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“you have to be able to tell clients when they don’t know sh*T.” GEORGE LOIS p. 108
e d i ti o
The Inspiration Issue 8 guest editors curate 66 pages to show us their creative passion
architecture interiors graphic design photography fashion travel culture
SEP/OCT 2012 $8 USA/CAN
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DESIGN BUREAU
Contents
Handcrafted American-made furniture Portica canopy bed $1399; Whitney dresser $2099; Cowhide rug $599; all items priced as shown. Visit us at three Chicago locations: 55 East Ohio at Rush Street, Chicago 2525 West 22nd Street, Oak Brook 10071 Skokie Boulevard, Skokie Our free catalog has 380 pages of inspiration. Order yours at roomandboard.com. 800.952.8455
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The Inspiration Issue
FEATURES 102 Retooling School A Chicago public school adds smart campus design to a list of bold green innovations 104 Under the Volcano London’s Barbican Centre celebrates James Bond’s golden anniversary with an exhibit filled with 007’s cars, costumes, and gadgets 108 Mad Man George Lois The legendary art director of the ’60s tells us how it was (and wasn’t) when Madison Avenue ruled the advertising world
66 pages of bold images curated by 8 guest editors PAGE 118
DIALOGUE & THINKING
INFORMER
70 An American Palace of Eclectic Styles Chicago’s impeccably restored Nickerson House is home to the Driehaus Museum
25 Objects & Gear 33 Fashion & Beauty
71 Whither the Designer Can a brand survive if the management doesn’t care about design?
43 Travel & Culture 55 Structures & Spaces
72 Cleveland Goes Green A renovated park brings a bright patch to the city's downtown 74 Bureau of Ergonomics Our resident professional ergonomist explains some of design’s biggest puzzlers
PLUS
80 The Man Behind Macy’s Making the world’s most famous department store look good is all in a day’s work for James Bellante 85 Interior Designers Talk Shop 11 interior designers share their secrets
15 Pixels & Print
06 08 10 76 177 178
Contributors Letter from the Editor Letters Notes from the Bureau This Issue’s Best Albums For Hire
Above: Photo by Design Army. Additional credits on page 132.
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ON THE COVER
CONTENTS ISSUE 13
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Contents
04
DESIGN BUREAU
Contents
streetwear designer
Erik Brunetti This badass of design is one of our guest editors Page 156
EVENT DESIGNer
Erin Patrick Five insider tips from an event decor guru Page 68
Photo of Erik Brunetti by Emmelie Brunetti; photo of Erin Patrick by Chris Bradley
Contents
DESIGN BUREAU
ARt Director
George Lois The grandfather of graphic design explains why he’s never settled down Page 108
INSIDE ISSUE 13
TV Hosts
Made Right Here Two guys seek out the coolest heritage brands across the US Page 36 perfumer
Emmelie Brunetti This former DJ shows us her favorite things Page 49
Photo of George Lois by Noah Kalina; Photo of Emmelie Brunetti by Erik Brunetti connexny12@lebook.com; Made Right Here photo by Chad Davis
05
DESIGN BUREAU CONTRIBUTORS Publisher & editor-in-chief Chris Force chris@alarmpress.com
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
-----
Senior Account Manager
MANAGING EDITOR
Kristin Lamprecht kristin@alarmpress.com Associate editors
John Dugan john@alarmpress.com
Kathryn Freeman Rathbone katie@alarmpress.com
Zack Burris is a photographer and digital artist, and is shown here with several pieces he’s shot for Design Bureau. He works out of his Chicago studio creating commissioned works for his commercial and fine art clientele. Ask what makes him tick, he’ll tell you; family, friends, fitness, food and wine, light, composition and one more dye transfer, please. zackburris.com
Saundra Marcel is a designer and writer living in New York City. She’s a frequent contributor for Design Bureau and has also written for Metropolis Magazine, Domus, AIGA Voice, and is co-editor of At Water’s Edge, a book about New York City waterfronts. She is currently writing a book about her hometown called Islander: Life on a Pork Chop. thedesignminded.com
Christopher Kitahara works as a photographer in Chicago, IL. His portrait work combines the traditional formality of the genre with the whimsy and spontaneity of candid photography. A country boy by birth, city boy by vocation, his other work explores the intersection of nature with urban space and the limits of still photography through the use of motion. christopherkitahara.com
Luke Williams is a graphic designer currently living and working in Chicago. You’ll likely catch him roaming the city with his Pentax Spotmatic, shooting photos of architecture, and old sign paintings. Luke’s work has been featured in Communication Arts, Print, and HOW magazines, and published by Taschen, Gestalten, and Princeton Architectural Press. lukelukeluke.com
editorial intern
Lauren Carroll Alyssa Keller
Ellie Fehd ellie@alarmpress.com
Tarra Kieckhaefer tarra@alarmpress.com
account managers
Liz Abshire, Krystle Blume, Jill Berris, Arghavan Hakimian, Emily Kirkwood, Jessica Rimpel, Jenny Palmer, Emily Schleier, Cole Stevens, Natalie Valliere-Kelley production manager
Ashley Zorrilla ashley@alarmpress.com
SENIOR Account EXECUTIVE
-----
Liisa Jordan liisa@alarmpress.com
DESIGN DIRECTOR
Business Development Manager
DESIGNER
Account EXECUTIVEs
Lindsey Eden Turner lindsey@alarmpress.com Lauren Ayers lauren@alarmpress.com ----contributors
William Abranowicz, Tom Arban, Antonio Ballatore, Murrye Bernard, Brett Beyer, Chris Bradley, Jeremy Brautman, Emmelie Brunetti, Erik Brunetti, Andrew Bruntel, Denise Burrell-Stinson, Zack Burris, Jess Burton, Delia Cai, Jennifer Carpenter, Dusdin Condren, Bruce Damonte, Chad Davis, Kahla Delahay, Alexandre de Betak, Design Army, Casey Dunn, Phillip Ennis, Eve Fineman, Steven Fischer, Greg La Gambina, Elizabeth Gilmore, Brittany Graham, Jennifer Hamblett, Sarah Handelman, Jen Hazen, Nick Heavican, Homeless Cop, Noah Kalina, Stephen Killion, Will King, Christopher Kitahara, Adam Krause, Heidi Kulicke, MJ Lanphier, Brian Libby, Bjorg Magnea, Charles Maraia, Saundra Marcel, Joshua McHugh, Kaitlyn McQuaid, Alyssa Meza, Christopher Moraff, Nalina Moses, Laura Neilson, John Pamer, Kevin Polvent, Drake Patton, Lisa Predko, Zoë Ryan, Andrew Schroedter, Bryan Sheffield, Lauren Smith, Lesley Stanley, J. Michael Welton, Luke Williams, Ron Zaras
Alicia Myers alicia@alarmpress.com
Maggie Burke, Tristan Hanselman, Ainsleigh Monaghan, Miranda Myers, Allison Weaver, Gloria Puljic, Christian Romasanta ----MARKETING MANAGER
Danelle Sarvas danelle@alarmpress.com ----Human resources
Diana Shnekenburger diana@alarmpress.com
Accounting assistant
Mokena Trigueros
Assistant to the Publisher
LeeAnne Hawley leeanne@alarmpress.com ----cover image
Cover photo by Design Army. Additional credits on page 132.
A one-year subscription to Design Bureau is US $48. Visit our website at www.wearedesignbureau.com or send a check or money order to: Design Bureau 205 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 3200 Chicago, IL 60601
P 312.386.7932 F 312.276.8085 info@alarmpress.com
Design Bureau (ISSN 2154-4441) is published bi-monthly by ALARM Press at 205 N Michigan Avenue, Suite 3200, Chicago, IL, 60601. Periodicals postage is PENDING at Chicago, IL and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to Design Bureau at 205 N Michigan Avenue, Suite 3200, Chicago, IL, 60601 Retailers: To carry Design Bureau in your store please call 201.634.7411. © 2012 Design Bureau. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. DESIGN BUREAU is a trademark of Design Bureau.
Inspiring dialogue on design NOW AVAILABLE ON THE IPAD
Packed with extended photo galleries, additional content, and interactivity exclusive to the tablet edition. Search Design Bureau in iTunes to get started.
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DESIGN BUREAU
Letters & Contributors
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
What I’ve Learned
The Anniversary Letter This issue marks the second anniversary of Design Bureau and my 17th year making magazines. We’ve celebrated the occasion by inviting some of the creative minds that have fascinated us over the past year and asked them to give us a glimpse into their inspirations. From the stunning actress who plays Debra Morgan on Dexter, to the wayout-there creative director from Fuct, 66 pages of inspiration await you on page 118. It’s also an honor to feature a story on famed art director George Lois. His work, and his outspoken dialogue around it, continues to impress and inspire me. Take a quick visit to his home with us for a chat about design on page 108. George is one of many designers I’ve had the opportunity to learn from over the past two years while making Design Bureau. Most of what I’ve learned has only raised more questions, but here are common traits I’ve seen with almost all successful creative groups: You are only good at what you do every day. Successful designers have strong work ethics. They are always working, thinking, designing. The way they do this varies wildly, but I haven’t met a consistently successful designer who is lazy or bored. Conversely, you meet a lot of people with “corporate” design jobs who are lazy and bored. These are the types that have a zillion unfinished hobbies, talk a lot, and do little. These two groups rarely mix with each other. The successful designer gets projects created; the other is a constant barrier to completion.
Photo of Chris Force by Noah Kalina
Successful designers don’t think (worry) that much. I did not agonize over starting Design Bureau. It was a magazine, a culture, that I wanted to create, so I did it. I’ve pretty much always done what I wanted—not because I’ve always known what I wanted to do, but because I never did anything I didn’t want to do. There is a big difference. Of course I thought, and obsessed, over Design Bureau, but about the project, not if I should do it or not. Which leads me to… A successful designer is foolishly optimistic. Statistically speaking, your creative endeavor is going to fail. This is why I’ve come to realize that successful designers have wary relationships with lawyers, accountants, and marketers. A creative mind must be independent, bold, and recklessly positive. It must take risks, which is exactly opposite of what an attorney, banker, or project manager is trained to do. To my surprise, I’ve realized that sales people and designers often work fabulously together, as both require commitment, confidence, and individuality. Which also leads me to… The best designers can sell. They can clearly express their ideas and make a compelling argument for their use. This is also why most designers can draw. Maybe they can’t draw well, but enough to get their ideas across visually. A good designer can express his or her idea clearly and quickly. Lastly, there are two ideas that people on the DB team have taught me that I consider every day. Kristin Lamprecht, our managing editor, often has told me, “you can’t teach someone to care.” I’ve repeated this phrase a thousand times since she said it to me. The other is something that contributing photographer Noah Kalina mentioned to me. I was calling him from the car, agonizing over what photos to run in a story. I rambled on forever, talking style, editorial relevance, design. He replied, “Only run the good shit.” This probably is the best design advice that anyone ever has given me. I’m looking forward to what I’ll get to learn about design over the next year. If you have advice for me, I want to hear it. -----
Chris Force Publisher & Editor-in-Chief chris@alarmpress.com
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Letters & Contributors
LETTERS TO DESIGN BUREAU July/August 2012 SOUND BITES
From its glossy cover to its cover star, our July/August issue was a talker. Readers let us have it with their opinions—mostly positive, we might add. We live for feedback, so don’t be shy!
letters@wearedesignbureau.com
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Features
The actor discusses his passion for quality craftsmanship, his stint as a sunglass designer, and a near-career as an animator
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DESIGN BUREAU
Stylist : Melissa Crook; Art Director: Juan Mendez
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by laura neilson phoTos by Tim cadienTe
A New Role foR Ribisi
G
iovanni Ribisi isn’t just another celebrity playing the role of a standin designer.
As the collaborator behind two newlydebuted styles for eyewear label Barton Perreira, the aptly-named “Giovanni” and the “Ribisi,” the actor’s bona fides are a stellar combination of killer personal style and a formal training in the world of 3D animation. Granted, the latter was intended to land him in Hollywood’s expanding world of blue screens, but like any serious actor, Ribisi isn’t one for being typecast. You collaborated with Barton Perreira on two of their sunglass styles. How did these two particular designs reflect your own aesthetic? The “Ribisis” are modeled after a frame from the 1930s. It reminded me of a motorcyclist and
That seems like a natural inclination, though. Granted, they were the first glasses I’ve ever designed. I had a model of my face, actually, so I truly was designing for that—not because it was my face, but because it was the only human model or scan that I had for geometry. The second style, the “Giovanni,” is another variety that I would want to wear, as well as something that I thought would work in a more universal way. You mentioned having a vintage-inspired aesthetic—what is it about the past that appeals to you? In my mind, I associate it with a certain value system that we, as an American culture, lack today. There was necessity. We had an identity, we
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renaissance man “From Blossom to Avatar and now a career in sunglass design? That Giovanni is one multifaceted dude.” (H.S., via email)
because the 83-year-olD glaser nearly got PigeonholeD once, anD he’s never letting that haPPen again. Q&A by SAundrA MArcel PhotoS by noAh KAlinA
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utterly glased “How refreshing to hear from a true, oldschool original that tells it like it is. Milton Glaser, a no-bullshit design legend. He hits it on the head when he distinguishes design, which is about communicating, from art, which is about self-expression. Now, if only our design schools would get a clue.” (C.M., via Email)
ex post facto
db tweets @DISCInteriors @DesignBureauMag Inspired by Design Bureau’s coverage of global design! #interiors
maybe somebody who is into physics or science. I’ve always been a fan what felt like a more innocent time, and a time where there were values in quality craftsmanship. That first pair was designed more or less in a selfish way—it was really more of a solipsistic thing for me where it was like, “What would I wear?”
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Design icon Milton glaser is best known for his earliest work. co-founDer of the oh-so-faMous Push Pin stuDios, he MaDe his naMe in the 1960s as an illustrator Designing PsycheDelic-style Posters. he’s written books, createD Magazines, runs a business, anD has been teaching for 50 years. he’s the creator of the ultiMate city Mark—the “i love new york” logo. but trying to Pin Down this Design celebrity’s talents woulD be a Major Mistake.
DB shout-outs from the Twitterverse Join the conversation at twitter.com/DesignBureauMag
beer, glorious beer “I must raise a toast to your story on craft beer can design. It was so good, it made me thirsty. For too long, craft beer was dragged down by goofy labels. I’m stoked that quality American brews finally come in sharp-looking cans. Plus, they are fun to crush.” (Q.D., via the web) CORRECTIONS, MAR/APR AND MAY/JUN 2012:
In our Mar/Apr issue article on Mr. Jones Watches (mrjoneswatches.com), we misidentified the watch designer as Crispin Porter. His name is Crispin Jones; We regret the error.
“Loved your look back at Metro’s rock posters, but it's not the only venue in Chicago. Schubas, Lincoln Hall, Empty Bottle, and others also commission fine screenprinted flyers, too. Next time?” (T.A., via email)
@lynnedoor These are some pretty fabulous (ruined) Polaroids from Bill Miller! via @DesignBureauMag @DesignArmy We just wrapped up a super custom shoot for @DesignBureauMag - will be published later this year ~ it’s soooo good. @AIAInterior Browsing @ DesignBureauMag ’s pinterest posts re interiors @SarahHRosen The BEST global magazine @DesignBureauMag continues to cover the most innovative. Check out “Year of the Flying Car”
“Clients don’t know how to judge good work. The minute a client forces you into doing bad work— that’s it—you’re mediocre. You just gave up the chance to be a great designer.” george lois PAGE 108
For the record: Rants, ramblings, and random facts from behind the scenes of this issue
Cary Grant
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JAY-Z
Kozjak
The actor turned down the role of James Bond in 1962’s Dr. No. Whoopsies. Learn more Bond set secrets and insider design tidbits on p. 104
Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman’s number on the University of Oregon football team. Nike's Elite 51 uniform series is named for him. Check out the duds on p. 26
We invited Hova to be a guest editor, but alas, he never responded. Hey, the door’s still open, Jay. See the guest editors who said yes on p. 118
The olive groves of designer oil Lintar are on the former site of a Communist-era quarry, at the base of this mountain in Croatia. Check out the packaging on p. 24
Have a question or comment? We want to hear from you. Give us a shout at letters@wearedesignbureau.com.
corliss chair
gentner
FURNITURE
showroom 228 w kinzie st 2nd floor chicago il 60654 | t 312 755 0700 gentnerdesign.com
Informer
Design Bureau Recommends...
DESIGN BUREAU
Sadly, summer is over. But don't fret! Check out the staff's must-have picks for fall—and beyond.
