Design Bureau Issue 28 by Alarm Press

ARCHITECT DAVID ADJAYE MAKES HISDESIGN MARK ON MADISON AVE. P.35 A DECADE OF HELSINKI WEEK, P.60

THE LIGHTING ISSUE

HEAVY-METAL SOFTWARE: ZAHNER’S GAME-CHANGER The fabrication giant’s latest technology puts designers in control, P. 54

ZAHA HADID MARLON BLACKWELL JOHNSON FAIN

The Virage® Freestanding Tub Filler. Strip away your stress, and step into a private bath spa retreat. Designed to indulge the senses as well as the body, the Virage Freestanding Tub Filler completes your bathroom suite with unmatched Brizo elegance. This isn’t just a new level of luxury, it’s a license to dream. Available exclusively in showrooms | brizo.com

v i s i t u s i n l u x e h o m e at t h e

Merchandise Mart

suite 127 / dream2oshowroom.com

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July/Aug 2014

CONTENTS Issue 28

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Chris Force chris@alarmpress.com -----

COVER FEATURE

Heavy-Metal Software: Zahner’s Game-Changer /p54

MANAGING EDITOR Scott Morrow scottm@alarmpress.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Amanda Koellner akoellner@alarmpress.com DESIGNER Michael Bodor michael@alarmpress.com ----EDITORIAL INTERNS Chloe Stachowiak Kayla Unnerstall DESIGN INTERNS Chris Givens Ravi Sathia ----CONTRIBUTORS Samer Almadani, Melanie Francis, Brandon Goei, Emma Janzen, Brandy Kraft, Sarah Murray, Margaret Poe, Risa Seidman, Cindy Shute, Patrick Sisson, J. Michael Welton ----MARKETING DIRECTOR Jenny Palmer jenny@alarmpress.com MARKETING COORDINATOR Elli Gotlieb elli@alarmpress.com COMMUNICATIONS Vanessa Nikolic vanessa@alarmpress.com CLIENT-SERVICES MANAGER Krystle Blume krystle@alarmpress.com ----SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGERS Brianna Jordan, Natalie Valliere-Kelley ACCOUNT MANAGERS Gail Francis, Amanda Herzberg, Matthew Hord, Kaitlynn Kelly, Bianca Richier, Drew Samuel, Courtney Schiffres

“I think we’re beating a new path and creating a new paradigm of how to interface with custom fabrication companies.” — BILL ZAHNER

----SALES REPRESENTATIVE Ellie Fehd ellie@alarmpress.com BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Kellan Hegedus kellan@alarmpress.com

FEATURE:

A Decade of Helsinki Design Week /p60 As the Finnish capital gears up for the biggest Scandinavian design event of the year, Design Bureau checks in with some of the nation’s key players

Cover outtake by Samer Almadani, sameralmadani.com. Helsinki photo by Otso Kaijaluoto.

Shannon Painter shannon@alarmpress.com Mike Runkle mike@alarmpress.com ----CONTROLLER Bob Achettu bob@alarmpress.com OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Nathan Krout nathan@alarmpress.com ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER Lauren Kiddy lauren@alarmpress.com

TECH. SUPPORT.

MIMEO™ The Shape of Movement

It’s time to evolve the way you sit. The Mimeo chair has achieved the perfect balance between the science of constant contact and an intuitive design that’s focused on fluid motion. Influenced by natural evolution and engineered to balance the distribution of individual movement, its unique IntelliForm™ back technology with 3D knit enhances breathability and allows for dynamic responsiveness and personalized comfort.

allsteeloffice.com/mimeo

DESIGN BUREAU

July/Aug 2014

CONTENTS Issue 28 EYE CANDY

Zaha Hadid / p82 A design for Vienna University leaves behind rectangular forms for gravitydefying angles and flowing curves

ON THE COVER Photography: Samer Almadani, sameralmadani.com Stylist: Melanie Francis, melaniefrancisstylist.com Photo assistant: Stuart Heidmann, stuartheidmann.com Hair and makeup: Cindy Shute, cindyshute.com Models: Florence A. for Factor Women and Neil T. for Ford Models On the female model: Dress by Club Monaco; shoes by Michael Kors; jewelry by Vince Camuto. On the male model: Suit by Macy’s Bar III; dress shirt by Calvin Klein; shoes by Stacy Adams. ----A one-year subscription to Design Bureau is US $24 (international $48). Visit our website at wearedesignbureau.com or send a check or money order to: Design Bureau 900 North Franklin Street Suite 300 Chicago, IL 60610 (T) 312.386.7932 (F) 312.276.8085 info@alarmpress.com

THE INFORMER

Design Bureau (ISSN 2154-4441) is published bimonthly by ALARM Press at: 900 North Franklin Street Suite 300 Chicago, IL 60610 Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL and additional mailing office(s). POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to Design Bureau at 900 North Franklin Street Suite 300 Chicago, IL 60610 -----

FILL IN THE BLANK:

FASHION & BEAUTY:

Marcel Christ /p15

Foley + Corinna /p26

DESIGN THINKING

Retailers: To carry Design Bureau in your store, please call 201.634.7411. -----

PLUS

DB RECOMMENDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 DESIGN THINKING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 NOTES FROM THE BUREAU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 EYE CANDY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 GUEST COLUMNIST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 ARCHITECTURE:

ARCHITECTS & ARTISANS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Marlon Blackwell /p39

BEST NEW ALBUMS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 FOR HIRE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Zaha Hadid photo by Iwan Baan, iwanbaan.com. Marcel Christ photo by Marcel Christ, marcelchrist.com. Anna Corinna portrait by Matthew Williams, matthewwilliamsphotographer.com. Marlon Blackwell photo by Timothy Hursley, timothyhursley.com.

DESIGN BUREAU

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Torsion >> Dark Bronze with Mahogany Blades

July/Aug 2014

“Design itself is useless. You need to have initiatives from other fields in order to come out with new designs and new business.” — Kari Korkman, page 60 There is a brilliant design community in Helsinki. Sophisticated, highly crafted and designed objects and fashion live everywhere in the city—not just at Helsinki Design Week, which celebrates its tenyear anniversary in 2014. Design is part of everyday life in Helsinki, which makes its take on a design week even more interesting. How does growing up sitting on Artek chairs and wearing clothing by Marimekko influence a designer? What do they look to design to improve? Architecture, furniture, fashion? Well, yes. But during our first visit to the city last year, we also saw fabulous graphic design, technology and electronics, bicycles, yachts, restaurants, and design collectives. The Finnish are looking to take their craft to all walks of design, and the output is amazing. We talk with a handful of such bright Finnish designers on page 60. In this issue, we also explore two new technology concepts. Our cover story

features a new cloud-based technology from Zahner that could radically disrupt how architects plan and build buildings. This intensive new technology could bring extremely expensive design systems and options to the masses (and all inspired by a child’s video game). Editor Amanda Koellner speaks with CEO and president Bill Zahner on page 54. We’ve also taken a look at how technology is updating everyday objects such as watches, floorboards, showerheads, and tables, and how it can contribute to contemporary issues like water and energy conservation, hands-free driving, and home security. As always, Design Bureau seeks to support global, interdisciplinary design with fun and passion. Have a design story we should cover? Let us know. ----Chris Force Publisher & Editor-in-Chief chris@alarmpress.com Photo by Jim Krantz, jimkrantz.com

Celebrating the modern idiom modernfan.com

July/Aug 2014

DESIGN BUREAU

FOR THE RECORD

FACTUALLY SPEAKING Stats, factoids, and random info from behind the scenes of this issue

Issue 28 “Skyscrapers are something that everyone has to see and participate in, so in their best life they are an enormous piece of public art.” — SCOTT JOHNSON, DESIGN PARTNER AT JOHNSON FAIN

75 MILLION TONS The amount of waste generated by packaging in America each year

1/10,000 SECOND The ultra-short flash length used by photographer Marcel Christ to capture an interaction between paint and water

DESIGN BUREAU ON INSTAGRAM

50,000 The number of people who attended last year’s Helsinki Design Week—the largest design event in the Nordic countries

There’s a storm in the @dedon_official booth! #iSalone

Love the statement light fixture in the @strafhotel #design #dbmilan2014

Associate editor @amandakoellner interviewing @nigelbarker

Taste-testing the new spring cocktail menu at @drumbarchi

1897 The year that metal-fabrication company Zahner, featured on our cover, was founded

See more of our photos on Instagram. follow us @designbureaumag ISSUE 27

The Landscape of Lighting “A lovely publication and a very interesting article on the world of lighting!” — E.Y., VIA E-MAIL

“I’ve been wondering what Nate Berkus has been up to, and your article answered that question and then some. What a guy!” — J.P., VIA E-MAIL

Comments, criticism, questions, suggestions, love letters, hate mail... We read it all. e-mail us your thoughts: letters@wearedesignbureau.com

TWITTERVERSE: 140-character shout-outs to Design Bureau

@HotelFelix Always great to have @DesignBureauMag celebrating #earthmonth #design #ecodesign @karim_ design Had a nice lunch with the folks from @DesignBureauMag today in Chicago! @ChiDM Thanks to @DesignBureauMag for the story on our @kickstarter project & permanent space plans! http://ow.ly/vr8cr

join the conversation at

twitter.com/DesignBureauMag

July/Aug 2014

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DESIGN BUREAU CONTRIBUTORS

Toronto | Canada

Cindy Shute is an accredited Chicago-based hair and makeup artist with more than 30 years experience. She feels privileged to have worked with many celebrities and some of the best photographers and directors on a range of fashion, advertising, catalogs, commercials, and TV shows. She also is a member of the Local 476 union. cindyshute.com

By day, Risa Seidman is a writer based in Chicago. Her work has appeared on MSN.com Travel and in US News & World Report, among other publications. By night, she spends her time reveling in Chicagoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bountiful culinary options or (quietly) singing along to her favorite bands at the Empty Bottle. Follow her on Twitter @risaseidman.

Brandon Goei has previously worked in a sushi factory, as a personal driver, doing motion capture, and handing out hummus samples, among other things. None compares to writing about music and design. His work has previously appeared in Alarm Magazine, Pitchfork, Portable.tv, and others.

Emma Janzen is a freelance writer based in Chicago. When not writing about architecture and design, she specializes in drinks journalism. She delights in being able to easily discuss both new design technologies and the best margarita recipes at parties. emmajanzen.com

Eurolite is a full-service lighting consultancy & showroom, creating great spaces with great lighting for over 25 years. Now featuring Occhio, the award-winning modular & architectural lighting system.

www.eurolite.com

Occhio | Sento Sento uses changable optical components unique to one or both sides and can be seperately or continuously controled. See more Occhio at: www.eurolite.com/brands/occhio

auto-reverse bed & stijl side table - designed by g. vigano showroom - two hundred lexington avenue, new york, ny 10016 +1 (212) 696 0211 www.atelier-nyc.com info@atelier-nyc.com

exclusively at

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July/Aug 2014

Design Bureau Recommends... To coincide with our preview of Helsinki Design Week, we hand-picked some of our favorite Finnish gear. 01

01 Sarpaneva cast-iron pot by Iittala, $295, iittala.com

“This pot cooks food so evenly and looks bad-ass too. The detachable wood handle adds a nice touch.” — Chris Force, editor-in-chief

02 Back Bag 212 by Harri Koskinen for Savotta, $163, finn-savotta.fi

“This has all the functionality and style I could ask for in a backpack. I love the contrast in colors and cleanliness of its design.” — Michael Bodor, designer

03 Stool 60 by Artek, $239, artek.fi

“I love the simplicity in this birch stool as well as the pop of color. Plus, it looks like the perfect height for my cat to jump up onto.” — Amanda Koellner, associate editor

04 Warm tea set by Tonfisk Design, $192, shop. tonfisk-design.fi

“The walnut on this tea set is beautiful to look at, and the interactive design makes for an interesting talking piece when I have guests over.” — Ravi Sathia, design intern

05 Model 4.3 wireless

speaker by Unmonday, $958, unmonday.com

“Stylish, wireless, and Apple compatible, this porcelain-encased speaker was built to last and, more importantly, sound good. And because its six sides utilize motionsensor technology to change audio channels when the device is rotated, you’ll never again fumble for an easily lost speaker remote.” — Scott Morrow, managing editor

06 Sääpäiväkirja salad platter by Marimekko, $108, usstore.marimekko.com

“I love the way Marimekko depicts Finnish weather patterns in its Weather Diary collection. Doesn’t this salad plate make you want to drop everything and visit Finland in the fall?” — Jenny Palmer, marketing director

Images courtesy of the companies featured

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Monday–Friday 9am–5pm Saturday by appointment only www.CrawfordSupply.com

Think Outside the Mart

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DESIGN BUREAU

THE INFORMER News & musings from the world of design

July/Aug 2014

IN A FLASH Photographer Marcel Christ utilized ultra-short flash lengths as quick as 1/10,000 of a second to capture the interaction between paint and water for his latest series, Pario.

Photo by Marcel Christ, marcelchrist.com

AIGA DESIGN AND BUSINESS CONFERENCE

OCT 23–24, 2014 NEW YORK CITY

GAINCONFERENCE.AIGA.ORG

REDESIGNING COMMERCE: CHANGING THE FACE, PLACE AND CHARACTER OF BUSINESS Register for this year’s Gain conference to explore what redesigning commerce means for the economy, society, government and beyond. Register by July 15 for the best rate.

