff is to leave the paper, following seven years in the role – Architects’ Newspaper
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