John dugan, associate editor
Restored typewriters from Kasbah Mod “Kasbah Mod’s restored typewriters actually work! Now, I've got no excuse for not finishing that novel. I prefer the ’60s Olivettis for looks.” $200–$1,000, kasbahmod.com
LIndsey Turner, Design Director
Nikon J1 camera “Love this design, which mixes sleek minimalism with powerful features like interchangeable lenses and 1080p video.” $649, nikonusa.com
lauren ayers, designer
Nest modern learning thermostat “This Red Dot award winning thermostat keeps your energy history accessible from your smart phone and has a sleek digital interface that works in modern spaces. And you can get it at the hardware store!” $249, at Lowe's locations
Kristin Lamprecht, managing editor
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“What’s not to love about the Stingray satchel? It's the perfect neutral to transition from summer to fall, and the shape is soft while still sructured. Plus, the leather is so soft.” $395 at allibellenyc.oom KILIMAJARO ISSUE 13
Art, Love and Everyday Life £15.00 ISSN: 14791404
A LOVE LETTER TO RONI HORN –––– A Collaboration with Roni Horn –––– featuring Juergen Teller, John Waters & Adrian Searle
Allibelle bag
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www.kilimag.com
Katie Rathbone, Associate editor
Kilimanjaro magazine “I’d like to add all 13 issues of this bi-annual mag of refined aesthetics to my collection.I love its varied paper stocks and large format,not to mention gorgeous fashion photography.” £15 per issue, kilimag.com
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Pixels & Print
PIXELS & PRINT
DESIGN BUREAU
The best of the best in graphics and photos
FILL IN THE BLANK
Mogollon This Brooklyn design duo mixes pop and cult influences in totemic graphics To start the morning right, we like to... make a nice creamy coffee with
our espresso machine.
When we moved to New York, we hoped to... make films. CONTINUED
Mogollon Sonidero posters for DJ Nights
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DESIGN BUREAU
Pixels & Print
Francisco Lopez and Monica Brand
(CONTINUED)
but instead we are.. graphic designers, art directors, business owners, video makers, and wannabe filmmakers. If we had to summarize our design philosophy, it would be... luxury does
not belong to reality, but to the imagination.
The worst thing about being in a duo is... there is only two. The best thing about being a duo is... when one mind is stuck the other one
still functions.
we are happy If we can use...
our vacation every year.
If we could live in any era, it would be... sometime in the future when
humankind has finally evolved.
We get annoyed when we see...
people jogging on the street; they remind us we need to exercise. When we're done with a project, we like to... have a drink. a
mogollon-ny.com
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Pixels & Print
DESIGN BUREAU
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Marina & the Diamonds for Warner Brothers UK 4
Pitch for Michael Jackson's new album 2010 Commissioned by Sony Music 5
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Vagabond NYC, Issue 10 6
Vagabond NYC, Issue 11
6
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Mogollon Sonidero posters for DJ Nights 2
Hybrids, a collaborative project between Stephen Burks, of Ready Made Projects, Mogollon, and photographer Daniel H책kansson
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My View
Pixels & Print
one photographer FIVE photos one city
Raquel Olivo Los Angeles, California
Although she’s had the chance to work with many high-profile celebrities, photographer Raquel Olivo took the long road to shooting stars like Kanye and Lady Gaga. Raised in Chicago, she studied photography in Florida and shot stills on Hollywood movie sets before launching her solo career as a fashion photographer. Today, she gets her inspiration from L.A.’s creative climate. “Anytime of year, I can go out to the desert and shoot an amazing story,” she says. Next on her inspirational location list: Cuba and Brazil. “I love going to rural cities and capturing the heart and souls and telling a story through my photographs,” she says. a
raquelolivo.com
Pixels & Print
DESIGN BUREAU
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DESIGN BUREAU
Pixels & Print
CASE STUDY
Sofia, SO GOOD A Mexican design agency’s elegant brand vision elevates the staid luxury real estate development campaign A signature scent, sleek umbrella, and custom font—not exactly the prototypical elements involved in a real estate branding and identity project. But that’s what design firm Anagrama created to entice potential buyers into purchasing a unit at luxury residential building Sofia in San Pedro, Mexico. The designers wanted to emphasize the high-end feeling of the complex and avoid the clichéd real estate freebies usually given to prospective clients. “We were involved in deciding what peripherals to create for the interactions between our client and the final customer during the sales process,” says Miguel A. Herrera Ortega, Creative Director of Anagrama. Was it a success? More than half of the property at Sofia was sold before construction had even started. Even more shocking: it was done without a branded golf ball in sight. a Ortega breaks down the design components of this unusually successful branding project in the captions.
Customdesigned typeface “The typeface was inspired by British typographies such as Eric Gill type.”
The signature Sofia scent “The idea of a scent for an apartment building basically came from getting away from those common things given away for promo items such as golf balls and polo shirts.”
Pixels & Print
ID Club
DESIGN BUREAU
Awesome brand identities from unlikely sources
This issue:
Three noodle shops with delicious visuals
elizabeth St. café Austin, TX Identity: Foda Studio A family of design elements allows this French/Vietnamese spot to be a boulangerie in the morning and noodle house in the afternoon and evening elizabethstreetcafe.com
The key symbol “The keys are the symbol of San Pedro Garza García. It is considered by many to be the most affluent place in Latin America due to the fact that many important business people in Mexico reside here.”
pop noodle Dublin, Ireland Branding + Identity + Interior: Creative, Inc. For this quick-service noodle spot in Dublin's quays, Creative went with simple, punchy and fast
Anan japanese noodle bar Custom-designed luxury giveaway items for Sofia include an umbrella, tote, and hand rolled cigar, among others.
Wolfsburg, Germany Identity: Büro Destruct, Switzerland Interiors: Hosoya Schaefer Architects Buro brought Tokyo to Germany's motor city with graphics from eight Japanese designers autostadt.de Elizabeth Street photos by Jett Butler and Casey Dunn
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DESIGN BUREAU
Structures & Spaces
design jobs around the world
Global Census DESIGN CAN BE A LONELY TRADE. GET TO KNOW YOUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY—AND FIND OUT IF YOUR PAYCHECK MEASURES UP. This issue, it’s ILLUSTRATORS.—stephen killion
Andrew Roberts
Anna Grimal
Joe Van Wetering
Chow Martin
Matt Lyon
“Draw every single day. ”
locatioN: Toronto, Canada
locatioN: Girona, Catalunya
Spain
WEBSITE: chowmartin.com
WEBSITE: annagrimal.com
EDUCATION/background: BFA,
Printmaking
EDUCATION/background: After
studying in Barcelona at the School Massana, Grimal traveled to Belgium and spent six months learning numerous ways of working
NOTABLE PROJECTS:
NOTABLE PROJECTS: A Christmas card for a Catalan musician, a skateboard design, and a new book locatioN: Brooklyn, NY WEBSITE:
andrewdraws.com EDUCATION/background: BA in
design and illustration from the Pacific Northwest College of Art, and MFA from the School of Visual Arts. Designer at Nike, Portland Trail Blazers, and partner in Studio 209. NOTABLE PROJECTS: Custom
“header” images for Los Angeles Magazine INCOME per project: Most
illustrations fall in the $300–$800 range QUOTE: “Sometimes the best
parts of illustration are the things you do accidentally or perhaps, unconsciously. You could never plan it...it just happens, and you hope you know the difference between fixing it, and letting it go.”
INCOME per project: Depends on size and whether it’s digital or by hand. Most tend to fall around $250.
locatioN: London, UK
INCOME per project: $1,500-
WEBSITE: c8six.com
$5,000
QUOTE : “I chose this profession
because I didn’t want anything more than this. I love this and I couldn't imagine my life without drawing.”
SomethingSomething+ Associates, Adidas, Nike, my current gallery endeavors. For shoots, “Mirror” which is a critical approach to men’s fashion; “Butterflies,” and my tribute to “Fashion Victims,” which was inspired by Hussein Chalayan’s collection consisting of meat.
locatioN: Chicago, IL WEBSITE: joevw.com EDUCATION/background:
EDUCATION/background: BA,
QUOTE: “Nothing enriches the
Fine Art
flowery fields of the digital landscape like the fiery orchids of traditional media.”
AT&T, Microsoft
NOTABLE PROJECTS: AOL Artists,
INCOME: $2,000-$10,000+
Dropped out when I got my job NOTABLE PROJECTS: Editorials for Quality Magazine, ΠMagazine, Editorial with Rick Genest INCOME per project: $1,000-
$15,000 per job
“A drawing a day feeds the imagination.”
NOTABLE PROJECTS: Threadless,
Nokia, New York Times Magazine QUOTE: “Draw every single day. ”
Illustrations left to right: “Motel” by Andrew Roberts; “Enelsnuvols” by Anna Gimal; “After the Earthquake” by Joe Van Wetering; “Bison” by Chow Martin; “Artwork for Saudi Telecom Company” by Matt Lyon
Structures Pixels & Spaces & Print
DESIGN BUREAU
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BACK TO SCHOOL GEAR
TAKE NOTE Moleskin Light Warm Grey Cahier, $12.95/three, moleskine.com
Missing the tactile pleasures of real pen and paper? Stick one of these notebooks in your day bag and let inspiration take over photo by zack burris Spartan Library Pocket Travel Notebook, $24, spartan-shop.com
Moleskin Volant Notebook Plain Orange, Purple and Yellow, $12.95/two, moleskine.com
Spartan green book "All My Thoughts", $28, spartanshop.com
French notebooks, $15.80/ 4-pack, laughing elephant.com
Tanner Goods handmade Linen Notebook, $15, tanner goods.com
Standardnumber Golden Age notebook, $12, thehach.com Field Notes Red Blooded Notebook, $9.95/3-pack, fieldnotes brand.com
Crystallized Sketchbook and Twisted Sketchbook, $18, lettersketch.com
Field Notes County Fair, Illinois, $9.95/3-pack, fieldnotes brand.com Paperways Idea Note Book, $12, thehach.com
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DESIGN BUREAU
Pixels & Print
PACKAGING DESIGN
Olive Oils
A kitchen staple that is nearly as old as civilization itself gets repackaged for the foodie generation
LINTAR
ELÉIA
LAMBDA
BRACHIA
cemex.hr
eleia.gr
speironcompany.com
brachia.hr
LOCATION: Dalmatia, Croatia
LOCATION: Ilia, Greece
LOCATION: Athens, Greece
LOCATION: Brač, Croatia
PRODUCT: A cement company turned its former quarry into olive groves, which now produce this high-end olive oil.
PRODUCT: New brand Eleia produces this coldpressed extra virgin oil using Koroneiki olives from 40,000 trees in the Lechaina Plains of Greece
PRODUCT: Made from Koroneiki olives from Kritsa, Greece, a signed, numbered, bespoke bottle of Lambda in a niangon wood case retails for ¤11,000.
PRODUCT: Brachia has launched several lines of olive oils in recent years, but we especially love the exclusive line of hand-made olive oils, as well as the trio of aromatized oils in mini bottles
DESIGNER: Tridvajedan,
Zagreb, Croatia tridvajedan.hr
DESIGNER: Bob Studio,
Greece, bobstudio.gr
DESIGNER: Speiron
DESIGN: The bottle design
DESIGN: The 1/2 liter
gives off visions of antiquity and timelessness, expressed using modern colors.The handsome box plays up the unusual pale green color and stylized pouring type.
glass bottle is bold but unpretentious, while the full liter tin has a masculine yet modern look. Both feature a whitewashed lower region that conjures up memories of scenic Greek Island architecture.
DESIGN: The minimalist type design complements the angular shape, while the clear bottle emphasizes the oil’s natural color. The personalized box pulls together the modern, luxurious aesthetic.
THE VERDICT: The Lintar
design has won piles of awards, but we can’t help but wonder if the funnel shaped bottle is an inefficient use of space? Currently, Lintar is only a promo item for Cemex.
THE VERDICT: Americans
can actually buy this one: Eléia is available for $32 and $45, respectively, at Dean & Deluca, which is nice because it wins our “most likely to actually be used” award.
THE VERDICT: Although we
love the clean, crisp design, the mark-up for the bespoke version seems extreme. Go for the 500ml size, which will just set you back a mere £50.00 at Harrod's in London.
Brachia and Lintar photos and design by Izvorka Juríc and Jelena Gvozdenovic, TRIDVAJEDAN, Croatia; Eléia photos courtesy of Bob Studio
DESIGNER: Tridvajedan,
Zagreb, Croatia tridvajedan.hr DESIGN: The ceramic bottle and the tag shape resembles an olive fruit with a leaf, and the metal funnel replaces the wooden cap for easier pouring. THE VERDICT: Brachia
appears authentic without looking too boring, and we’re sure we could reuse the sleek bottle once it is empty. Available in Croatian gourmet shops or via e-mail brachia.hr
Objects & Gear
OBJECTS & GEAR Smoothing the Ride Rapha’s skincare line for cyclists gets a leg up with a scenic packaging design
DESIGN BUREAU
Things that make us drool, covet, and go broke
Everything about Rapha Performance Roadwear and accessories betrays exquisite attention to detail, even its foray into skincare. For the London-based brand’s first line of handmade facial products—including balms, soaps, and creams—the savvy cyclists turned to graphic designers Irving & Co to create the packaging design. The black boxes and sleek cylindrical tins reference the sport’s continental heritage, while a stripe and seal remind us of the pink jersey sported by the lead rider in the Giro d’Italia. a
Photo by Zack Burris; Rapha Performance Roadwear skincare products, $9-27, rapha.cc
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Objects & Gear
SPORTSWEAR
uniformly re-engineered Nike’s Elite 51 hits the gridiron this season with real changes under the hood
Elite 51 employs Flywire technology which locks in a custom fit with fewer layers
When you tune in to watch your favorite football squad this Sunday, the players might look different. It’s because Nike has redesigned the 2012 NFL uniforms for all 32 teams. At the unveiling earlier this year, star players from every NFL team (including Larry Fitzgerald, Ben Roethlisberger, DeAngelo Williams, and Victor Cruz) joined Nike global creative director Todd Van Horne in detailing the redesign process, demonstrating how mobility, material weight, and protection drove an innovation-loaded pro sports uniform design. Dubbed the “Elite 51”
uniform, Nike designers have let the body take the lead, which has a player-contoured fit that’s intended to “minimize distractions” and shirt-grabbing tackles. Nike completely re-engineered the fabrics, air vents, and built-in padding from the baselayer through the outer jersey layer. The pants have lighter airplane-grade aluminum belt buckles and the jerseys (and the twill numbers) stretch four ways for increased mobility. The socks provide increased compression, as well as cushioning and venting.
The 4-way stretch hydrophobic material, even through the twill numbers, allows free movement, wet or dry
Deflex padding is built in to the pant and upper. The Hyperstrong baselayer features added defense in impact areas
Photos top right by John Pamer, bottom right and this page courtesy of Nike. store.nike.com
Objects & Gear
DESIGN BUREAU
The players praised the lightweight comfort and breathability of the Elite 51’s design. “I’ve been wearing this uniform since 9am. and that’s unheard of. Usually you want to take it off right after the game. This is very comfortable,” says Dwayne Bowe, wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs. The so-called 12th man on the field is also getting an uni upgrade: Nike’s Elite 51 Sideline Collection is a sleek collection of fan-gear ready to meet the challenge of your next tailgate party or living room rally.—john Pamer
Interlocking graphics on the Nike Vapor Jet 2.0 gloves
Legarrette Blount of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers demos the Nike Vapor Jet 2.0 gloves
Ed Ruscha towel, $95, www.worksonwhatever.com Nike's new NFL uniforms are lighter and more body-contoured than ever
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Objects & Gear
From DC Shoes to Rally Car Design Ken Block has gone from skate gear mogul to rally car champion, but he couldn’t have accomplished either without understanding the value of good design
“I am a lucky bastard,” says Ken Block. “I’m in a position where I really get to do the things I love to do.” The founder of popular skateboard brand DC Shoes knows the world of design and sports. For the past three decades, he’s been competing himself, in skateboarding, snowboarding, and motocross riding. But these days he spends most of the year as a professional rally car driver with the Monster World Rally Team, racing his custom Ford Fiesta HFHV (for Hybrid Function Hoon Vehicle) that he helped design. The custom vehicle is Block’s answer to a rally race conundrum. Block wanted to compete in the three Photos by Ron Zaras
main rally race classifications—rally, rallycross, and gymkhana events—but the thought of maintaining three different cars had him reeling. So, Block and his team designed the Fiesta HFHV: a tricked-out rally car with a kit of different transmissions, suspensions, wheels, and gears that can be swapped out to fit each type of race. The design is unique to the Monster team, and plays off Block’s knack for catching the eye of the public and sponsors alike. Block points to the parallels between extreme sports and good design. “I am inspired by people who push boundaries,” he says. “I come from the skateboarding and snowboarding world where there is so much self expression, not only in what people do physically with their sport, but also with graphics on boards and wheels, and all the advertising and video and photography. For me, design is a functional process that makes sponsors happy and sells products, but it’s also about creativity. The better job that I can do at bringing the two together, the more it represents me as a driver.”—christopher moraff
DC STYLE AT HOME Off the rally race circuit, Ken Block’s home is just as unique. The design of his Park City, Utah home was a collaborative effort between Block and interior designer Area Design. Its style reflects Block’s rough-andtumble rally car life. “The overall design concept was a clean and simple interior shell, allowing for vibrant colors, graphic prints, his amazing art collection, passion for the outdoors, and rallying to combine,” says Lia Aguirre, co-owner and principal at Area Design. “You can really see the family’s personality pop.”