SPEAKERS INCLUDE: Jake Dunagan Institute for the Future Kaaren Hanson Intuit Brian David Johnson Intel Roger Martin Martin Prosperity Institute at the Rotman School of Management Jerry Michalski The Relationship Economy eXpedition (REX) Douglas Rushkoff Author on media, technology and culture

PRESENTING SPONSORS

July/Aug 2014

The Informer

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PIXELS & PRINT

Fill in the Blank: Marcel Christ When we asked Marcel Christ what he’s most inspired by, the wildly successful photographer said, “Ordinary things that can’t be seen with the naked eye.” Such imperceptibility directly influenced his latest series, Pario, for which he utilized ultra-short flash lengths as quick as 1/10,000 of a second to capture the interaction between paint and water. When he’s not experimenting with his camera’s agility, the Amsterdam-bred photographer (who now divides his time between his native Netherlands and New York City) shoots for the likes of Coca-Cola, Sony, Evian, and Nike, as well as for Details, Elle, The New York Times Magazine, and InStyle. We caught up with him to hear of alternative realities, album covers, and more. aZ IF I COULD HAVE DINNER

IF I COULD SHOOT ANY CLAS-

WITH ANY PHOTOGRAPHER

SIC ALBUM COVER, I WOULD

DEAD OR ALIVE, I WOULD

SHOOT… Around the World

IF I WEREN’T A PHOTOG-

I WILL NEVER GET SICK OF

charter-boat captain and treasure hunter.

ings with a lot of detailed craftsmanship.

CHOOSE… Irving Penn.

RAPHER, I WOULD BE… a

MY SPIRIT ANIMAL IS…

according to this Internet quiz, a butterfly. IN THREE WORDS, MY WORK-

SPACE IS… cozy, efficient, and vibrant. THE TABS THAT ARE CURRENTLY LEFT OPEN IN MY

BROWSER ARE… Trip Advisor, Wired, and Behance. TOP: Coca-Cola Zero; Pario series MIDDLE: Marcel Christ; Nike Lunar Glides; Florem Illusio BOTTOM: Big Bang III

in a Day by Prince.

LOOKING AT… classic paint-

IF THE STORY OF MY LIFE COULD BE DESCRIBED IN A MOVIE TITLE, IT WOULD BE…

The Passion of a Beautiful Mind.

MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT

MY PROFESSION IS… the cre-

ative and innovative part that leads to surprising, moving results.

MY BEST IDEAS COME TO ME WHEN… the pressure is on.

Photos by Marcel Christ, marcelchrist.com

July/Aug 2014

The Informer

DESIGN BUREAU

PIXELS & PRINT

Disappearing Act One designer takes a stand against the 75 million tons of packaging waste that America produces annually By Amanda Koellner

brands that would make the “solutions feel familiar, even while they might look completely unique,” Mickelson implemented water-soluble and soap-soluble packaging, such as a Nivea bar whose package disappears when held under water. His take on Glad trash bags makes the final bag in the package the package itself—no box left behind. “I’m most realistic about the Twinings teabags, the OXO containers, and the Glad trash bags,” he says. “The others have the highest risk of damage from environmental factors such as wet hands, a humid environment, or just a rainy day.” Although he hasn’t heard a peep out of any of the brands

Few little boys have an affinity for packaging, but a love of labels at an early age would go on to become career-defining for designer Aaron Mickelson. “I know it sounds absurd, but it’s true,” he says. “Long before I knew anything about the industry of packaging or even graphic design, I used to love taking little objects I found around the house, wrapping them up together, and then sealing them.” Mickelsen took his love and ran with it. He went on to attend the Pratt Institute, but

he took on, he can tell from tracking data that a large number of employees from the companies have seen his disappearing-package website. Furthermore, Mickelson says that he gets daily E-mails from inquirers wondering when the packaging will hit shelves, asking how to help advance a waste-free agenda, or just informing him that he has gained a new fan. But whether or not his designs could exist in reality has yet to be seen. “Are we ready for a fundamental shift in the way we think of, and possibly handle, packaging?” Mickelson wonders. “I believe that question remains to be answered.” a

the knowledge he gained about the amount of waste that packaging produces (more than 75 million tons annually in the USA) weighed heavily. “As I set out to develop a thesis for my master’s in package design, I knew that I wanted to tackle this problem in some way,” he says. “And because grad school is all about coming up with wild—potentially absurd—ideas, I decided to take it to an extreme and consider eliminating package altogether.” Settling on five household

Images courtesy of Aaron Mickelson

DESIGN BUREAU

The Informer

July/Aug 2014

PIXELS & PRINT

(Re-)Branding Like any storefront occasionally needs a new coat of paint, every business can use an identity overhaul now and then. Here are a few of our favorite refreshes from around the world. By Sarah Murray

VEVO DESIGN: Red Antler, redantler.com THEN: Angular, blocky, rigid: the basic brand formula for every tech-based company in the ’90s

NOW: Amazing what a small typography shift can do. While still retaining the brand recognition of the original design, the image of Vevo—the Internet’s primary source for official music videos—has been brought into the future. The oblique, rounded letterforms allow for some visually interesting promotional material. The new look also gives credence to its slogan, “music to your eyes,” and embraces its wide variety of music fans.

CITY OF MELBOURNE DESIGN: Landor Associates, landor.com THEN: Overcomplicated and slightly confusing, it looked like the logo of a country club

NOW: Global brand-consulting juggernaut Landor Associates makes Melbourne look like the place to be. The colorful, fun-filled overhaul of the Australian city’s graphic identity touches everything from street banners to parking tickets, and because the design is grid-based, it can be manipulated in an infinite number of ways to suit every need that the city might have for it. The modern angles and bold colors are more indicative of a thriving urban metropolis.

Images courtesy of the companies featured

July/Aug 2014

The Informer

DESIGN BUREAU

HONORABLE MENTION

WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART DESIGN: Experimental Jetset, experimentaljetset.nl THEN: Static and blocky letterforms showed no interactivity

ATELIER FOOD DESIGN: PJADAD, pjadad.com Art director and designer Petter Johansson brings a simple yet bold concept to this Swedish restaurant and “food lab.” But the most intriguing thing about this branding is the farm-fresh “food city” that Johansson created to stand as a striking visual identity. One part Lego city and one part chef’s dream town, the stacks of food mixed with colored blocks are fantastic in terms of both design and deliciousness.

NOW: This super-responsive design embraces the inventive spirit of the museum. The thin black lines of the W contort to interact with the words and frame the artworks displayed around it—a dynamic design feature that can amp up anything from signage to promotional videos. The inspiration behind it? The zig-zag plays as a metaphor for a non-simplistic history of art, according to the designers, and also can represent a pulse—the Whitney breathing in and out. The new look arrives in time for the Whitney’s new life at its new Renzo Piano-designed location in 2015.

Images courtesy of the companies featured

BREATHTAKING

VIEWS INSIDE AND OUT.

LIVE WHAT YOU LOVE. Conceived to transform, yet complement, the dramatic skyline of Dallas, Museum Tower stands as an icon, created by internationally celebrated architect Scott Johnson. Derived from an intersection of ellipses, the broad, curving glass sails wrap the building with floor-to-ceiling windows in each home. Reaching 42 stories into the sky, each level offers a view and living experience as unique as the people that live there.

For a private showing, call or visit our sales center. 1918 N. Olive Street, Dallas, TX 75201 • www.MuseumTowerDallas.com • 214.954.1234 • info@MuseumTowerDallas.com This material does not constitute an offer to sell nor a solicitation to buy in any state where registration is required if such registration requirements have not been filed. Certain described services are subject to future modification by the Condominium Association and may be subject to additional fees. Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered (and unregistered) service marks used with permission. Each office is Independently Owned and Operated.

July/Aug 2014

The Informer

DESIGN BUREAU

STRUCTURES & SPACES

A Spatial Wonder Compact size, local materials, and breathtaking views define this home in the Alps

Perched on a hillside in the village of Nussdorf just outside Vienna, the Ufogel House appears to be floating—a cross between an extraterrestrial home and a prehistoric bird. Fittingly, the name “Ufogel” comes from a combination of UFO and vogel, which means bird in German. The 485-square-foot structure maximizes out-of-thisworld views of the Alps while minimizing impact on the environment thanks to its compact size and use of regional materials. The house is the result of collaboration between two generations: industrial designer and architect Lukas Jungmann of Aberjung Design Agency and his father, architect Peter Jungmann. The two worked with carpenter Leonhard Unterrainer to create a structure made of local materials: larch wood, serpentine stone, and deer leather.

“We designed the building from inside to outside,” says Lukas, who also notes that the designers were inspired by the improvised campsites often used in mountain climbing. “We wanted to create a biwak— not for climbers, but for hikers,” he says. “They have other needs—not just a place to sleep but a place to sit together in the evening, drink a beer, and enjoy the beautiful panorama in the mountains.” The house’s two-and-a-half levels feature a multitude of functions in a small amount of space, including beds, a kitchen unit, and a bathroom overlooking the mountains. Based on passive-house standards, the home’s ample windows provide light to virtually every corner, and eight-inch insulation all around means that a simple wood stove is enough to heat the entire house. aZ Photos by Lukas Jungmann

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The Informer

July/Aug 2014

RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT

PIECES OF THE WHOLE This restaurant group calls on risk-takers of culinary arts, mixology, design, and branding to curate a unique experience for restaurant-goers By Emma Janzen

For the Mercadito Hospitality Group, the dining experience isn’t just about consuming delicious dishes—it’s about enjoying a vibrant night out on the town in a friendly, social atmosphere that’s full of energy and vivacity. Images courtesy of Mercadito Hospitality Group

With new locations breaking ground in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Las Vegas (the group already has left its mark in New York and Chicago), Mercadito hired New York Citybased Celano Design Studio to take that underlying sentiment

and apply it to the new concepts. Founder and principal Vincent Celano says that each project is the result of intense collaboration. “There is a recipe to what this group is about,” he says. “[Mercadito Hospitality’s] vision brings together these creative minds, these young and high-energy risktakers of food, beverage, design, graphics, and branding—all aspects that eventually come together to create the complete, immersive dining experience.” In terms of aesthetics, each individual restaurant has its own unique look and atmosphere that’s influenced by a specific culinary theme. “The challenge is always, ‘What’s the new food concept, what’s the new location, and how do you bring relevance to this location with the type of energy and vibe that we

typically bring?’” Celano says. “There has to be an understanding of what the culture, location, energy, and demographics are for the area.” Though each concept caters to the local culture and the menu scheme, they all are tied together with similar elements to ensure that each location fits into the group’s overall ambiance. For example, Celano says that one of the more engaging aspects of the design are the graffiti murals present in every concept, created by artist Erni Vales. “[The art] adds something that changes and evolves, so it’s not a specific repetitive style,” he says. “The next Mercaditos might have five different graffiti-art concepts. That’s one of the things that keeps the concepts fresh and new and always up to date.” a

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The Informer

July/Aug 2014

TRAVEL & CULTURE

Hip in Helsinki Named “World Design Capital” for 2012, Helsinki continues to be an international innovator in design. We’ve chosen a few must-visit gems to hit the next time you’re in Finland. By Kayla Unnerstall

1. Design Forum Focused solely on contemporary Finnish design, Design Forum Shop showcases close to 400 unique designers and companies. Situated in the heart of the design district, its selection ranges from “industrial classics to unique handmade products.” The shop regularly stages design events to incorporate talent from the local community.

Image courtesy of the venue featured

July/Aug 2014

2. Salakauppa Literally meaning “secret shop” in Finnish, Salakauppa is a small, cubic shop on the streets of the city’s commercial center. The brainchild of design duo Company’s Aamu Song and Johan Olin, all of its “secret” products—from clothes to books to knickknacks—are inspired by old-fashioned factories and manufacturing traditions.

3. Kauniste Established in the summer of 2008 in the Vallila district of Helsinki, Kauniste takes a fresh approach to patterns and traditional screenprinting. Founded by a team of young Finnish graphic designers and craftsmen, the brand designs and manufactures “inspirational everyday textiles” without falling into the seasonal trends.

4. Pino Pino is a marketplace for unique and functionally designed objects. Its branding concept, created by Bond Creative Agency, is based on its name, which means pile or stack in Finnish. Bond translated the theme visually into the shop’s logo and fixtures, and the interior setup, with its subtle palette of glossy grey pinewood planks, works as a neutral background for the store’s fresh and colorful products.

5. Muru This small bistro, located in the heart of Helsinki, proclaims itself a “fun dining” restaurant, as opposed to traditional “stiff fine dining.” Along with its laid-back atmosphere, Muru entices guests with fresh ingredients, a selection of more than 200 wines, and house specialties such as bouillabaisse, risotto, and chocolate fondant.

The Informer

DESIGN BUREAU

6. Klaus K Design Hotel Helsinki’s first and only design hotel, Klaus K was created by wife-and-husband duo Mia and Marc Skvorc. With the help of international design company Stylt, the hotel’s contemporary décor is uniquely contrasted with subtle references to The Kalevala, the Finnish national epic—a living-room slider, hallway carpet, and an egg-shaped reception desk all nod to the poetry collection’s creation myth, where the world and universe were created from seven eggs.

7. Slaughterhouse Operating as a slaughterhouse from its opening in 1933 until 1992, this historical Helsinki complex has reopened as a hub for foodies, showcasing local foods, popup restaurants, and urban gardens. Kellohalli, the building’s permanent restaurant, attracts locals and tourists alike with its minimalist design and classic Finnish grub such as sweetbreads, pork neck, and fried vendace.

