Design Bureau Issue 18

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ROCK-’N’-ROLL CULTURE FOR THE MODERN MUSIC FANATIC

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House of Rock Things are heating up inside this sexy Santa Monica show house

CONTENTS ISSUE 18 FEATURES 56 Killer Kitchens and Beautiful Baths They’re the most important rooms in the house—shouldn’t they look like you? Sexy or psychedelic, playful or sophisticated... whatever your style, we’ve got the latest kitchen and bathroom looks from around the world to fit your personality 68 House of Rock Inside the sexy Santa Monica show house, glam and grit abound 76 Bjarke Ingels Boldly trying to go sideways, the Danish architect keeps rapidly moving forward

PAGE 68

DIALOGUE & DESIGN THINKING 43 The Joys of a Clean Bum Japan’s toilets make getting down to business a high-tech affair 48 Wine Cellars at Home Charles River Wine Cellars designs custom caves for homes of all different sizes, styles, and tastes

INFORMER 9 Pixels & Print 17 Objects & Gear 23 Fashion & Beauty 29 Travel & Culture 33 Structures & Spaces

50 Home Away From Home One family vacation home gets a next generation remodel on New Hampshire’s Squam Lake 54 Vintage Cottage Chic In breezy and beautiful Florida, repurposed materials and neutral details add up to rustic charm that’s elegant, not cutesy

PLUS 02 04 06 44 79 80

Contributors Letter From the Editor Letters Notes From the Bureau This Issue’s Best Albums For Hire

House of Rock photo by Renata Raksha


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DESIGN BUREAU

DESIGN BUREAU CONTRIBUTORS Publisher & editor-in-chief Chris Force chris@alarmpress.com

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

-----

ACCOUNT DIRECTOR

MANAGING EDITOR

Kristin Larson kristin@alarmpress.com senior editor

Kathryn Freeman Rathbone katie@alarmpress.com associate editor

Joel Hoglund joel@alarmpress.com

Lauren Smith writes the Global Census and 5 Designers columns. She received her BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with an emphasis in furniture and textile design. She has worked with artists Anders Nilsen and Mariano Chavez, as well as in the exhibition design department at the Field Museum. She runs visual merchandising at Agent Gallery.

Renata Raksha was born and raised Nalchik, a small town in central Russia. After receiving her degree in Media Arts at UCLA, she pursued her interest in photography, video, and new media. Her work has been published in i-D, Dazed and Confused, Bullett, Nylon, and Paper magazines. She currently lives in Los Angeles. renataraksha.com

editorial intern

Kate Chiu -----

ART DIRECTOR

Spencer Matern spencer@alarmpress.com DESIGNER

Ellie Fehd ellie@alarmpress.com

Tarra Kieckhaefer tarra@alarmpress.com account managers

Liz Abshire, Jill Berris, Krystle Blume, Kevin Graham, Matthew Hord, Brianna Jordan, Moira Kelley, Cole Stevens, Bryan Tims, Natalie Valliere-Kelley, Mallory Wegner New Business Development

Shannon Painter shannon@alarmpress.com Account EXECUTIVEs

Gail Francis, Nina Marchese, Miranda Myers, Elizabeth Pivoriunas, Courtney Schiffres, Allison Weaver, Xavier Winslow production manager

Lauren Carroll laurenc@alarmpress.com

Kady Dennell kady@alarmpress.com

-----

DESIGN intern

Alli Berry

Jenny Palmer jenny@alarmpress.com

-----

Human resources

contributors

Aryn Beitz, Steven Fischer, Amber Gibson, Sarah Handleman, Matthew Keeshin, Heidi Kulicke, Jordan Mainzer, Saundra Marcel, Justin Ray, Lauren Smith, Lesley Stanley, Katie Tandy, Matthew Williams, Jenny Wilson ----Assistant to the Publisher

LeeAnne Hawley leeanne@alarmpress.com

Marketing coordinator

Lauren Miller lmiller@alarmpress.com STAFF ACCOUNTANT

Mokena Trigueros ----on the cover

Shot on location at House of Rock in Santa Monica, CA, by Renata Raksha. Model: Jennifer at Next Los Angeles. Hair: Candice Birns at Rex Agency. Makeup: Samuel Paul at Jed Root. Wardrobe Stylist: Leila Baboi. Interior design for House of Rock: Elaine Culotti On the model: Ramy Brook silk skirt, Adolfo Sanchez sheer top, Sassybax bra, Agent Provocateur garder panty and stockings, Dolce and Gabbana lace heels, EFFY 14K Rose Gold diamond & multicolor ring flower ring and bracelet.

Saundra Marcel wrote this issue’s feature on Bjarke Ingels. The NYCbased designer and writer has written for Metropolis Magazine, Domus, AIGA Voice, and is co-editor of the book At Water’s Edge She is writing a book about her hometown called Islander: Life on a Pork Chop. thedesignminded.com

Justin Ray has a master’s in magazine journalism from New York University. He has written for NBC’s Local Integrated Media department, Billboard Magazine, and various other publications. Check out his interview on Braille painting with artist Roy Nachum on p. 37.

A one-year subscription to Design Bureau is US $80. Visit our website at wearedesignbureau.com or send a check or money order to: Design Bureau 205 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 3200 Chicago, IL 60601

T 312.386.7932 F 312.276.8085 info@alarmpress.com

Design Bureau (ISSN 2154-4441) is published 10 times a year by ALARM Press at 205 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 3200, Chicago, IL, 60601. Periodicals postage is PENDING at Chicago, IL and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to Design Bureau at 205 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 3200, Chicago, IL, 60601 Retailers: To carry Design Bureau in your store, please call 201.634.7411. © 2013 Design Bureau. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. DESIGN BUREAU is a trademark of Design Bureau.


Natural, clean, functional, beautiful, glass is what sparks our collective imagination.

Made in Chicago / skydesign.com / 888-278-4660 Photography Credit: Christopher Barrett, Bruce Damonte, Adhemar Dellagiustina, Jr., Pete Eckert, Alex Erisoty, Eduard Hueber, Alise O’Brien, Frank Oudeman, Scott Shigley, Jackie Shumaker, Dana Wheelock

PHOTOGRAPHY MOTION PICTURE R25PRODUCTIONS .COM 312.493.8957


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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Bjarke Ingels

building a building fuels a self-perpetuating cycle of work hard, feel good, and start on the next project to feel it all again. Each time he works, he’s going for that physical high, and he’s not alone in his sentiments. Pleasure is an ultimate end goal for so many designers—they want to feel that same thrill of satisfaction at that moment when all their effort becomes a finished product. And when they do feel it, that pleasure translates to their end users. This is what happened in Chattanooga, a city that is building its pride thanks to a smart typeface designed by local designers D.J. Trischler, Jonathan Mansfield, Jeremy Dooley, and Robbie de Villiers (p. 13). Chatype makes them feel extremely good, and the city, by putting the typeface in public places like the library and on trashcans, is cashing in on the positive vibes. Skeptical? Go read all the enthusiastic shout-outs created by Chattanoogans on Chatype’s Twitter.

Design is a field for hedonists. It’s a field that requires incredible amounts of hard work, but its payouts are pure pleasure. “There is nothing cooler in the world than built buildings,” says rockstar architect Bjarke Ingels (p. 76). “So many times, projects can die, for all kinds of reasons. When they finally start materializing, it is so physically rewarding, it’s insane.”

Sometimes, pleasure from design manifests itself in pure self-indulgence, like when you get to cook in an incredible kitchen or bliss out in an amazing bathroom every single day (p. 56). But that’s ok, too, because design is meant to improve the world. And when people feel good, the world is a better place. Designers know this, and that’s why they work so hard to hit that true level of happiness. Pleasure—it makes the world go round. And design keeps that pleasure going. -----

Ingels makes a clear distinction here. Sure, he’s intellectually passionate about his work, but his work also causes extreme physical highs. It’s a pleasure that goes beyond cognizant intelligence. For him, actually

Photo of Bjarke Ingels by Thomas Loof

Kathryn Freeman Rathbone Senior Editor katie@alarmpress.com


“RedStreak is a proper English style draft cider. With a hazy lemon hue, scent of fresh and ripe apples, just a touch of oak, and a crisp tart finish. Locally crafted from Midwest apples, RedStreak Cider is your next drink” — Ciderist Gregory Hall

JERRY JACOBS DESIGN ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN

@

www.JerryJacobsDesign.com

415.435.0520

virtuecider.com


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DESIGN BUREAU

LETTErs to design bureau April 2013

SOUND BITES

DB shout-outs from the Twitterverse

Join the conversation at twitter.com/DesignBureauMag

DB TWEETS We covered a lot of global ground in our March international design issue, reminding our readers just how big the design world is. We love feedback, so email us: letters@wearedesignbureau.com Avant-gaudy

@staceinurface22 @Design BureauMag is releasing an Architecture exclusive special edition! I neeeeed it. 0_0 @resourcfurnitur Skimming through @Design BureauMag found the coolest Concrete Wall @tomhaga wallpaper. The latest on our NEED THIS list!

“It’s cool to look at I guess, but does anyone actually ever wear the ‘avant-garde’ dresses you featured? Looks about as practical as Zoolander’s Derelicte line.” (L.D., via Email)

@ADayInMayEvents I think this @Design BureauMag Holiday Gift Guide sums up my list!

Milano, ti Amo

“I didn’t really know about the scale or history of the ‘Salone’ furniture fair or how important it is to upand-coming designers. I’m just starting out with my first few chair designs, and I’m going to make a spot in Milan my number one goal!” (R.F., via Email)

@carascophoto Many thanks to @designbureaumag for putting the spotlight on us!

what about bugs?

“I like the environment and all, but is it really practical to have a giant green wall in a restaurant or house? Isn’t it dirty?” (J.D., via email)

“So many times, projects can die, for all kinds of reasons. When they finally start materializing, it is so physically rewarding, it’s insane.” architect bjarke ingels PAGE 76

@LBFleurEvents @DesignBureauMag very excited for your Weddings by Design issue! <3

CORRECTIONS, SEP/OCT 2012:

The byline for the story on Czech glass blowing company Lasvit (p. 43) was omitted. The story was authored by Sharon McHugh. We regret the error.

For the record: Rants, ramblings, and random facts from behind the scenes of this issue

badger

Braille

1,000

ejector seat

The type of hair used in the fancy schmancy shaving brush in our men’s grooming products roundup on p. 26

Jerusalem-born visual artist Roy Nachum incorporates Braille poetry into his paintings so the visually impaired can enjoy them, too. Share his vision on p. 37

The number of Portuguese wine corks that are reused to make one of XL Cork’s Giant Wine Multi Cork Stools. Have a seat on p. 20

A reclaimed jet fighter ejection seat is just one of the quirky finds interior design studio PENSON put in Google’s London office. Search it on p. 33

Have a question or comment? We want to hear from you. Give us a shout at letters@wearedesignbureau.com.


DESIGN THAT POPS SUBSCRIPTIONS AT 50% OFF

S U B S C R I B E T O D AY : W W W . W E A R E D E S I G N B U R E A U . C O M

Photo by Dusdin Condren Issue 16


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design bureau recommends…

We think spring shopping is so much more fun than spring cleaning. Send us your recos at letters@wearedesignbureau.com.

kristin Larson, managing editor

Porthole Cabinet “I like this medicine cabinet from Chadder & Co., an English company that restores antique tubs and bath fixutres, because it reminds me of my days on the high seas.“ £890, chadder.com

LeeA nne Hawley, Assistant to the publisher

Pacific Table

Tarra Kieckhaefer , Account director

Top Secret USB “People used to be so refined, sealing hand-written letters with imprinted wax. Porcelain casing and a customizable wax seal make this USB drive seem so romantic.” From €35, topsecretusb.com

Jenny Palmer , marketing coordinator

Polaroid Z2300 “We love social media at DB, and this stylish little Polaroid makes photos easy to edit and upload online, and the built-in printer pops out a 2X3 print in less than a minute!” $159, polaroid.com

Photos courtesy of the designers/brands

”As a kid I used to love drawing on the furniture, but my parents didn’t quite understand that creative impulse. Peruvian design studio Ese-Equis-Ele gets me.” $800, eseequisele.com


PIXELS & PRINT

The best of the best in graphics and photos

office space

The Writing on the Walls Sony taps into its musical history to create a graphic welcome on its office walls March through the main hallway at Sony Music’s London headquarters, and you’re in for a history lesson. CONTINUED

Photos by Rob Antill, robantill.com


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Pixels & Print

office space

(CONTINUED)

FILL IN THE BLANK

Manuel Dall’Olio

T

his Italian designer loves the smell of ink and paper in the morning… and all day, really. While others are crying that print is dead, Dall’Olio is pouring his passion into singular works and identities for clients as diverse as Alessi, Technogym, and Pershing Yacht.