Explore the possibilities!
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www.aspectsfurniture.com
Good design is the feeling you get when you walk into a room and feel inspired. It isn’t about one particular element, it’s the combination of basic design principals and practice combined with experimentation and pushing your own design boundaries at all times. new construction | remodels commercial | residential get the goods at our online store
area design, llc. est. 2007 Park City, Utah 84098 435.649.0385 info@areadesignllc.com www.areadesignllc.com
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Objects & Gear
Linens and Wings Lay down some class at your next candlelit dinner with Huddleson table linens Huddleson founder Tim Gledhill says that his favorite memories of growing up in England are of meals shared over big, beautifully-set tables. Inspired by the marvels of digital printing he encountered while traveling the world, Gledhill started his Los Angeles-based company to give traditional table linens a fresh, less hoity-toity take. With its easy breezy LA style, Huddleson’s 2012 debut collection features watercolors of tumbling feathers and circling birds, champagne-hued python prints, and Mark Rothko-inspired colorblock. The line is crafted using a fine Italian linen, but conveniently, each piece is made ready to hit the washing machine post-dessert. So now, we all can unleash the sophisticate within.—Delia Cai
huddlesonlinens.com; photos by Huddleson
A High-Tech Touch Toyota’s lifesized touchscreen computers tell the interactive story of the new Prius
Toyota’s interactive Touch Wall looks like something you would see at the Apple Store, not at an auto show. “It’s essentially the biggest iPad you’ve ever seen in your life,” says Todd Purgason, executive creative director at Juxt Interactive. Toyota brought on Purgason to build an auto show display that was just as high tech as its cars, and what Juxt delivered was a far cry from the rotating pedestals and flashing lights that fill most car brands’ spaces. “The touch wall has three panels that tell different stories about Toyota’s safety, manufacturing, and culture,” Purgason says. “You can expand photos, play videos, and even spin the cars in a 360-degree view.” Although the photos and spin-arounds are cool, it’s the videos that really draw people in: grab one with both hands, and it’ll play across all three screens. “It attracts people from all the way across the room,” he says. And in the cavernous expos that host auto shows packed with hundreds of cars, that’s a pretty big accomplishment. a
game on Juxt has figured out creative communication solutions for other big corporations, as well. For its work with Cisco, it got especially inventive. The employees at Cisco are encouraged to play video games on the job. The Global Sales Force Experience Project, called “GSX” for short, uses interactive design to build camaraderie and boost employee morale. Behnam Karbassi, founding partner of No Mimes Media, Juxt’s collaborative partner on creating GSX explains: “In transmedia storytelling, the word ‘design’ takes on two meanings. One is classic visual design, which Juxt executed brilliantly; and experience design, which we led, encompasses mechanics, timing, and audience engagement,” he says. “It’s the blueprint on which all of the visual, tech assets, and content are based.”
Photo courtesy of Juxt Interactive
A mime is a terrible thing to waste.
Experience the transmedia demo, save a mime: www.nomimes.com
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Fashion & Beauty
TOYS BY DESIGN isn’t complete until I’ve figured out how to efficiently reproduce it.” Jim Henson’s offbeat-yet-amiable puppets also struck a formative chord with Rutherford, as did whimsical design luminaries Alexander Calder and Philippe Starck. “Their creations reached out into the world to get a smile,” says Rutherford. “At the end of the day, I think that’s all I want.”
dog's best (toy) friend A devilish dog toy with feet turned out to be one of the best selling pet toys ever
Ryan Rutherford points to an episode of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood as a defining moment in his future career as an industrial designer. “It was a clip of mass production at the Crayola factory,” he says of the indelible memory of his youth. “Perhaps it’s also the reason my work
Rutherford’s mission of mirth extends to the animal kingdom, and his most ubiquitous design is an insanely popular dog toy. After graduating from Pratt’s Industrial Design program, he went to work for an upstart pet products company in New Jersey. His premiere product, Cuz, a squeaky rubber ball with feet, is now entering its 10th year of production. Rutherford credits Pratt with teaching him to be critical in a productive way: “I learned how to observe, articulate, and access the endless reference library of art and design.” Rutherford recently began designing collectible toys under his own brand, Brutherford Industries. He constructs the objects using engineering and digital sculpting programs, but is quick to note that 3D modeling isn’t simply about mathematical input. When working, he says he “can feel the 3D model with haptic feedback” from a special stylus that simulates claylike resistance. Rutherford has been experimenting with additive manufacturing since 2000. He sees the wide-open 3D marketplace as needing to shift its buzz from method to content. “As a maker, I love the concept, but as a designer...it’s like a room full of guys yelling about all the cool and mostly useless things they can do with their hammers,” he says. “Good design stems from the choices a designer makes, not necessarily the designer presenting the audience with an endless array of choices.” For Rutherford, fun is the one choice that always remains consistent. He defines success as the invocation of a smile.—jeremy brautman
Three Things That Inspire Ryan Rutherford: Different ways of thinking
“For instance, European cars evolved differently than America's super-powered, super-sized automobiles. People tend to dismiss what’s foreign to them; I see reasons to learn.”
Pride in craftsmanship
“There’s a new wave of young people who are proudly making stuff: food, clothes, bikes. I love the idea of a booming society of micro-manufacturers.”
Photos by Ryan Rutherford, brutherford.com; Cuz, starting at $4 Jeremy Brautman is a Bay Area writer who chronicles the intersection of pop culture and design. jeremyriad.com
Open and friendly human relationships
“I believe in intellectual property and protecting proprietary methods, but I also believe in aligning with like-minded people and working together to achieve greater goals.”
Fashion & Beauty
FASHION & BEAUTY
DESIGN BUREAU
Because style never goes out of...style
Fiction to Fashion Mythical cities inspired these fantastical footwear designs If Queen Cersei Lannister on Game of Thrones rocked high heels, we’re pretty sure Anastasia Radevich would have created them. After all, the Montreal-based footwear designer’s 2012 Fall/Winter collection “Lost Civilizations” was inspired by mythical cities (though we can’t confirm that King’s Landing was one of them). CONTINUED
Photo by Charl Marais
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Fashion & Beauty
Inspired by:
The Past These designs are inspired by civilizations like Alexandria and Atlantis that were doomed to vanish
Inspired by:
The Past Radevich sculpted the metal, galvanized it, then rusted it to get a centuries -of-distress look
Inspired by:
The PRESENT This design is meant to remind us the of environmental and social decay of today. Uppers are screened with oil spill images. Ominous warnings come in plasticcoated metal.
Inspired by:
The FUTURE Radevich says this design depicts a world where nature has been reset and exists in a pure state of perfection— a new ice age Radevich’s Lost Civilization collection, $1,400-$3,500,anastasiaradevich.com/eshop Inspired by:
The FUTURE The carved resin heels from the Future series were sculpted in 3D by Radevich
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Radevich’s otherworldly heels feature unusual materials like molten metal, mechanical arms, and coral-like and horn-like formations. And she’s been known to experiment with strange design processes, as well. “My favorite are the biker boots with a worn out effect, torn laces and a very ‘cooked’ look,” she reveals. “I boiled those shoes.” —Lauren Carroll
Shoes, pictured above, $3400/pair; photos by Charl Marais; anastasiaradevich.com
Fashion & Beauty
DESIGN BUREAU
A Window into Your Dreams Schüco windows and doors for architectural imagination
The Dream Hotel in downtown New York features Schüco windows and doors throughout, realizing its iconic façade and unique experience. That’s what makes Schüco a global leader in facades, windows and doors. Our 60 years of quality engineering and intelligent design meet today’s challenges of aesthetics and energy balance. Architect: Handel Architects | Windows System: Schüco Royal S 65 | Doors System: Schüco ASS 50 e-slide Contact Us: (877) 4 SCHUCO | info@schuco-usa.com | www. schuco-usa.com
Green Technology for the Blue Planet Clean Energy from Solar and Windows
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Fashion & Beauty
TUNE IN
MEETING YOUR (AMERICAN) MAKERS
Made Right Here tours America's heritage workshops
Boatmaking in Buda, Texas with J.T. Van Zandt of Escobedo Boat Works
New TV series Made Right Here finds fine things made in the USA Nokona was just an unsuccessful Texas purse manufacturer until 1934, when a Connecticut transplant trained the staff in making pro baseball gloves. Today, Nokona still makes gloves in its Texas-based factory, where some employees have been on the job 30 years. It’s American heritage brands like this, along with many other mom and pop start-ups, that are the focus of new television series Made Right Here, hosted by Max Wastler and Joe Gannon. “There was a time in America when things were made here and companies were built from the ground up,” says Wastler. “Those are the stories I want to tell.” Working in production and design for big American clothing brands made St. Louis-raised Wastler privy to the reality of global outsourcing. “I wanted to involve myself in a culture that was a little more aware.” He made his name with clothing blog, AllPlaidOut, which had him visiting classic American clothing manufacturers such as W.C. Russell Moccasin Company, and Oxxford Clothes. Joining forces with Gannon, another passionate advocate for American-made, the pair started shooting footage of their trip to workshops in Tennessee, and thus Made Right Here was born. In the pilot, Wastler and Gannon learn the art of belt-making from Billy Moore of Cause and Effect, visit Nokona to try making baseball gloves, make a chambray shirt with Imogene + Willie, and learn about boat making from J.T. Van Zandt (who happens to be the son of the musician Townes). For those of us curious about where American quality still resides, the show is a joy. a
The Nokona baseball glove factory, Nocona, TX
Making a chambray shirt at Imogene + Willie
Imogene + Willie, Nashville, TN
Learning the art of belt making from Billy Moore of Cause and Effect
Pointer Brand stitched tags Bristol, TN
From left: Max Wastler and Joe Gannon Photos by Chad Davis, video stills by Rick Page; maderighthere.tv
Fashion & Beauty
DESIGN BUREAU
MUST-STOP SHOP
And for the Gentleman Vampire... Berlin’s Dandy of the Grotesque specializes in made-to-measure clothing for the man wanting a bit of goth in his closet
“We wanted to show what it takes to make things. There is such a huge chasm between the things we buy and the people that make them, that we want to highlight the people and the process.”—JOE GANNON
Double breast blazer with no lapel
a
bit like a Savile Row tailor servicing a secret society for warlocks, Dandy of the Grotesque is a Berlin-based atelier that creates gentleman’s clothing by borrowing inspiration from the past. CONTINUED
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Fashion & Beauty
Changing room, Dandy of the Grotesque Atelier, Berlin
(CONTINUED)
“I take a lot of inspiration from 18th and early 19th century menswear,” says Dandy owner/designer/alter ego Itamar Zechoval. “I am very attracted to that flamboyant taste.” His Berlin shop stocks waistcoats, trousers, suits, pocket squares, buttons, and cufflinks befitting a gentleman, but his designs have a modern edge: A tailored jacket has lengthened sleeves and raw-edged lining. His bespoke service and the shop’s unique ambience hasn't gone unnoticed among the rich and famous. Marilyn Manson and The Wire’s Michael K. Williams (otherwise known as Omar) have been known to sport Dandy. “I guess the combination of [modern design and the past] is what makes my ‘Dandy of the Grotesque’ universe.” a
Photos by Paul Green; dandyofthegrotesque.com
Fashion & Beauty
60/40 and Beyond
DESIGN BUREAU
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Originally made up of 60 percent cotton and 40 percent nylon, the '60s-era Sierra Designs 60/40 jacket is an American legend ( just ask your dad, he probably owns one). With the chilly weather approaching, we’ve picked today's 60/40-inspired jackets (and a pair of pants) that will get you to the hike, firepit, or apple pick and back all season long. PHOTO BY zack burris
Penfield Kasson in Cobalt, $225, penfieldusa.com
Outlier 60/30 chino pants in Gray, $225, outlier.cc Penfield Black Bear, Kasson in Olive, $225, penfieldusa.com
Dunderdon LJ38 60/40 Parka with removable liner and hood, army brown, $239, dunderdonusa.com
THE ORIGINAL Outlier Storm King Parka, $475, outlier.cc
The breathable and water repellant Sierra Designs Mountain Parka was originally made in Richmond, CA. The American legend is once again made in the USA. $400 at sierradesigns.com
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Fashion & Beauty
5 DESIGNERS / 5 QUESTIONS /
T-shirt designers
T-Shirts, the personal billboards of provocation and identification, may be design’s most popular outlet. We talked to five designers to find out more about what they will and won't print. By LAUREN SMITH
CHRIS KAM
JOAQUIN VERGES
Art Director, KICKS/HI kickshawaii.com
Designer joaquindesign.com
MIKE DRAPER Owner, RayGun raygunsite.com
1
If someone looked through your sketchbook, would they find anything shocking?
To quote the classic Jane's Addiction album: nothing's shocking
Repetition, tons of it
Maybe they'd find it shocking that I don't spend a lot of time drawing T-shirts, but instead making a lot of company timelines, projections, plans, and drawings for store displays or renovations.
2
It’s Freaky Friday, and suddenly you are now in the body of another artist, experiencing his or her thought process. Who’d you make the switch with?
MC Escher. No contest.
Storm Thorgerson
Either Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert. Whichever was available.
3
Pen, pencil, paper, computer—give us your tool power ranking:
Most times, straight pen to paper
Pencil, then pen, then pen only, paper first, computer last.
Pen. I use pens even when I should really use pencils. And paper. My mind is really analog, so I keep a paper day planner. I use the computer for the final work.
4
Who’s your dream client?
I have always loved the brands Droors and Supreme. Doing a design for either would be a pinnacle personal accomplishment for me.
American Apparel, just doing tag work. I don’t like wearing graphic T shirts any more.
Paul Rudd is a fellow laid-back Midwesterner. I could see us making small talk with him at the counter.
5
Is there anything you'd never put on a T-shirt?
I would never get caught slipping on a type treatment with bad kerning.
Anything tribal / Affliction like
There are plenty of designs that we put in the “we can’t actually print that”category, most of them use the F word a little too liberally. Each year we have an “offensive T-shirt party” where sell them for one night only. Last year, we had a shirt with Ke$ha on it that said: “Someone please beat this girl to death with a tack hammer.”
Fashion & Beauty
DESIGN BUREAU
DESIGNER TO WATCH
Dream Warrior FORMER NEW WAVER JAYNE PIERSON’S LATEST COLLECTION REVOLVES AROUND A FICTIONAL ECO-SPIRITUAL SHAMAN
NAOTAKE NOGATA
KEVIN LYONS
Head Designer, HUF store.hufworldwide.com
Creative Director and Founder of Natural Born; naturalborn.com
Hopefully not
So many dirty words illustrated in bubble letters
Eames. I think it would be awesome to be a furniture designer for a day.
The late, great Rammellzee. He was on a whole different level.
Pen and paper
Pen and paper, scanner, bitmap 600 dpi.....
Anyone and everyone that loves skateboarding.
My two daughters True and Lulu, and also anyone who pays me to do my own work.
That possibility has never crossed my mind.
No, anything can go on a T-shirt, but that doesn’t mean I’ll be the one wearing it.
W
elsh designer Jayne Pierson had a career in music with ’80s band Gouge and as an A&R rep before hopping over to designing for luxury brands. Today, pop music continues to be a guide for this advocate of slow fashion. “I’m especially interested in the transi-
Pierson and milliner Rob Goodwin's hats for Modrun use elements of leatherwork found on American footballs and baseball gloves along with traditional metal work
CONTINUED
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Fashion & Beauty
Mushroom gills and plant skeletons inspired the undulating pleat-worked leather
(CONTINUED)
“I’m especially interested in the transition of clothing to costume, playing and reality, the real and unreal.”—JAYNE PIERSON tion of clothing to costume, playing and reality, the real and unreal,” says the designer. “People in bands regularly have a character or concept they like to re-live and convey on stage within their songs.” With her fall collection, an eco/sci-fi storyline, not unlike David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust, is put into play. Pierson’s muse is the character Modrun, who moves freely between dreams and waking life. “Inspired by organic shapes created with perfect symmetry and balance,” Pierson says, “she pays homage to nature as the ultimate architect.” a
Photos by Kahla Delahay; jaynepierson.co.uk
Pierson worked with centuryold Welsh woollen mill, Melin Tregwynt, to create a signature luxe woven fabric
Travel & Culture
TRAVEL & CULTURE
DESIGN BUREAU
Eat, shop, explore, do what you do
Crystal Method Czech glass company Lasvit puts a modern spin on bohemian glassmaking Prague has long been considered one of the glass blowing centers of the world (the other being Murano, Italy), and one young glass design company is building on the tradition. CONTINUED
Photos by Dusdin Condren
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Travel & Culture
(CONTINUED)
Lasvit has modernized centuries-old Czech glass by blending traditional blowing and molding techniques with more modern, experimental styles.
tradtion After an injury forced rising tennis star Leon Jakimic to leave his promising tennis career behind, Jakimic channeled his energy into his passion for glass. He founded Lasvit, a young Prague-based company specializing in Bohemian glass and Czech crystal. Lasvit modernized centuries-old Czech glass by blending traditional blowing and molding techniques with more modern, experimental styles. Many Lasvit pieces, including handblown lighting installations, art pieces, and architectural glass, are produced in their workshops in Novy Bor and in Teplice, Czech Republic. It’s Jakimic’s forward thinking designs and against-thegrain approach that differentiated Lasvit from its more traditional competitors. The company has very quickly become a respected global player in the world of glass design; after just five short years, Jakimic has opened ten offices worldwide and has more than 500 employees. Recently, Jakimic partnered with young Czech designers like Maxim Velcovsky, as well as superstar silica shapers Ross Lovegrove and Oki Sato of Nendo, to create special limited-edition works that speak to the forward thinking ethos of his company. a
Formwork, in metal and wood, is used for shaping large glass panels
The process of working out an imperfection in the glass
Travel & Culture
DESIGN BUREAU
MEANWHILE, IN PRAGUE the czech capital city is actually full of modern design hits. check these out on your next trip (No pun intended):
FLEA MARKET Like other European cities, Prague has its share of flea markets. This one is great for people watching, and of course for finding quality vintage items for a great price— if you’re willing to do some digging.