8. Cable Factory The Cable Factory, or Kaapelitehdas in Finnish, is the largest cultural center in Finland and will host this year’s Design Market, a design warehouse sale, during Helsinki Design Week in September. The building was acquired by the city of Helsinki and now houses three museums (including the Finnish Museum of Photography), 12 galleries, dance theatres, art schools, and a host of artists, bands, and companies. a

Salakauppa photo by Company. Kauniste photo by Unto Rautio. Muru photo by Tuukka Koski. Cable Factory photo by Matti Tirri. Other images courtesy of the venues featured.

DESIGN BUREAU

The Informer

July/Aug 2014

FASHION & BEAUTY

Haute Handbags Vintage maven turned fashion designer Anna Corinna, one half of Foley + Corinna, speaks about her sophisticated Manhattan brand that all started with a budding friendship By Kayla Unnerstall worldwide from New York to Chile to Japan and in such stores as Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom.

Though now they’re co-founders of the buzzworthy handbag label Foley + Corinna, 15 years ago Anna Corinna and Dana Foley were complete strangers. The pair, both individually selling their curated pieces at the Chelsea Art and Antique Market, met by chance in 1999 and quickly realized their shared love of fashion. The blossoming friendship evolved into a successful business, blending not only the two women’s last names but also their design aesthetics and styles. In 2008, the brand was invited to join the prestigious Council of Fashion Designers of America, and since then, the bags have been featured in magazines such as Nylon, People, InStyle, Lucky, and Allure. Today, Foley + Corinna’s range of clutches, tote bags, satchels, and cross-body bags has garnered the company a cult following of urban-minded women and celebrities that include Drew Barrymore, Heidi Klum, Natalie Portman, Blake Lively, and Katy Perry. And with a strong international presence, F + C can be found

For inspiration, Corinna avoids relying on trend boards and advice from style forecasters’ presentations so she can stay unique in the industry. “When starting a new collection, I don’t like to stick to any one formula,” she says. “I think that’s where you can grow stale. When you look at the mood boards enough, everyone will have the same exact shape on, and I don’t want to be a part of that.” Instead, Corinna is constantly accumulating design references, whether it’s an actual bag or a tear from a magazine, and takes inspiration from sources that range from paintings to people, architecture, car design, and even children’s artwork. “I’m always collecting imagery,” she says. “If I see somebody carrying something great on the train platform, I’ll snap a quick picture.” As for accessories, Corinna borders on obsessed—“I wish I could wear a ring on every finger and a stack of bangles,” she says—so it comes as no surprise that the brand’s most recent venture is with jewelry. Handbags, however, always will remain the brand’s focus. “I think that’s one of the reasons I keep making [handbags],” Corinna says. “I can’t get enough.” a

Anna Corinna portrait by Matthew Williams, matthewwilliamsphotographer.com. Products from top to bottom: Unchained duffel in ecru; Mid City tote in sidewalk; Framed Convertible tote in baja combo.

bluemotifarchitecture.com 619.269.5288 San Diego, CA 92101

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PATIO POINTERS JANUS et Cie on designing an outdoor oasis

Intro by Kayla Unnerstall

With summer in full force, your homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stunning spaces shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be limited to its interiors. Stylish designs for pool and patio can make entertaining outdoors feel just as luxurious and comfortable as in your living room. Design Bureau asked Janice Feldman, president and CEO of Los Angeles-based furniture company JANUS et Cie, what the five essential elements are to consider when designing furniture for the outdoors. a

1. Design Integrity With the breadth and depth of our collections, our products span from classic to contemporary/modern with many elements from dining, seating, lounge, pool, and accessory-style applications. JANUS et Cie collections are as distinctive in design as they are inviting, intermingling as graceful complements and suitable within an eclectic ensemble or as stand-alone pieces. 2. Removing the Boundaries Between Indoors and Out We are seeing design becoming more fluid between spaces, with the interiors seamlessly transitioning to the exteriors in very thoughtful ways. Outdoor spaces are becoming intimate living rooms with cozy, comfortable furniture, amazingly designed private areas, and thoughtful touches that feel like home with no walls and an open ceiling.

3. Quality Designed to Last a Lifetime

Constructed with durability for the outdoors, our products perform beautifully in all exterior environments year after year. Our goal is to find the harmonious balance of beauty, performance, responsibility, and a lifetime of comfort. 4. Innovative Materials Sophisticated finishes such as weathered teaks, synthetic woods like JANUSwood, and fibers such as JANUSfiber that look natural but require little to no maintenance have always been popular and continue to hold strong. Designers often accent these pieces as they would interior furnishings with pops of color and texture using cushions, toss pillows, and accessories. 5. Uncompromised Luxury Our vast array of furnishings, textiles, and accessories offers a chic and personal expression of style. JANUS et Cie creates plush cushions featuring exceptional comfort that are designed for outdoor use season after season. Our collection of more than 250 textiles offers fabrics of rich options such as chenille and velvets suitable for outdoors. We continue to see clients with extremely sophisticated taste and a trend for luxury outdoors.

Pictured above, clockwise from top left: Branch armchair; Chee armchair; Narrows long dining table. Images courtesy of JANUS et Cie.

ÂŠ Arnaud Childeric / Studio Kalice

BIENVENUE - KAMA - EXTRADOS by EGO Paris - www.egoparis.com

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FAMILY STYLE Formed by a trio of brothers 10 years ago, French furniture-maker Ego Paris strives for design that’s “both human and industrial.” Its aluminum-based outdoor furniture comes in bold and neutral colors that scream personality—with more than 400 color-and-material combinations—and can be found in high-style hotels around the world, from Buenos Aires to Abu Dhabi. Taking pride in its French craftsmanship, Ego Paris cites warmth, well-being, sharing, and relaxation as its creative principles—qualities that inspired us to share these for your well-being. By Scott Morrow

Bienvenue small sofa in white and gray vinyl and lacquered aluminum

Extrados large expandable table in brushed stainless steel and teak

Kama modular Dyvan in white vinyl and aluminum

Tandem Sunlounger in paprika mesh and teak

Images courtesy of the company featured

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TIMELESS TEAK Voted “best overall” by The Wall Street Journal, Westminster Teak USA creates weather-tested furniture for inside and out Intro by Kayla Unnerstall

Stylish yet functional, teak furniture has established itself as an indoor-outdoor staple that’s perfect for patio entertaining. Established 25 years ago in England, Westminster Teak has become an industry leader, most notably chosen to furnish Camp David. Design Bureau spoke with Westminster Teak USA designer Mal Haddad about the company’s rise to success and why its “factory-owned” products are just as ageless as their durable material.

How does teak set itself apart from other furniture materials?

Teak is a durable hardwood with dense grain and high natural oil content—qualities that afford it little or no care. It’s the material of choice for its sheer beauty and dependability. Its high oil and

silica content make it highly resistant to rotting, warping, or splitting, allowing it to withstand the extremities of weather, including sun, rain, and snow. For these unique properties in its strength and stability, teak has been for centuries and still is the enduring material used in ship building, and of course furniture mak-

ing. The teak deck of [Germany’s] Bismarck [battleship] was found still intact at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. How does it feel to know that your furniture is at Camp David?

I think it is a testament to the quality of the furniture and the service we offer. If the furniture is good enough for leaders of the world, it must be good enough for the rest of us! Our furniture has furnished some of the most well-known hotels, resorts, spas, restaurants, and private clubs of the world. Some of these include The W hotel, Ritz Carlton, St. Regis, The Breakers hotel, Four Seasons resorts, The James NY, Kahala, Equinox, Marriott, Mandarin Oriental hotel, The Metropolitan Opera, and Apple, Inc. Where does your teak come from?

All the teak used in the manufacturing of our furniture is from sustainably harvested plantations under the strict management of the Indonesian Ministry of

Forestry. Our factory was the first to join Nusa Hijau, the Indonesian Chapter of the Global Forest Trade Network, an initiative of the World Wildlife Fund. It was created to eliminate illegal logging, improve the management of threatened forests, and promote biodiversity and the livelihoods of the people that depend on them. How else does Westminster Teak stand apart from competitors?

Because we’re factory owned, our products are almost entirely made from one manufacturing facility, our own. In many ways, it is our strength, from a standpoint of inventory supply and management, quality control, product turnaround (from design to production), contract work, and special projects. We make products that will endure over time, season after season, year after year, long after the trends are forgotten. Because the furniture lasts a very long time, we end up building relationships with our customers that last just as long. Our designs are as timeless and enduring as the material it is made of. a

Pictured above: Saloma daybed by Westminster Teak. Image courtesy of the company.

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FASHION & BEAUTY

A Digital Dance PostExhibition celebrates the senses by merging our world with interactive technology By Brandy Kraft

In a response to the “increasingly seamless mingling of our digital and physical lives,” online arts publication PostMatter collaborated with visual and sound artists to bring designs to life with the help of coders at the website’s PostExhibition. The immersive event ran in Milan from March 13–16, with plans in motion to take the exhibition to additional cities globally. Founder and creative director Remi Paringaux employs bespoke applications and the use of devices such as Kinect and Leap Motion to explore all-sensory terrain. And in addition to audio/visual efforts, the floor is rigged with motion Images courtesy of the company featured

sensors, which allow the audience to create a digital dance on screen. With the way that human senses adapt to the world of technology in mind, a scent engineer even was brought on board to create a custom aroma for the space. Fashion designers Gareth Pugh and Iris van Herpen contributed designs for the exhibit, and installations use a physical display as well as a tactile interface to give visitors the sensation of touching the clothing via images on screen. And though more dates won’t be confirmed until later in 2014, this interactive marvel eventually will hit the UK—and, if we’re lucky, the USA. a

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OBJECTS & GEAR

A Match Made in Denmark

Elegant minimalism finds a new home in Fritz Hansen’s designs By Chloe Stachowiak

Danish designer Poul Kjaerholm’s furniture has been admired for its minimalism and Nordic roots for the second half of the 20th Century—and, now that Fritz Hansen has acquired the rights to his entire collection, the rest of the world will be able to celebrate the strong yet simple designs that the Danish have known for decades. It’s an exciting addition for the designers at Fritz Hansen, who see new Kjaerholm pieces fitting into the company’s existing Kjaerholm Collection with poise and ease. “He represents the Danish design mindset in its purest form,” says Christian Rasmussen, design

director of Fritz Hansen. “It’s great that the complete collection is back in Fritz Hansen because the pieces complement each other and belong together.” The collection isn’t bogged down by heavy-handed design and unnecessary detail; instead, its smooth, clean lines allow for the materials themselves—stainless steel, wood, leather, and silky white marble—to shine through every piece. “The Kjaerholm pieces are so minimal that the finish and quality of the materials are absolutely essential—they are the piece,” Rasmussen says. “If I were to describe the materials in one word, it would be ‘honest.’” a

Pictured: PK11 and PK55 by Poul Kjaerholm for Fritz Hansen. Image courtesy of the company.

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HOTEL SPOTLIGHT

An American in Panama Commune design partner Roman Alonso and architect Hildegard Vasquez reveal their inspirations and challenges in designing Ace’s newest luxury hotel, American Trade By Kayla Unnerstall Before undergoing a Cinderella-like transformation, the landmark building in Casco Viejo, Panama that’s now home to American Trade Hotel was in complete disarray. With graffiti-lined walls and a trash-filled elevator chute, the space had been occupied for years by local gangs. Looking past the mess and instead deciding to preserve the building’s inherent architectural elements, Los Angeles design firm Commune teamed up with architect Hildegard Vasquez to bring the next Ace Hotel to life. What details in this design do you feel best represent the hotel’s aesthetic?

RA: All the furniture is made of local hardwood and handcrafted in Nicaragua, and no veneers were used on any of it. The eclectic collection of artisan-made furniture and objects (wall hangings by Tanya Aguiñiga, ceramics by Kevin Willis, furniture by James Garza and Michael Boyd, custom lighting by Atelier de Troupe, upholstered furniture by George Smith) as well as colonial antiques provide a highly personal and collected experience. What was the inspiration for this project?

HV: We looked at old photographs and postcards of

Images courtesy of American Trade Hotel, by Spencer Lowell for Atelier Ace

Panama, during the construction of the canal. Tropical plants and wood were always a part of the images, and that’s something that we undertook as the unifying materials for the project. What were the challenges when working on the American Trade Hotel?

RA: For us, working in Panama was a new experience. Handcrafted elements were sourced from the US, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, Mexico, and even the UK—getting everything there

in time and safely was a bit of a challenge. Are there are any fun facts or untold stories about this project?

HV: The main staircase is now covered in wallpaper, designed using the photographs we took of the gang graffiti that we found in the building, and the gang story became a design element for much of the artwork. All the pieces in the library are gang-related and tell a story that we felt also was part of the transition that the building had experienced. a

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IN THE DETAILS The luminous renovation of a Chicago home allows the design to shine

By Margaret Poe

dSPACE STUDIO: ATRIUM HOUSE Built in 1978 by Chicago architect Marcel Freides, Atrium House had a lot going for it. It covered three city lots and boasted an attached garage and spacious yard—uncommon in the Windy City’s heavily populated neighborhoods. The dwelling incorporated the namesake atrium, after all—also a welcome respite in the middle of the city. But by 2012, when a new family bought the home, the boxy brick structure was showing its age. Beyond the needs of a simple renovation, the house was ready for a true transformation. And that’s what it got at the hands of dSpace Studio, which completed the overhaul in less than a year. “The ’78 design was very compartmentalized,” says dSpace Studio founder Kevin Toukoumidis, noting that the renovation opened up the floor plan and allowed natural light to pour in through skylights and wide banks of windows. “The opening of the home allowed more natural light and more connectivity from room to room.” An edited palette of warm grays and wood tones offers a sense of serenity and sets off the art on the walls, much of which was created by the homeowner. Throughout, layers of lighting also manifest “moments of intensity,” as project manager Tom Hagerty calls them, complementing the clean lines of the architecture.