More than 1,000 artists and pivotal events cover 1,600 square feet of wall space in the office, spanning from 1887 through the present.

Print design is…

the future.

But Web design is…

a good way to sell or share print design. I’d like to design a label for…

space in the office, spanning from 1887 through the present.

That’s because Sony has plastered a graphic timeline to its blank white walls. “Sony was very thorough in checking artists’ names and all the key events so that nothing was left out,” says Alex Fowkes, the timeline’s designer. More than 1,000 artists and pivotal events cover 1,600 square feet of wall

“I used newspapers as the initial influence,” Fowkes says. “I’ve always enjoyed quite fun and playful typography, and it matches the atmosphere in the building. I also looked at some vintage record label posters and vinyls.” The finished wall is made from 54 columns of peeland-stick matte vinyls that can be amended and extended as Sony signs new artists. In fact, that’s the plan. “The work will carry on in six-month or year bulks, with Sony sending me lists of their signings during that time,” Fowkes says. New musicians shouldn’t fear being left out, though. “There is plenty of wall space to be filled!” a

Sony office photos by Rob Antill, robantill.com; Manuel Dall’Olio portrait courtesy of Manuel Dall’Olio

[Italian racing bike brand] Cinelli.

My favorite logo is for…

Deutsche Bank.

The brand identity I wish I had designed is…

Maison Martin Margiela.

Designing a label for a wine bottle…

arouses all the senses.

What I like best about print is…

that once it’s printed you can’t go back.

Color is…

shape.

But black and white is…

rhythm.


Pixels & Print

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1

2

3

The smell of ink and paper makes me feel…

that the project is done and I can’t change it anymore. Italians are the best at…

aesthetics and pleasure perception.

And the worst at…

honesty.

4

If I were an animal I’d be a…

human being.

I’m afraid of…

emotional stupidity. The only thing better than sex is…

to desire a woman. a

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3

Stagni47’s 2012 lookbook, silk screen on paperboard and stochastic print

The Year of Creativity box was shortlisted for a Cannes Lion

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4

Branding for Controluce wine

Poster for a Warhol exhibit

All photos courtesy of Manuel Dall’Olio, manueldallolio.com

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Pixels & Print

a

b

c

See-Through Design With a sleek new logo, website, and marketing materials, glass company Skyline Design takes transparency to a whole new level By Jordan Mainzer

G

raphic design firm Thesis had a crystal clear goal when it took on Skyline Design as a new client. The glass company wanted to ditch its boring corporate identity for something a little more current. Brian Edlefson, creative director at Michigan-based Thesis, shares the details on how he made Skyline’s new look as sleek and shiny as its glass products.

A. The Packaging: Thesis designed a new marketing kit that features materials highlighting Skyline’s revamped logo and look. “We encouraged Skyline to use their print tools to show the different areas in which they provide products,” says Edlefson. Staying true to this idea, Thesis created sleek new product binders and sample packaging which are shipped in custom wool and leather totes to really grab customers’ attention. B. The Website: Thesis worked on Skyline’s website to improve its looks and

All photos courtesy of Thesis Design

usability. The new site features big product images, a clean layout, and Skyline’s pared-down blue and gray color scheme. “We emphasized the products and allowed interior designers to ‘favorite’ glass patterns, which reduced the number of physical samples Skyline had to send out,” Edlefson says of the site updates. C. The Logo: Skyline’s new logo incorporates gray type and its signature light blue S to capture the tint of the company’s glass offerings.

Go ahead, let your kids go crazy and write on the walls, thanks to Skyline’s new Kids Glass. It’s a glass targeted at kids (and fun-loving adults) that is safe for them to draw on with markers. The doodle-worthy glass design is meant to offer up an entertaining outlet in public places where kids often get bored. “Kids Glass is holistic in the sense that it allows kids to express themselves artistically in spaces where people need function, safety, and entertainment,” Edlefson says. Next time you pay a visit to the doctor’s office with your kids in tow, don’t forget the dry erase markers.

Skyline Design has been inspiring architects, designers, and artists for 30 years. The glass supplier has a close relationship with Thesis Design, a studio of friends that share their “honesty and passion for excellence.” “Glass provides a canvas for communicating, creating privacy, and transmitting light,” says Skyline president Charlie Rizzo. When it comes to their collaborative work with Thesis, the two firms “push each other” until they reach a “moment when it’s done—when it works.”


Pixels & Print

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typography

Chatype Pride Lots of cities have official flags, birds, or songs. Chattanooga, Tennessee also has an official typeface. By Jordan Mainzer

Officially named Chatype, the Chattanooga typeface is the result of a four-way effort to give the city a boost of hometown pride. “We needed somewhat of a flag to wave,” says D.J. Trischler, one of the partners behind the project. “Chattanooga has no one sports team to root for, so we thought a typeface would unite people.” Trischler and his business partner Jonathan Mansfield teamed up with designers Jeremy Dooley and Robbie de Villiers to create Chatype.

“The curvature of the typeface is distinctively memorable, playful, and fun,” Mansfield says. “It’s quirky, not in the sense that it’s cutesy, but that it’s comfortable with itself.” After a Kickstarter campaign, the typeface has been used on newspaper bins, the official city website, and at places such as the library and coffee shop The Camp House, a hub for creative goings-on. As Trischler puts it, “Some cities say, ‘Look at our skyscrapers.’ We say, ‘Look at our typeface.’” a

“The typeface’s smooth, rounded edges and soft curves represent the playfulness and friendliness of the people of Chattanooga,” says de Villiers. “The ligature of the ‘C’ and ‘H’ recall the spontaneity and creative energy of the city.”

All images courtesy of D+J, dplusj.com

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My View

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Pixels & Print

one photographer FIVE photos one city

Benjamin Harmon The Salton Sea, California

There are few places in the United States stranger and lonelier than Southern California’s Salton Sea. The quaint little towns that sprang up during its boom as a vacation destination in the ’50s and ’60s left behind haunting decay as the landlocked saltwater sea has fallen to ruin. L.A.-based writer and photographer Benjamin Harmon, like the many curious visitors to this devolved slice of the inland empire, fell under its spell. “The Salton Sea area is brimming with wonderment,” says Harmon. “In all of the ugliness and abandonment there is a spectacular sense of beauty that lies within.”a

Photography by Benjamin Harmon, benjaminharmon.wix.com/arbitrary-aperture


Pixels & Print

books

Poster Punk A NYC designer introduces Joe Strummer to Josef Müller-Brockmann

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I

t started as an experiment. Mike Joyce, who has designed album packaging for the likes of Iggy Pop and Katy Perry, wanted to see what would happen if he married the sneer of punk rock with the structure of Swiss design in poster form. When he started showing his posters online, 50,000 people checked them out in the first week. “It was amazing to hear from so many people who wanted every single one of them in print form,” says Joyce, “so I thought a large art book would (CONTINUED) be the best way to achieve that.”

1

2

1 Joyce’s update of a Dead Kennedys gig poster from 1985 2 Swissted: Vintage Rock Posters Remixed and Reimagined (Quirk Books, $40) collects 200 microperforated, ready-toframe concert posters featuring legendary indie, alternative, and punk bands from the ’70s to the ’90s. 3 Album packaging designer Mike Joyce admits, “I never thought I’d be nostalgic for Virgin Megastore.” 3

Images courtesy of Quirk Books, quirkbooks.com


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Pixels & Print

Books

(CONTINUED)

“We had double gatefold 12-inch sleeves with colored vinyl and they get a 100 pixel square jpeg to look at.”

DB: What attracts you to Swiss modernist design, and how did you see it relating to these rock concert posters? Mike Joyce: I thought the contrast of the minimalist and structured International Typographic Style versus the anarchic ethos of the punk movement would make for an interesting exploration. I think there’s a common thread between the two art forms: The Swiss modernists purged extraneous decoration to create crystal clear communication, while

punk took bloated, selfindulgent rock-and-roll and stripped it to its core. DB: Once upon a time did you want to be a musician, or did you always see yourself more aligned with the visual side of music? MJ: I was the kid who was more interested in sanding down my skateboard to paint my own graphics on it than actually riding the thing. And the same went for music—I designed flyers, T-shirts, cassette demos, and even a few tattoos for my musician

Images courtesy of Quirk Books, quirkbooks.com

friends back in the late ’80s and early ’90s. I was always just as inspired by album art as I was the actual recorded album. DB: Where do you see the art of album packaging headed? MJ: I love that vinyl has made a comeback and there are still a lot of labels doing great packaging. To this day I meet young people who crave album package design and feel sort of cheated that their generation has missed out on that art form a bit. a


objectS & gear

Things that make us drool, covet, and go broke

furniture

Take a Seat Outside Deck out your deck with one of these five stylish outdoor furniture sets CONTINUED

Desalto Kloe Chair, price upon request, desalto.it


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Objects & Gear

furniture

(CONTIN UED)

Cane Line Kingston Mocca Collection by Cane Line, price upon request, cane-line.com

Ego Paris Tandem EM3 Collection, price upon request, egoparis.com

Gandia Blasco Modular Flat Sofa and Table by Gandia Blasco, price upon request, gandiablasco.com

Kenneth Cobonpue Hagia Collection, price upon request, kennethcobonpue.com

All photos courtesy of the designers


Objects & Gear

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lighting design

A Bright Idea Christopher Boots’ lighting fixtures take a minimal aesthetic and push it to the max

“M

aximalism is about maxing out what materials can actually do, how far they can go, how much human labor has been expended on a piece,” says lighting designer Christopher Boots. “It’s almost about maximum efforts in creation and execution—the total opposite to what most product design strives for.” Boots fully embraces the concept, creating fixtures that look effortless but take painstaking care to create; his Diamond Ring design required extra special care and attention, from crystal selection and cleaning to gluing and arrangement. His favorite piece in his current line? “I’d have to say the Orp. It’s the most challenging item in the collection to make. It requires precision and a very delicate eye to ensure each join is pristine. I guess I like a challenge.” a

“Maximalism is about maxing out how much human labor has been expended on a piece .”

Fixtures from Boots’ 2012 line

Top right: BCAA pendant Middle left: Phasmida pendant Bottom left: Bucky fixture Bottom right: Simple Y pendant

For more information on where to purchase Boots’ designs, visit christopherboots.com. Photos by John Tsiavis.

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Objects & Gear

Substance

Put a Cork In It The insulating substance is good for more than just keeping wine contained By Jenny Wilson

Float Lights Cork and a warm bulb are a match made in lighting heaven. These hand-turned pendant lights from designer Benjamin Hubert are created using traditional woodworking techniques from large agglomerate blocks of cork that have been reclaimed from the production of wine bottle stoppers. Sizes vary; prices available on request, benhaminhubert.co.uk

Cortica Chaise Lounge Handmade by furniture designer Daniel Michalik, this waterproof, mold-resistant chaise is composed of cork reclaimed from the bottle-stopper industry and can be used indoors or out. It has a flexible, well-balanced design that allows for gentle rocking either side to side or back and forth—good news for wine drinkers who get a little wobbly a half-bottle in. From $4,800, branchhome.com

Giant Wine Multi Cork Stool How many people can pour their guests a fine Portuguese wine and offer them a seat on a stool made of 1,000 high-quality Portuguese wine corks at the same time? With a limited production of 200, this cork creation stands approximately 17 inches high and is perfect for a stool or a side table. Consider the conversation started. £90, xlcork.com Cork Wash Basin Sinks and tubs made of unlikely materials are all the rage these days, so it’s the perfect time to check out innovative Portuguese designers Alzira Peixoto and Carlos Mendonça (simpleformsdesign.com), whose cork collection includes a wash basin that is treated with a finish that holds up to everyday use. The earthy nature of the cork itself contrasts nicely with the clean, modern shape of the basin. $820, aplusrstore.com

All photos courtesy of the designers


Objects & Gear

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The Moxie Shower by Kohler Addicted to music but afraid to bring your iPod into the shower? Kohler has come up with a solution. The Moxie showerhead syncs with any Bluetoothenabled device so you can belt it out in the shower without waterlogging your technology. The detachable speaker means you don’t have to stop listening once you’ve toweled off. $200, kohler.com

Fold Shower System by Jan Puylaert for WET The FOLD shower system is simple and elegant, with an all-white body and brass chromed fittings. Need a punch of color? FOLD can be installed in any of WET’s Attraction showers, available in 10 bold hues. Price upon request, wet.co.it

BATHROOM

Show Off Your Shower T

The Avec Collection by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba for Kos Made from lightweight aluminum and glass and available in a variety of sizes, the Avec shower is the perfect option if you want to hose down in a futuristic design. Price upon request, zucchettikos.it

hese eye-popping fixtures and showers will impress even your pickiest design-minded houseguests.