Lasvit founder and CEO Leon Jakimic and a completed Lasvit piece
DOX MUSEUM DOX is located in a former sheet metal factory in Holesovice, an industrial neighborhood north of Prague that is a haven for creative types, DOX devotes more then 30,000 square feet of flexible, multipurpose exhibition space to contemporary art. The works exhibited are culled internationally and regionally with local Czech artists in the mix.
Various agents are mixed with a silica base to provide a range of colors. Recipes for each are posted on the studio's wall.
fred & ginger building Nicknamed the ‘Dancing House,’ as the building resembles two dancing partners in action, this building in downtown Prague was designed by superstar architect Frank Gehry, and is one of the more revolutionary buildings in the city. It’s also one of the architect’s best. Photos by Dusdin Condren
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Travel & Culture
Special!
RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT
Pewter and brass hint at Lexington Brass’ French inspirations
Metallic-glazed brick brings a modern surface to the classic bistro theme
Photos of antique curiosities play off the brasserie style
RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT
Lexington Brass New York’s take on classic French brasserie style
What: A 24-hour bistro bar at the Midtown Hyatt Where: 48th St. and Lexington Avenue, New York Designer: Siobhan Barry, partner and lead designer at
iCrave
elements: Brass, brass, and more brass
“It has a presence,” designer Siobhan Barry says of Lexington Brass. Bentwood chairs and iron-footed tables placed in the bistro’s floor-to-ceiling glass façade lets diners look out onto 48th and Lex and entice busy passersby to take a moment and enjoy themselves. “It makes you want to grab a perch and belong there,” Barry says. a
Lexington Brass photos by John Bartelstone; Menard Construction oversaw the restaurant's buildout. Walker's Grille photos courtesy of Collective Architecture
To avoid the heavy, built-in feel of old French brasseries, Barry incorporated light finishes like a “bleu cheese” marble bar top and graphic, black and white surfaces
Travel & Culture
RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT
COCKTAILS BY DESIGN
Walker’s Grille Firey orange tiles add spark to this D.C. beltway hotspot What: A young, hip grill in the leafy suburbs of Washington D.C. Where:
DESIGN BUREAU
Alexandria, Virginia
Batchology 101: Tavernita One restaurant group is creating craft cocktails—without the annoying wait time (Are they killing bow-ties next?)
Designer: Collective Architecture elements: Color blocked walls and eco-friendly backlighting
Not many D.C. beltway bars boast a color palette of bright reds and lush oranges. At Walker’s Grille, the sensual red-orange shades accentuate the dramatic curving wall that separates the bar from the quiet dining area. Alex Ricardo, the restaurant’s lead designer, says the color represents “the smell and guts of food,” bringing just the right note of drama to the otherwise understated space. a
Pixelated tiles worked best with the steep curve of the wall The Booty Collins, green tea-infused Absolut vodka, passionfruit, lemon, cayenne, yohimbe
According to the website for Tippling Bros., co-founders Paul Tanguay and Tad Carducci have one goal: to help you drink better. Tanguay, who is a partner in hot restaurant spots Mercadito and Tavernita, has seen the other side of the craft cocktail boom. With Mercadito, at which he designed an exquisite drink menu with Tad Carducci, the wait for drinks ended up being quite long. “We really upped the cocktails we were doing there and struggled for three months. People were waiting 20 or 25 minutes for a cocktail and were not happy. We thought, ‘How do we change that and still do a tasty cocktail?’ ” Walnut wood and brown-tinted marble lend a cool accent to the pop of the bright bar backsplash
For their next venture, the drink designers made a bold move. At Tavernita, the drink program incorporates keg wine, house made sodas, and house made Vermouth—but its biggest innovation is in the cocktails. They’re already mixed and ready to go straight out of the tap. That’s right, cocktails from a tap—no lengthy wait necessary. CONTINUED
Tavernita photos by Kaitlyn McQuaid
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Travel & Culture
RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT
(CONTINUED)
Sable A restaurant and bar with stellar food and plenty of dark corners 21 of Tavernita's 48 taps are set aside for keg wine
Paul Tanguay (pictured) and Tad Carducci needed a custom system to put six cocktails on tap at Chicago's Spanishinspired Tavernita
Polacek wanted the bar to become the temple where people can worship at the altar of the whiskey sour
Special!
RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT
The custom designed system for keg wine requires acid-resistant tubing
Batching seems odd when careful (read: slow) mixology is currently the standard, but there’s a logic to it. “That’s our philosophy,” Tanguay says. “If you can make one good cocktail, you should be able to make 100 in the same batch. The weird thing about making cocktails, is that you can’t just multiply a recipe. You have to kind of tweak the recipe based on the size of the batch.” For Tavernita, that meant building a whole new system with high-grade tubing, custom refrigeration, CO2 and Nitrogen gassing, and adapting food-safe storage containers to hold cocktails by the gallons—and finding someone with the skill to build it all. It meant committing to an untested design early on. There was no turning back. But the kegging of cocktails has other benefits— they don’t go bad easily. “We’re pressurizing the kegs, there’s no oxygen in the kegs. There’s no deterioration of citrus,” says Tanguay, though his crew makes them daily anyway. Efficiency never tasted this good. a Sable photos by Cris Molina and The Photographers Gallery
Patrons can get cozy by the fireplace while they sink into Freud-inspired leather armchairs, perfect for sipping hot cocktails like the Green Demon and casually analyzing the inner psyche
What: A restaurant and bar with stellar food and plenty of dark corners Where: Chicago, IL Designer: The Puccini Group, led by Robert Polacek
An open kitchen and 40-foot bar command Sable, asserting that it’s a luxe space worthy of chef Heather Terhune’s (of Top Chef fame) ambitious food and drinks. “It is a great stage to present the classic cocktails and Heather’s amazing food,” says lead designer Robert Polacek.“The design has a masculine energy, but still is elegant and sophisticated.” Beakers, vials, and decanters decorate the tables, a nod to the science of mixology and molecular gastronomy. The chemical compositions of cocktails are spelled out and backlit behind the bar. Even the glowing orb light fixtures, designed by Brooklyn artist Lindsay Adelman, resemble the bubbles and foams of avant-garde cuisine. Sounds like the perfect place for a naughty night out.—Alyssa Meza
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MY FAVORITE THINGS
Emmelie Brunetti This DJ-turned-perfumer mixes Montreal club, Malibu sun, and Texas rocker styles Dividing her time between Marfa, Texas, and Los Angeles, former Montreal club DJ Emmelie Brunetti embodies American Southwest in her creative lifestyle. Brunetti’s brand A Treatise on White Magic produces capsule products such Black Amber Balm and her own line of scents. Her personal style combines Lone Star State finds like her handmade silver bracelets, with Cali standbys like her favorite James Perse white T-shirt. “I’ve washed it a hundred times so it’s paper thin now,” she says. She nabbed her Pauric Sweeney tote (“understated yet sophisticated and super versatile”) from luisaviaroma.com, and the Amoeba Records chain is her go-to for vinyl, like a rare disco LP from 1978. You can hear it, too. When not prepping for her husband's gallery shows, she spins at Sunday afternoon cook-outs. a Photo Photo
Emmelie's husband Erik Brunetti guest edits p. 156
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Le Pamplemousse “Sweet Magic” rare disco LP, 1978
La Mer, Creme de La Mer, moisturizing cream, $265/2 oz. at cremedelamer.com
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Chanel “Rouge Coco Shine” in “BOY” shade, $32.50 at chanel.com
One-of-a-kind heirloom sterling silver bracelet with mother of pearl, tourmaline, 24K goldcoated ammonite and turquoise. Designed by Arnold Horowitz.
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Frederic Malle Editions de Parfums travel tube, Une Rose fragrance by Edouard Flechier, 3x10 ML SPRAY / $145.00 at shop.fredericmalle.com
Jar of 100% pure raw honey from One Way Plant Nursery in Alpine TX
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Pauric Sweeney leather tote, $468 at theoutnet.com
James Perse casual white T-shirt in white, $50 at jamesperse.com
Amoeba Records, amoeba.com; Jewelry, solosfinejewellery.com ; Frederic Malle, fredericmalle.com; James Perse, jamesperse.com; Patrick Sweeney leather satchel, luisaviaroma.com; emmeliebrunetti.com, fuct.com. Photos by Erik Brunetti
Photos provided by Summer Thornton Interior Design
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Travel & Culture
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“Everything in the Safari was custom built,” Brandes says. “The only orginal piece is the bathroom.” In the kitchen/ dining nook, plexi panels that look like rice paper give the trailer a Zen feeling.
Brandes calls the Getaway's experience “glamping”—short for glamorous camping. The Avion trailer's chic design makes it an ideal shelter for even the most timid of campers.
Big Sur Getaway
Next time you’re cruising down Cali’s famous Highway One, Caroline Brandes has the perfect spot for you to stay. She runs the Big Sur Getaway, a tiny boutique inn composed of one small bungalow she calls “The Studio” and two vintage trailers (an Avion and an Airstream) that act as rooms.
Vintage Trailers get a new life as a roadside resort in a california vacation town
Brandes purchased the mobile homes in order to expand her inn without having to endure Big Sur’s grueling permit process. To keep up with the chic design of The Studio, she considered every detail. “I wanted to keep it vintage, but I wasn’t afraid to add
modern touches. I used brown, seafoam, and mustard as my colors, and went bold with the curtains,” she says of the Avion’s style. Unfortunately, when it came time to design, the Airstream wasn’t quite as easy. “It was completely rotten, which was a big shock,” she says. Brandes enlisted Uwe Salwender, a professional Airstream restorer, to help mentor her through the renovation. It took two years to complete the job, but to Brandes, it was definitely worth it. “I enjoy everything—it’s a little like being on a film set,” she says. a Photos courtesy of Caroline Brandes; bigsurgetaway.com
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ROUNDUP
touch of grey
At the corner of art and design, NYC shop Grey Area stocks modern wares both charming and bizarre
Peeps by Randy Polumbo, $85
New York Heretic One-Piece by Eddie Martinez for Mara Hoffman, $300
Geode #8 by Elyse Graham, $650
Jeweled Organs, Stomach by Vadis Turner, $1,000
Fake Rolex by Shelter Serra, $40
Shelves by Snarkitecture, $450–$1,950
AK-47 No. 2 by Dustin Yellen, $9000
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oHo concept shop and showroom Grey Area offers a cheeky, eclectic selection of curated pieces from artists who are established, emerging, and somewhere in between. Founded by NYC art scene innovators Kyle DeWoody (daughter of collector Beth Rudin DeWoody) and Manish Vora (founder of Artlog.com), non-traditional is the norm at Grey Area. Born of the team’s 2011 traveling pop-up shops and online store, the loft space is stocked with wearable works of art (clothing, jewelry, handbags, scarves), as well home goods (furniture, shelving, wallpaper, tablecloths), and much more. It also doubles as a venue for installations and performances. Comprised of one-of-a-kind, multiple, or limited edition items, the boutique’s selection takes the ego out of art shopgreyarea.com
Orange Ghetto Blaster by Ryan Humphrey, $800
Fluoro Board by Rogan Gregory, $3,050
and design. The result is refreshing—an inviting vibe that doesn’t take itself too seriously: white-lacquered shelving by Snarkitecture that was created by casting the form of a hole in the earth, and appears to erupt from the store’s walls. One-of-a-kind denim dresses—products of a collaboration between Cynthia Rowley and Olaf Breuning for MoMA’s PS1 MOVE! exhibit in 2010—are splattered with paint poured by Breuning himself. And Shelter Serra’s limited edition Fake Rolex pays homage to the ultra-pricey Submariner. Call them art objects, call them designer goods—either way, you’ll want to make the pieces at Grey Area a part of your own permanent collection.—Jen Hazen / PHOTOGRAPHY BY JORDAN DONER
Travel & Culture
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Museum of Sex & Death An AUSSIE WILD MAN's Museum TURNS THE ART WORLD UPSIDE DOWN in Tasmania
A Top: Fat Car, 2006 Erwin Wurm (1954, Bruck an der Mur, Austria) Steel chassis and body; leather interior, with polystyrene and fiberglass
Bottom: Every January, MONA hosts MONA FOMA, an art and music festival at MONA and around Hobart
fter making it big as a professional gambler, eccentric Australia native David Walsh decided to give back to his hometown of Hobart, Tasmania in an unusual way.
Walsh founded the Museum of Old and New Art, or MONA. With nearly 20,000 square feet of exhibition space on its three levels, the building and collection are valued at $175 million—making it the largest private museum in Australia. And the largely subterranean MONA was designed to confound expectations—especially in its purposely difficult-to-navigate labyrinthine floor plan. CONTINUED
Photos by Leigh Carmichael, courtesy MONA Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia; mona.net.au
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The evolving permanent collection mixes conventional museum offerings, such as modernist paintings and Egyptian artifacts, with controversial conceptual art, such as Chris Olfin’s The Holy Virgin Mary, which features elephant dung and naked bottoms. Elsewhere, museum-goers will find a world of wonders in the “Sex and Death Gallery,” complete with masochistic sculptures of hanging body parts, an oozing, inflated red sports car, a machine replicating bodily functions, and large grid installations of genitals.
P XIII, 2008 Berlinde De Bruyckere (1964, Ghent, Belgium) Wax, epoxy, metal and rope
MONA’s button-pushing offerings have made it an unlikely tourist destination and major boon to the Tasmanian economy. It’s such a hit that Walsh has even created a special option for the museum’s superfans: the Eternity package. After death, MONA members can be cremated and their ashes will become a part of the permanent collection.—LAUREN SMITH
MONA's labyrinthine galleries feature works such as Sidney Nolan’s Snake, which is nearly as long as an Olympic-size swimming pool
Visitors start their tour of MONA at The Void Bar on the museum's lowest floor, which is built into a 240 million yearold sandstone quarry. Those who have been overserved can book a room in the Pavilions—a high-tech luxury hotel on site overlooking the River Derwent.
A Groovy Time This Parisian gallery specializes in futuristic designs from the era that went POW! In the sixties, space travel was sexy, plastic was the way of the future, and furniture design was unusually optimistic. Transport yourself back to the last great decade of cultural shake-ups at Velvet Galerie, situated in the posh St. Germain arts district of Paris. The gallery’s exhibit of sci-fi like design from the late 1960s features vibrantly colored inflatable furniture by Quasar Khanh and a giant egg-encased sofa, among stunning, optimistic works by pop artists Verner Panton, Jean-Pierre Laporte, and Luigi Colani. The collection of vibrant, evocative pieces demonstrates just how influential this swinging era was to the evolution of modern furniture design.—Denise Burrell-Stinson
MONA artwork photos by Leigh Carmichael; Void Bar photo by Matt Newton; MONA images courtesy MONA Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia; mona.net.au; Velvet Galerie: velvet-galerie.com
Structures & Spaces
structures & spaces
Break Down Walls A former king tagger melds architecture and design in large scale works
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Enviable interiors to shamelessly ogle
Few former graffiti gods have the mettle to make a splash in the fine art world, but Boris Tellegen deserves a chance. The graffiti writer came up in the early eighties punk scene in Amsterdam, and working CONTINUED
“Exothermic� at De Fabriek gallery, Eindhoven, The Netherlands 2010. Photo by Peter Cox
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Above: "Subduction Zones" at Muziekgebouw Concert Hall, Amsterdam, 2011 Left: Boris at work on his Abundance exhibition at Alice Gallery, Belgium, 2011 Right: "Megatron Asteriods" at Alice Gallery, Belgium, 2011
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under the guise of Delta Inc., he emerged as one of the European movement’s pioneering taggers. These days, the 43-year-old no longer tags, but he’s still making art for the public—huge, expressive installations that merge architecture and design. Tellegen’s ambitious projects, which begin as blueprinttype drawings, resemble a futuristic mash up of geometric shapes and colors that leap off the wall and spill out into the room. Tellegen says he seeks to expose “the tension between planning and Muziekgebouw photo by Timothy Zwitser; bottom images courtesy Alice Gallery; deltainc.nl
happenstance; the semblance of order undone by schematic chaos.” He’s come a long way from the 3D letter style graffiti of his early hardcore days. And despite his degree in industrial design, he insists he hasn’t changed all that much. “The stuff I do now came from graffiti,” he says. Tellegen shows his work all over Europe and Asia, but it has been years since he’s exhibited in the States. Tellegen insists he doesn’t mind if global mainstream adulation never comes. “If everybody likes my work, I did something wrong,” he says.—Andrew Schroedter
Structures & Spaces
Summer’s interior styles Interior designer summer thorton gets creative inside chicago’s Cerato Boutique
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shoppers from off the street. “The wallpaper pattern is so striking and draws people in,” Summer Thorton, Cerato’s interior designer, says. “You can see the color from the outside of the store, making it different than other boutiques.”