The core of the home, the 21-foot-tall atrium topped with a glass roof, is anchored by sculptural concrete steps fabricated by Steelskin.

Photo by Evan Thomas, studiothomasphoto.com

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By day, the skylight fills the atrium with dazzling natural light. But by night, the space comes to life thanks to a pleasant glow emitted from within the architectural forms. Linear LED lights by Morton Grove, Illinois-based Luminii are integrated within the custom millwork and under the floating steps, reflecting off the white porcelain floor.

For dSpace Studio, no detail is too small—a philosophy that extends to the stairwell. The blackened raw-steel railing slices across the wall, backlit to boost the drama.

A bamboo “screen” rooted in a rock garden greets guests as they enter the home, bringing in greenery while blocking views of the kitchen.

A skylight above the master bath extends the atrium motif. Linear LED fixtures edge the light well, drawing the eye up to the sky.

Photos by Evan Thomas, studiothomasphoto.com

A Roof Johns Manville Can’t Help You Build Is Unusual. Very Unusual.

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Whether you need a white, reflective roof, a black BUR roof, or even a difficult-to-flash roof, JM has the solution. We have an array of expansion joints and accessories unequaled in the industry. JM is dedicated to listening to your needs and meeting any roofing challenge you face.

We keep you ahead of the market. We give you a competitive advantage with the products and systems that meet your customers’ needs, the technical support to help you work better and the strongest guarantees in the industry backed by the financial stability of Berkshire Hathaway. Today, and into the future, count on JM’s full support with an unmatched array of systems and solutions.

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Interiors / Dawson Design

Architecture / Johnson Fain

Architecture / Shore Point

A boutique hotel revamp adds residential feel and artistic flair, p43

Ancient techniques and modern ideas in one soaring design, p46

A mixed-use development helps a neglected neighborhood, p48

Design Thinking TEACHABLE MOMENT Marlon Blackwellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s architecture-school addition is a master class in fusing old and new

Photo by Timothy Hursley, timothyhursley.com

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“‘You made this kind of strange.’ That’s exactly the reaction we’re after.”

Photo by Timothy Hursley, timothyhursley.com

July/Aug 2014

BY PATRICK SISSON

It was the kind of commission that makes “your mind go wild,” says architect Marlon Blackwell. The addition of the Steven L. Anderson Design Center to the University of Arkansas School of Architecture was a dream, the chance to create an architectural highlight reel that would play before an audience of your peers. In Blackwell’s head, crews already were laying the foundation for a masterpiece of dynamic, internalized space. Then, of course, there was the catch: the addition had to complement, and then match the dimensions of, Vol Walker Hall, an existing neo-classical structure.

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Proving that working within a box can inspire creativity, Blackwell and his team created an object lesson in fusing the old and new. Building upon fundamental lessons of form and scale, they developed an addition that resonated with the existing pediment, pilasters, and proportions. The limestone-and-glass exterior exuded gravitas and “spoke the same vertical language” as the existing structure. Other elements—steel on the new exterior, as opposed to within the curtain walls of the original, and the tableau of red oak in the entryway built from trees removed from the site—explored the narrative of architectural evolution in space. “We had to accept some of the DNA of the old and make it part of the DNA of the new,” Blackwell says.

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A professor himself, Blackwell also added flourishes that reflect a more open educational environment. A felt-lined “cave” under the auditorium offers a place for students to study and relax, and the sky terrace and classroom provide an inspiring setting with views of the surrounding Boston Mountains. Though requirements shaped the final forms, it didn’t alter Blackwell’s commitment to creating a memorable, personal design. “We encourage students to develop a breadth of knowledge about the discipline,” he says. “If you work locally and stumble into the quaint, you’re done. We want to be building work that resonates with folks at the national or global level. ‘You made this kind of strange.’ That’s exactly the reaction we’re after.” a

Photos by Timothy Hursley, timothyhursley.com

July/Aug 2014

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Finishing the Job To create many of the furnishings used throughout the Affinia 50 hotel, Dawson Design Associates teamed up with manufacturing company Saniharto, a specialist of customized furniture for the luxury-hotel and -apartment markets. Though the companies have worked on more than 20 projects together, including notable hotels around the country, the work for the Affinia 50 stands out for its contrast of high-gloss and matte finishes and a desk-dresser piece that combines laminate, metal, and walnut-burl veneer. “Every product is custom made to achieve the highest level of design, construction, and finish,” says Saniharto international sales and operation manager Merysia Enggalhardjo, “and delivered, as always, to the rigorous deadlines demanded by both commercial markets and the hotel industry across the globe.”

Home Away from Home A boutique hotel revamp focuses on residential feel with an artistic flair

BY EMMA JANZEN

Every hotel boasts the comforts of home, but few actually deliver on the promise—instead offering generic designs with matching furniture and soulless social spaces. When launching a full renovation in 2012, the Affinia 50 hotel in Manhattan hired Seattle-based interior-design studio Dawson Design Associates to create a fresh new identity that would avoid this cliché.

To achieve this goal, art director and principal Andrea Dawson Sheehan approached the project as if it were a high-end residential property instead of temporary lodging. “We wanted it to be like you could live in this hotel for months and have it feel like you’re staying in a friend’s living room—a sophisticated friend living in New York,” she says. With the help of architect Nobutaka Ashihara, Dawson Sheehan and her team designed 41 new guest rooms during the renovation, for a total of 251 chambers. Every aspect of the rooms and the social spaces—from the open f loor plans to the comfortable materials and furniture—speaks to

the idea of honoring the Midtown neighborhood and creating a “home away from home,” as Dawson Sheehan puts it. The overarching color palette takes inspiration from the history of the surrounding area, which once played home to many famous artists in the school of abstract expressionism. Bold, saturated hues like one might find in a Rothko or Pollock painting weave through a cool grey and white foundation. The artwork also ref lects the designers’ overall intention; each piece was sourced from local artists and arranged in a way that feels natural and homey. “We didn’t want it to feel like a gallery,” CONTINUED g Photo by Cheryl Zibisky, cherylzibisky.com

Saniharto is one of the world’s leading manufacturing companies, Saniharto is one of the world's leading manufacturing companies, specializing in custom state-of-the-art residential and contract specializing in custom state-of-the-art residential and contract furniture for the luxury hotel and apartment market. furniture for the luxury hotel and apartment market.

www.saniharto.com

FACTORY Jl. Raya Semarang-Demak Km. 12,9 Semarang 59563 – Indonesia T +62 24 6582 380 F +62 24 6582 381 sales@saniharto.com

SANIHARTO USA PO Box 3737 Napa, CA 94558 – USA T +1 707 9273 950 F +1 707 9273 954 saniharto.usa@gmail.com

SANIHARTO EUROPE Beech House 4 Holt Gardens, Mobberley Moberley Cheshire, WA167LH – England T +44 1565 872505 F +44 1772 610633 sales@saniharto.co.uk

SANIHARTO MIDDLE EAST Bo 503030 PO Box 503030 Dubai -- UAE UAE T +971 56 727 3460 ian.richardson@saniharto.co.uk ian.richardson@saniharto.co.uk

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In redesigning the Affinia 50, DDA art director and principal Andrea Dawson Sheehan approached the project as if it were a highend residential property— to feel like you’re staying with “a sophisticated friend living in New York.”

Dawson Sheehan says. “We wanted it to be three-dimensional and have an impact on how the space felt. So it’s interactive; you can really put your hands on it. It’s not just hanging on the wall.”

(CONTINUED)

Though the $18–20 million construction process was not easy—the hotel remained open to customers during the entire renovation process—Dawson Sheehan says that the team captured the intended spirit of sophisticated New York City while maintaining a strong residential appeal. “Yes, it’s stylish, and yes, it’s contemporary, but it’s also human,” she says. “We captured that New York energy from the guys who lived there.” a Top two photos by Cheryl Zibisky, cherylzibisky.com; middle photo by James Baigrie, jamesbaigrie.com; bottom photo by Cheryl Zibisky.

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A BEACON OF GLASS AND LIGHT Johnson Fain combines ancient techniques and modern ideas in one soaring design

BY BRANDON GOEI

“This is the Arts District—it places the Museum Tower in the context of art and culture.” A design partner at internationally acclaimed firm Johnson Fain, Scott Johnson is talking about the newly built residence tower that rises up 42 stories in downtown Dallas among a landscape of institutions like the Meyerson Symphony Center, Nasher Sculpture Center, and the iconic and historic Dallas Museum of Art. The structure was

designed to be a fitting addition to its neighbors—like a sculpture for the Nasher’s garden. “It’s not foreign to us as architects,” Johnson says. “[Skyscrapers are] something that everyone has to see and participate in, so in their best life they are an enormous piece of public art.” The tall building as art is a concept especially familiar to Johnson, who has written two books on the topic of performative skyscrapers and how they add to a neighborhood and its inhabitants.

Photo by Timothy Hursley, timothyhursley.com

Aesthetically, the Museum Tower boasts a historical attribute by employing entasis, a technique from ancient civilizations that adds a slight bulge at the center of column-like structures. “It’s an age-old idea,” Johnson says, “but it gives the building a dynamic quality.” The design team also tackled the challenges associated with high-rise living. “It’s always a question for us when designing a tall building,” Johnson says. “How much outdoor life can we give someone?”

The challenge was to give residents privacy while remaining connected to the nearby Klyde Warren Park. Johnson and his team seemed to take a cue from the park, which covers the freeway, by creating a split-level outdoor space extending above the lobby and arrival area. Spaces like the Museum Tower and its surrounding area are another real-world example of Johnson’s topic of choice—art, utility, and green space, expanding upwards. a

July/Aug 2014

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Located in the Dallas Arts District, the Museum Tower residential structure was designed by Johnson Fain to be an emormous piece of public art.

Dallasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Museum Tower includes a slight bulge at its center, a use of entasis, a technique employed in classical Greek columns.

Photos by Timothy Hursley, timothyhursley.com

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Quality + Aesthetics For the Springwood Center fiber-cement panels, Shore Point Architecture sourced from international firm James Hardie Building Products, an innovator of the high-quality siding whose products are featured on more than 5.5 million homes in North America. “The combination of creative angles, inventive geometric design, and a mix of light and dark colors from the James Hardie ColorPlus Technology color palette creates a sharp, modern look,” says senior marketing manager John Dybsky.

Crossing the Tracks New mixed-use development helps a neglected New Jersey neighborhood spark renewal

BY EMMA JANZEN

Though Asbury Park, New Jersey primarily is known as the home of Bruce Springsteen, the city’s recent history is a far cry from easygoing entertainment. Since race riots transformed the area in the early 1970s, the city has been literally divided by a set of railroad tracks; the east side now plays home to affluent families looking for beachfront adventures, and the west side, which originally was known as a thriving commercial hub, turned into a low-income neighborhood that hadn’t seen new non-residential development in decades. Photos by Jeffrey Totaro, jeffreytotaro.com

In 2011, the City and nonprofit developer Interfaith Neighbors commissioned Shore Point Architecture to design the Springwood Center, a 27,500-squarefoot building that Shore Point principal Stephen J. Carlidge calls “mixeduse on steroids.” The eye-catching structure consists of divided retail spaces on the first floor (including a restaurant and police substation), a city-sponsored senior center on the second floor, and eight fully occupied affordable-housing units on the third floor. “We didn’t just want to build a building and hope that somebody would come

to it,” Carlidge says. “We said that if we could build a building that actually had use and we had people visiting every day, with people comes activity, and with activity hopefully comes more development.” Creating a cohesive-looking building that accommodates so many disparate uses while meeting the mandated budgetary goal of $200 per square foot posed its unique challenges. Carlidge chose a tool kit of inexpensive but visually appealing materials such as corrugated steel, fibercement panels, aluminum, and glass to craft the exterior of the structure. He also made CONTINUED g

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;We believe that architecture can make a difference in terms of being a stimulus.â&#x20AC;? Photo by Jeffrey Totaro, jeffreytotaro.com

James Hardie fiber cement primed and ColorPlus® siding products

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(CONTINUED) sure that energy-efficient elements were integrated into the design. The external corrugated-steel canopy provides sun shading for the second and third floors, and the senior center and residential floors have motion censors and daylight monitors

to further conserve energy. In 2012, Shore Point won an AIA New Jersey Merit Award for Excellence in Architecture for its work on the Springwood Center. And in 2013, the firm won another merit award in the “Un-built” category for the plans for Asbury

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JAMS (an acronym for jobs, art, music, and science), a 47,000-square-foot performing-arts center in the same neighborhood that likely will include a performance space, art gallery, recording studio, restaurant, and hotel. “We believe that architec-

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ture can make a difference in terms of being a stimulus,” Carlidge says, “and we believe that these two projects bear that idea out.” With architects like Shore Point working to reinvigorate its image, the west side of Asbury Park has a lot to look forward to in the future. a Photo by Jeffrey Totaro, jeffreytotaro.com

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July/Aug 2014

THROWING SHADE A custom woven-metal sunshade provides cover and cachet to a new Florida academic center The 15,000 pounds of metal mesh that surround the University of Florida Research and Academics Center play a significant role in reducing the energy use of the LEED Platinum-certified facility.