The Stance by Kohler The Stance collection includes minmalist shower components. Perfect for adding a modern touch to your scrubdown space. $200$375, kohler.com

All photos courtesy of the designers

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Objects & Gear

Must-have Gear

Pray for rain

Blue Spatters Long Umbrella A Bright Blue Pattern gives a cheerful jolt to even the dreariest of days. $27, cheekyumbrella.com

Green and Black Curls Long Umbrella Lime green makes intricate black swirls pop. A curved handle completes the whirled look. $42, cheekyumbrella.com

Mini-unikko mini manual umbrelLA

Marimekko reimagines Maija Isola’s classic 1964 poppy pattern. $49, usstore. marimekko.com

Photo by Zack Burris, zackburris.com

Joonas auto open & close umbrella

Who says a black umbrella has to be boring? Added bonus: the Joonas’ graphic design opens up by simply pressing a button with your thumb. $69, usstore. marimekko.com


fashion & beauty Swimwear

Caged Creations Looking for a swimsuit to coordinate with your cage dress? (or maybe that’s just Nicki Minaj...) Chromat Garments has options for both. Chromat is the brainchild of Becca McCharen, a trained architect who turned her design interests from sculpting city skylines to creating what she calls “scaffolding for the human body.” CONTINUED

Photos by PAMU, pamu.com; courtesy of Chromat, chromatgarments.com

Because style never goes out of… style


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swimwear

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Fashion & Beauty

(CONTIN UED)

“We design body-conscious swimwear and accessories that accentuate interesting volumes on the body,” she says. Hardcore female rockers like Joan Jett and the Guerilla Girls inspired the Spring/ Summer 2013 collection entitled Riot Box. “We constructed a leather balaclava face mask in solidarity with the members of Pussy Riot, a feminist punk-rock band based in Moscow that were arrested for protesting against the Russian government’s ties to the Orthodox Church. Women who are not afraid to stand up and speak out against apathy and the status quo are a motivating, refreshing inspiration.” And although she’s worked in collaboration with many performers (including Madonna, Kanye West, and Azealia Banks), McCharen would love to see Ms. Jett herself don a piece from the collection she inspired. “I have not yet been in contact with Joan Jett about the collection, but it would be an honor to work with her. We listen to her music in the Chromat studio all the time.” a

”Women who are not afraid to stand up and speak out against apathy and the status quo are a motivating, refreshing inspiration,” says designer Becca McCharen. Chromat Garments, $63-625, chromatgarments.com


Fashion & Beauty

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DESIGN BUREAU

Vegetable leather, lycra, rubber, and nylon are all used to construct Chromat’s voluminous pieces.

Photos by PAMU, pamu.com; courtesy of Chromat, chromatgarments.com

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Fashion & Beauty

grooming products

For the man’s man with a steady hand, the straight razor gives you the closest shave and lets you feel a little bit like Crocodile Dundee. Baxter Blue Steel ‘Not a Replica’ Straight Razor, handmade in the USA, $240, baxterofcalifornia.com

Men’s Room Guys, it’s finally time to grow up. Start by tossing the 100-count bag of disposable razors and turning yourself on to some serious grooming products.

If you’re going to have the best looking grooming products, you better be storing them in the best looking medicine cabinet. +/- Mirrored Bathroom Cabinet in aluminum, designed by Dror Benshetrit for Boffi, $2,720, boffi.com

A stainless steel nail file, scissors, clippers, pliers, and tweezers will help you get your little piggies in shape with the refined style of 138-year-old haute London barber brand Geo F. Trumper. Six-Piece Brown Calf Leather Manicure Set, £170, trumpers.com

If bling isn’t your thing, this earthy shaving kit may be just your style. Handmade in Sweden, the concrete soap dish is paired with sandalwood soap and a badger hair shaving brush. Concrete shaving kit by Lovisa Wattman for Iris Hantverk (irishantverk.se), $98 at mjolk.ca

All photos courtesy of the designers

All-natural, water-based, vitamin-infused, American-made, not crazy-expensive, and with snazzy packaging to boot… what’s not to like about Imperial Barber Products? Imperial Hair/Shave bundle, $45, imperialbarberproducts.com


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skin accessories

Rad Tats Online community Dottinghill turns user-submitted art into smart tattoos—sans needles

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ooking for some original ink, but without the commitment? Log onto Dottinghill, an online site where you can submit, vote on, and purchase designer temporary tattoos. But these aren’t the kinds of tats you fished out of the cereal box as a kid. Dottinghill is all about sophisticated skin art that makes a serious fashion statement.

“We got the idea to start Dottinghill from Chanel actually,” says Tammy Cho, who founded the site with her husband Michael from their home in Singapore. “In their spring 2010 runway shows, they featured some really cool temporary ‘skin art’ on their models, and it was refreshing to us because it showed that temporary tattoos can be a lot more appealing and sophisticated. It is, after all, Chanel.” But rather than stock just their own designs, Michael Cho wanted to look to the masses. “I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to tap the collective creative prowess of designers around the world and apply that to temporary tattoos as an art form?’” We think so. a

What can we say—once you go Hommage, you never go Bic. Hommage black acrylic Manhattan Razor with pouch, $150, and Hommage Monaco Shave Set with badger-hair brush, polished razor, and magnetic stand, $800, both at hommageshoponline.com

Tattoo design ‘The Hypnowl’ by Heiko Windisch. Inset: ‘Plaidapus’ by Jonah Block, both at dottinghill.com

Photos courtesy of Dottinghill, dottinghill.com

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Fashion & Beauty

Iceland

Australia

Nicaragua

Showing Skin Data sets and fashion collide in the World Skin Color Scarves By Amber Gibson Dutch designer and visual sociologist Reineke Otten is giving new meaning to the term color blind, thanks to her World Skin Color project: a collection of 231 silk scarves that represent the distribution of skin colors in every country around the world. By using data collected from government websites, Otten was able to translate it into stunning colors and abstract patterns. But don’t let the description fool you—her designs are anything but drab. “I really like the pinkness of the Philippines, the bright UV radiation stripe of Nicaragua, the blue tones in Iceland, and the big green print in Afghanistan,” she says. The stylish scarves can be worn either for the social or the fashion statement it makes. “I really like it when a lady is just totally into the pink color and bright blues. I also like clients who might be more geeky and can understand and read data. Some people really dive into it and are totally flabbergasted by it,” she says, but adds that she won’t judge those who don’t get it. “I would never underestimate a client who just wears them because they’re beautiful.” a

The scarves are 100 percent silk and produced in Italy by a company that also prints for Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton

United States

Photos courtesy of World Skin Color Scarves


travel & culture

Eat, shop, explore, do what you do

PROJECTION ART

Light Bright Reality? It’s all just a matter of projection for French artist Clément Briend by Katie Tandy

Actively blurring the boundaries between reality and imagination, art and activism, and even space and surface, Parisian projection artist Clément Briend is a champion of creating imposing art in public spheres. CONTINUED

Projection from Clément Briend’s series on youth in Berlin. Photos courtesy of Clément Briend, clementbriend.com


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projection art

(CONTIN UED)

Founder of the Collective of Illuminations Policies, which champions his focus on civil causes, Briend has projected his ethereal works across the globe, most recently in Cambodia and Paris, where luminescent gargoyles and gentle Buddhas were superimposed onto rustling trees.

Shop Savvy

The Daniel Shop F

orget to pack something? Don’t worry. This hotel store stocks all your away-from-home needs… including honey

“We recreate our visible world with projection,” says Briend. “It’s very influenced by our own imagination.”

own imagination, desires, affects: We project a part of us.” Celebrating both the political and provocative, Briend believes that projection is not specifically “an art medium, but an expression medium” that allows him to transcend the classic use of the typically mimetic projector machine, and instead take a societal stance on issues he cares about.

Briend projects enormous images— from photographs of German youth to grinning Cambodian gargoyles—in large-scale installations that become a defining element of the landscape, city street, or structure he’s chosen to reimagine.

“I choose to help democratic causes with the projections I make,” says Briend. “Liberty, education, health, human rights, a nd especia lly ecology—everything you’re doing has political consequences, especially if you’re doing nothing. I try to show that we can create our own tools to express civil rights.”

“We recreate our visible world with projection,” says Briend. “First our eyes project an image of reality in ourselves, then our brain projects these mind representations and creates our reality. It’s very influenced by our

Next up? Briend says he wants his next series to illustrate the playful dissonance of “daytime social life,” projecting sun-soaked images in the exact spot where they were taken, but at night. a

Photos courtesy of Clément Briend, clementbriend.com

Located in Vienna’s city center, The Daniel Shop inside Hotel Daniel features an interesting array of accessories, toiletries, and tchotchkes from both Viennese and international designers. “You will find handcrafted hats of the long established Viennese brand Mühlbauer next to traveling bags from the English brand Brooks, and handmade sunglasses by the young, stylish Austrian label Andy Wolf,” says Ulli Leonhartsberger of Hotel Daniel. Looking to take home something that’s not fashion related? Pick up a tube of Italy’s Marvis toothpaste or a jar of Hotel Daniel’s own honey, harvested from hives kept on the seventh floor. Who said you have to commemorate your Austrian adventures with leaded crystal and loden wool? a

Checking in! The Daniel Shop’s counter pulls double duty as the hotel’s front desk.


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restaurant spotlight

Industrial Revolution A Soviet-era shed is reborn for posh nosh

What: International cuisine in an overhauled shed Where: Riga, Latvia Who: Architect Zane Tetere, Open Architecture and Design

Some people would have bulldozed this rundown, Soviet-era storage shed, but architect Zane Tetere turned it into one of the hottest restaurants in town. Among the abandoned buildings and underground artists’ workshops in this industrial enclave, Koya now draws in Riga’s beautiful people for pricey international cuisine, DJs, and a luxe outdoor terrace overlooking the yacht marina.

T

he goal was to give new life to an old shed that nobody ever would think might be useful again, let alone for a chic restaurant,” says architect Zane Tetere. “The challenge was to respect and retain the existing feeling and to add a little bit of luxury.” Tetere adapted the modern restaurant to the existing atmosphere, hanging grand black metal chandeliers from the original wood planks of the lean-to ceiling, reviving the existing graffitismeared brick walls with mod black paint, lining the tables and bars with wire mesh chairs, and opening the place up with towering barn doors. Sparse, but it works. “The interior was created working with materials in large planes and forms, and not working with decorations and small details,” she says. “Together everything is creating contrast against the industrial setting, but is not challenging and fighting with it.” a

Photos by Maris Lagzdins, courtesy of Open Architecture and Design, openad.lv

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Travel & Culture

restaurant spotlight

SOPHISTICATED SWISS STYLE AT ANNE-SOPHIE PIC, haute cuisine IS served on LAKE GENEVA’s sparkling shore

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or the past 150 years, global socialites have known the BeauRivage Palace as one of the world’s most luxurious hotels, and the food served at AnneSophie Pic stands up to this reputation. The restaurant, plainly named after its famous head chef, specializes in avant-garde French cuisine that lends a contemporary update to the hotel’s belle époque stylings. Architect Stuart Wilsdon designed the restaurant to sit at the heart of the hotel and created a series of spaces, including a cozy room with a Bellori marble fireplace and banks of lakeside tables, that play off the subtlety of the food’s layers. “I see the cuisine as the most expert layering and marriage of flavors in a way that encourages the use of all the senses,” he says. “This layering was a cornerstone to the design direction.” Tall panels of sheer laminated fabric define the different areas of the main dining room. And during the summer months, you can enjoy your food al fresco, taking in the breathtaking Lake Geneva views. a

What: Elegant French food and understated design Where: The BeauRivage Palace, Lake Geneva, Switzerland Who: Stuart Wilsdon, Principal of Wilsdon Design Associates

Outdoor patio and food images courtesy of Beau-Rivage Palace SA; cocktail photo courtesy of Gorgeous Group

It’s not all about the food at the Beau-Rivage. You can sit down and enjoy a refined cocktail at BAR, the hotel’s stop for libations. Gorgeous Group created the beautiful cocktail designs to ensure that they fall in line with Wilsdon’s design for the Bar space. “We created the drinks concept and trained the BAR team about the product,” say Gorgeous Group’s directors, Julian Shaw and Robbie Bargh. “We worked with Wilsdon Design Associates to ensure that the operational design of the back of house areas, bar, and back bar could deliver the conceptual ambition and needs of the space. Gorgeous Group’s mantra is ‘Experience is everything.’ Get the experience right, tell a great story, and the rest will follow.”