Chicago’s Cerato Boutique features flirty fashions designed by hometown talents. The clothing pieces are certainly eye-catching, but it’s Cerato’s interior design that brings in
To counter the wallpaper’s girly floral patter, Thornton finished the space with handcrafted clothing racks and metal light fixtures. “Without the wallpaper, it would be a pretty masculine boutique,” she says. Thornton’s balance of feminine touches and rough edges captures the city’s personality well. —Alyssa Keller / portrait by lisa predko
Above: Interior designer Summer Thorton inside Cerato Boutique. In conjunction with Thornton, Eli Wyn Upholstery designed various fabric elements for the shop. Inset photo courtesy Cerato Boutique and Shannon Race.
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TIPS & TRICKS
Deck your walls in style Sick of boring white wash? Spice it up with bright hues and bold papers
CHOOSE COLOR! Interior designer Elizabeth Holmes explains why you shouldn’t be afraid to brighten your abode with a bold hue
Wallpaper 101 It all started at Woodstock, where Maya Romanoff first tried his hand at tie-dye. Four decades later, his eponymous wall coverings company offers up some of the world’s most luxe wall textiles. Maya’s wife Joyce, the company’s president, offers up wallpaper pointers for getting the right look
“People want to feel a certain way when they’re in a room, and painting is the least expensive way to accomplish that,” says Elizabeth Holmes. The New York-based interior designer and color consultant gave us her top five tips for picking a paint shade that’s just right.
Consider the compass: “Take the direction the room is facing into consideration— south-facing will have a lot of sunlight, north-facing rooms will be opposite, and that can affect color.”
prep properly: “Get a primer that's tinted the same as the final color, then you'll have more uniform color on the wall and won't have to go back and do touch-ups.”
Don’t be afraid of the dark:
When selecting wallpaper for a room, what must you always consider? Selecting a wall covering is like choosing the right partner in a relationship. There has to be a balance. And love. What are your tips and tricks for achieving a great look? Integrating a wall covering into a room could seem daunting, but if used well, there is little else that can achieve that unifying visual bond. We come back to fluidity, balance, and harmony of design. What patterns, colors, materials, and textures are trending for Fall? Lush, deep, and vibrant colors are trending, and, most importantly, modern and traditional elements mixing in new and different ways. And we are so excited to launch The Roger Thomas Collection for Maya Romanoff. The initial launch will include Moon Lake, inspired by the poured paintings of Morris Louis and made with a textured cheesecloth ground, and Tremolo, a wall covering balancing handpainting and perfect grid. a Maya Romanoff photos by Joshua McHugh Elizabeth Holmes Ghezzi residence, photo by Phil Lehmann
“People are going dark in bedrooms, where they want an intimate setting. Some mysterious colors I like are Hail Navy, a deep red called Dinner Party, and Mesada, a deep burnt orange color, all made by Benjamin Moore.”
Add some drama: “Don't forget about the ceiling—more people are willing to paint a ceiling now, for even more drama and color.”
But Don’t do this: Whatever you do, Holmes strongly advises against this: “No accent walls.”
Art to Top it All Off A series of Patty Baker’s original contemporary paintings caught Holmes’ eye while she was decorating a home. “I contributed four or five pieces to the home—Red Trees was one,” Baker says. “ It is warm and really sets an inviting tone to the room.” — Stephanie Sims
ARCHITECTURE
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GALLERY SPOTLIGHT
Filling the Cracks A loft gallery casually furthers the design-focused conversation
“The design business pays the rent and allows us to do whatever we want with the gallery. There does not have to be any agenda but our own,” Eichenseer says.
Chris Eichenseer, Wallo Villacorta, and Annika Welander don’t exactly know what to call the work shown at Public Works Gallery. But they know it’s at the intersection of art and design, in that fuzzy grey area that’s not “art for art’s sake and not design just for commercialism,” Eichenseer says. What is also known is that Public Works is the only design-focused gallery in Chicago. What started as group shows highlighting the work (usually print and objects) of friends probing that middle ground has turned into a permanent gallery in Wicker Park. Open since May 2011, the gallery has showcased individual work such as the pop art one-liners of Matthew Hoffman and prints and artifacts of printmaker Veronica Corzo-Duchardt. Each exhibition is coupled with a lecture series and Q&A sessions—coordinated by Welander— that show the hands behind the silkscreens, thispublicworks.com
posters, and photos. It’s all about accessibility. The gallery curators (designers by day with visual communications agency Someoddpilot) don’t want the tone to be one of a standoffish fine arts gallery (you know the type), but rather a comfortable atmosphere that’s as friendly to locals as a rock venue. The casual loft space’s name says it all; it’s for the public. “Design by definition means making something for the common person,” Villacorta says. “It’s an intense environment in a lot of ways but it can be pushed harder. This is work that people in Chicago need to see.” In fall 2012, Public Works shows Storm Thorgerson, the English graphic designer whose work has graced album covers for Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Muse, and Pink Floyd. Finally, we can find out what the prism on The Dark Side of the Moon means.—alyssa meza / photos by christopher kitahara
Artwork,top to bottom: “Rabbit, Run” by Chris Eichenseer; "Timewave Zero, I'll Be With You" by Cody Hudson; selections from Pulled at Public Works. Photos courtesy of Public Works
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SPACE IS A (big) Place Dock 6 Collective shares the tools in its massive industrial space and throws a few parties, too
“There is just enough competition to push all of us to continually design rather than sitting on what we have done before or on ideas that we know we do well.”—ZAK ROSE Chicago and its design community have access to space in volumes not easily found on either coast. One such space is a 30,000-square foot warehouse, whose vastness is enjoyed by a young, energetic group of furniture designer/makers. The collective’s output ranges from Navillus WoodWorks' hardy furniture (it has patented a new leg design) to Lagomorph’s collab with a leatherworker, a console in tooled leather and walnut. Each member of Dock 6 (Dan Sullivan, Carson Maddox, Zak Rose, Andrew Kephart, Seth Deysach, Douglas Thome and Scott Patterson) has their own business, shop space and design direction. Individuality, however, gives way to community and collaboration, with shared areas for what designer Seth Daysach calls the group‘s “bitchin’ set of tools”: CNC routing, welding and finishing, among others. The designers have found that pooling resources has benefits. “As a group we are able to purchase materials in bulk, share contacts, technique,” says Dan Sullivan. Dock 6 is also a social hub. The collective lunches together and hosts an annual art and design show, barn dances, even crawfish boils in the cavernous space. As Zak Rose tells it, sharing and getting along is nice, but so is the peer pressure. “There is just enough competition to push all of us to continually design rather than sitting on what we have done before or on ideas that we know we do well.”—Eve Fineman / photo by christopher kitahara
dock6collective.com
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STUDIO TOUR
Improving Relations Smart design (and a bar) gets the creative juices flowing at Edelman Toronto’s new offices
By day it’s filled with Post-it notes and mail, but by night the long barstyle desk is decked with wines and spirits for the many glam soirees that the company hosts. “When we heard this we thought, ‘Great multipurpose design!’,” she says. .
For the global PR firm,Bartlett fittingly adorned the white shelves with objects that reference communication, including a typewriter, a transistor radio, and a sea foam green rotary phone. “We tried to convince them that these phones would make a comeback,” Bartlett says jokingly.
Described by Bartlett as a “boutique hotel,” the reception room has become a gathering space for employees. You can often see staff sitting in the Hans Wegner chairs, drinking coffee and perusing the Tom Ford photography book.
“When people think about Canadian style, that usually means maple syrup, the wilderness, and maybe a moose,” says designer Inger Bartlett. Thankfully, that’s not real Canadian style, and it certainly isn’t Edelman Toronto’s personality. However, when it came to their new office, the space wasn’t exactly giving off the creative vibe you would expect from a global PR agency: it was dark, drab, and cramped. To liven it up, Bartlett and her design team painted the space using vibrant colors, and added
All the meeting rooms are made of glass, keeping the office bright and maintaining a collaborative work environment. Oversized murals, made from shots taken by prominent Toronto photographer Nelson French, organize the space and play with perspective.
CONTINUED
Photos by Tom Arban. Westbury National Show Systems Ltd. provided the Audio Visual sytems for the Edelman Toronto office; Govan Brown and Associates managed construction.
We Build what you imagine in a space Proud to have worked with Bartlett & Associates
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fun amenities like an in-office café…and a bar. She also switched up their work space. “They went from closed individual offices to bench style stations, but no one com-
plained.” The non-complaints are not sur- “Someone said to me, ‘I still love coming into prising, as the redesigned office provides the work. I just love it.’ That, to me, is success.” staff with a reinvigorated working environ- —Alyssa Meza ment. “Design drives behavior,” Bartlett says.
The patio’s stand-alone walls are covered in a lime green leafy camouflage that adds some whimsy to downtown Toronto’s concrete jungle
Edelman employees can lunch out, but thanks to their buzzing café, most choose to brown bag it. Acknowledging that people are really “keen on environmental things,” Bartlett made all the wood accents from local maple.
A Steelworks spotlight a smart lighting installation breathes new life into a fallen titan of industry
Edelman’s office overlooks a church. This overscale photograph was taken from that perspective.
The Sands Casino in Bethlehem, PA, picked a unique form of signage for the site of its new facility—an abandoned steel plant. The casino couldn’t knock down the Bethlehem Steelworks building, which is on the national historic building registry, so it decided to play up its presence with a sharp lighting display. “The smelting process is highlighted,” says Keith Bradshaw, director at Speirs+Major, the UK-based lighting designers behind the project. “The conveyer belt is lit in blue initially, and as it moves up, it warms up through purple and turns to red.” Controlled by an astrological clock calibrated to Bethlehem’s geographic coordinates, the light show runs daily from dusk to 1am, and cycles back to black at fifty-minute intervals. “It’s only lit on the side that faces Bethlehem,” Bradshaw says. “It suggests a certain vision—that you can get over the hurt of losing industry and celebrate it as part of the past.” And so far, that’s the reaction expressed by Bethlehem residents. Says Bradshaw, “When people celebrate it, you know you’re doing the right thing.” a
Sands Casino photos by Alyssha Eve Csuk. Philips Color Kinteics provided the lighting elements for the Bethlehem Steelworks installation.
Fold in
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Indirect, suspended and wall luminaires ideal for interiors where a little flair is favorable.
Leveraging expertise in the world of lighting designs and sales for over 22 years, Omega Pacific Electrical Supply, Inc. has quickly become a leader in the dynamic, fast changing world of Energy Efficient LED Roadway and Area Lighting and Office Lighting Automation.
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PeerlessLighting.com/origami
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BEFORE
AFTER
An Assembly Line Reborn
An abandoned 1930s Ford factory finds a new life as a state-of-the-art event space by the Bay
Design, Brought to Light Inside, the Craneway Pavilion shines thanks to Peerless Lighting’s industrial lights, which emphasize the space's Ford factory roots. “The suspended fixtures follow the slope of the sawtooth ceiling,” says Angi Xanders, a design and technical specialist at Peerless. “[The light] complements the architecture by highlighting the industrial structure, but the fixtures themselves virtually disappear and do not distract from the architecture.”
A
Ford assembly plant in Richmond, CA, designed by prodigious industrial architect Albert Kahn in 1927, was once the largest on the West Coast. When Ford’s production evolved, the plant became obsolete; the automaker closed it in 1956. For decades, the factory sat abandoned on a stunning slice of Bay Area waterfront.
Eight years ago, an enterprising San Francisco developer realized the Richmond Plant’s dormant potential, so he commissioned architect Marcy Wong, principal at Wong Logan Architects, to recover it. For Wong, the old plant’s spectacular waterfront locale was invaluable. “The site of this old auto plant is beautiful, which is ironic,” she says. “The setting was chosen by Henry Ford not for its visual magnificence, but rather for its transportation accessibility.” To play up the building’s industrial beauty and its spectacular site, Wong retained the soaring interior and 40,000 original windows. “The original building was designed with an abundance of natural light from high clerestory windows and skylights
for the workers,” she says. “However, the eye level walls were made solid, possibly to not distract the workers from the stunning view.” To further open up the space, Wong added even more skylights and windows, this time positioned at eye-level to showcase the gorgeous San Francisco Bay. As final touches, Wong installed a killer sound system and kept the floor plan flexible, making the old plant, now called the Craneway Pavilion, into an ideal venue for events—everything from roller derby bouts to TED talks. The views are as extraordinary and distracting as Kahn thought they might be.—Maggie Lange
Rounding it Out with Wood Making a round room acoustically sound is tricky. “At [the Bechtel Conference Center], the conference space was best met by a round room, which happens to be the shape most difficult to acoustically resolve,” Wong says. To make it work, Wong created “sculptural wall fins” from ApplePly wood panels that correctly direct sound waves without sacrificing appealing aesthetics. “Marcy’s design creates gentle, sculptural curves across the stage’s backdrop,”says Bill Powell of States Industries, the company that supplied the ApplePly woods. The finished room looks as good as it sounds.
Restaurant and conference photos by Billy Hustace; Conference before photo courtesy Historic American Building Survey; Event photo by Y Studio Photography. Omega Pacific Electrical Supply
Philips Color Kinetics
Add new dimensions to your facade, think Trespa
congratulates Speirs + Major for their exceptional portfolio of innovative solutions incorporating LED light. Speirs + Major collaborates closely with architects and designers, using light to reveal and accentuate the core principles of the architectural design. The MYD Studio architecture + interiors 949.274.9693 www.mydstudio.com info@mydstudio.com
combination of creativity and pragmatism in their work is evident in major lighting projects such as the Armani Ginza Tower and Sands Bethworks Retained Edifices. At Sands Bethworks, Speirs + Major used carefully programmed LED light to preserve the memory and retell Panels to create an exceptional facade. Trespa® Meteon® panels are used by architects around the world to create highly individual facades and decorative skins. Taking inspiration from patterns and surfaces, these buildings stand out in today’s urban landscape. It is all part of Trespa® Perspectives, a source of new ideas – for more information visit www.trespa.com
the story of the famous disused steelworks. At the Ginza Tower, Speirs + Major artfully combined LED and traditional lighting solutions to fulfill the exacting standards of Giorgio Armani across a series of linked projects,
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each of which affords a distinct yet unified experience.
Trespa North America Ltd.
12267 Crosthwaite Cir. Poway, CA 92064 Tel.: 800-4-TRESPA Fax: 858-679-9568 info.northamerica@trespa.com
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ERIN'S PARTY FAVORS
··· Keep unwanted event surprises at bay with these five key pointers
1 “Look for pieces that make a statement. Don’t make guests wonder what look you are trying to achieve.”
2 “Functionality before form. Pass on the beaded linens that will snag a guest’s dress or cause cocktails to tip over.”
3 “Lighting is one of the most important elements of throwing a party— it sets the mood best. Plus, it’s inexpensive.”
4 “Party goers: keep the kids at home. It’s one night. Don’t add extra stress for the host.”
5 “If two people don’t like each other, don’t sit them next to one another. Or do if you want to make it a funny experience.”
DIY
How to Design a Splendid Soiree Party planning have you panicked? Event design guru Erin Patrick offers his insider advice on how to put together an outstanding bash “Don’t stress so much,” advises Chicago-based event designer Erin Patrick. And after working for 23 years in the event planning business, he knows what he’s talking about. “I don’t understand why people create angst and drama while planning an event. Have fun, and enjoy yourself—you are doing this to bring joy to people!” Patrick acknowledges that wrapping your head around a checklist of to-dos can be overwhelming, so he recommends pre-planning some downtime. “Allow yourself time in between choosing vendors to relax.” erinpatrickevent.com
And to sidestep any day-of run-ins, Patrick says to create a vendor schedule. “An event starts the minute vendors come into the building, not just when guests walk in.” Spacing vendor arrivals in one-hour increments will also keep them from stepping on each other’s toes. But before guests make their way inside, Patrick has one last piece of advice: “Edit, edit, edit. Just when you think you have the right look, step back from it, observe, and take something away,” Patrick says. “People inevitably do too much.” —Lesley Stanley / PORTRAIT by chris bradley
by Cris Molina & Isaac Maiselman
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COLUMN: architects & artisans
An American Palace of Eclectic Styles Architectural and design relics are right at home inside Chicago’s Driehaus Museum
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his spring, I attended ceremonies surrounding the awarding of the Driehaus Prize in Chicago, the classical equivalent of the Pritzker. It was quite a day—and night.