BY PATRICK SISSON

Judging a book or building by its cover can be a shallow exercise. But in the case of the University of Florida Research and Academics Center in Lake Nona, near Orlando, the interplay between the façade and the metal mesh sunshade exemplifies the structure’s thoughtful design and material mastery. As a finishing touch to the campus addition, designed by HOK, GKD Metal Fabrics draped the 100,000-squarefoot facility in a Image courtesy of GKD-USA

15,000-pound web of Escale 7x1mm mesh. Stretching 10 trapezoidal panels of woven steel around the building’s compound bends and curves was a challenge, but the aesthetic and environmental effects were worth it. The sunshade plays a significant role in reducing energy use in this LEED Platinum-certified building, and the exterior, with a dramatic center cut with a glass curtain wall, already has become something of a campus icon since being finished in 2012.

“It’s one of our favorite, best-looking projects,” says Tom Bialk, a solar engineer and GKD designer. “The mesh really glows at night.” The transparent mesh does double duty, reducing heat gain from the Florida sun and the need for mechanical cooling while retaining natural light and a campus view. That’s impressive considering the engineering and technical challenges of stretching the fabric in multiple directions over the steel supports, all while

creating an exterior that can withstand the region’s hurricane-force winds. Though on the surface, it’s similar to previous GKD projects, the project team agreed that the challenge of conforming to the building’s shape made it unique. “Custom requests like this land on our table, so to speak, all the time,” says Andy Franks, a manager at GKD. “We enjoy the engineering challenge. Architects are our best customers.” a

METALFABRICS

Zahnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kansas City headquarters, designed by Crawford Architects

Photo by Mike Sinclair, mikesinclair.com

HEAVY-METAL SOFTWARE: ZAHNER’S GAME-CHANGER The fabrication giant’s latest technology puts designers in control of the aesthetics, delivery, and costs of metal façades By Amanda Koellner

hen Club Penguin, an interactive children’s game, debuted on the Internet, Bill Zahner’s kids couldn’t get enough of the virtual arctic world. “They would build their own igloos on the computer, and as they bought supplies or changed the shape and form, they could see the price of their igloo change,” Zahner says, about a decade later. “I was amazed that my son Liam, this four-year-old kid, could create a really elaborate penguin igloo that he has manipulated by changing out parts and resizing the shape.” The president and CEO of the 117-year-old A. Zahner Company—one of the largest architectural-metal and -glass fabricators in the world— couldn’t put the game out of his head. “I was watching my kids play, thinking, ‘The future is going to see people creating work and developing it off of the interface of the Internet within certain parametric

relationships,’” he says. “I was going, ‘This is exactly what my industry is going to be doing— they’re going to be creating and buying and purchasing these custom, bespoke pieces right from the Internet.’” Zahner brought the idea—creating what would become a gigantic, rapid prototype machine for building complex ar-

chitecture—to one of his main designers, Craig Long. The goal was to give Zahner’s clients direct access to the company’s technologies while putting the customer in charge of aesthetics, fabrication, delivery, and—perhaps most importantly—the costs involved. “Frank Gehry always wanted to be able to control what happened on my shop floor,” Zahner says of his career-defining collaborator. “So we thought, ‘How can we take what we do and connect it to the design community and give them access, in a sense, to our floor?’” And thus the aptly named software suite, ShopFloor, was born. It’s the first of its kind to be completely free, open to the public, and transparent about the financial implications of what is being created as it’s happening in real time. In addition, it’s designed to be “fast, simple, and fun” in such a way that the average person with

Bill Zahner, CEO and president of A. Zahner Company

basic computer skills could log in and start designing—no architecture degree required. After downloading a quick plug-in, creating a free account, and signing in, anyone with Internet access is ready to begin choosing materials, tweaking the dimensions, or, in some cases, uploading his or her own images to manipulate. “The way that we’ll really know that we’ve made it is when my outside accountant is cladding his garage with a design he created in the software,” Zahner says. “By making the interface Image courtesy of A. Zahner Company

HEAVY-METAL SOFTWARE: ZAHNER’S GAME-CHANGER

The de Young Museum in San Francisco, California

Image courtesy of A. Zahner Company

HEAVY-METAL SOFTWARE: ZAHNER’S GAME-CHANGER

simple and fun, people will be excited to fiddle with it and test it out, to eventually find that it’s competitively priced.” Currently, Zahner is rolling out three tools for ShopFloor’s beta test. The first, CloudWall, gives designers the ability to create façades in the style of Zahner’s Kansas City headquarters—“a fin-based shading system with flexible design parameters and a visually striking output.” The second, StoreFront, generates custom glass and metal curtain-wall façades. “Though price transparency is the main driver of this software, the second would probably be our ability to provide a much larger variety of materials,” says Tex Jernigan, creative designer at Zahner. “Most storefronts look the same, like the ubiquitous glass façade at the front of every Home Depot—the reason being that the old way of getting more options involves traditional cataloging, which requires maybe two companies and a lot of time. We’re one company doing everything for you quite quickly.” Zahner agrees and says that he’d like to see more creativity

in storefronts, something “a little more designed” that steps outside of the traditional narrow-metal-between-glass look. “Most designers don’t want to see the metal in these situations, but we’re saying the opposite: we’re going to show you something wild in metal form,” he says. “We’ve shown StoreFront to a lot of designers, both interior and architects, and they’re intrigued because before you would just simply clad them. It will be fun to see how it turns out—it’s the one people are most startled by when they first see it.” ShopFloor’s third installment, ImageWall, provides users access to the image-mosaicperforation Zira technology, developed in 2002, that the company utilized for the surfaces on San Francisco’s de Young museum back in ’05. “Let’s say you took a picture of your family, and you wanted to imprint it across a metal surface for your wall,” Zahner says. “You could do that, and you could do it very quickly. If you want it in copper or stainless or zinc or blackened steel, you could do it, and it would show you the price.”

THE ZAHNER GLOSSARY As one of the key players in the architectural-fabrication business, Zahner has created some of the most commonly used phrases and terms in the field. We asked creative designer Tex Jernigan to share a few. Angel Hair surfaces: Standard reflective-metal finishes combined with parabolic surfaces on buildings like the Walt Disney Concert Hall were causing heat spikes and car accidents, so Zahner developed a softly reflective surface for both its visual appeal as well as functional performance. We called it Angel Hair for its soft, wispy grain seen upon close inspection. Design Assist: Working on Frank Gehry’s EMP Museum required Zahner to develop a new construction method. We called it Design Assist, and it’s now near-universally heralded as one of the most cost-efficient ways to build complex buildings. Geometry-controlled edges: In the building industry, this is a way of unitizing a building’s edges to get the exact geometry of the whole façade. It’s a relatively new term—a lot of designers are starting to use it to change the way that things are built. Weathering steel: When Cor-Ten first came out, they called it “copper-bearing steel,” which was confusing. In the 1980s, Bill Zahner started calling it “weathering steel,” which is now used universally to describe steel with a surface that looks like rust but is actually a protective coating that lasts for centuries.

CloudWall currently is available for registration and usage, whereas StoreFront and ImageWall are set for a summer of 2014 release. Ryan Gedney, a senior designer at 360 Architecture in Kansas City, Missouri, collaborated with Zahner on the Basra Stadium in Iraq and was one of the first to check out ShopFloor’s capabilities. “ShopFloor’s tools are understandably lacking in a sense, as it is no small task to build a flexible and nimble online design software that also factors in reliable cost data,” he says. “But as the tool becomes more robust, I suspect you will see more and more people using the applications to not only explore design but schematically validate costs earlier and more frequently in the design process.” Zahner also notes that the idea behind ShopFloor is for it to

eventually offer a full array of possibilities—“we started a bit constricted,” he says. Though Jernigan says it’s too early to know whether or not ShopFloor could be considered a disruptive technology—one that alters its existing market— he thinks that it certainly has the potential. Zahner says that if the process works (once it’s more available to the public), it will without a doubt disrupt as it brings the 21st Century to an old industry. “I think we’re beating a new path and creating a new paradigm of how to interface with custom fabrication companies,” he says. “The design community is embracing this. I also think that there will continue to be a push for manufacturing to become more automated, especially as robotics are introduced in manufacturing more, so this Image courtesy of A. Zahner Company

HEAVY-METAL SOFTWARE: ZAHNER’S GAME-CHANGER

“I think we’re beating a new path and creating a new paradigm of how to interface with custom fabrication companies.” — Bill Zahner

Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois

is definitely a direction we’re going to keep pushing in.” Despite Gedney’s few understandable critiques of the software suite, he agrees that gaining cost certainty in a building project will change the way that the industry functions. “Frankly, I was surprised they hadn’t done it sooner,” he says, “but it is a big investment on their part that should be commended for stepping out of their comfort zones. It is absolutely a notable shift in how tools continue to Photo by Joshua Mellin, joshuamellin.com

fundamentally change.” Aside from easing the building process for existing customers such as architecture giants Zaha Hadid, Herzog & de Meuron, and Frank Gehry, ShopFloor ideally will bring in new customers on a smaller scale. Jernigan says that the pre-fabricated wall systems that ShopFloor creates easily could be designed by the average homeowner and popped into his or her project. “We want to see ShopFloor used by designers who don’t always connect

with us because they think we only work on these great, big projects,” Zahner says. “We want to get involved with any good design, including small-scale projects. This gives those designers a way to collaborate with us.” Despite the vast opportunity that the software is predicted to create, perhaps the biggest concern associated with ShopFloor is the opportunity that it opens up for competitors to peek into the company’s process and pricing. But Zahner isn’t wor-

ried—only confident. “Some people in the industry or the general-contract world might say, ‘Well, what is stopping me from taking your price and going down the street to somebody else to make it for less money?’” Zahner says. “Well, you’d be taking the risk of, ‘Can they get it right? Do they have it fully engineered? Do they have the details of this custom system down?’ Why would you risk that? If someone says they can make it for a few dollars less than us, there’s the risk involved of, ‘Well, can they?’” a

HEAVY-METAL SOFTWARE: ZAHNER’S GAME-CHANGER

Harold Washington Library in Chicago, Illinois

BEHIND THE COVER

WHAT’S NEXT?

For this issue’s cover, Design Bureau staff and Zahner’s creative team collaboratively designed a small, freestanding chunk of a Zahner “cloud wall” with ShopFloor—pulling inspiration from DB’s diamond logo for the curve of the fins. The completed piece of art traveled from Zahner’s headquarters in Kansas City to Chicago’s Harold Washington Library (for which Zahner created the ornamented roof in the early ’90s), where it will live until Chicago’s American Institute of Architects Convention, June 26–28.

As Bill Zahner says, the company is “definitely moving more into, should we say, the inside of things.” When a coworker asked the CEO and president what size he wanted the company’s new conference table to be, he came up with an idea for an additional ShopFloor rollout that will allow users to custom-design tables. “Let’s say your budget is $600,” he says. “You might say, ‘I can do this in copper for $590 or stainless steel for $550.’ You could start fiddling around with the dimensions and make the material the shape and size that you need, all on your own.” Along with this unnamed supplemental software, Zahner plans to unveil several more rollouts toward the end of 2014 and into next year.

Top and bottom right: Images courtesy of A. Zahner Company. Bottom left: Photo by Samer Almadani, sameralmadani.com.

A Decade of Helsinki Design Week As the Finnish capital gears up for the biggest Scandinavian design event of the year, Design Bureau checks in with some of the nation’s key players By Chris Force, Amanda Koellner, and Chloe Stachowiak

n the 1950s, the Scandinavian design movement surfaced and found Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland steadily demanding attention for their respective contributions to the global design dialogue. Marked by a new take on minimalism and a focus on functionality, the region would go on to gift the world with brands as ubiquitous as Ikea and H&M as well as design favorites such as Artek and Marimekko.

To celebrate all things Nordic and spread the gospel of design, Finnish designer Kari Korkman founded Helsinki Design Week 10 years ago. The annual city festival and celebration of the myriad ways that design appears in our lives spans industrial and product design as well as fashion, communication, music, and more—enveloping all facets of the design world under one large, party-filled umbrella. The program takes place in museums, markets, seminar halls, and secret shops—each year expanding the festival grounds so that visitors can fully explore Helsinki. Last year’s event brought in 50,000 people and boasted more than 120 events and exhibitions, and this year’s festival, set for September 4–14, promises just as wide of an array of activities. The 10th annual edition centers on the theme “Taking the Leap,” and the main venues include the Slaughterhouse, the Old Student House in the city center, and the Cable Factory. Here we check in with Artek design director Ville Kokkonen, independent designer Saara Renvall, Kokoro & Moi creative director Teemu Suviala, and, of course, Kari Korkman.

Top: Photo by Niko Soveri / Visit Helsinki. Kari Korkman portrait by Chris Force.

Kari Korkman / Helsinki Design Week, founder and director / Luovi, managing director

How do you prepare for Helsinki Design Week?

We work throughout the whole year with the professionals to plan. We have to bring in fashion, architecture, and industrial design to the same platform. All the new ideas come from between all of these platforms.

quite poor when it comes to communication. But then Design Week gives them a chance to communicate about their achievements, and it helps them. Our open studios are how we try to encourage them to open their doors and let people in.