“Anne-Sophie Pic offers graphic plates,” says Alessandra Hemmeler of the Beau-Rivage. “She works a lot with the products’ colors and different textures, and takes a lot of time to create association on the plate.” Hemmeler’s favorite dish? “I love the Coastal Turbot—slowly cooked, crispy, and served with a fine cucumber mousse butter with green anise.” Yum.


structures & spaces

Enviable interiors to shamelessly ogle

Office tour

You Wish Your Office Was This Cool PENSON gives Google a London headquarters worth searching Think your job sucks? Maybe it’s just your office. One look at Google’s new London headquarters at Central Saint Giles will leave a lot of people polishing their resumes and hoping for a job with the Internet giant. European interior design and architecture studio PENSON, who recently delivered a futuristic Space Odyssey-looking office for Google’s London engineering staff, softened the theme for this 160,000-square-foot space, opting to style it as a tech-friendly take on a classic London townhouse. CONTINUED

Photos by David Barbour, courtesy of PENSON, pensongroup.com


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office tour Granny-approved floral prints, squishy carpets, and tufted velvet walls and banquettes trade shots with retro furniture, timber floorboards, cheeky walls glittering with giant Union Jacks, bespoke submarine doors, and quirky finds like a reclaimed jet fighter ejection seat. Perks beyond the café and balcony gardens include a 200-person “town hall,” a gym, massage facilities, a dance studio, and a dedicated space for bike commuters’ gear to air and dry. “It’s all about human beings and that’s it!” says PENSON founder Lee Penson of his work-meets-play mecca. “It ticks all of the fun and practical boxes.” a

(CONTIN UED)

PENSON placed 1,250 desks and 1,250 meeting chairs and collaboration seats in the 160,000-squarefoot space but minimized the look of a traditional office by styling it like a London townhouse with furniture from Bene, Day 2, Tsunami Axis, and Moroso.

The multi-floor space includes a library, gymnasium, cafés, restaurants, gardens, dance studio, massage facilities, and a 200-seat theater lined with velvet curtains and a massive video wall. The different areas are united with gallery areas full of artwork and trinkets.

PENSON’s interior design saved money through an intelligent use of materials and space. Special touches were added throughout, such as the bespoke noisetight submarine doors and the reclaimed jet fighter ejector seat, which bring a big splash of lighthearted quirkiness.

Photos by David Barbour, courtesy of PENSON, pensongroup.com


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DESIGN BUREAU

Photos by David Barbour, courtesy of PENSON, pensongroup.com

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office tour Bespoke submarine doors with cheeky ‘Do Not Turn To Open’ signs lead to meeting rooms with sound-absorbent tufted walls and “granny” inspired wall coverings. Finishes and fabrics are from Kvadrat and Jab Fabrics.

Glittery Union Jacks use waterbased paint as part of PENSON’s ecofriendly design efforts. Flooring throughout is from Chroma, Object Carpets, Naturally Wood, Domus Tiles, and Gerflor. Lighting is from Fisherman Light, Zero Fork Light, Nick Fraser, and Victor Vetterlein.

The rooftop Secret Gardens offer panoramic views of the London skyline from the Central Saint Giles, Covent Garden location. Private booths on the balcony are lined with a real box hedge wall to create privacy and to shield from the wind and sun.

Photos by David Barbour, courtesy of PENSON, pensongroup.com

(CONTIN UED)


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visual art

Art to the Touch Roy Nachum paints with Braille By Justin Ray

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oy Nachum wants to share his vision with the vision-impaired. Born in Jerusalem and now based in New York, Nachum incorporates Braille poetry into his evocative oil paintings. We spoke with the artist about how translating his hyperreal aesthetic for those who cannot see is all part of his ongoing exploration of perception. CONTINUED

Roy Nachum pictured with Metamorphosis, 2011, oil on canvas, courtesy of Roy Nachum, roynachum.com

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Visual Art

(CONTIN UED)

Music Design

More Than a Playlist Leanne Flask ties spaces together with music design

“Perceptions come from experience, and experience solidifies ideas and ideals.” DB: What sparked your interest in Braille? Roy Nachum: My romance with typography, attention to detail, and my fascination with sight naturally led me to Braille. On one particular visit to a museum, I was drawn to the Braille signposts affixed on walls, in staircases, and in elevators, and I had a flash of awareness: If one cannot see, and is forbidden to touch, how can one experience a visual work of art? How does one create a painting for a blind person? Conflicted, I began to develop a process, sculpting Braille pixels with a pallet knife onto the surface of my canvases, and painting with oil on top. DB: Your work explores the idea of perception—what about this fascinates you so much? RN: Art is based on perception and so is life. Things are how we choose to ‘see’ them. Perceptions

come from experience, and experience solidifies ideas and ideals. My paintings, somewhere between illusion and reality, offer insight into my perceptions and the ongoing conflict between the instinctive and the demands of civilization. JR: Childhood seems to be a recurring part of your work. RN: The boy who reappears in many of my paintings represents me as a child. He symbolizes dreams, hopes, fears, and the young mind’s perception of the world. JR: Speaking of life, experience, and perception, would you rather have a pause button or a rewind button in your life? RN: I have made peace with the past, good or bad. What is in the past has passed. I always look forward. But to pause a valuable moment, to revel in it, to experience it knowingly, is invaluable. a

Someday, 2011, oil on canvas, courtesy of Roy Nachum, roynachum.com

Austin-based Leanne Flask is designing environments—musical environments. Many marquee names in the retail and hospitality industries, like Jones New York, Sheraton Hotels, Lacoste, and Austin’s awesome Hotel Saint Cecilia, have tapped Flask’s years of music industry knowledge to concoct the perfect sound ambience. But her work goes beyond just programming a playlist. “Music design is a term I conceptualized that applies diverse disciplines such as architecture, interior design, music fundamentals, neuroscience, psychology, cultural studies, and sociology to create a form of emotional communication through music between humans and their experiences with a brand,” says Flask. At Hotel Saint Cecilia, a design blend of classic and modern elements meant Flask could juxtapose musical styles throughout the space—rock, jazz, soul, and hazy acoustic sounds all integrate with the textures and materials of the interior design and architecture. In one room retro rock may pair with the tough leather of a Victorian chaise while an ornately textured bedroom wallpaper is matched by complex musical compositions. “The soundtrack is designed in such a way as if each song were acting out a part in the play of the hotel’s environment,” says Flask. “It expresses the heart of the experience through music and captures the personality of the hotel.” a

S

ounds like a cliché, but Leanne Flask discovered the power of music early on, and in a powerful way. As a 14-year-old, Flask studied voice, oboe, and piano performance. One day, when she was babysitting children with autism, she noticed the calming, connecting effect that singing had on a young boy who was otherwise hyperactive and detached. “He crawled into my lap, put his hand on my throat, looked into my eyes, and began to sing with me,” says Flask. “It was at this point I realized the incredible power of music beyond entertainment.”

Hit List We asked Leanne Flask, the founder of Orchid Music Design, to walk us through some highlights from the soundtrack of Austin’s Hotel Saint Cecilia. Here are some of the tunes you might hear during your musical stay.

Miles Davis: “In a Silent Way” (Original LP Mix From 1969)

The Incredible String Band: “Can’t Keep Me Here” Jonathan Wilson: “Ballad of the Pines” Vashti Bunyan: “Where I Like To Stand”

Sensational Saints: “How Great Thou Art” Nat Adderley: “Quit It” Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: Restless Sinner

The Rolling Stones: “Child of the Moon” The Grass Roots: “Let’s Live For Today” The Bystanders: “Cave of Clear Light”


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Robert Plant: “Dancing In Heaven” Dion: “900 Miles” The Donkeys: “West Coast Raga”

Photos courtesy of Orchid Music Design, orchidmusicdesign.com

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5

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Objects & Gear Structures & Spaces

5

five designers / Five questions

Kitchen System Designers

These designers can’t teach you to cook, but they can make your kitchen look good while you’re burning rice. Here, we ask them what’s cooking in kitchen design. Don’t worry, they can stand the heat.

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ALBERTO VILLARREAL

BRANDY RINEHART

GIUSEPPE BAVUSO

Agent

Rinehart Design Group

Studio Giuseppe Bavuso

By LAUREN SMITH

1 2 3 4 5

Describe the kind of person you envision in one of your kitchens.

What new materials, processes, or features are you excited about in terms of kitchen design?

When I cook, I like to make...

1 Ideally vegetarians, but our kitchen works for anybody. Since it has a small orchard, vegetarian people eventually can become selfsufficient and grow their own food there. But for omnivores it provides a place to grow your own vegetables and compost the organic residuals to fertilize the dirt. 2 I’m interested to see how more natural materials can be used but still maintain a low bacterial retention, and how synthetic materials can be food and environmentally friendly. 3 Salads with cheese. Pasta. And always breakfast. In Mexico, breakfast plays an important role in the culture.

What’s the most unusual thing a client has requested for one of your projects?

Probably to design a product after the packaging. Once I had a client who asked to design a product to be able to fit in the packaging that was left over from a previous year.

If you could design a kitchen system for any iconic figure, who would it be and what would it look like?

I’d love to design a kitchen for [Spanish chef] Ferran Adrià. I’m interested in developing not just the kitchen, but even the tools for molecular cuisine.

4

5

1 Someone who is drawn to blending form and function, who actually appreciates design (from any creative venue, be it music, art, fashion, or architecture), one who is drawn to customized details, and typically is very open-minded. 2 Hardware (not the decorative, but the nuts and bolts of our interiors) systems have really caught up with designer suggestions that create amazing items that seemed lavish years ago but are becoming more common in standard kitchens. For instance, hands-free trash pop-out with a foot activated door opener— anyone on the planet appreciates a toe-tap tucked in the baseboard. 3 I can design an amazing space, but that doesn’t mean I can design and create an amazing meal. So I follow the ‘less is more’ school of thought and avoid making anything with more than five ingredients. 4 A roll-out dog bed hidden in a large center island was interesting. 5 Salvador Dalí. Minimalist with a sculptural flare and tons of crazy hidden and interesting details you’d have to find.

Want to put someone up for the 5 Designers/5 Questions challenge? Email us at letters@ wearedesignbureau.com. We love giving quizzes.

Photo credit Photos courtesy lorem of the ipsum designers. dolor esHenrybuilt kitchen design architecture by Adolfo Perez and interior design by Andra Birkerts.

1 I imagine very busy people who are still able to find time to cultivate and share small pleasures of everyday life with friends in a functional but elegant space. 2 To me, the kitchen environment should be a kind of ‘laboratory of taste’ as well as pleasant and welcoming. I like to use very aesthetic materials that also allow me to enhance their technical characteristics and performances. 3 I like to cook spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce and basil. I like the moment of cooking with friends to be a game of senses, a discovery of fragrances and tastes. 4 Icon (below) is a kitchen system open to living space. For this reason, once a client asked us to cover the kitchen’s doors with the same fabric used for the sofa. We managed to dissuade him from doing this. 5 I think it would be a great chef who loves cooking in a very professional environment.


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Wallpaper

hot type Sarah Milton transforms the stark lines of letters and numbers into wallpaper that wows

JULIANNA MORAIS

MORTEN BO JENSEN

Henrybuilt

Vipp

1 Someone whose kitchen is really important to how they live, and who cares about how it feels as much as how it looks.

1 People who are enthusiastic about product design, who appreciate details and great materials as well as the daily joy of thoughtthrough, functional, and aesthetically pleasing products.