Michael Graves won the 2012 award, highlighting a career that has followed the design principles of Greek and Roman architecture, but has never slavishly mimicked them. As might be expected, the afternoon awards ceremonies were a star-studded affair with
every known classicist—from Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk to Robert A. M. Stern—in attendance. Those stars nearly dimmed though, over cocktails and dinner in the Driehaus Museum in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. It’s a manse that’s been impeccably restored in recent years.
J. Michael Welton writes about architecture, art, and design for a number of national publications. He also publishes an online design magazine at architectsandartisans.com Photos © The Richard H. Driehaus Museum. For more information, visit driehausmuseum.com
DESIGN BUREAU
Dialogue
“It's not on the scale of Newport or Biltmore, but in terms of quality, it ranks.”
Image, Style, DesigN
Whither the Designer? Can a brand survive if the management doesn’t care about design?
—DAVID BAGNALL, AUTHOR OF AN AMERICAN PALACE: CHICAGO'S SAMUEL M. NICKERSON HOUSE
Its long history started in 1879, when banker Samuel Nickerson asked Burling and Whitehouse, one of Chicago’s earliest architecture firms, to design and build the 25,000-squarefoot townhouse. “It’s not on the scale of Newport or Biltmore, but in terms of quality, it ranks,” says David Bagnall, author of An American Palace: Chicago’s Samuel M. Nickerson House. Outside, it’s an ode to classicism. But inside, it’s an eclectic melting pot of Egyptian, Persian, and Chinese styles, with some English and Italian Renaissance thrown in just for good measure. “It’s all about the blending of different styles and cultures,” Bagnall says. “They were trying to define a particular American style representative of the culture.” Nickerson would live in the house for 17 years; another family would live there until 1920, and it would become office space until a total renovation was begun in 2003 by Richard H. Driehaus. Today, the residence houses Driehaus’s private collection of decorative arts from 1880 to 1920, consisting primarily of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Among the late 19th century furnishings are a number of original pieces from the home. “He has a passion for historic architecture and design, and he’s a big supporter of the National Trust,” Bagnall says. “A lot of money was poured into this project—after so many buildings of this period fell out of favor and into disrepair, only to be torn down.” Thankfully, not this one. a By J. Michael Welton PHOTOS BY Alexander Vertikoff
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n all creatively driven enterprises, the relationship between the designers and the management team is paramount. In the best cases, it’s a mutually beneficial relationship, where both sides thrive off of one another. In the worst, it can spell disaster for the company as a whole. A good example: Apple’s introduction of the iMac in 1998. Behind its fun colors and cool shape was newly hired British designer Jonathan Ive. The partnership between Ive and Apple head honcho Steve Jobs resulted in many iconic (and profitable) products and systems that defined the decade, and the turn of the century.
They worked together successfully to mesh design and business. But a good working chemistry like theirs is rare. In many cases, there is tension between the design talent and the management team, and it can result in a deep divide within the brand, like it did with Jimmy Choo. According to The Towering World of Jimmy Choo, the namesake owner himself did not grasp the importance of business. Chief creative officer Tamara Mellon did. After Choo left in 2001, she successfully led the brand to become one of the most profitable and highly-valued luxury companies of the past decade, valued at nearly £525.5 million in 2011.
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But shortly after selling Jimmy Choo to privately-owned luxury good firm Labelux in 2011, the behindthe-scenes tensions were revealed as Mellon came out in the Financial Times strongly criticizing the short-term mindset of most private equity firms looking to quickly turn a profit by selling yet again. Mellon was quoted in the FT: “The day after signing, they talked about selling the business.”
Q&A: Landscape Architecture
Cleveland Goes Green A renovated park brings a bright patch to the city's downtown
Mellon’s criticism harks to a larger point that many investment firms and management teams had been pondering: Is a leading design voice needed to drive a brand? Or has the role of management and the brand at large become more important than the voice of the designer? It’s a question without an easy answer. Would Apple have risen to be the giant that it is today without Jonathan Ive championing the design along the way, or without the strong support and partnership of Steve Jobs? Amidst these continuing troubled economic times, the natural urge among many management teams is to exert as much control over the process as possible. Unfortunately, that could spell disaster for a brand if the creative force is replaced by a filler team that fails to ignite passion and excitement among its consumers. It is the emotional connection that the designer crafts with the end user that is so important for any designed object, service or environment. The good news is that there are many great companies out there acting as a beacon for a healthy management/designer relationship. Bottega Veneta’s Tomas Maier enjoys a close partnership with BV president and CEO Marco Bizzarri. It’s a partnership that has resulted in Bottega delivering some of the strongest financial returns of any luxury house over the past few years, not to mention inspiring designs. To be a true partnership, one cannot speed along the process; it requires a practice of mutual respect. a By Steven Fischer
Cleveland has many nicknames, “The Mistake on the Lake” being its most notorious. But a more fitting moniker is “The Forest City,” and anybody who has ever seen Cleveland’s mature tree groves and green spaces can understand why. Thomas Balsley, the New York landscape architect who helmed the city's Perk Park renovation, discusses how the newly revamped area combines arboreal tranquility with plaza-like pizzazz to help Cleveland undertake its latest urban renaissance. DB: Perk Park first opened in the 1970s, so why redesign now? TB: It never lived up to people’s expectations. I’m not anti-preservation at all, but when something doesn’t work, it doesn’t work, especially in the public sector. Everything was overgrown. It interrupted clear site lines and travel across the park. There were depressions from the sidewalk. It didn’t require a little tweaking, but a major retooling.
What inspired the new design? We came up with a strategy we call “the meadow and the forest;” We’d preserve half the trees, but have a subtle rounding of the forms. That required the loss of trees, but created a lot of sunlight, openness, and lawn for the public to use in any number of ways, from lunch hours, to summer movie night, to kids playing. The intent was that it was a social stage, [and] it let us keep a forested portion of the park intact. The park’s two halves are completely different spaces but somehow they work together. How did you balance the two? There’s a dialogue between order and chaos. I like to rub those two things together, and it creates a compelling, provocative experience. With Perk, we imposed a grid over the site, defined in the light poles. There are little pavement slots that are lined up with the light poles as well. So there’s this sense of order in the space, even when you go into the forest. It gives a certain calmness. a
Steven Fischer is a lecturer of Image, Style, & Design at Northwestern University president of the Valspar Color Institute, and leader of StyleSalon Chicago. For more details, go to imagestyledesign.com; Perk Park photo by Brittany Graham
by brian libby
Safety First At the old Perk Park, sunken spaces and heavy tree canopies provided dark cover for dark deeds. “In fact, while funding was being secured, a violent crime occurred in the old park,” says James McKnight, Perk’s project architect. “Tom’s suggestion to raise the level of the park closer to sidewalk level allowed the park to immediately become more inviting.” And the more inviting it became, the more Clevelanders have started to use it for good gatherings. “It’s definitely the most populated and energized urban park in downtown, especially at lunch hour when the food trucks pull up,” McKnight says.
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Expert Advice: Q&A
BUREAU OF ERGONOMICS
Q
Dr. Rob Tannen, a Certified Professional Ergonomist, explains some of design’s biggest puzzlers What really makes a product “ergonomic”?
“Ergonomic” is a term that gets thrown around a lot these days. Like the old pornography adage, most people don’t have a clear definition of what makes a product “ergonomic”but they know it when they see it…or rather, feel it.
The actual definition of ergonomic means something that is designed to maximize fit and comfort for more effective use. Often the strongest associations we have with a brand, whether it’s a car or a toothbrush, stem from our physical interactions with the design. Ironically, products that market themselves as ergonomic are often not ergonomic at all, and frequently substitute physical fit with more visible features (such as grips or ribbing) that provide little value. There are measurable scientific parameters that can be used to evaluate how well a product fits, with a slight variance from person to person. Next time you’re purchasing a product, think about these fundamental characteristics.
• Strength This is what ergonomically separates a laptop from a desktop computer. For a portable product, ask yourself: Will this be too heavy to carry around all day? Does this require more force to set up or operate than I am comfortable with?
• Reach Think of trying to get that mustard at the back of the fridge. How much do I need to extend or stretch my limbs to access or use a product?
• Clearance Airline seats are the biggest offender in this category for their notoriously poor clearance. Is there enough room in my environment for both the product to work and myself to work effectively?
• Posture This could be a concern, even if it’s just your hand or fingers that are contorting and not your whole body, like trying to remove batteries from a toy. Consider: Will using this product require me to bend excessively? Keep in mind that several of these factors will usually occur simultaneously when a product is truly “ergonomic.” Illustration by Luke Williams
Like the old pornography adage, most people don’t have a clear definition of what makes a product “ergonomic” but they know it when they see it...or rather, feel it.—Dr. Rob Tannen I’ve heard that with today’s texting generation, we’re all going to need finger and thumb joint replacements by the time we’re 60. Is this true?
adaptable and recovers quickly with moderation and rest. Good advice is to limit texting by taking breaks, vary which fingers you use, and stopping for a while if it hurts. Besides, if you really text that much, it’s more likely that you’ll walk into an open manhole before your joints wear out. a
Texting is just the latest in the recent history of demonized repetitive motion activities that were supposed to damage our bodies (for other examples, see the hula hoop, video games, and masturbation). Yes, texting too much can lead to muscle fatigue and possibly injury, but so can practicing the violin. The human body is highly
Rob Tannen is an expert in designing products and interfaces that best fit our cognitive and physical capabilities. He is the director of research and interaction design at Bresslergroup, a product development firm in Philadelphia. He holds a PhD in human factors and is a Certified Professional Ergonomist. designingforhumans.com
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Notes from the Bureau
Notes from the Bureau Architects’ Answers for Problem Projects
Welcome to Portland You can get a sense of Portland simply by hanging out in the Westin's lobby
eclectic yet sophisticated customers,” says Provenance spokeswoman Kate Buska.
P
“The integrated approach to curated art and design creates a mood that’s chic and fun, personalizing it for the Portland market of eclectic yet sophisticated customers.”
Westin hired design/build firm Provenance Hotels to properly capture the spirit of Portland in the design. Andy Ferchland, Provenance’s director of design and construction, gave the hotel’s lobby a “great room” feel by knocking down walls and installing nearly 50 works of art and design commissioned specifically for the space. “The integrated approach to curated art and design creates a mood that’s chic and fun, personalizing it for the Portland market of
The design team accentuated the lobby with light woods, plush lounge chairs, and installed oversized windows to encourage guests to sit down and socialize. “A warm palette provides a cozy counterpoint to our often-brisk Pacific Northwest climate,” Buska says.
ortland is packed with cool shops, restaurants, and places to stay. Even the Westin, a hotel usually defined by reserved architecture and interiors, has a design personality all its own. And it’s evident from the second you enter the lobby.
—kate buska, provenance spokeswoman
For the tech-savvy town that’s seemingly always online, Ferchland installed iPad stations along a wall. Now, guests can
Coastal Construction’s A Hot Bed of Design Tofino Panorama house Contributing to the Westin Portland’s new, trendy style is the gorgeous furniture expertly designed by Aspects Furniture. While the lobby is a total draw, up in the rooms the furniture is equally hip. “The headboard is my favorite piece,” says Brandon Sivixay of Aspects. “Because of its large size, it becomes the focal point of the room, and as you enter, it draws your attention immediately to the luxurious, heavenly bed.” From the bedroom to the lobby, the new redesign of the Westin Portland will make you dread checkout.
easily surf the net for area dining options, check flight information, and catch up on Portland’s latest goings-on. With all of the updates to the Provenance’s lobby, guests aren’t in a rush to go up to their rooms. “The lobby functions as a place [where] guests can connect, relax, and enjoy,” Buska says. a By HEIDI KULICKE PHOTOS courtesy of provenance hotels
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The greatest compliment is that they think it has been there for years. We get great pleasure in seeing their faces when they walk into the lobby for the first time. They are in awe and we are delighted to be a part of it! a By Heidi Kulicke PHOTOS Courtesy of Kessler collection hotels Healthier cabinetry from Bentwood of Chicago
A look inside the Healthy Home Showcase Bohemian Rhapsody This North Carolina hotel uses local influences to create an atmosphere with the charm of the genteel South
T
ucked into the hills of Asheville, North Carolina, sits the Grand Bohemian Hotel, a Tudor-style getaway that takes its cues from a nearby neighbor. “The source of inspiration was the Biltmore Estate, just steps away from the hotel,” says Deborah Golding, the design force behind The Grand Bohemian’s look. But just because the hotel projects the trappings of an upper crust chalet doesn’t means it’s stuffy. Golding tells us why. DB: What design elements did you borrow from the Biltmore Estate as a source of inspiration for the Grand Bohemian?
DG: We wanted to replicate the mansion’s luxury hunting lodge atmosphere and transfer it to the hotel, but we wanted the hotel to look and feel authentic, rich, and comfortable. Some of my favorite details include the entrance with reclaimed wood and velvet benches that contrast the indigenous stone cave, along with Swarovski crystal chandeliers. I love the hand-carved paneling we designed in the lobby, and the beautiful panels and mouldings in the ballroom are over the top.
“We believe everyone is searching for an ‘escape’—that place that makes them feel renewed, revived, and inspired.”—Deborah Golding Fun drives hotel design at The Kessler Collection, the Grand Bohemian’s parent company. Why does Kessler believe hotels should first and foremost be entertaining? We believe everyone is searching for an “escape”—that place that makes them feel renewed, revived, and inspired. Our hotels succeed because they don’t appear “themed.” They are authentic and respectful, carefully considered works of art. So what does it mean to be “bohemian”? How does the Grand Bohemian’s design express this image? Bohemian is for everyone, whether they are one or want to be one. Bohemian is rebellious in a good way. It excites the senses by delivering great art, food, uniqueness and creativity. We put a lot of heart and soul into this hotel, and you can feel that when you’re there. With that in mind, how do hotel guests typically react to the hotel?
Jefferson Lightsmith provided the gas exterior lighting at the Grand Bohemian Asheville
From the furniture to the flooring, Healthy Home 2012 shows us all how we can live clean, green lives at home Is your home healthy? You might think twice after checking out the Healthy Home 2012 Designer Showcase and Tour. Located in Chicago, this contemporary new residence will showcase the highest standards of environmental integrity, from the best indoor air quality to superlative options in design, furniture, lighting, and accessories. Sponsored by the living well gurus at Dwell Media, Healthy Home 2012 aims to educate the public about how living a healthier life can be achieved in a hip and modern way. The proceeds from the tour will benefit nonprofit group Healthy Child Healthy World. For more information on this charity initiative, visit healthyhome2012.com. a Origami Chair, developed by el: Environmental Language
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The Man Behind Macy’s Making the world's most famous department store look good is all in a day's work for James Bellante
Ever admire the smart and stylish window displays at Macy’s? You can thank James Bellante for that. As the senior vice president of visual merchandising, Bellante manages the visual displays of 800 Macy’s stores across the country—including those magical holiday window designs the store is known for (Miracle on 34th Street, anyone?). Bellante shares with us just what his unusual job involves, and how he makes it all look so good.
DB: What exactly does visual merchandising involve? JB: It’s an unusual profession—one of the most unknown, yet so visible to anyone who passes through a retail store. Visual merchandisers are the ones who bring the brand’s personality to the consumer. If our job is well executed, it can take you to a place you may not even know existed.
by murrye bernard photos by kent miller
Some of Bellante's most vibrant windows, celebrating Brazilian culture
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How Macy's Gets it Done From lighting to mannequins and more, it takes some special people to make the store shine LIGHTING: For the store’s dramatic lighting, James C. Maharg, president of firm H+B, has worked with Bellante to create some unforgettable shopping experiences. Their most spectacular fixture? An over-the-top chandelier for Macy’s in-house cosmetics. “Once we had a three-foot chandelier in our showroom. James liked it and he mentioned he would like to see it larger. I asked him, ‘How large?’ His response was nine feet!,” Maharg says. HOLIDAY DECOR: From oversized decorated wreathes to giant pastel eggs, holiday decor always amps up the store’s festive vibe. Matthew Schwam describes these pieces as “traditional with an element of surprise.” Schwam heads up Holiday Image, which has teamed up with Bellante to create many of Macy’s holiday wonders. “Our primary goal is to create a customer experience uniquely branded for Macy’s that reminds the customer of no one else,” Schwam says. As the old saying goes, “that’s the magic of Macy’s.” FASHION FORWARD MANNEQUINS: To make Macy’s clothes look good, you have to have good bones...or mannequins. “Our sculpts portray a contemporary sensuality and body expression that bring feeling and direction into the fore,” says Michael Steward, executive vice president of Rootstein Mannequins. “This is imperative for the transformation of Macy’s into the all-encompassing fashion empire that it aims to become.”
How did you get involved in this career path? As a kid, I would entertain myself through drawing and designing. I began working in a Macy’s store when I was 19, and I found that I loved the hands-on aspect of creating visual displays. I [came up] through the ranks of executing visuals in the store, and I feel very fortunate to be working in a profession that combines creative ideas and thinking mixed with the business of retail.
ent highs and lows in visual merchandising. The [Macy’s female consumer] wants to know what to wear the jacket with and what’s the right shoe to wear with that pant, so we try to show her that through mannequin projections and focal or feature walls. Is there one particularly special display you’ve designed that sticks out in your mind?