How does the event benefit designers?

It seems that Helsinki Design Week is a very democratic approach to high-end design. Is this intentional?

We have [some] architects and designers who are

Yes, democratic in terms of how natural it always has

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been when we talk about design in Finland. I grew up in a family where we used the design icons’ work in our everyday use, and they weren’t more expensive. It’s definitely our intention to lower the threshold so it’s easy to access. We’ve succeeded in some parts and still have a lot of work to do in others. It’s a process, and it’s about creativity as a whole. Design itself is useless. You need to have initiatives from other fields in order to come out with new designs and new business. There seems to be a movement to bring design to consumers, bring it outside of the trade, and make it more interdisciplinary. Because of that, design has become more global, which improves things but also makes them somewhat homogenous. Do you ever consider that when trying to support Finnish design? Are there things that are uniquely Finnish that this show represents?

I’m sure that individual designers carry their cultural backgrounds, but supporting Finnish design shouldn’t mean that we become nationalists or that we try to have a label of Finnish design. I think that in the global system, individual designers should be supported, but

to find manufacturers and markets outside Finland is hard. What is Finnish design? It’s a very vague thing nowadays, and we have more and more designers who come from somewhere else and start to design in Finland. There’s also a large change in the markets—many manu-

facturers have left Finland and are disappearing to other countries. South America and Asia are emerging. It’s a challenging time, but it’s our hour of opportunities if we utilize it correctly. There is a unique situation with design in Finland. The history of design still is relatively new, and, for example, graphic design doesn’t have such a storied history. There’s a lot of freedom and flexibility to invent a new approach. Do you ever think of what your commitment needs to be to the design community for the future?

I can gather people around the topic and demonstrate with my team. And with this, we can have an inf luence and temporarily can turn it into something continuous. Our role for design week is to raise the question and make people think about what is necessary. Should we do things differently?

I should be thinking of that! There is too much happening, and we should really slow down a bit and take a few steps back and consider carefully where we put our energy. I think the nature of Finnish graphic design is that we have a distance from the main markets. So we have time to consider and think a bit. My role is that Top and bottom right: Photos by Harald Raebiger / City of Helsinki. Bottom left: Photo by Niko Soveri / Visit Helsinki.

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Artek in the beginning, which were quite radical by Finnish standards. The furniture was considered weird and abstract rather than high-end home furnishings. Many see Artek as a propaganda center for new-housing ideologies. We took that and tried to do more research-oriented product design in house. If we’re working with someone outside of Artek, we look for those that can fill a gap in our portfolio and trust the designer’s ability to design for that gap. But when designing in house, we try to find a new way of looking at the product range. For example, when it comes to lighting, we found that there’s a lot of depression going around. Therapy lights have not found their own archetype. Our goal isn’t just to design new light fixtures but to put quite a bit of time and focus into what the need is. Artek’s design is iconic and part of the modern design landscape. What is uniquely Finnish about it?

hen Artek was established in 1935, its founders envisioned the brand as a “center for new housing ideology.” Almost 70 years later, it’s still at the forefront of innovation and functionality in Finnish design. The company strives to synthesize aesthetics with ethics, creating pieces that are visually striking and, more importantly, designs that improve physical and mental wellness both at work and at home.

Design director Ville Kokkonen, whose work includes a swanky yet sustainable pavilion and flooring tiles made from recycled materials, has taken the company’s mission statement to heart. Best known for White, a line of standout light fixtures designed to combat seasonal affective disorder, he is a staunch believer in improving human habitats with design. We chatted with him about product development, honoring Artek’s legacy, and forging forward.

How does product development work at such an iconic brand? Artek has quite a long history and archive—is it daunting to create new products that still fit into that tradition?

It’s a challenge. They asked me to join product development around 2006, which is when we thought about how we couldn’t just repeat the bent wood or try to mimic at all what Artek has done. Instead, we wanted to take the values that surrounded

Portrait by Chris Force. Other images courtesy of Artek.

You can see an interest toward the Bauhaus. They did quite a bit here because of the resources that were available in Finland that weren’t available in Germany. Because of the war, it was difficult to use metal and was very expensive, so they mimicked what was done during that period by using wood and mastering it. What Artek brought to that was the mass-produced quality, repetition, and standardization of products. Artek

never designed furniture for the sake of designing furniture. Everything was uniquely designed for particular spaces and particular needs. Not all of them became part of the product range—only a few successful ones were put into mass production. What are you hoping to continue to develop with the brand as design culture becomes increasingly global?

We’re trying to survive and keep the heritage alive. We still have a lot of work in informing people of Artek internationally. We are, at the same time, trying to visually touch the subject of wellbeing. Kind of, “What is the role of the chair or the table?” It has to support our everyday lives, and it’s a difficult task. But we try to be on the forefront of making new discoveries. For example, there’s a huge shift in office furnishings toward more relaxed pieces that support our social life. That led us to examining tables and looking at, for instance, the incredible qualities of birch. It’s been recently discovered that birch can work as a semi-conductor, meaning you can input information into a table and maybe activate a microphone or have it react to different temperatures. There are these things we haven’t discovered when it comes to the quantum physics of materials. Our team is small, but we’ll continue to keep our research mindset.

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“Artek never designed furniture for the sake of designing furniture. Everything was uniquely designed for particular spaces and particular needs.” — Ville Kokkonen

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“Graphic design is a small thing with a not-so-strong heritage. We’ve had the freedom to build a certain language and a recognizable Finnish way of doing things.” — Teemu Suviala

eemu Suviala never has been a big fan of rules. A graphic designer who, as a teenager, got his start at an underground music magazine, he has been questioning the boundaries of design since he co-founded Kokoro & Moi with Antti Hinkula in 2001. The creative agency crafts fresh, unforgettable brands for its clients by combining powerful storytelling with imaginative design—and with a portfolio that includes everything from a miniature woodblock model of Helsinki to the 2011 advertising campaign for the Helsinki Design Week itself, no project is too big or too playful for the designers to tackle.

What is the graphic-design community in Finland like?

Finnish designers are more or less driven and known by architecture, product design, furniture design, textile design, and glass. Graphic design is a small thing with a not-sostrong heritage. We’ve had the freedom to build a certain language and a recognizable Finnish way of doing things. Often it’s hard for us to say what makes graphic design Scandinavian or Nordic, but quite easy for those outside of the region. We’ve been able to build something up from scratch and set guidelines, which is good because I’m not a big fan of rules. How much of a career do you believe is dumb luck?

All of it. I believe in randomness of things and sudden possibilities. I like being there to realize that if something is happening, you can jump in, and it can turn into something else. It’s important to open your mouth in the wrong places and meet people and talk. In some ways, success is dumb luck, but you have to open yourself up when you get the opportunity to talk. Portrait by Chris Force. Additional image courtesy of Kokoro & Moi.

Are you still involved in designing during your dayto-day?

As much as I can, but lately I’m just running from meeting to meeting. I would like to actually draw things more. Do you know successful designers that still can design a lot?

I think they say that they do. But it’s about the balance between creating and business. A lot of the work that I do focuses on the concepts and what medium the work will be for. Are you ever able to say no to work-related requests?

I don’t. I often get carried away. I am so curious about things and always wanting to learn different things. There have been some occasions when I’ve been contacted by tobacco companies, and we didn’t do that. The people that are working for you are your responsibility. You’re not working solely for yourself; it’s a reality check. We’ve been fortunate that most of the projects we’ve created, we’re very proud of. Everything is a learning curve.

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or independent designer Saara Renvall, design is more about expressive freedom and variety than it is about sticking to any one material or technique. She won Finland’s “Young Designer of the Year” award in 2010 and has tried her hand at much of what the design world has to offer. Her work includes intricately crafted furniture and baskets as well as her signature Kukka, a popular flower-inspired brooch that glimmers on lapels across Finland.

“I thought I would be a furniture designer, and then I realized it’s really a tiny thing of what I really want to do,” she says. “I want to investigate and make a difference, and I find that my profession is a good tool to make little changes.” We caught up with her to talk about Finland,

being a female designer, and what the future holds. What’s the opportunity in Finland versus anywhere else for design?

When people talk about Finnish design, they talk about the ’50s, and it has

been great. But the critics are saying that we’re not doing as well as we were. I want to take responsibility for the outcome of my products. Everyone is waiting for the old companies to do something new, and I’m waiting for new companies to do something. What is it like being a female contemporary designer?

I’m female, but I don’t think there is a block of female or male designers. I think I am a Finnish designer. I work with people I like and people whose work I relate to. The women I have worked with have certain qualities I like, and they’re quite fast. Mainly, I work with male

DESIGN BUREAU

clients because of production and engineering. What do you hope to do in the future?

I’ve realized that I want to have a company. I have so much I am passionate about, and I need to find a company or have my own with a nice flow going on. When I look back, it’s nice to think about my work. I was really doing things slow and thinking. I was so young and working seven times harder than I should have. Now I have been waiting for companies to call, which is a very Finnish way to do business. I need to focus and start to realize where I am going and find people that feel the same way. a

Portrait by Chris Force. Additional images courtesy of Saara Renvall.

Everyday Objects, Updated

A look at modern applications of traditional features

rom robotic vacuums to motion-sensor faucets, household products continue to be revolutionized by technological advancement. DB highlights six such products—from Motorola’s smart watch to Future-Shape’s SensFloor—that are making an impact in kitchens, furniture, home automation, wearable tech, and more.

BRIZO FAUCETS

Luxury kitchen-and-bath label Brizo is striving to “change the way we look at water” with its newest technologies—TempIQ, SmartTouch, and SmartTouchPlus. All three faucet options offer a functionality around the sink designed to enhance the user experience. TempIQ lets consumers know exactly when water has reached the desired temperature with a built-in LED light that changes color from blue to magenta to red. SmartTouch allows users to turn on their faucet simply by tapping it, while SmartTouchPlus senses motion and starts the flow of water when it detects the user— both technologies ultimately maximizing water conservation. The faucet’s default flow rate of 1.5 GPM cuts consumption; however, it can be increased to 2.0, making jobs such as filling the sink or pots go a lot faster. “Water conservation plays an important role in the design of our products and technologies,” says Judd Lord, director of industrial design for Brizo. “It’s not enough for a faucet to offer water savings; it has to deliver on performance expectations as well.”

Images courtesy of Brizo

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BRIZO SHOWER SYSTEMS

Brizo’s new H2Okinetic technology, incorporated into its Hydrati 2|1 showers, lets you take the long, comfortable showers you’re used to while still conserving water—using up to 40 percent less than standard showerheads. “The showerheads and handshowers employ the science of

fluidics to control the speed, movement, and droplet size of the water exiting the fixture,” Lord says, “to sculpt a unique wave pattern that creates the feeling of a warmer, more drenching shower while using less water.” Within the shower, the Hydra-

Choice Body-Spray System has functional spray heads that can be adjusted 50 degrees in any direction, allowing users to aim the water flow. Allowing further customization, four interchangeable spray heads are available from invigorating to massaging, soothing, and full spray.

Images courtesy of Brizo

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CURRENT TABLE By Marjan Van Aubel

The first of its kind to harvest and store energy indoors, the Current Table dually functions as a workspace and a phone or tablet charger. The tableâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s glass surface contains a dye-synthesized solar cell, which generates a greater electrical current due to its orange hue. The technique, based on photosynthesis, can function indoors under diffused light, unlike classic solar cells that need direct sunlight.

SENSFLOOR By Future-Shape

Installed underneath carpet, PVC, or laminate, SensFloor combines home automation with everyday flooring. Its 2mm-thin sensor underlay, which communicates via integrated radio modules, can control lighting and automatic doors, can detect home intrusion, and has healthcare applications for the non-ambulatory.

Top: Photos by Mathijs Labadie, mathijslabadie.nl. Bottom: Images courtesy of Future-Shape.

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LIX 3D-PRINTING PEN

Collaboratively created by a fashion designer, an industrial designer, and an art director, the Lix pen brings 3D printing to an accessible level. Users can write in the air and bring their drawings to life as colored plastic quickly melts and cools once released from the pen, creating rigid, freestanding structures. Side buttons of the aluminum pen, which comes in black or gray matte, allow users to control the emission speed and thickness of the plastic.

MOTO 360 SMART WATCH By Motorola

With its traditional round face, Motorolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Moto 360 is a fashionable smart watch that actually looks like one. Unlike its square and bulky predecessors, Moto 360 stays sleek and stylish with customizable hardware and band options. Powered by Android Wear, users can access their notifications with gestures or can channel their inner Dick Tracy by using the hands-free voicecontrol option.