2 At Henrybuilt, we focus on using materials that wear well. Some of the new solid surface materials that are coming to market are exciting.

Korean food. It’s a smart, efficient way to eat. One day of preparation gives you the ingredients you need to create a number of quick meals throughout the week. And the flavors are out of this world… spicy meets sweet meets salty. 3

4 A wine storage solution that made the bottles appear to be floating. It was so popular we added it to our product line.

[Momofuku chef] David Chang. He uses simple, quality ingredients and turns them into something truly special. I like to think we do that at Henrybuilt. The kitchen would have a warm modernist feel with plenty of prep space and a Henrybuilt bar block for quick access to tools and ingredients. 5

2 The fact that our freestanding product design borrows thoughts from industrial kitchens and thereby differentiates itself from the common market understanding of kitchens as custom-made inventory where effort and money are used on individualizing, instead of on great details and materials. 3 Indian food! The taste is fantastic and the Vipp kitchen is a very suitable framework for a long and messy preparation time with family and friends. 4 A customer who deliberately wanted to add hardware like paint factory extractors from real running factories. He certainly connected with our industrial approach. 5 President Obama at the White House. I am pretty sure it would look exactly as our normal deliveries because the design just works, no matter who buys it.

B

ritish designer Sarah Milton finds inspiration for her line of luxury silkscreened wallpapers in an interesting place: letters and numbers. “Typography is such a strict set of forms,” says Milton. “It becomes a challenge to try and do something different with it. I find it really exciting when someone manages to represent typography in a way I’ve never seen before.” Smitten with typography since an art school exercise (“We were told to do as many different things as we could with a small section of a letter, and I had the kick of an E,” she says), Milton transforms familiar numbers and letters into abstract illegible patterns, creating stunning geometric, rhythmic prints. She begins by folding and collaging the typographic element, after which she uses Photoshop to perfect the composition, mix in textures, and play with color. When the digital version is complete, she splits the design into layers and silkscreens them by hand, which allows her to add additional patterns and textures collected during the process, visually communicating how the papers are made. “I am obsessed with process,” Milton says. “I’m always the person in the gallery who walks round stroking everything to try and work out how it was made.” —Jenny Wilson Photo courtesy of Sarah Milton, sarah-milton.com

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Travel Structures & Culture & Spaces

design jobs around the world

Global Census Scrubba-dub-dub, these guys design bathtubs! we’d love to settle in for a long, soapy soak in one of these innovative tubs. BY LAUREN SMITH

ZAAF Design

Michael Gottschalk

Davide Anzalone

Location: Turin, Italy

Location: Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Location: Milan, Italy

Website: zaafdesign.com

Website: blubathworks.com

Website: davideanzalone.com

Education/Background: The ZAAF design

Education/Background: Educated

Education/Background: Graduated from

team, including Enrico Maglione, Federico Rossi, and Giovanni Duro hails from Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan and Polytechnic.

in architecture and landscape architecture. Founder/CEO and lead designer for Blu Bathworks, and has his own award-winning international design practice.

Milan Polytechnic; studied product design in Austria at the FH Joanneum. Worked with Design Group Italia before freelance collaborations with architecture studios and consumer electronics firms. Anzalone is the chief of the design department for the Hertz and Audison brands, and works as a design consultant.

Notable Projects: The Brezza Bathtub

(pictured), according to the designers, “is a bathtub made of a solid surface for great moments of relaxation on a magic carpet shifted by a light wind.” Income Per Project/salary: €300,000

Notable Projects: Abaca Boutique

Resort, a luxury spa hotel in the Mactan Islands, Philippines; luxury lodge Blackrock Oceanfront Resort in Ucluelet, B.C., Canada; luxury townhome project South Park in San Francisco, California

turnover per year

Notable Projects: The award-winning

Aliante bookshelf and Teseo+Arianna concept for a solar rescue system; Alea bathtub concept (pictured)

Income Per Project/salary: Estimated Quote: “The essence of a project is the

correct balance between style and function.”

$100,000-$200,000 depending on the project

Income Per Project/salary: About

$10,000 per project, depending on product, price range, volume, etc.

Quote: “To me, clean modern lines

equate to serenity.”

Quote: “ Designing objects has a

high cultural value and a strong connection to social development. This challenge makes our work very demanding but also so stimulating. In this game, functionality, innovation, sustainability, and aesthetics all play an important role.”

Photoscredit courtesy of the designers Photo lorem ipsum dolor es

Claudia Danelon and Federico Meroni Location: London, U.K. Website: danelonmeroni.com Education/Background: The pair met

while studying industrial design in Milan; Federico continues to work as a 3-D concept designer and Claudia is an associate at Norman Foster Architecture Studio. Notable Projects: Elle (pictured) and

Beyond bathtub design collections, both for Glass Idromassaggio Income Per Project/salary: Product design projects are paid on a royalty basis, at a rate of 3 percent of the net sales for the lifetime of the product. Quote: “Designing a new bathtub is always a real challenge. It’s a very simple product with a long history dating back as far as around 2000 B.C. We have not only focused on the shape of the object, but also on new functional features and the use of innovative materials.”


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DESIGN BUREAU

image, style, design

The Joys of a Clean Bum In Japan, high-tech toilets make the bathroom experience a bit more refreshing By Steven Fischer

T

u t o

raveling brings many different cultural experiences, and bathrooms are no exception. I recently traveled through Asia for three weeks, concentrating my time in Japan and Taiwan. Nearly every toilet I came across—in hotel rooms, restaurants, and even friends’ homes— was an automatic washing toilet. Going far beyond our plain old handle flush commodes, these highly sophisticated toilets sport a complex combination of mechanized sprayers, fragrances, and even seat warmers. a

Although these fancy toilets are not a new thing (I first encountered them while working and living in Japan in 1991), they’ve gotten increasingly more complex over the years and come with a list of functions that make even the world’s most complex blender look simple. Both seats automatically go up and down thanks to motion censors—silently, with no crashing. They’re even heated, making the experience of sitting on the throne much more pleasant. It especially makes sense in energy-saving Japan, where the entire house is rarely heated. And always close by, a panel of buttons and symbols controls a cadre of fragrances, blowers, and the namesake sprayers that leave every backside squeaky clean (take that, Charmin). This toilet technology did make its way stateside when Japanese company Toto pioneered the first automatic washing toilet named “The Washlet” in 1995. Now, almost 20 years later, the Japanese Cabinet estimates that more than 60 percent of Japanese households have a washing toilet. They’re truly a part of Japanese daily life, yet the Washlet has been an almost non-starter in the U.S. market. Why? The answer may lie in how it functions. Working all together, the washing toilet’s bells and whistles make getting down to business both hightech and very hygienic. This partially explains why the washing toilet has taken off so strongly in Japan. The country has both a long history of systematic sanitation and cutting-edge technology. Its

Working all together, the washing toilet’s bells and whistles make getting down to business both high-tech and very hygienic.

sewers date back to the 16th century, and its people proudly integrate high-tech gadgets into their daily life to mark their level of cultural sophistication. And what could be more sophisticated than having a washing toilet that automatically enhances answering the call of nature? It might just be a cultural difference of opinion. Americans, with their do-it-yourself mentality, may always prefer the simple flush model. It’s much more straightforward and practical, not to mention much more inexpensive. The hefty price tag works as an advantage in Japan, a culture that’s so luxury obsessed it’s willing to literally flush its money down the toilet. But then again, the United States has caught the technology craze, so the washing toilet may just take off stateside. I myself am dreaming of the day when I can fit a Washlet in my home. But until then, a basic American Standard model and good old paper on a roll will have to suffice. a

Illustration by Alli Berry

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DESIGN BUREAU

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Dialogue

Notes From the Bureau

Before

News and Musings from the world of architecture and design

Trading Spaces Flipping room locations took this Cape Cod house from cluttered and cramped to beautifully functional By Heidi Kulicke

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riginal Cape Cod homes are often cute and cozy, but their floor plans can be notoriously tricky to navigate. Vancouver interior designer Sarah Gallop reworked one such home with small, cramped rooms and transformed it into a functional living space. “The lifestyle of the owners called for a more open concept plan to work better for both everyday family life and entertaining,” Gallop says of the push for the much-needed renovation. “If we can improve the function of a home, it improves the quality of life, allowing the occupants years of enjoyment.” The rework began by knocking down walls. Since the home is older, Gallop and her team had to first determine which walls could come down without affecting the home’s plumbing and structural framing. Once determined, Gallop and her team removed the walls between the kitchen, dining room, and family room to create an open space. She then swapped the location of the living and dining rooms and closed off the opening to the family room. These floor plan moves placed the kitchen out

of the home’s primary traffic path while increasing the square footage devoted to the cooking space. The kitchen also gained more counter and cabinet space via the relocation, and Gallop was even able to install a window over the sink that floods the space with natural light.

Gallop worked with natural materials company Terrastone to pick the precise white marble for the countertop piece. “Our company offers a wide range of materials that includes granite,

Photos by Tracey Ayton Photography, traceyaytonphotography.com

marble, quartz,slate, and soapstone,” says Terrastone’s founder. “With the Cape Cod project, Sarah had a vision, her drawings were detailed, and this made it easy for us to execute it.”

Gallop revamped the finishes in the living area as well, opting for a palette of whites and rich woods to give the Cape Cod house a contemporary look. But function trumped aesthetics, she says. “Very rarely will I suggest that a client sacrifice function for beauty. A beautiful space that doesn’t function for the family using it just seems like such a wasted opportunity.” Luckily, that trade-off is not an issue in Gallop’s balanced and beautiful design. a


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Dialogue

Notes From the Bureau

Brushing Up Your Walls In one New York tech office, bristled walls make for creative space By Matthew Keeshin

Toothbr ushes, ha irbr ushes, pa int brushes—most people use some sort of brush as a simple tool every day. Robin Reigi uses brushes as wall tiles. Reigi, who owns her own materials company in New York, has even installed her brush tiles inside a New York tech company’s cafeteria. Here, Reigi and her partner Jennifer Daly talk about how the daily brush with the tiles makes the space a bit more fun.

“We never wanted our clients to see our own workplace. We realized we had to walk the talk.” —X Design’s Gregg Quinn

Design for Work, at Work A Canadian designer proves his workplace ideas by building them in his own office By Kate Chiu

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t’s an age-old puzzler: Architects spend their lives designing spaces for other people, but their own offices are often spartan rooms with blah details. “You’ve got key clients that are first in line and your own space is always far down the list,” says Gregg Quinn, principal of Toronto’s X Design. Despite the fact that X Design specializes in workplace architecture, Quinn treated his own office as makeshift space until he moved his firm into a revamped glass factory, complete with a bright pink wall and punching bag. “We were designing work-

All photos courtesy of the designers

places for the future, but we never wanted our clients to see our own workplace. It didn’t make any sense,” he says. “We realized we had to walk the talk.” X Design’s permanent space incorporates many of the architecture programs they use in client projects, including private offices, multiperson offices, workstations, open collaborative spaces, and traditional meeting rooms. It’s a lot of spatial diversity packed into 4,400 square feet, but it works to the firm’s advantage. “We represent about 90 percent of what we do within the four walls of our studio. We could show people pictures and plans until they’re blue in the face, but now our clients can walk into our office and see,” Quinn adds. His hunch has held true; the firm has had great success showing clients their ideas as built experiments in use at their own office. As beneficial as the permanent office has been for hosting clients, its real impact has been felt by the X Design team. “We wanted to create a space where we’d really want to come into work in the morning. We wanted a certain flair that energizes and supports. It’s a place to be,” says Quinn. And that punching bag? X Design has put it to good use, too. “A client’s face has only gone on it once,” the architect says between laughs. “We try to avoid getting that angry, though. Normally.” a

DB: First thing’s first: Why put brush tiles in an office cafeteria? Robin Reigi: If you look at the installation, there’s actually a lot of fun things going on—there’s a food truck in the middle of the space! And the brush is one more exciting and surprising experience. Jennifer Daly: The idea is to make an environment where people experience delight and can relax. Basically, keep their creative juices flowing. Brush plays a very small role in that. Seeing a surface that one would never anticipate being a surface is inspirational. Most people, when they see brush for the first time, just experience surprise. They’ve just never seen anything like it. DB: The brush tile seems to support the company’s fun lifestyle, but is it pragmatic as a material choice? RR: They’re actually very strict on the materials that they’ll use in a project, in terms of sustainability. The [cafeteria wall] material had a lot of requirements. They wanted to be able to take it on and off the wall and wash it because it was in a service area. So we had to make it washable by putting up some bristles that were very hardy and could withstand moisture. There were a lot of little things that we did to make it functional, but functional really just meant something that could live in the space and be touched. It is a real conversation piece. DB: What makes a material at your company so innovative? JD: Mostly it will have to do with process, like how the material is made and whether or not technology has been developed or

CONTINUED


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ARCHITECTURE: THE PEOPLE, PLACES, AND IDEAS DRIVING CONTEMPORARY DESIGN A Special Edition from Design Bureau Get it in print at wearedesignbureau.com or for free on the iPad at itunes.com


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Dialogue

Notes From the Bureau borrowed from another industry to create a building material. Secondly, there could be simply, in terms innovation, of production, economy of scale. We have one panel product that has always been traditionally made as random, mix-matched wood veneer, and it would have been made by hand by mill workers who are very familiar with laying out veneer switches in a random, mix-matched way, which is quite labor intensive and requires a certain amount of craft and artistry to it. One of our manufacturers has invented a machine that will automate that process, in the end you have a fairly traditional looking material, but the production process is very innovative and cost effective. a

Wine Cellars at Home From traditional to contemporary, good wine deserves a good-looking space By Heidi Kulicke

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uilding a perfectly tempered wine cellar is a bit of a lost art, which is exactly why Ed Loughran started designing this very specific type of room. “The idea of blending my background in design, stone masonry, and carpentry was very exciting,” Loughran says. “I did a lot of research and built my first wine cellar at my own home in 2000.” Now, 13 years later, Loughran has made wine cellar design his primary business. Here, he shares some of the knowledge he’s learned along the way.

room for creativity, and we feel it’s among our best work.