The “Imagine India” flower show at San Francisco’s Union Square location in 2007 was a What are some of the unique strategies spectacular moment in my career. The display included fabrics, antiques, and five-foot lanyou use to make the displays pop? terns that I brought back from India, as well as I try to take a fresh, fun approach to presenta- fresh flowers and plants. It created moments of tion while incorporating a little bit of humor. “wow,” and it was great to be out on the floor and At Macy’s, we like to give the consumer differ- hear people talk about it. a
..AND MASCULINE MANNEQUINS: Ralph Pucci knows that boring furniture doesn’t have a place in Macy’s floor sets. The furniture and mannequins designer has worked with Bellante for 32 years and is very familiar with his favoritism towards modern style. “James likes clean, modern, exciting work,” Pucci says. “The wow factor has to always be prevalent.” And while Pucci’s furniture does turn heads, it’s his male fashion mannequins that make most shoppers do a double-take. “We have developed a collection of male mannequins for James called GUY. It has a young, cool, aggressive, street spirit,” Pucci says. “The series calls for big groupings of mannequin presentations, which will create the ‘Wow!’” Macy’s magic strikes again. JEWELRY DISPLAYS: The fine jewelry pieces on display at Macy’s are stunning, and it’s their cases that help them look so good. “In-case jewelry displays are possibly the most closely looked at ‘props’ in a retail environment,” says Diane Murphy, an insider at display designer Chippenhook. “The wrapping and stitching must be perfect, the fabric has to be able to withstand the heat and lighting, [and] the balance and weight of each piece is carefully engineered,” Murphy says. Next time you’re browsing, look past the jewels to the forms they’re sitting on. Chances are good they helped catch your eye in the first place.
Bellante also often teams with Downtown Furnishings and Decor, Bernstein Display, and DK Display to make sure Macy's has just the right look
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Kelly Glass Studio & Gallery, Inc. 368 E. 8th Street New York, NY 10009 P: 212.667.9480 C: 917.582.2274 pkellystainedglass@yahoo.com
Patti Kelly has been working in stained glass for 35 years. In that time, she has restored the Grand Central Clock, the Cooper Union Clock, and the Montauk Club in Park Slope Brooklyn, among others, and has worked on landmark restorations for private residences throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan.
“What is most enjoyable about glass design is creating custom work for a client’s home and using design elements that are timeless. Success depends ona conversation between client and artist.” —Patty Kelly
M-Engineering 750 Brooksedge Blvd.
Westerville, OH 43081 614-839-4639
www.mengineering.us.com
Interior Designers Talk Shop By Lesley Stanley
Pictured: Studio Luxe's Sky-High Beach House, photo by Bjor Mangea
If anyone knows how to turn a house into a home, it's an interior designer. From making themselves available 24/7 to organizing a client’s personal belongings, these 11 interior designers know how to create a living space that perfectly fits a person’s needs. As they’ve survived the design battlefield, each designer has developed his or her own set of golden rules. Here, they share their secrets to design success.
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Design Thinking Interior Designers Talk Shop
Sky-High Beach Home New York, NY Clouds floating over the Hudson River inspired Douglas Callaway to create a “beach house in the sky” for eyewear designer Robert Marc. He kept the styling minimal to achieve the look.
Douglas Callaway and Brown Cranna Co-Founders of Studio Luxe, New York, NY
“We’ve had good success because of the relationships we’ve built. It’s not just about going the extra mile, it’s the foundation, too. We like to stay in touch with clients and do a lot of project follow-ups.”
Friendship: it’s All in the Details Lawrence and bespoke furniture designer Matthew Isom became fast friends while working on the Park Avenue Residence. Isom credits this relationship to their shared passion for pure materials and timeless design. “An important part of my collaboration process—and Rodney believes in this as much as I do—is to work with designers who appreciate modern aesthetics, warm materials, and detailed craftsmanship,” the designer says.
—Douglas Callaway
“Authenticity is important because it enables you to unbiasedly look at a project. There will be plenty of disappointment in the world. You got to be able to put things into perspective.”—Brown Cranna
Fine-Tuned Teamwork Callaway and Cranna work closely with master upholsterer Alan Schatzberg to add that final polished touch to their sharp interiors. And it’s an elaborate collaborative process to get the look just right. “We start with rough sketches and pictures. We have site meetings to view and measure the space. Then, we finetune the plans, taking into account space restrictions, scale, and comfort,” Schatzberg says. “It is a whole team effort on their part and ours.”
Studio Luxe photos by Bjorg Magnea
Plastered in a Good Way At their Beck Home project, Jason Fletcher helped HVJ bring finesse to their client’s yard, building out a sophisticated BBQ space customized right down to its plaster walls. “We designed the plaster, refining the color choices and making samples until we had the exact color, tone, and texture,” Fletcher says. It took the craftsman a few attempts before the look was just right, but to him the mess was worth it. “It was just a case of getting a hand applied finish to look precisely how Loren and the client were expecting,” he says.
Interior Designers DesignTalk Thinking Shop
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Fun Fact: Lawrence majored in history at Dartmouth and worked for Thom Filicia of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy before launching his own firm
Rodney Lawrence Founder of Rodney Lawrence, Inc., New York, NY
Central Park West Apartment New York, NY The woods make this living room. “The individual grain, texture, and finishes of each piece set them apart,” says furniture designer Matthew Isom.
Fun Fact: Before founding HVJ in 1997, Judaken worked as a fine jewelry designer
“There is no such thing as a ‘work day.’ Let clients know you’re always available, even when you’re working for a firm other than your own. I have found that often my clients are just as busy as I am. They appreciate those Saturday and Sunday meetings and calls. Clients will remember this and stay with you because of it.” —RODNEY LAWRENCE
Eastern Columbia Loft Los Angeles, CA This 1,700- square-foot loft serves as a downtown getaway for two families. HVJ configured the sectional couch so that it can accommodate many children during slumber parties.
Danna Vest and Loren Judaken Co-founders of Hoffman Vest Judaken Venice, CA
“Be prepared to take on an unlikely role. Sometimes you have to be a therapist, mediator, or just an explainer to your clients. Your intention is to get them the best possible project without ego or a sense of winning. It’s all about what’s best for the long-term success of the project and collaboration.”—Danna Vest “It’s easy to design when you have a blank slate; it’s more challenging, inspiring, and creative to have to work within boundaries and still make it beautiful and enduring.”—Loren Judaken
Rodney Lawrence photos courtesy of Rodney Lawrence Inc.; Lawrence often works with Kelly Glass Studio and IV Design. HVJ photos courtesy of HVJ.
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Design Thinking Interior Designers Talk Shop
The Washburn Loft Minneapolis, MN In order to fit the openness and scale of the loft, Penfield hand-picked every distinct piece of furniture and design. The kitchen's stainless steel facelift complements the loft's modern charm.
Kim Kirby
Lucy T. Penfield
Kim Kirby Interior Design,
Founder of Lucy Interior Design, Minneapolis, MN
Newport, RI
“Respect your working relationships. There’s always something that goes wrong, and you want to be able to approach the people you need to fix a problem. You’re only as good as your sub-contractors.”—KIM KIRBY
“Lead quietly. It’s important not to be arrogant. You can have a strong point of view, but go about it in a subtle way—let the client take ownership. I think that’s very artful and powerful, and the project becomes richer when arrogance is not involved.” —lucy penfield
The Waterfront Home Newport, RI To tie the home to its coastal surroundings, Kirby incorporated small nautical touches, like ship captain's chairs and blue seaglass accents, into the home's decor
Kim Kirby photos by Warren Jagger ; Kirby teams with Kirby Perkins Construction on many of her projects. Lucy Penfield photos courtesy of Lucy Penfield.
Interior Designers DesignTalk Thinking Shop
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Matthew Lanphier Founder of M.J. Lanphier Interior Design, West Hollywood, CA
A Tropical Oasis in Suburban LA When designing the Clark home, Matthew Lanphier envisioned an outdoor oasis, so he worked closely with Troy Silva, founder and lead designer of Urban Nature, to build out the luscious grounds. “I like to treat the landscape like live floral couture, focusing on color, texture, and overall sculptural form,” Silva says. At the Clark home, Silva worked primarily with silvery blue-green and burgundy plants arranged in custom planters from his own line. “ We actually set a record here for our tallest pedestal yet—a towering 90 inches, “he says. “It was within a water feature alongside two other very tall pedestals, creating a really spectacular focal point at the home’s front entrance.”
“We have to make sure designs are user-friendly. We have to reform and rethink the standards because they aren’t applicable to all people anymore.” —Matthew Lanphier
Fun Fact: The reason Century wears neutral colors? So that her style doesn’t influence her clients’ tastes.
The Clark House Hollywood Hills At the Clark home, Lanphier wanted to give his clients a lush getaway in their suburban backyard. The trellis cantilever above the fireplace nook gives loungers the feel of an enclosed room, while exterior draperies provide even further seclusion. Sculptural yet unobtrusive furnishings keep the focus on the spectacular LA view.
Mid-Century Modern Home Atlanta, GA In the home’s master bath, designer Burns Century captured a mid-century feel by playing with rectangles. A color-blocked wall emphasizes the shape, while a touch of crystal adds sparkle to the simple design.
Burns Century Principal of Burns Century Interior Design, Atlanta, GA
“Knowing your client goes beyond basic communication. You have to look at a client’s whole being. Is their haircut asymmetrical or symmetrical? What kind of clothes do they wear? I even look in their drawers and closets. The colors, textures, and styles will tell you what you need to know.”—BURNS CENTURY Burns Century interior photos courtesy ©2012 Jan Stittleburg and Burns Century Interior Design. Burns often works with DeVore and Johnson to outfit her bathroom designs.
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Interior Designers Talk Shop
Matthew Yee Matthew Yee Interiors, New York, NY
“Don’t jump into a project right off the bat. Put yourself physically in the space, mull in it, and let things come to you. It sounds so earthy, but it prevents you from automatically and mentally placing items within the space before you feel it out.”—MATTHEW YEE
Leather! Leather! Leather! It’s one of NIeto’s materials of choice. Donald Edlin, president of upholstery design company Perfect Design, has used it in nearly every Nieto project he’s done to date. Some of Edlin’s favorites include leather wall panels, overscaled leather-wrapped mirror frames, and, of course, upholstery for some very impressive furniture pieces. “[They are] dramatic, chic, sophisticated, never repetitive, and unmistakably…Nieto!,” he says.
The London Zebra Flat, London, England At the Zebra Flat, Nieto definitely took a “go big or go home” approach. Black glass floors throughout the entire space add depth, contrasting against the glossy white ceiling, and automatic glass zebra-print doors hide the kitchen from view.
Carnegie Hill Apartment New York, NY Since it didn’t quite fit their ultra-contemporary style, the apartment’s owners wanted to remove the moulding from their parlor-floor home. But Yee convinced them to restore it instead. It took long hours of sanding to remove layer upon layer of encrusted paint, but the glorious restored woodwork adds just the right historic touch to the home’s design.
Fun Fact: Nieto also runs a Nieto Design outpost in Milan
Edward Nieto Principal of Nieto Design, Miami, FL
“Leave fresh flowers on the table, a bottle of champagne on the table, and the beds made. [Clients] should just have to move in with clothes and a toothbrush— that’s doing a good job.”—edward nieto
Matthew Yee photos courtesy of Drake Patton; portrait by Brett Beyer. Yee often works with Smolka Plumbing. Edward Nieto photos courtesy of Nieto Design.
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Design Thinking
HIP storefronts IN SOHO Two architects share the fun in designing retail stores for one of New York's hottest neighborhoods by delia cai
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Dr. Martens Soho Design by Green Light Studio
You might mistake New York’s Dr. Martens shop for a rock venue. It’s perfectly excusable, what with the band gear, black velvet curtains, and the spotlight on the industrial boots of choice for punks and cool kids. “We didn’t want to reduce the brand to a single image,” says Vehlen Bandurski, senior designer from Green Light Architecture. “If you’ve looked at its history, that would sort of be a crime. “You’re talking about a boot that was essentially a work boot in the U.K. that was adopted by various cultural groups, and then it became an icon.” To make Dr. Martens’ culture front and center, Bandurski created 8-foot tall wall frames with “niches” showcasing Dr. Martens shoes. “We wanted to sort of elevate the shoes as a work of art, and so that’s why we created these lit frames that we treat as paintings,” Bandurski says. One display shows off classic black and oxblood lace-ups, while pastel-hued pairs sit nearby, stocked with fresh flowers. And of course, the Union Jack flag hangs high above it all. Rock ‘n’ roll forever.
Images courtesy of Green Light Design; Green Light often teams with Bespoke 7.
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“Green Light did not focus on the small with their design,” says Angelo Michilli, president of Michilli Construction and Consulting, who oversaw construction on the store. Large pieces of roadie gear, including fiberglass instrument trunks and big stage spotlights, share the space with the brand’s wares. To show off the shoes and boots, Michilli made sure the large picture frames could display over two dozen pairs on their plexiglass shelves. “They seem to float on [the] hanging, clear plexiglass shelves,” Michilli says, adding to the drama inside the amped-up space.
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Longchamp Soho Designed by atmosphere design group
At Longchamp’s Soho outpost, a burnt orange undulat- from the ceiling holding Longchamp’s luxe wares. ing staircase literally draws people in off the street. “It’s It’s an attention-grabbing design that Loria admits is kind of fantastical—you would never put a stair like that only possible in the fantastical realm of luxury retail. in a house,” says Louis Loria, the founder and principal “People who design for residential or for businesses are of Atmosphere Design Group, and the mind behind the much more bound to conventional architecture because it’s very specific and geared towards the way people live, sexy stair design. which hasn’t changed much,” he says. The way people Loria says the steel steps, inspired by a hillside in shop, however, is another matter. “If you can create a Thailand, took the Atmosphere team two years to beautiful, luxurious space, then it translates to the cusexecute. But it was time well spent. The fluid design tomer that the product is also beautiful and luxurious,” he creates the perfect lead up to the accessory store’s says. “In a retail environment, you’re allowed to create second floor, where dramatic shelves curl down magical worlds.” a
Longchamp photos courtesy of Atmosphere Design Group
When Atmosphere needs to take one its daring retail designs from drawing to reality, they call upon M Engineering to help them build it out. “They are the most challenging of projects, which require more indepth engineering expertise in order to seamlessly coordinate with the architectural elements,” explains Dave Gonzalez, principal engineer at the firm. Together, Dave and Louis have worked on approximately two hundred stores, and they don’t foresee scaling back the partnership anytime soon. Next on the books: Miami's Louis Vuitton flagship store, opening this fall.
Building a high fashion boutique comes with high design stakes. To guarantee that his designs deliver, Louis has partnered with Michilli. Together, the duo have completed projects big, small, and scattered all across the country, relying on their excellent communication skills to conquer the challenges that always seem to arise. “Continuous communication and creative thinking allowed us to find the solutions to each of the everyday problems,” Michilli says.
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A NAUTICAL NOD TO A HOTEL'S PAST Bedecked in circles of every scale, New York's Dream Hotel pays homage to its maritime roots by nalina moses
From down the street, all you see are circles. From up close, all you see are…circles. This is the Dream Hotel, one of Manhattan’s newest and swankiest places to stay. The circles aren’t original to the mid-century building that lies underneath Dream’s stainless steel front, but they definitely take the lead from its architecture. The Annex to the National Maritime Union is a signature work from the 1960’s by architect Albert C. Ledner. It originally featured a sloping façade lined with porthole windows. And even though rounds of renovations had battered the building over the years, it still remained an arresting presence in downtown Manhattan, looking more like the midsection of an ocean liner than a piece of modernist concrete architectural history. To re-envision Dream’s structure, hospitality impresario Vikram Chatwal called on Handel Architects. Partner-in-charge Frank Fusaro set out to honor Ledner’s design without remaining slavishly faithful to it. “The aspect of the Ledner building that was important for us to save was its ‘otherness’, its contrast to everything around it—that’s what we tried to preserve and amplify,” Fusaro says. To transform the building, Handel built two new façades over the existing structure. A sloping surface of quilt-like panels and hundreds of round windows compose the first, while vertical metal panels punched with saucer-like openings make up the second. And inside, circles are everywhere. Every room explodes into giddy discs, globes, and spots, reminding guests of Ledner’s ocean liner design.
Recently, Dream received the most exclusive stamp of approval of all: that of Ledner himself, who’s now retired and lives in New Orleans. He even wrote a letter to Fusaro praising Dream’s design. “He related the original architectural design to an unfinished cut gem, and the renovated design he called a ‘finished cut gem’,” Fusaro says. A gem of a design, indeed. a
Guestroom shot by Phillip Ennis. All others by Bruce Damonte.