Images courtesy of the companies featured

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Notes From the Bureau PROJECT DETAILS FROM DESIGN PROFESSIONALS ASK Studio

IF YOU BUILD IT ASK Studio’s self-designed office reflects its penchant for considered design When clients set foot inside ASK Studio’s new offices in Des Moines, Iowa, a single syllable often escapes their lips: “Wow.” The raw steel flooring in the front lobby usually is the visitors’ first point of interest. “They point to the floor and say, ‘What is this?’” explains Brent Schipper, principal at ASK Studio. “The floor actually bends up and becomes the front counter, and then actually morphs into the reception desk. When they see how the details come together, then it’s sort of like, ‘Let the tour begin.’” The steel flooring isn’t the only unexpected building material found in ASK Studio’s 3,500-squarefoot offices. “People always comment on the unique wood [in the office] and ask the species,” Schipper says. It turns out to be a vertical-grain fir, a common wood that is usually used for prefabricated trusses and not as a decorative wood. “It is so common that it becomes unique when you celebrate it,” Schipper says. Along with being an impressive window into ASK Studio’s operations, the offices also act as an inspiration board for the studio’s employees. “I like to think that we were doing good architectural work before the new studio,” Schipper says, “but I believe that being in CONTINUED g Photo by Timothy Hursley, timothyhursley.com

ÂŠ Rasmus Norlander

fibreC facade for Library and Learning Center, University of Vienna Zaha Hadid Architects, London and Hamburg 6,100 mÂ˛ glassfibre reinforced concrete facade in liquide black and bianco Large format panels, formed elements and fins Unique, honest character of material

www.rieder.cc

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Notes From the Bureau

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this studio has an impact on how people feel about their job, how they feel about being an architect, and what they can achieve as an architect.” As the nearly year-long designing process progressed, the comfort of ASK’s workers became more and more of a priority. By the time the office was completed in the spring of 2013, the budget-friendly designs for the office’s 13 workstations were thrown out; each station now features an ergonomically designed keyboard tray and double monitor stand.

(CONTINUED)

“Quality kept becoming more and more important,” Schipper says. “As we built it, we saw that we were creating something special, and we didn’t want to cut corners.” — Risa Seidman

Pisar Design

CREATIVE CRAFTSMANSHIP Attention to detail and a sense of confident autonomy help this designer craft oneof-a-kind furniture and woodwork With 20 years experience in the interior-design and furniture-making businesses, there’s no project too difficult for Pisar Design founder and craftsman Roman Pisar. In the case of the Bighorn project commissioned by interior-design studio Bonesteel Trout Hall, Pisar wasn’t given a clear directive for the seven pieces of furniture he was asked to create. “They only said what pieces they wanted, and it was up to me to create that feeling that I thought the client would want,” Pisar says. Though that freedom might scare some designers, Pisar says that he enjoys the process. “It was easier that way, because I had my own creations the way I wanted to make them.” Independence is one of the key traits that define Pisar’s business, Pisar Design, which he owns and operates with wife Catherine. Not only do they craft every piece of furniture without the help of any assistants, but they often take on other aspects of design as well. “It’s a one-man show,” he says. “We do everything by ourselves, from the paper and drawing all the way to the completion of the job—everything you can imagine being involved, we do the project from A–Z.” For the Bighorn residence, one of the most stunning examples of Pisar’s work is the sizeable arched doors, which were loosely based on similar ones that the client had in her previous home. He imported heavy eucalyptus CONTINUED g Top: Photo by Timothy Hursley, timothyhursley.com. Bottom: Image courtesy of Pisar Design.

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(CONTINUED) jarrah wood from Australia and old-world hardware from England to create a grand, substantial piece of woodwork. The same level of attention to detail and care was taken with the crafting of a coffee table, which was made from reclaimed wood from Oklahoma barns and mills. “You’re building something with 150-year-old wood and using this old-world style to make it,” Pisar says, “so it looks really authentic.” —Emma Janzen

GH+A

COMMERCIAL (KITCHEN) ART The design of a Toronto-area store invites customers to take a culinary journey Designed by Montreal firm GH+A, Teatro Verde Cucina—the latest kitchenware incarnation of Toronto-area home-lifestyle shop Teatro Verde—finds harmony at the intersection of market analysis and design. “Extensive research was done into today’s younger consumer and their lifestyle habits,” says Debbie Kalisky, GH+A’s director of retail development. “The resulting aesthetic ref lects a trend for chic tempered with whimsy.” Upon entering Teatro Verde Cucina, shoppers are greeted with a multitude of kitchen goods—stoneware, linens, and more—arranged in eye-catching patterns along the store’s shelflined walls and down its center. “The intent was to create a treasure-hunt concept where the multitude of micro-narratives encourages shoppers to take their time to discover the broad range of products within their distinctive merchandise stories,” Kalisky says. “The store is treated like an anthology about the art of food, from its preparation to its cooking and serving.” “The materials selected evoke an airy, worn, and comfortable Italian pantry with contemporary accents,” Kalisky continues. “Distressed bleached-wood f loor planks are throughout the sales area and extend into the kitchen.” Furthermore, a full kitchen is located in the rear of Teatro Verde Cucina—sitting beneath two magnificent chandeliers, each crafted from inverted silver spoons—and customers can attend cooking classes at the store as well. The kitchen’s stainless-steel hood and state-of-the-art appliances, paired with the soothing colors and mason-jar lights of the store, make for a tranquil space for shoppers to learn about the art of food preparation. — Risa Seidman Photos by Philip Castleton, philipcastleton.com

July/Aug 2014

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Notes From the Bureau

Project M Plus

FINESSING A UNIQUE FORM A defunct dome in Los Angeles gets a second life as a community center The geodesic dome, a spherical structure based on a network of intersecting triangles, was popularized by Buckminster Fuller in the 1950s. Today in Los Angeles, the dated dome structure lives on, granted new life as a community center for the Eagle Rock neighborhood. Built from a kit in 1979, the dome first was used as a Montessori school in the 1980s, housing classes into the 1990s until the school expanded across the street. It went derelict from there and fell into disrepair—“rot, termites…it was in terrible shape,” according to architect McShane Murnane of Silver Lake creative studio Project M Plus. “When I first walked in,” Murnane recalls, “I saw how amazing the exposed structural elements were and wanted to preserve that.” He convinced the owner not to tear down the dome but rehabilitate it instead, tasking himself and his team to re-energize the unique but defunct space. Using the structural patterning as a design element, Murnane exposed the original triangulation and cladded it with wood to help “keep the structural expression active.” The architectural benefit of a geodesic dome, a form based on nature, is that its triangles create hexagons, forming a column-less space and a lightweight structure with small framing members that’s very structurally efficient. The downfall? A lack of flexibility in shaping it. “It’s a familiar building type that people recognize but one that is rarely used because of, if I had to guess, the lack of ability to manipulate its form,” explains Murnane. “You need to follow the geometric rules, no exception. There isn’t the freedom to add openings wherever you want—they must be strategically placed to maintain the structure.” The challenge, then, was manipulating the very rigid form with new ideas. “There are four locations between the structural base that are a sort-of soft spot structurally,” Murnane explains. “Those soft spots are commonly used as doors and windows in a dome. They become triangular bump-outs that allow one to add a window or door in a vertical plane as the whole dome is otherwise triangulated.” The design team saw this as an opportunity to manipulate the form without changing the purity of the dome structure fundamentally. They added large circular openings at the ground level to shift from the normal angled openings, CONTINUED g Photos by Zeke Ruelas, zekephotography.com

July/Aug 2014

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Notes From the Bureau

(CONTINUED) floated a part of the base structure to capture a space for kids to sit and play, and shifted the angles of the front door to make the entry playful and more interesting shape-wise. “It’s a subtle change,” Murnane says, “but the angles produce a visual effect that is hard for your eyes to read and almost looks like it’s moving.”

Now the re-imagined space will be used as a classroom during the day and an event space on the weekends—an architectural blast from the past reinvented as a space for all to enjoy.

Sean Moore Designs

A CONDO FOR ALL AGES With a savvy use of three floors, a riverside remodel reflects the needs of its designer’s clients When Sean Moore began working on a remodel for a three-story condo in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the needs of his clients—an older couple—were paramount. “The main plan for them was to be able to completely live on the main level, so they wanted the master suite, the living areas, laundry, everything to be on the first level,” Moore says. “And then the plan was for the second and third levels to kind of create guest suites for their children.” With those specific parameters in mind, Moore, of Sean Moore Designs in Minneapolis, set about creating a beautiful space that made the most of the building’s 16- to 18-foot ceilings and 12-foot windows. Along with installing an elevator that his clients could use to reach all three floors of their 6,000-square-foot condo, Moore included a dramatic staircase in his plans. “My main goal was to incorporate a staircase that was all three stories,” he says, “so that as you walked in, this light was shining down.” Crafted with steel-beam supports and Brazilianwalnut treads, Moore’s staircase is the crowning achievement of his work on the condo. But getting the staircase into the building was no easy feat. “The beams actually had to be craned up six stories to get them into the building,” Moore recalls. “It was a good challenge.” With the stairs completed, Moore wanted to incorporate the condo’s riverside location into its design aesthetic by building a waterfall in the main foyer. “This building is on the water in Oshkosh, so it’s on the Fox River between two lakes,” Moore says. “The waterfall is actually kind of like an underwater scene with the glass tiles representing the different colors of the waters that are in that area.” —Risa Seidman Photos by Colin Kopp, colinkopp.com

July/Aug 2014

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Notes From the Bureau

Hinsdale Interiors

URBAN RENEWAL Clean lines and colorful art define a designer’s Chicago condo The penthouse had been on the market for a while—most buyers couldn’t see past the dark wallpaper, antique-laden rooms, and pink marble tile. But Nick Gilbert, of Hinsdale Interiors outside of Chicago, is no ordinary buyer. An interior designer and founder of rug importer Rugxurious, he focused CUSTOM CABINETS on it s m a ny at t r i- COMPLETE THE LOOK butes—among them, a Interior designer Nick Gilbert north-facing view of hates clutter. That’s why the Chicago skyline and cabinets were so integral to Lake Michigan. the renovation of his Chicago penthouse. The pieces, “As soon as you come in, created by custom-cabinetry you get this fantastic manufacturer Woodways, view of the city,” says provide ample storage Gilbert, who bought the throughout the kitchen and 4,300-square-foot home dining room with a seamless last year. finish. By all appearances, the cabinets are one solid unit—but That view was a major installation wasn’t quite that motivator for Gilbert and simple, according to owner his wife, who moved to Suzanne Rudnitzki. Because all the South Loop area the pieces had to be transported of Chicago from the up to the 19th-floor condo, each suburbs. To infuse the was designed in order to fit in the space with daylight, he elevator. But the Michigan-based stripped the penthouse firm pulled it off without a hitch. down to the studs and And as Rudnitzki puts it, the opened up walls wher- finished look is “spectacular.” ever possible. Gilbert also raised the door levels to be better proportioned with the 11-foot ceilings. The walls became off-white. And, of course, that pink marble had to go, replaced by reclaimed oak flooring. Gilbert incorporates neutral walls into many of his projects, so the artwork and the rugs—what he calls the jewelry of the room—can shine. These are the most personal elements of a design, he says, and he embraced the luxury of making those choices for his own home. The walls ref lect his own personal style, from vintage Chicago World’s Fair posters to Gilbert’s own photography to pieces that ref lect his native England. These jewels set the tone for the inviting, eclectic space—a space set off by one killer view. —Margaret Poe

Images courtesy of Hinsdale Interiors

July/Aug 2014

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Eye Candy

Brilliance and Contour A Zaha Hadid design leaves behind rectangular forms for gravity-defying angles and flowing curves BY BRANDON GOEI / PHOTOS BY IWAN BAAN

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Eye Candy

July/Aug 2014

Mega Material A stunning design deserves a cutting-edge building material, and thanks to Rieder Smart Elements, Zaha Hadid’s vision was realized using fibreC, a lightweight, ultra-thin, and moldable fiberglass-reinforced concrete that serves as a shell for much of the LLC’s exterior surfaces. An unimaginable amount of effort went into swathing the building in this durable, waterproof, and sustainable material. Panels of all sizes, shapes, angles, and curves were fabricated to fit the largest areas and the smallest inlays. “This project is unique because it was realized in our home country,” says Stephanie Jung, a representative from Austria-based Rieder. “We have contributed to a lot of exciting projects all around the world, and now there is a very special project in Vienna that we are very proud of.”

niversity campuses are a breeding ground for interesting architecture all over the world. As centers of education, the focus often is on breathtaking and inspirational designs. Zaha Hadid’s Library and Learning Center at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, with its aggressively leaning lines and pristine surfaces, has no problem filling that role. The LLC, located in Vienna’s Leopoldstadt district, is a monument to balance and flow. The structure itself is comprised of two differently colored sections, with a light-colored portion seemingly folding underneath a dark-colored top layer, which creates one of the building’s most striking features—a hulking cantilevered study area and observation window.

With an interior that features multitudes of pathways between sections and floors for regulating the circulation of visitors and library materials, and a fittingly striking appearance, there is no shortage of metaphor for this, the polygonal heart of the campus. a

From any viewpoint, the exterior of the building is a symphony of geometry and fiberglass-reinforced concrete. The sloped façades reach angles of up to 35 degrees, highlighting steel and glass lines that curve and reconvene in ways that give the entire structure the illusion of constant motion.

July/Aug 2014

Eye Candy

DESIGN BUREAU

The interior of the LLC is bursting with light at any time of the day, either from the myriad skylights or the brilliance of the curving and liquid white panels that run along the walls. Windows and supports also follow the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lines, adding an engrossing complexity to any view.

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Eye Candy

July/Aug 2014

Eye Candy

Mountainous Magnificence An Aspen residence takes full advantage of natural light and stunning views BY EMMA JANZEN / PHOTOS BY DEREK SKALKO

July/Aug 2014

Eye Candy

DESIGN BUREAU

Eye Candy

July/Aug 2014

here aren’t many spots in this Wright’s Road residence where expansive views of the city of Aspen and the surrounding Elk Mountains don’t take center stage. Owner and architect Charles Cunniffe (who lived in a small teardown home on the site for 20 year prior to construction) took many steps to ensure that his new permanent home would fit within and celebrate the surrounding landscape.