DB: What should people consider when planning a wine cellar for their homes? Ed Loughran: Clients need to consider the current size of their collection, as well as the projected size of their collection in five to 10 years. A new collector should take his current bottle capacity and double it to determine the size of the cellar. This allows the collection room to grow. The average space of a wine cellar for a new collector ranges between 40 to 100 square feet.

The Vinium shelves came from the idea to have wine floating in the air. With the help of our client’s architect, we pulled the bottles four to six inches away from the wall to create depth. We then added a Texas limestone veneer to contrast the sleek lines of the vertical components of the mahogany rack blocks. The arrangement of these blocks makes the bottles appear as if they are floating.

DB: Tell us about both the traditional Wine Cellar #5 and your Vinium line of contemporary wine shelves. What inspired these very different designs? EL: For Wine Cellar #5, our client gave us

They had an existing collection of 1,200 bottles and they also wanted to incorporate a large tasting room. We created a transitional hallway with a stone entryway, barrel ceiling, and chestnut flooring throughout.

DB: Style aside, how does temperature and humidity factor into your cellar designs? EL: The proper temperature range is 55 to 57 degrees Fahrenheit, and the proper humidity level is 50 to 60 percent. The main

Wine Cellar #5 required a whole 1,000 square feet of rock cladding. Stoneyard New England Stone Veneer, a frequent supplier for Charles River Wine Cellars, made the process a breeze with the advantages of their Thin Veneer stone, a product that weighs less, takes up less space, and is easier to install than solid stone. For a project like Wine Cellar #5, placing a thinner stone on the walls, columns, and archways opened up the tight space. The client and Charles River

Wine Cellars traveled to Stoneyard’s Littleton, Massachusetts showroom to discuss options, eventually choosing the round and mosaic shapes from the Boston Blend line, a “locally gathered, natural field stone once scattered along the New England countryside.” Stoneyard’s Aimee McGarry says that small mock-ups helped the client understand the final look. The project, ultimately, “captures the essence of New England’s history.”

objective in all of my designs is to create a proper environment for the wine, as well as an aesthetically pleasing environment for my clients. If this objective is not met, then everything else is compromised. a

Wine Cellar #5 photo by Warren Patterson. For more info on Charles River Wine Cellars, visit charlesriverwinecellars.com


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Design Thinking

Photos by Chuck Choi, chuckchoi.com


Design Thinking

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DESIGN BUREAU

Home Away From Home On the wooded banks of New Hampshire’s Squam Lake, architect Tom Murdough built a house that will always hit close to home This project was personal for architect Tom Murdough. He has been coming to New Hampshire’s Squam Lake since he was a child himself, and now that he has his own children, his parents wanted to expand the summer home that sits on their land. “Given my personal connection to the property—both its history and its future—the project challenged many of my ideas about what architecture should be,” he says. To do that, the architect had to design a new guesthouse that could accommodate a very large Murdough brood, made up of his parents, his wife and children, and three brothers and their wives and kids, too. And he wasn’t about to sacrifice style. “We wanted to push the limits on architectural discourse and embrace the intangible value of the family’s history,” he says.

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Even though the house has been in Murdough’s family for decades, he had only 15 months to design and finish construction on the guesthouse. The tight deadline was a request of his parents, and it became even more pressing once his brother decided to get married on the property. This required a bit of process reworking.

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Design Thinking

“You typically [work through] a linear process, moving through different phases, from general to specific,” Murdough says. “We were running on two tracks, out of order. We were simultaneously designing and overseeing construction. So beyond the added workload, we had the additional problem of planning for construction contingencies while trying to preserve flexibility to follow through on our design ideas.” From sight alone, you would never know.

“The point of being there is to be in nature—that’s the whole joy.” —architect Tom Murdough

The result is a modern, streamlined home with warm interiors that integrates the site’s beauty and gives everybody space to spread out. Its 2,800 square feet are able to accommodate 10 guests and sit on an existing path that connects the home to the lake and a tennis court. Taking the large family into consideration, Murdough designed not one but two master suites. He also threw in a bunk room for the kids. But it’s the home’s main living area that really stands out. Large multi-slide window and door units frame the entire room. Screens can pop in to transform the attached deck into an enclosed porch, and when the doors are fully open, the space feels more like a pavilion than a living room. “The windows and doors enable an ease of movement to the landscape, promoting an active lifestyle,” Murdough says. “On the other hand, they allow a reading of warm interiors from the outside, providing an invitation to a comforting and secure interior.” In the midst of summer when the surrounding trees are thick and lush, the house catches the eye with its rich color palette and open spaces. And for Murdough and his family, it’s the perfect place to relax for years to come. “The point of being there is to be in nature—that’s the whole joy.” —Lesley Stanley

Photos by Chuck Choi, chuckchoi.com

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Design Thinking

Suburban Snapshot

The new home has good old bones. It’s partially comprised of beams from an old Chicago warehouse, and its hardwood floors are antique reclaimed white oak.

Chick “fell in love” with CalStar Products’ stone paving, which appears in more than 15 of his custom homes. “They exude an authenticity, and that’s a theme all our houses embrace.” CalStar doesn’t just provide Chick’s ideal old-and-worn look; their product is environmentally conscious, too. Their masonry “saves up to 81 percent of the energy and 84 percent of the CO2 emissions associated with standard manufacturing,” says Karen Righthand of CalStar. That’s a win-win situation for both sides.

A Floridian Cottage With a Vintage Twist Sleek forms and repurposed materials give this house an elegant edge By Kate Chiu

The Burt Residence injects a dose of classic high fashion into Florida’s cheery, cracker-cottage vernacular. “I added dramatic theatricality so that when guests arrive, they’re turned on,” says architect Geoff Chick of the home’s design. “We try to use materials in ways you wouldn’t expect, while still exuding authenticity,” he says. A side porch based on timber frame barn construction makes the home’s exterior a bit more exotic, while a flowing interior floor plan showcases the space’s skeleton. And recycled objects, including an old surveyor’s tripod reimagined as a lamp base, hint at the past without sacrificing sophistication. By blending old and new, vernacular and modern, the home plays well with its neighbors but is in a league of its own. a

Project: The Burt Residence / Location: Watercolor, FL / Architect: Geoff Chick, principal of Geoff Chick & Associates Builder: Daniel Cole / Interior Design: Hadley Schneider / Photos: Courtesy of Geoff Chick


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RACY WAYS2DESIGN NEW YORK, NEW YORK The owner of this Gramercy Park penthouse likes it dirty. “The client requested everything in his home be absent of color and already dirty,” says designer Jennifer Rusch, “meaning already ‘worked in’ so he didn’t have to worry about the upkeep.” Rusch’s firm Ways2Design poured the concrete floor early in the project and left it unprotected during the construction, then sealed it to lock in the dirt and stains. “We coined the phrase ‘pretty ugly’ for his project,” says Rusch. Black resin tub by Rapsel, rapsel. it. Light fixture by Fuse Lighting, fuselighting.com. Corteccia slate walls from Stone Source, stonesource.com. Custom reclaimed wood vanity designed by Ways2Design, ways2design.com. Faucets and hardware by Sonoma Forge, sonomaforge.com Photography by Phillip Ennis, phillipennis.com

killer Kitchens b r ellik b snehctiK They’re the most important rooms in your house— shouldn’t they look like you? Sexy or psychedelic, playful or sophisticated… whatever your style, we’ve got the latest kitchen and bathroom looks from around the world that are perfect for your personality.


beautiful baths

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PLAYFUL i29 INTERIOR ARCHITECTS AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS We’re all in favor of simplicity, but let’s face it, minimalism can get a little boring. When Dutch firm i29 Interior Architects overhauled the interior of this 1930s structure and replaced its claustrophobic network of dark hallways and rooms with a light-filled open layout, they needed to add an element of intrigue. Witness the kitchen. Laser-cut geometric shapes create the perfect futuristic foil for the natural pinewood shelving, enlivening the space with a texture that contrasts the smooth white epoxy floors and complements the shapes of the Grcic chairs in the dining area. We just wanna play with it. Cabinets crafted from Hi-Macs and spray painted white, himacs. eu. Rear cabinets and shelves custom-made from pinewood. Next page: Chair One by Konstantin Grcic for Magis, magisdesign.com. Loop Stand Table from Hay, hayshop.dk. Jasper Morrison Glo-Ball suspension lamp for Flos, flosusa.com Photography by i29 Interior Architects, i29.nl


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FAR-OUT DAVID CLOVERS HONG KONG Who’d have thought this psychedelic bathroom was hiding out in a nondescript high-rise among the forest of towers in central Hong Kong? David Erdman and Clover Lee, who relocated there from the U.S. in 2009, turned an otherwise ordinary bath into something extraordinary with custom color gradient tile. And forget about floor-toceiling—they took it to the extreme by tiling the actual floors and ceilings, too. “The bathroom is long and narrow with a small window,” says Erdman. “The mosaic tiles brighten toward the windows in this bathroom, making the illumination from the windows seem even brighter.” Bathtubs, sinks, and toilets are from Duravit, duravit.com. Faucets by Hansgrohe, hansgrohe-int.com. Custom color gradient tile. Mirrors and cabinets are custom-made. Photography courtesy of David Clovers, davidclovers.com


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ECCENTRIC HENRIQUE STEYER, ALBUS DESIGN FLORES DA CUNHA, BRAZIL We’d like to address the cow in the room. Architect Henrique Steyer’s design for Brazilian manufacturer Florense’s Charm Collection may bring more of the farm to the table than we usually prefer (we don’t generally like our meat that rare), but even with all his whimsical flourishes, the elegant and functional kitchen line still steals the show. “The products are super contemporary and inspired by past traditions, which open doors to new possibilities,” Steyer says. Cabinets and countertops from the Charm Collection Bistrot by Florense, florense.com. Light fixtures from Luzes do Mundo, luzesdomundo. com.br. Barstools and club chair by Florense. Dining table and chair by Florense Antique chairs from Tempo Antigo, tempoantigo.com.br Portrait of Madame Perregaux, by Élisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun, supersized and printed on vinyl, cable-tension mounted on a metallic frame Hay bales wrapped in custom-made red leather belts from La Victoria. The cow is a Holstein-Friesian. Photography by Federico Cedrone, cedrone.it


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MASCULINE PLANETA BASQUE BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS Owned by a top contemporary art collector, this pad at the Mandarin Oriental Boston is as much a gallery as a living space. The brawny monochrome bathroom is clad in hard lava stone and shaped in a circle to intrigue visitors and keep them in a museum mindset without the distraction of a lot of furnishings. “The bathroom is like a wrapping womb,” says principal Patrick Planeta. “Visitors should be immersed in the collection at hand.” We wouldn’t mind being immersed in the Caracalla-sized vessel bath, either. The custom tub and countertops are all Basaltina. Tile from Cumar Marble and Granite, cumar.com. Lighting by RSA Lighting, cooperindustries.com Emanation Mirrored Sconce by Boyd Lighting, boydlighting.com. Faucets and plumbing by Vola and Dornbracht, vola.com, dornbracht.com. Triton stool by Clemens Weisshaar for ClassiCon, classicon.com. Hardware on the cabinets by Nanz Custom Hardware, nanz.com Photography by Anton Grassl


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RUGGED TINA KOMNINOU INTERIOR DESIGN HYDRA, GREECE Welcome to the Old World. On an island with only a few thousand people and donkeys instead of automobiles, this stylish kitchen is the very picture of the bucolic Mediterranean lifestyle. Greek interior designer Tina Komninou overhauled the historic house to “reflect the traditional aristocratic style of Hydra from the old ages while giving a modern and more simplistic approach,” she says. “The design is based on the characteristic style of the 1940s Hydra kitchens, with the ochre color, exposed cutlery, pans, and glasses, and a combination of wood, glass, and stonework.” To achieve a worn effect Komninou purposely imposed imperfections on all woodwork, shelving, and drawers. A glass floor looks into the cellar where cheeses, prosciutto, and other food supplies are stored. Wooden ceiling beams and bamboo are restored originals. The sink is pure marble salvaged from a scrapyard with a Bandini Antica faucet, rbandini. it. Oven by Gorenje Körting Italia, gorenje.it Photography by Michael Koronis


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SEXY PARITZKI & LIANI ARCHITECTS TEL AVIV, ISRAEL There’s nothing like a room with a view, and this bathroom has a lot of them. There’s the expansive vista over the sinuous Jaffa coastline on one end, but equally bold (and more than a little sexy) is the full-height transparent glass wall that divides the bath from the bright master bedroom. Only a gauzy white curtain sheaths the bather from view, and all this thrilling openness is the perfect foil to the dark rough-hewn stone covering the walls. The apartment, says architects Itai Paritzki and Paola Liani, “is a place that flies away from the world.” Shower, tub, faucets, and fixtures by Dornbracht, dornbracht.com. The custom walls, floor, and countertops are crafted from gray quartz VALS stone Photography by Amit Geron


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BUBBLY DHD ARCHITECTURE DESIGN NEW YORK, NEW YORK This renovated loft in SoHo is a hotbed of eclectic objects and vintage pieces, says architect Jill Diamant, “creating a sophisticated yet fun living space.” This language carries into the bathroom. Sleek white floating Agape tub and sinks, concrete floors, and Ann Sacks wall tile? Pleasantly sophisticated. But the Ingo Maurer chandelier, MatterMade towel ladder, and red accents? Tons o’ fun. Wall tile by Ann Sacks, annsacks. com. Sinks and tub by Agape, agapedesign. it. Chandelier by Ingo Maurer, ingo-maurer.com. Wall sconce by David Weeks, davidweeksstudio. com. Light fixtures by RSA Lighting, cooperindustries.com. Leaning towel ladder from MatterMade, mattermatters.com. Stool by Sawkille, sawkille.com Photography by Bjorg Magnea, bjorgmagnea.com


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REGAL TOM PHILLIPS, INCREATION LONDON, U.K. They wanted “wow,” and they got it. The couple refinishing this kitchen was looking for a statement-making space that would be both perfect for entertaining and a highly functional arena to indulge their passion for cooking. “When people walked into the room our clients wanted them to feel special,” says designer Tom Phillips. What better color to deck out this London pad than the rich hue of royalty? “The purple makes the space vibrant and highly personalized,” Phillips says. Increation crafted the space from scratch, cutting a curve into the cross-grained Macassar ebony island for visual interest and highgloss lacquering the custom cabinets to match the sheen of the glass backsplash. Cabinets, shelving, and island handmade by Increation, increation.co.uk. Ovens are by Gaggenau, gaggenau.com. Refrigerator by Siemens, siemens.com. Countertops are 4120 Raven Caesarstone, caesarstone.com. Kohler Clarity 2.0 sink with Perrin & Rowe faucets, kohler. com, perrinandrowe. com. Floor tiles are Marmi China Porcelanosa, porcelanosa.com Photography by Danny Kolasinski, dfkphotography.co.uk


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DRAMATIC SANDER ARCHITECTS LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA There was a time kitchens were tucked in the basement, away from the view of anyone but the help. Times have changed. The kitchen in this L.A. home turns the upstairs, downstairs concept upside down. “A wonderful way to create drama, without adding to the bottom line, is to design a double-height space and to detail the space using simple, low-cost materials,” says Catherine Holliss, director of interior design at Sander Architects. “In this kitchen, that meant using raw sheet steel to create the two-story range hood and light covers. The overall aesthetic is bold, dramatic, and yet creates a dance between the industrial materials and the romance of the seashell chandelier.” King-size capiz seashell chandelier from Kouboo, kouboo. com. Scavolini cabinetry from See Materials in Los Angeles, scavolini. com. Custom recycled glass countertop from Vetrazzo, vetrazzo.com. Appliances by Viking, vikingrange.com. Custom designed glass and steel dining table by Whitney Sander of Sander Architects, sanderarchitects.com. Custom designed twostory raw steel range hood also by Sander. Photography by Sharon Risedorph, sharonrisedorph.com


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House of

Rock Glam looks in This hard-rocking california house amp up the kitchen, bath, and beyond Photography by renata raksha


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White silk gown by Mike Vensel, heels by Christian Louboutin


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Camelia Skikos cocktail dress, gloves by Gaspar Gloves


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Previous: Black silk dress by Mike Vensel, shoes by Charles David This page: Black bralet by Agent Provocateur, suede and feather skirt by Adolfo Sanchez


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Shot on location at House of Rock in Santa Monica, CA, by Renata Raksha Model: Jennifer at Next Los Angeles Hair: Candice Birns at Rex Agency Makeup: Samuel Paul at Jed Root Wardrobe Stylist: Leila Baboi at w w w. leilababoi.com Fashion Assistant: Coco Ogburn Interior design for House of Rock: Elaine Culotti


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Boldly trying to go sideways, Danish architect

Bjarke Ingels keeps rapidly moving forward

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t was 2010, and Bjarke Ingels had decided to take a break from the business of architecture. He would move from Copenhagen to New York City, teach at Harvard, and finally have time to write that novel he’d been dreaming of. With his visa and teaching position secured, the book outline written, Ingels was packed and ready to hightail it out of Denmark.

By Saundra Marcel Portrait by Matthew Willams

At this point, Ingels was already well on his way to earning a reputation abroad as the wunderkind of architecture, taking the profession by storm with his youth (then 35), photogenic good looks, and eccentric obsession with movies. His burgeoning brand of “rock star architect” was proving true each time he won away a high-dollar commission from an older, more established firm with a fast-andfurious firecracker sales pitch. His company, Bjarke Ingels Group, or BIG, was only four years old but already racking up a stunning portfolio of built projects and competition wins. Impressive projects, like the 8

House, Copenhagen’s largest ever private development—an enormous, figure eight-shaped complex that combines both commercial and residential spaces like a layered cake. Or the aptly named Mountain Dwellings, where upwardly trekking driveways in between green-roofed units appear like a concrete hill on Denmark’s otherwise flat topography. Or just down the road from that, the VM Houses, boldly featuring sharp, jutting-out balconies in every direction that make it feel both very different and a little dangerous. And his most controversial commission, the Astana National Library for the

dictator of Kazakhstan. This metal doughnut-designed building was a gem of a rendering, but construction was quietly abandoned early on after the theatrics of working within a corrupt, bribe-laden government proved too risky to continue. Although “theatrical” and “risky” are two adjectives that certainly describe Ingels’ flair. It seemed that Ingels’ career was proving to be unstoppable. So why, then, did he want to get away? “I just thought it was possible to disappear for six months to do something else, which would also allow me to take a break,” says Ingels. But that break never

happened. Instead, Ingels was tapped by billionaire real estate mogul Douglas Durst to work on W57, a massive residential complex in New York City. But Ingels wasn’t all too concerned about his foiled plans. “When Durst came to my office and told me about this ‘little project’ by Manhattan standards, I thought, ‘What the hell. Fuck it. Go there for fun, or go there for work.’” It is now three years later, and BIG is bigger than ever—with seven additional partners and 147 employees. Ingels really has f lourished in America’s enterprising culture, and he appreciates all the opportunities that have abounded. “What’s amazing about America is this ‘OK, let’s go’ attitude. When an American sees something that he or she likes, they want one,” he says. Although Ingels may be an outside-the-box thinking rock star, he is a realist at the core. It’s perhaps why developers have been so keen on working with him. “One of Bjarke’s many talents is designing things that can get built,” said Durst in a 2012 New Yorker profile on Ingels. He is an architect who seems to share an enthusiasm with developers for getting things done at a clipping pace. “There is nothing cooler in the world than built buildings,” says Ingels. “We spend so much time fantasizing about how to solve


77

Architect Bjarke Ingels stands inside the New York office of BIG

book presenting ark at the Danish

orkers, but also world. He does so reate intelligent ld energies and hitherto unseen, solutions to the

Probably Frank Millers “Return of the Dark Night” has been my most favorite comic book — but definitely also Mouebius John Difool series, Letendre and Loisels Quest for the Time Bird, Manaras Indian Summer and the Monkey King. I was excited when the Warzowski brothers came out with the Matrix and had used pro graphic novel illustrators to make these incredible storyboards — composed more like cartoons than film scripts — and the movies are totally composed like graphic novels in terms of creating iconic images, using symmetries, Euclidian shapes such as circles and spheres, and highly composed close-ups with a careful mastery of foreground background information. I think transferring knowledge and ideas and sensibilities from one media to another is a great source of innovation. Essentially we think that it is hard to transmit the energy and the often complex cluster of ideas that trigger an architectural idea and shape its design. So we wanted — in the most blatant form imaginable — to combine images, drawings, models, statements of facts, and accounts of accidents and conflicts, opportunities and opportunism. We do a lot of lectures where we use images and other illustrations, graphs, diagrams, drawings, maps, numbers, etc in abundant quantities — sometimes up to 1000 slides in one lecture — along with a steady flow of words and gestures to communicate how our ideas evolved. They also contain films and music embedded in the flow of images. Our first intention was to simply transform this format into a book and an exhibition. We called it a bookture. It got really long and it was difficult to regulate the speed. How fast you hold an image or how fast you slide through a sequence of diagrams. So lacking the element of time it got boring. Then we realized that a comic book is all about communicating action, movement — development or even evolution — replacing composition and scale instead of time. A large detailed image inspires the reader to contemplate — study — explore — and a sequence of small diagrams makes your eyes roll over them faster.

bjARkE INgELs gROUp

s book is more of terally the first practice. As the thod, processes, f architecture is cing as the world

Suddenly we didn’t have to invent something from scratch, but could tap into a wellknown format very dear to us!

awards from the rize at the Venice d’s Best Housing as well as many

Bjarke Ingels, 2009 text from WhATA Interviews Bjarke Ingels.

e-edged wordplay ss is more”. Less ty to encompass few expenses as aesthetic retro c architectural

Copyright © 2009 BIG ApS 2nd edition ISBN 978-87-992988-0-8 Printed in Denmark by Lyngs Bogtrykkeri and CS Grafisk A/S Published by BIG ApS on the occasion of the YES IS MORE exhibition - Close up : BIG at Danish Architecture Center in Copenhagen, Denmark, 21 February - 31 May 2009

AN ARCHICOMIC ON ARCHITECTURAL EVOLUTION

le manifesto for gregates of the swer many of the n and in the book, rphous demands, edge of society, processes; soluof the population nados. YES IS MORE combing elite and ne through in the B.I.G.’s processes, ble and populist n.