Natural Blend An Aspen resident since 1979, Charles Cunniffe chose another Aspen veteran—David Lambert, president of David Lambert Construction—to complete construction on his new personal residence. Lambert, who calls his long-running partnership with Charles Cunniffe Architects “always an honor,” cites the house’s well-integrated surroundings as its most unique feature. “The very contemporary home blends into a steep hillside and is well hidden by the established vegetation,” he says. “The master suite has the cozy feel of living in a tree house tucked into the forest, while the more public parts of the home capitalize on panoramic views. The uphill side of the home, rather than being buried below grade as is typical for homes built on such steep sites, has a secluded patio centered on a large waterfall, which creates the feeling of a small alpine grotto.”

Various species and tones of walnut were used inside to create an elegant and quiet feel, but the real stars of the interior spaces are the 12- to 20-foot floor-to-ceiling windows, which frame expansive views and welcome abundant light on each side of the building. The glass wall in the living room faces south, with an external eight-foot overhang calibrated to limit summer sun and encourage winter sun to warm the house. The center panel also slides open, creating a seamless transition to the outside patio areas.

Though building on the side of a mountain poses its challenges, Cunniffe took care to work the home into the existing site, leaving indigenous aspen, cottonwood, and spruce trees untouched. He chose Cambará wood (a relative of mahogany) for the exterior panels for its ability to endure “four extreme seasons,” and installed photovoltaic panels on the roof to help conserve energy.

July/Aug 2014

Eye Candy

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When designing the master bathroom, Cunniffe wanted to create a “his-andher bath experience that was also shared, without losing the view.” The mountains can be seen from the bathtub and central glass-cube shower, and even the toilet areas have clear glass facing the giant windows (with frosted privacy panels on the sides) so the view isn’t sacrificed.

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July/Aug 2014

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GUEST COLUMNIST

Optimizing Skyscraper Performance With a portfolio that includes dozens of awards, veteran architect Scott Johnson discusses the evolution of tall buildings BY SCOTT JOHNSON

ince the Tower of Babel, humanity has

conspired to live in the heavens. In the late 19th Century, architects in Chicago set about designing the first modern skyscrapers, enabled by a furious speculation in real estate and the inventions of the elevator and the lightweight steel frame. Not long thereafter, New York City overtook Chicago in both the number of tall buildings and their height. Throughout the 20th Century, the skyscraper was seen to be an American invention, and the world’s tallest buildings, usually office towers, always were built in the US.

Toward the end of the century, other cities around the world built their own tall and super-tall buildings, vying for “the world’s tallest” title and frequently stacking multiple uses (offices, residences, hotels, amenities) atop each other. Super-tall buildings with their inevitably short-lived titles were products of high-technology and state-of-the-art engineering, and they became visual symbols of modernity and national aspiration. For the same reasons, they also often provoked questions of appropriate style and cultural identity. Should a tall building in, say, the Middle East or Asia look and feel like a sleek consumer object from the West? Or, as their cultural landmarks had done for time immemorial, should they reflect the visual legacy of their own histories? The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Taipei 101 in Taiwan, and Dubai’s Burj Khalifa all have struggled to project a fusion of indigenous culture and global technology. With the advents of the computer, global trade, and multinational design teams, the architecture of tall buildings now has entered the Performative Age. In a world of big data, software programs can measure virtually all aspects of a tall building’s performance, be it environmental, structural, construction, or cost related. Algorithms can optimize performance criteria while presenting a dizzying array of visual forms and patterns. This has led to a new era of tall buildings.

Notwithstanding media events from Die Hard to The Towering Inferno or real and tragic events such as 9/11, no one predicts an end to the proliferation of tall buildings. With the continued migration of populations into cities (50% of the global population today, 75% by 2050) and concerns surrounding unsustainable sprawl, there will be more tall buildings, and they will continue to be taller. They will achieve higher levels of performance, and a new generation of designers who are in equal measure technicians and artists will be required to produce the tall buildings that will leave their marks on history. a

Scott Johnson is a design partner at Johnson Fain, an international design firm based in Los Angeles. He is the author of Tall Building: Imagining the Skyscraper and the recently released Performative Skyscraper: Tall Building Design Now. He is currently designing tall buildings in the US and abroad.

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July/Aug 2014

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ARCHITECTS & ARTISANS

Architectural Flash Cards An interaction designer turns iconic modern buildings into whimsical, informative designs BY J. MICHAEL WELTON

ast spring, Michie Cao’s 13-day Kickstarter

campaign got off to a slow start. “During the first half, I couldn’t even raise $1,000,” she says. “And I was very nervous.”

A former UCLA architecture student, Cao currently attends graduate school at the School of Visual Arts in New York. And she has combined what she’s learned at both schools to make architecture easier to understand for the rest of us—with posters and a smaller set of prints dubbed “Archigrams.” “Like Pokémon cards for architecture geeks,” in the words of Cao, each depicts a well-known building—the Eames House, Mies’s

Farnsworth House, Wright’s Fallingwater, Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye, and more—and comes with an explanatory notecard written in plain English rather than professional jargon. “They’re all the buildings I studied in architecture school at UCLA,” Cao says. “I realized how architecture as a field can sometimes be inaccessible. Even though there’s a lot of interest in its history, the information can

be dense, or maybe it just isn’t presented in a fun and easily digestible way.” But now that she is studying interaction design and how to bridge the digital and physical worlds, she has applied that knowledge to making architecture more easily comprehendible. “It’s like with flash cards,” she says. “They’re small, bite-sized pieces of information.” Printed on 130-pound Strathmore cover stock, the cards are 5” x 7” and come 10 to the pack. The posters will be printed on an offset press at 18” x 24”. To raise $3,000 for printing and packaging costs, Cao launched

her Kickstarter campaign. A week into it, things looked less than promising—but when word got out, hundreds of backers liked it enough to commit more than $11,000, almost four times her goal. “Even now I’m shocked,” she says. “I can’t fathom the idea.” In the mea ntime, Cao has bumped up the press run of the posters from 100 to 150. And if the response to her campaign is any indication, chances are that we’ll see a second run— and hopefully a lot more. a For more information, visit archigrams.launchrock.com.

J. Michael Welton writes about architecture, art, and design for national and international publications. He also edits and publishes a digital design magazine at architectsandartisans.com, where portions of this column first appeared.

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July/Aug 2014

THIS ISSUE’S BEST ALBUMS

DESIGN BUREAU

Presented by

MASTODON Once More ’Round the Sun (Warner Bros.) Now 14 years into its career, Mastodon has taken an unreasonable amount of guff for moving towards rock structures and catchy choruses. Its sixth LP won’t dissuade the naysayers. With its biggest pop hooks to date, and more vocals than ever from drummer Brann Dailor, the album is its most accessible—despite plenty of progressive passages, raging solos, and the occasional shrieking vocals.

Once More ’Round the Sun remains heav y i n tone a nd t u n i ng too. At t he sa me ti me, a f ull-blown pop chor us in “ Em ber City ” borders on emo, and a bridge in “Aunt Lisa” falls somewhere bet ween Metallica’s “Creeping Death” chant and the cheer-squad vibe of Sleigh Bells. Mastodon may not be making Remission II a ny time soon , but its song w riting chops a re no worse for the wea r. [SM ]

SAGE FRANCIS

THE BIRDS OF SATAN

MARTY FRIEDMAN

Copper Gone (Strange Famous)

s/t (Shanabelle)

Inferno (Prosthetic)

02/ When we last heard Sage Francis, the hip-

03/ The latest endeavor of Foo Fighters drummer

04/ On Inferno, ex-Megadeth guitarist Marty

hop elder statesman issued an introspective indie-rock collaboration featuring songs with Calexico, Devotchka, Yann Tiersen, Tim Fite, and members of Grandaddy, Califone, Sparklehorse, and Death Cab for Cutie. Four years later, he opens Copper Gone with a nose-flattening beat-down to everyone on his back. With a more traditional hip-hop sound, his newest also shows Sage’s softer side, but beware: there still are fangs hiding behind that beard. [LE]

Taylor Hawkins, The Birds of Satan is a prog/ glam powerhouse trio that mixes Queen, Queens of the Stone Age, and a heavy dose of classic rock. The band’s eponymous debut is like a personal tour of Hawkins’s musical influences and ideals, with the multi-instrumentalist covering drum and vocal duties with touches of piano and guitar. And though it’s not without cerebral and sensitive moments, the debut LP never drifts far from a hot lick or Alex Van Halen-style fill. [OC]

Friedman unleashes an absolute shred fest— self-described as “the heaviest and most intense playing” of his career, as blistering riffs, copious overdubs, and tons of chugs scorch eardrums for nearly 50 minutes. But with a diversity of guests that include Children of Bodom, Jørgen Munkeby of Shining (Norway), and Rodrigo y Gabriela, there’s no shortage of interesting accents, from insane sax squeals to dueling acoustics. [SM]

GODSWOUNDS

LILACS & CHAMPAGNE

EYVIND KANG: ALASTOR

Death to the Babyboomers (Sonichimaera)

Midnight Features, Vol. 1: Shower Scene (Mexican Summer)

The Book of Angels, Vol. 21 (Tzadik)

05/ Led by keyboardist/vocalist Lachlan Kerr,

06/ Grails bandmates Alex Hall and Emil Amos

07/ The latest in John Zorn’s second Masada

Sydney-based Godwounds is an acid-plunged mix of exuberant, mega-melodic rock and videogame scores, nurtured from nearly a year of living in Taiwan and Japan. And with rhythmic syncopation via ex-Mr. Bungle drummer Danny Heifetz, as well as guest spots from (the) Melvins, Big Business, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, and Marriages, this is one far-reaching debut. Quirky, catchy, rocking, and disparate—Death to the Babyboomers is one of the best surprises of 2014. [SM]

formed Lilacs & Champagne to experiment with clashing soundscapes, playing dread and beauty like an instrument and filtering it through a curtain of everyday sound. Now, on the first album of its Midnight Features series, the band has added live musicians to its sample-based songs; bassist Zac Reno and Grails keyboardist Jay Clarke (Ash Black Bufflo) give another layer to alreadynuanced tunes that evoke the background music of 1970s television. Everything is grooves and veiled threats—sometimes both at once. [LE]

songbook, the highly melodic and dynamic Book of Angels, the 10 songs on Alastor come courtesy of master composer and violist / multi-instrumentalist Eyvind Kang. Though Kang generally skews towards classical, chamber, and ambient, his take on Zorn’s hand-picked selections is a surprising and gorgeous collision of styles. Zorn’s usual Jewish overtones pair with jazzy undertones, and Kang adds synthesized accents alongside strong Indian and Persian inflections, string quartets, exotica, and lounge sounds. In all, it’s a beautiful collection—and yet another new interpretation of Zorn’s compositions. [SM]

This Issue’s Best Albums is compiled from Alarm Magazine’s Best Albums, an eclectic weekly series presenting exceptional music. Visit alarm-magazine.com for more. [LE] Lincoln Eddy [SM] Scott Morrow [OC] Oakland L. Childers

DESIGN BUREAU

July/Aug 2014

FOR HIRE: Ravi Sathia FOR HIRE DESIGN TALENT FRESH ON THE MARKET

This young creative left his job in the corporate marketing world to pursue a degree in graphic design at Harper College outside of Chicago. Now he’s an Alarm Press intern looking for his first big break. Sathia is seeking a hands-on design job and has dreams of an eventual art-director position—ahem, GQ magazine. He has the DB stamp of approval, but don’t just take our word for it; his minimalist typography work speaks for itself.

What type of design work would you say is your area of expertise? I’m big on typography and print design. I think there’s a beauty in the way words and images live together on a page, and many times it’s very hard to achieve effectively. I don’t necessarily think I picked these to be my areas of expertise; rather, every designer tends to gravitate towards a particular space within design that comes naturally to them. How would you describe your aesthetic? According to BuzzFeed, I’m a “Marimekko pattern meets an Andy Warhol painting.” But I like to think that my aesthetic is usually clean, sophisticated, and structured. Who are some designers you look to for inspiration? I’m a big fan of Justin Maller’s work. His use of vibrant color and geometry produces some awe-inspiring work. Why should someone hire you? I’ve worked in a variety of verticals and have developed a strong understanding of how to effectively communicate. I love collaborating with others and am extremely motivated to take my design career to the next level.

RÉSUMÉ SNAPSHOT: Ravi Sathia EDUCATION Harper College, Palatine, IL Graphic Arts Design, 2014 DePaul University, Chicago, IL Bachelor of Science in Marketing & Management, 2010

FROM TOP: Ravinia Festival poster, a Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired design of the iconic Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, IL, and third-place winner of the 2014 Women’s Board competition; We Are the Hunted, a branding/visual identity for a sophisticated men’s outdoor-fashion line.

Ravi likes: Surfing, Taco Bell, warm weather, Frank Lloyd Wright, getting on planes

WORK EXPERIENCE Alarm Press Design Intern, 2014 The Kellogg Company Senior Analyst CRM, September 2010–2011

CyberCoders Junior SEO Associate, April 2012 – present

Ravi dislikes: Open cabinets, wet socks, winter, slow technology

Want to hire Ravi? Check out his website: ravisathia.com

Portrait by Michael Barton www.michaelbartonart.com. Are you a design student or recent grad? Are you interested in being featured in For Hire? E-mail forhire@wearedesignbureau.com.