YES IS MORE

AN ARCHICOMIC ON ARCHITECTURAL EVOLUTION bjARkE INgELs gROUp

We are very grateful for the support of Realdania, Statens Kunstfond, LEGO, Danmarks Nationalbanks Jubilæumsfond, Dreyers Fond, Arup AGU, Bach Gruppen A/S, Høpfner A/S, Ramböll, E. Pihl & Søn A.S, Adams Kara Taylor, Moe & Brødsgaard Rådgivende Ingeniører, Grontmij/Carl Bro, Egetæpper A/S, Danish Hardwood A/S, Foamglas, NSD Lift AG, SA Vinduer, Schaumann, Vink, and COWI

A smattering of Ingels’ work shows his inclination to bjARkE INgELs gROUp build fun directly into his buildings. Clockwise, from left: Copenhagen’s 8 House, which helped put Ingels on the map; The public swimming and diving platform on the Copenhagen Harbor; BIG’s plans for the new Park City, UT’s Kimball Art Center; A perspective of the planned Phoenix Observation Tower, located in Phoenix, AZ.

Drawings, renderings and illustrations © BIG ApS

Mechanical, photographic, electronic or any other copying of this book or parts hereof is only allowed according to the rules of Copy-Dan. www.big.dk

Kent Martinussen nish Architecture Centre

02/08/2009 23:42:22

Ingels published his archicomic Yes is More in 2009. It’s available all over the world in 10 languages, and it has sold like hotcakes. The Danish edition, Ingels’ native tongue, wasn’t published until November 2012.

All project photos courtesy of BIG


78

design bureau

W57 may be BIG’s first big commercial project on US soil, but in February 2012, the firm debuted A giant Valentine in Times Square. Hit a big, red, heartshaped button nearby, and the heart beat in reds and pinks. I love NY, indeed.

problems, choosing materials, resolving conflicts, and inventing new forms. So many times, projects can die, for all kinds of reasons. When they finally start materializing, it is so physically rewarding, it’s insane.” It seems the “rock star” status may have sunken into his psyche. Ingels has a tendency to compare himself to famed predecessors like Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe—bold moves, seeing as these gentlemen are among the most influential architects of all time. His critics, however, wouldn’t go that far. In a publication of architectural criticism devoted to Ingels’ work called CLOG: BIG, architect and critic Kyle May concludes that while “the body of BIG’s work is undeniably compelling and elegant at first glance… when translated into built form, the work to date lacks the understanding that a ‘master builder’ or ‘master craftsman’ would employ.” May calls into question the quality of BIG’s completed work, which he attributes to two things: the company’s accelerated pace of output and the types of projects Ingels typically chooses, which

are usually residential and developer-driven. It is at this tense intersection between quality and efficiency where Ingels operates. So, as wealthy developer buddies like Durst continue to bear hug the BIG machine, his architecture peers increasingly question what this chumminess really means. But Ingels doesn’t care. This is the guy who’s most notable published work, Yes Is More: An Archicomic on Architectural Evolution, is an extended comic book. The voices of his critics are only discernable in more highbrow inner circles, and he’s clearly not living in these same seemingly ivory towers. “To me, it’s never about dumbing down the information, it’s about getting the information to the readers,” says Ingels. “I think very few people read architecture theory. Not even architects read it. And nobody else is reading it. It’s more difficult to make something that actually becomes a blockbuster. If you can do that, then you’re going to get the maximum amount of revelation to the maximum amount of people. And that interests me more than doing an amazing, insightful, deep book that is so dry

and boring that nobody can get past page two.” Someday he will publish the thrilling mystery he’s been promising, a work of fiction using figures we know from history—Le Corbusier, Antoni Gaudí, and Louis Khan—and a character we know from right now: Bjarke Ingels. “There’s a lot of famous architects that died under suspicious or unusual circumstances,” he says. “What I want is to create a vehicle to talk about architecture, but in a form that will inspire people to read it. How can you make this interesting to the masses? Place it in a murder mystery.” Injecting fun into architecture is what Ingels does best. He wants that blockbuster, whether it’s a book or a building. That’s why he wanted a break in 2010, and why W57 galvanized him. “I never had an idea about being a businessman, about having my own company, about being an entrepreneur.” So while his partners manage the day-to-day banalities of running a company, Ingels breathes fresh flair and fun into ongoing projects with an eye always toward

presentation and the next big sensation. Rock star architect, not yet master. But he’s only 38. In the steeped and slow world of architecture, where some wait their entire careers to literally build their dreams, that’s just the beginning. Given Ingels’ passion for movies (Inception is his favorite), it isn’t surprising that he’s already thought about making one. “The idea was to make a film almost like the way you make buildings: by reassembling existing materials. Like if you take everything Jack Nicholson was ever in and edit the shit out of it, in the editing you can make a new film,” he says of the idea. “But it never materialized. We applied for some funding, we did some ‘statements of art,’ and then we entered some competitions for architecture. We got no funding for the film and we won everything else we entered. So there we were, back to where we came from.” “Oh well, I guess it goes to show you. I went to architecture school, not film school, so that’s why I’m an architect, not a filmmaker.” he says. “Story of my life. Every time I try to get away.” a


Music

This issue’s best Albums 01/

|

Presented by

DESIGN BUREAU

ALARMPRESS

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Push the Sky Away (Bad Seed Ltd.))

Futility. There’s a lot of it on the new album from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: the futility of first love, class mobility, and the modern world. All of this is contrasted with softness and melody—creating a tension between dejection and optimism. An amalgam of eclectic sounds and disparate thoughts, fittingly inspired by the Internet, Push the Sky Away is not a

02/

03/

04/

05/

fast or loud record. Nick Cave’s vocals are delivered sedately, only occasionally rising to a throaty howl. These moments, backed with female vocalists and the skillful loops of Warren Ellis, lend as much to the urgency as the lyrical content. Cave crooning about Miley Cyrus, Wikipedia, and the Higgs boson over strings, piano, bass, and light percussion manages not to sound dated; instead, a timeless feel pervades the album, a modern offering redone in traditional trappings. [LE]

06/

07/

The Bronx

Shai Hulud

Coheed and Cambria

(IV) (White Drugs / ATO)

Reach Beyond the Sun (Metal Blade)

02/ After a few albums of Mexican folk rock as Mariachi El Bronx, The Bronx is back to bleed ears with its punk-band incarnation. From the opening salvo of guitar to the last shouted vocal, (IV) is gutter-dirty, anger-fueled punk rock. With a feel that wouldn’t be out of place in the ’80s, this is a fast album, with only one song breaking four minutes and most lyrics delivered between a growl and a scream. The closest thing to a ballad is “Life Less Ordinary,” which reads more like a breakdown, giving listeners just a moment to catch their breaths before the circle-pit spin to the end. Frantic and violent, (IV) should be heard with the volume cranked. [LE]

03/ In 1997, Shai Hulud released a debut LP, Hearts Once Nourished with Hope and Compassion, that became a cult favorite and helped define the landscape of metalcore. Led by guitarist Matt Fox, its mathy hardcore was melodic yet frenetic, topped by the blistering, gravelly screams of Chad Gilbert. But Gilbert, who was just 16 at the time, eventually left to found pop-punk quintet New Found Glory, and Shai Hulud ended up rotating vocalists on its two subsequent fulllengths. Reach Beyond the Sun brings a longawaited return, with Gilbert both producing and supplying vocals for 11 assailing songs of riff-borne fury and rancorous gang vocals. Whether or not you were a fan back in the day, pick this up. [SM]

The Afterman: Descension (Everything Evil / Hundred Handed) 04/ Rarely has a band been so dedicated to the concept album. With its career-spanning Amory Wars saga, Coheed & Cambria has created a complex and involved mythology. That continues on the second half of The Afterman two-parter, Descension. Front-man Claudio Sanchez’s vocals are back in full effect, and though he leans on that signature falsetto, it exhibits range on slower songs that are sung in a deeper register. But hey, this is Coheed, and we’re in outer space, man. There’s a hellish afterlife with which to deal, and you have to teach a sentient ship about love. Breakneck and heavy on the riffs, The Afterman: Descension is another sci-fi, laser-squealing blast to the eardrums. [LE]

Low

Helen Money

Dan Friel

The Invisible Way (Sub Pop)

Arriving Angels (Profound Lore)

Total Folklore (Thrill Jockey)

05/ Recorded in Chicago with Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, Low’s new album, The Invisible Way, is a beautiful, melancholic glory. Piano and acoustic guitar dominate, the band’s signature darkness is a little more up-tempo, and drummer Mimi Parker contributes more lead vocals than ever before. It’s not a reinvention so much as a restructuring. The vocals, shared between Parker and guitarist Alan Sparhawk, elevate sparse arrangements into emotional powerhouses. The band hasn’t lost its love for heavy subject matter, with tracks detailing drug abuse, violence, and anxiety. Celebrating 20 years as a group in 2013, Low proves that even after 10 albums, there is still more to say. [LE]

06/ Allison Chesley, the Chicago-based musician who performs as Helen Money, brings out a side of the cello that’s rarely seen. There’s palpable emotion in her rock-infused work, be it rage or melancholy. On Arriving Angels, backed for the first time by a drummer (Jason Roeder of Neurosis and Sleep), that feeling punches into your ribcage. Produced by Steve Albini of Shellac, the record is, at times, surprisingly raw. And the addition of piano and drums gives a fuller sound to certain tracks, with a metal beat driving the heavy rasp of the cello. But Chesley excels with or without the additions, as subtle melodies alternate with fierce slashes in a testament to her command of the instrument. [LE]

07/ Halfway between overwhelming noise rock and video-game chiptunes, Dan Friel’s Total Folklore holds a place all its own. With sounds that might not seem remotely musical, including noises recorded on his phone, he combines atonality with lurching bass lines, alternating tempos, and hypermelodic electronics. Conceived partially during “epic walks,” the songs on Total Folklore are paced for city exploration, offering a soundtrack to the urban environment. Synths screech into life, fading higher and higher, seemingly reaching the limits of human hearing before shifting back to bass pulsations. This is a love letter to constructed spaces like nothing before. [LE]

Scott Morrow is the music editor at ALARM Press and author of This Week’s Best Albums, an eclectic weekly series presenting exceptional music. Visit alarmpress.com for more. [LE] Lincoln Eddy [SM] Scott Morrow. Photos courtesy of the artists.

79


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For Hire: Tristan Bagot FOR HIRE Design Talent This French graphic designer finds inspiration in science, the Fresh On the Market supermarket, girly colors... and his girlfriend

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FOR HIRE What is your favorite part of graphic design? DESIGN TALENT FRESH I am really ON into layout and typography. I like the way it THE MARKET has to be organized and hierarchized. As soon as I get my grid done, I know what I have to do. I guess it is the most DESIGN TALENT FRESH part of graphic design. DESIGN TALENT FRESH rigorous ON THE MARKET

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FOR HIRE: Laura Allcorn DESIGN TALENT FRESH ON THE MARKET

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You started out studying science and moved on to graphic design—why the change? Science has always fascinated me and in order to understand certain scientific phenomena it is necessary to know advanced stuff in mathematics, physics, and chemistry that are not taught in high school. However, I realized after that I used to spend more time looking at fashion and graphic design magazines, which are more creative than science. Henceforth, I try to combine science and computing into graphic design. Who are some designers you look to for inspiration? A few I really like are Artiva, Jung + Wenig, HelloMe, Côme de Bouchony, Alex Witjas, Michael Willis, Benoît Bodhuin, Ill Studio, Les Graphiquants... What’s your dream job? I want to never get bored, to work on different areas such as photography, motion design, and interactive media, and organize electronic music graphical performances with my friends. Why should somebody hire you? I am used to working quickly on tight deadlines, am comfortable with graphics software, and have empathy.

from top left: Bagot’s Boltzmann book analyzing the method of random image generation; Bagot’s visual identity for restaurant Carnivore; a print project based on the Adobe Jenson typeface. Says Bagot, “I tried to use it in modern and contemporary ways to show that a good typeface is timeless.”

Tristan Likes: Waking up listening to tech house, wasting time on the Internet, girly colors, going to the supermarket, fixing things, geometry, new technology, spending hours in graphic and fashion bookstores, exhibition openings, my girlfriend Tristan Dislikes: Old people, chocolate, swaggers, broadcast music on radio, TV, geography

RESUME SNAPSHOT: Tristan Bagot EDUCATION ESAG Penninghen, Paris, France Master’s in art direction/graphic and digital design, 2014

Work Experience Machine Molle Visual effects, animation

Starcow Paris/Cyclope Bikes Website design

ESAG Penninghen, Paris, France Graphic design, 2009-2012

Manhattan Portage Logo design for French market

(Capsule) and Trendland Photography reports

Photos courtesy of Tristan Bagot

Wanna hire Tristan? Check out his website: tristanbagot.com


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