Keeping on Top of the World Since Ledner’s building was full of caustic materials like asbestos and lead paint, Fusaro and the Handel team knew they had to hem in the hotel’s environmental impact. They hired AKRF, an environmental consulting firm to get its hands dirty. “We were able to provide the project team with information such as required noise attenuation levels under city regulations; shadows studies representing the potential shadows cast by the hotel; and solar studies showing the extent and duration of sunlight cast onto the hotel,” says Lisa M. Lau, a vice president at AKRF. After running test after test and study after study, Handel marched down to the New York City Board of Standards and Appeals with a complete environmental impact statement ready for review. And thanks to AKRF’s thorough work, the approval went right through.
Design Thinking
Perfect Circles All those circles at the Dream Hotel provided a golden creative opportunity for Schüco windows. “Schüco has produced thousands of square and rectangular windows with great success, but a building such as Dream is stunning,” says Brad Davis, Schüco’s architectural services director. “The circular openings of the windows are a major factor of the uniqueness.” To make the form live up to its function, Davis and his team installed windows that are hinged on the horizontal plane, allowing for the minimum four-inch opening dictated by the New York building code. While this wasn’t their preferred option, it did satisfy the demands of both the building department and Handel’s designers without sacrificing too much style. And Davis couldn’t be happier with the results. “From our perspective as the window supplier, there is nothing we would change,” he says. “The end result is brilliant.”
Making the Dream a Reality Ledner’s building was far from a dream to renovate. “Many unforeseen challenges, including existing concealed conditions between the adjacent properties, material procurement, and coordination from all around the globe, arose,” says Martin McGowan, president of McGowan Builders and the force behind Dream’s construction. McGowan listed constant communication, appreciation, and consciousness of Handel’s design as the keys to achieving the hotel’s ethereal aesthetic—skills that were stretched to the limit while building the pool suspended over Dream’s main lobby. To deliver the glass-bottomed pool without compromising its design, McGowan had to creatively engage New York health codes, broker global materials trades, and oversee a rigorous construction schedule, but the end result was well worth it.
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This cozy nook transforms into a guestroom by throwing the faux sheepskin blanket and Turkish kilim pillows into nearby drawers
The George Nelson Bubble Lamp reflects the classic 1960 design of the furniture and “surprisingly meshes well with the chain link table base,” Strickland says.
Because the space is so small—only 9’ by 11’—Strickland avoided bulky side tables, opting instead for this striking sculptural piece with a slim profile. “I wanted something that looked light, plus the legs make an interesting shape,” Strickland says.
IN THE DETAILS A top-to-bottom look inside home design
Casa Bonita This SoCal Spanish revival home combines Turkish textiles and mid-century wares for a homey look with an exotic flair Project: FIFTH STREET HOUSE Location: WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA interior designer: kATE STRICKLAND, PRINCIPAL OF WEST HADDON HALL PHOTOS: jess burton
A sleek steel bar cart takes the party to any room. “The client and his brother and sister love entertaining,” Strickland says.
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The stained glass windows and decorative vent are original to the house
“I originally showed my client a lot of wrought iron fixtures and he wasn’t having it, so we decided to add a new texture,” Strickland says. “We loved this basket woven chandelier.”
Adding an organic feel to the room, the earthy blues of the vase echo the blue in the rug
Yes, that's a fireplace hearth. And yes, the fireplace works.
Strickland sourced this original Moroccan rug from a small vendor in the East Hamptons
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The bartstools’ angularity plays up the kitchen’s tight lines and rigid corners
“We thought really hard about using a statement fixture—like orange or red— but the client thought he would get sick of it, so we went with the chrome dome,” Strickland says.
Rug from Inheritance, a staple LA vintage boutique
A lone drawing of a male ballet dancer hangs in the breakfast room. “It’s kind of a silly piece. My client has a great sense of humor,” Strickland says.
The white top and wood trim of this 1960s cafeteria table picks up on the kitchen’s white and wood finishes
Originally owned by the client’s parents, this footstool complements the 1960s black leather armchair
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Features
retooling school A Chicago public school adds smart campus design to a list of bold green innovations
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By Sarah Handelman Photos by Elizabeth Gilmore
t’s Monday, and the cacoph- If this doesn’t sound like the start of an onous laughter of 250 kids ordinary school day, it’s because it isn’t. bounces through the halls Founded in 2008, the Academy for Global of the Academy for Global Citizenship is a public charter school on Citizenship. Sarah Elizabeth Ippel Chicago’s Southwest side that uses susinstantly recognizes the excitement’s tainable methodologies as educational source. It is, after all, Meatless Monday tools. Solar panels in the schoolyard and the greenhouse is in bloom. While garden capture a portion of the school’s the students in the cafeteria enjoy their energy supply, while the Academy’s chef organic, locally sourced lunch, Ippel, harvests the day’s breakfast and lunch who is the Academy’s founder and ex- ingredients. Subjects such as math and ecutive director, has reasons of her own reading are addressed through rigorous to celebrate: She's just learned that U.S. “Units of Inquiry” that connect learning Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to global and environmental issues. After will present the Academy with the U.S. lunch, first graders will design their own Green Ribbon Award. And, after an un- future modes of travel for a unit on transseasonable cold patch, the chickens-in- portation. Next week, they’ll be visited by an electric Tesla car. residence are laying eggs.
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“Our students are learning in globally and environmentally relevant ways,” Ippel says. “[The Academy] allows them to learn about their role here in our community, and also as a citizen of the world.” Ippel, a Midwest native, earned her masters at Cambridge and has visited 80 countries. Her international work inspired her to think differently about education. At 23, Ippel approached Chicago’s School Board with an outline for the Academy for Global Citizenship. Initially, she says her approach was met with hesitation. After all, why focus on sustainable agriculture and a daily yoga when the students in the Southwest side were behind in math and reading? Ippel and her colleagues asked: Why not? “AGC is an interesting opportunity to make and develop our case,” says Ippel. “In order for students to learn effectively, we need to create environments that support their holistic development.” Ippel and her colleagues may be onto something. When the Academy opened its doors, 11 percent of its first grade students were meeting grade-level standards for literacy. In less than two years, literacy rates rose by more than 70 percent. And there are bigger changes to come. Currently, the Academy is housed in a converted barrel factory, but not for long. The AGC is finalizing the contract
for 11 acres of land that will house a netpositive energy campus. Cannon Design is leading the $30 million project design. The campus is funded independently of the Chicago Public School system, through large grants, tax-credits plus philanthropic and corporate support. The new site will include a green job training site, a sustainable business incubator as well as native forest, renewable energy-producing playgrounds, and a Pre-K-12 public school. When completed in 2015, the campus will meet the Living Building Challenge, a performance-based green initiative that encourages designers to create ideal, site-specific sustainable solutions. The future campus will, says Ippel, serve as a scalable prototype. “Our vision is woven into every element of the campus,” says Dan Schnitzer, the Academy’s Director of Sustainability. Because the school is modeled as a reallife learning laboratory, design directly supports academic lessons. Architects expanded the future school’s geothermal system boiler room to include a viewing hub for units on energy. “Working with experts in the design field has inspired our vision,” Schnitzer continues. “The school is a living organism that isn’t just four walls.” Ippel, however, remains modest. “We continuously evaluate all of the work we do, but maybe that’s what innovation is,” she says. “It’s never settling. It’s never becoming too comfortable.” a
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Net Positive, New Building A look inside AGC’s new sustainable digs What’s it like to take on the Living Building Challenge with the Academy for Global Citizenship? Senior designer Trung Le and Education leader Christian Long of Cannon Design’s Third Teacher Plus give insight into the newest side of sustainable building. What are the challenges of this project? Trung Le: The Living Building Challenge is new enough that there aren’t many examples, so we’re really going into the unknown. It has definitely caused us to ask more questions and has turned our team’s process upside down. As a result, we’ve been able to reinvent the structure of our studio. LBC forces you to say, “Everyone has to be at the table from Day 1.” We don’t communicate through e-mail over the long-term. We work together— architects, engineers, and educators— from moment zero. What excites you about the future campus? TL: Everything about it. We have a deep curiosity about the future of learning. It is inspiring for us to meet amazing young people who are committed to their purpose, who know that design can make a social impact. Christian Long: We live in a world where every architectural project is attempting to be sustainable, or at least to be green on some level. Although it’s remarkable that in only a few years such transformation has occurred, very few schools are truly living and breathing this message. For AGC, this is a chance to start at “regenerative” as a baseline. But what is really exciting is knowing that a physical campus that is net positive will only be hinting at the real impact AGC will have on the world and environment around it. What is your inspiration for this campus? CL: The most obvious moment was early in the design process when an AGC student asked for “sheep on the roof.” Several years have passed, and our understanding of the AGC and the architectural implications have become more complex, but that comment continues to be a design driver for us to this day.
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UNDER THE VOLCANO By Gregg La Gambina
Production designer Ken Adam’s early concept art for the volcano set You Only Live Twice Copyright Notice - © 1967 Danjaq, LLC & United Artists Corporation. All rights reserved.
London's Barbican Centre celebrates James Bond's Golden Anniversary
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ou walk into a gun barrel,” says Bronwyn Cosgrave, gesturing toward an imaginary space. “That leads you into a gold room.”
The interior of this hermetic hall of stone and glass is somewhat Bondian already. An expanse of industrial carpeting, gray concrete, indirect light set into ceiling panels—a fort, a compound. It’s as likely a place to secret away a captured spy as to house an art gallery.
“Actually, a scene from Casino Royale was filmed in this building,” she adds. “The Barbican is a cultural center that celebrates all of the elements that make up a Bond film: art, music, design, architecture. I really feel like this is its rightful place.”
A rightful place for a tribute to Bond, that is. London’s Barbican Inside the Volcano, Centre has collaboSPECTRE’s crews work on the rocket which is rated with EON Probeing prepared for an ductions to present attack on a Soviet target. De sig nin g 007: Fifty Years of Bond Style. Co-curated by fashion historian Cosgrave and Academy Awardwinning costume designer Lindy Hemming (The Dark Knight), the James Bond franchise that began with Dr. No in 1962 is having an anniversary fête in the most appropriate British metropolis. Yet Cosgrave promises once you’ve made your way through the queue and down that gun barrel entrance to the exhibit, the world outside will fall away for the 50 years of Bond nostalgia and film memorabilia that
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Fort Knox by Ken Adam Copyright Notice - © 1964 Danjaq, LLC & United Artists Corporation. All rights reserved.
have been compressed into a 90-minute sensory experience, including items from the latest production, Skyfall.
“We were very conscious of, ‘Does this say Bond?’ If it’s just a helicopter dangling from the ceiling, then no, that does not say Bond,” says Cosgrave. “There have been Bond exhibits before, so we really wanted to go for things that haven’t ever been exhibited.” When pressed to reveal her most prized finds within the exhibit, she concedes her predilection for fashion momentarily, to give legendary production designer Sir Ken Adam his proper due. “The Ken Adam drawings,” admits Cosgrave, after a pause. “Those are works of art. The concept drawings for the Volcano [from You Only Live Twice] of course, but you’ll also see all of the drawings of every casino he conceived for the films. He always drew with a pen called a Flowmaster. He used that pen because he said you could get extraordinary atmosphere from them into a one-color sketch. Those drawings are trophy pieces and just beautiful.” Architectural firm Ab Rogers constructed the exhibition and its multiple rooms, including a scaled down version of the MI6 headquarters, a Q Branch, the ice palace, designed by Peter Lamont for Die Another Day, the casino room from Casino Royale featuring every single tuxedo worn by Bond (as well as the furniture from the movie), a Mission to Foreign Territories that includes a beach, even a dark blue espionage lair celebrating Ian Fleming and the creative solitude he found necessary to create the icon on which the entire thing is founded upon. The fact that both curators are women, each with long careers in fashion, and they were tasked with celebrating the ultimate masculine icon from British cinema is not lost on Cosgrave. Her eyes light up most at mention of her costume finds. It’s this feminine element she feels helps to temper the show, shifting the balance from the testosterone-driven exhibits past. The ones with all of those dangling helicopters.
"We were very conscious of, ‘Does this say Bond?’ If it's just a helicopter dangling from the ceiling, then no, that does not say Bond."— Bronwyn Cosgrave
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“Willy Bogner: he’s an Olympic skier, his family started a ski brand in Germany 80 years ago—they are giving us the first ski suit James Bond owned,” she explains. “When people think of the Roger Moore era, the 1970s, they can think it was quite kitsch. But he was carrying Louis Vuitton luggage in Chantilly and Gucci in Venice! You will meet the villains, you’ll see Oddjob’s hat.” As she details the costumes and accessories, Cosgrave reflects on just how different the exhibit might be without these pieces. “ I don’t know if a man would have thought to include Bond’s safari suit, but that’s a really important costume! We have the great dress from Thunderball created by Anthony Mendleson; Lindy is recreating Sean Connery’s Anthony Sinclair-tailored suits...”
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The blond Bond: Daniel Craig fills the dapper shoes of 007 in the lastest flick, SkyFall.
She relents on the fashion business, careful not to scare off her target audience. “I’m really interested in the design of cars . Not as much as the design of costumes, but I’m equally sensitive to it and we’re giving it its rightful place. [This exhibition is] beautiful, it’s exotic, but it’s got a lot of humor.” As for traversing down that gun barrel into a half-decade of carefully selected Bond ephemera, Cosgrave must know the end of every film must include that final escape. The end of the exhibit needs to be equally as dramatic. And as it stands now, she’ll be just as surprised as you are. “We’re still working on the exit,” she exclaims, with a bit of caffeinated stress in her tone. “But remember, Bond always ends up in paradise!” a
Oddjob (HAROLD SAKATA) is electrocuted by his own hat when Bond (SEAN CONNERY) jams a highvoltage wire broken during their fight against the metal bars of the gold vaults in Fort Knox. Copyright Notice © 1964 Danjaq, LLC and United Artsts Corporation. All rights reserved.
Atlantis is Strombergs base, a futuristic creation. A prototype for an underwater city, it can survive completely submerged or it can rise up out of the water like a huge metallic spider. Copyright Notice - © 1977 Danjaq, LLC and United Artists Corporation. All rights reserved.
Copyright Notice - © 1967 Danjaq, LLC and United Artists Corporation. All rights reserved. www.barbican.org.uk/bond
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“You have to be able to tell clients when they don't know shit.” —Mad Man George Lois
Forget the television show. George Lois was there, working on Madison Avenue, famously cranking out controversial covers for Esquire magazine, and creating legendary ad campaigns from the 1960s until he retired in 2000. Ever the straight shooting anti-Don Draper (even now into his 80s), George Lois tells us exactly how it was (and how it wasn’t), and how it is today.
Text by Saundra Marcel Photos by Noah Kalina
G
eorge Lois is a fighter. Literally—he’s a huge was solely on the work, and there was no time, nor a desire, for threefight fan, and he’s fast to assure me that he’s martini lunches and scads of schmoozing. If a client didn’t like his still totally capable of kicking ass in the ring. idea, well, the client could pretty much just shove it. Or out of it. “I haven’t been in a real fist fight in years,” he says, dreamily. This notorious “You have to be able to tell clients when they don’t know shit,” Lois 80-year-old ad man still boxes, frequents says. “Clients don’t know how to judge good work. The minute a client the basketball court, and when he’s feeling forces you into doing bad work—that’s it—you’re mediocre. You just frisky, will most definitely rock a pair of pretty gave up the chance to be a great designer.” Sure, any client daring to darn stylish cowboy boots. No fear. Lois has dismiss a concept was just about guaranteed to get a foul mouthful applied this “just do it” mentality to his entire career. Or, better said from Lois, but it was not about his ego. It was about the idea. “You have to be courageous every day in your life,” he says. “If a client in a more Lois-like fashion: “Fuck ‘em.” thinks it’s too edgy, that means it’s just perfect.” It’s this fight—combined with a brilliant creative mind—that’s made Lois such a force to be reckoned with. He’s always fought But clients are not the only ones on the receiving end of Lois’ moxie. hard for his ideas, and as a result, his ad campaigns from the late Today, it’s his entire profession. “No designer today blows me away 1950s and 1960s have become legendary. They broke all the old- (other than a handful of architects) and there is no living artist that school rules; they were the antithesis of what other agencies were I ‘follow’ or think will ever join the pantheon of the greats,” he says. doing at that time. Screw what “the man” says and execute a bril- And for being such a prolific ad man, Lois has developed a surprisingly liant idea—even better if it’s controversial. Historians now call this strong distaste for most things advertising. “It’s no good anymore. I time in advertising “the creative revolution,” and Lois was among never see anything these days where I say, ‘Snap! Mother-fucka.’ There’s just no balls.” those to drive it.
Although some people have referred to Lois as one of the original Mad Men, Lois was not like the type portrayed on TV. He worked at ad agency Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) for a year, and then left to start his own agency, Papert Koenig Lois (PKL), in 1960. His focus there
Though designers do get his praise...kind of. “It’s not their fault. There are great designers—the talent is out there. But the problem is, they can’t get anywhere. Designers are handcuffed by editors and salespeople, and they can’t do anything unusual.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 115
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In 1960, Lois premiered the Papert Koenig Lois agency with the radically minimalist Coldene ad. Its spartan design jolted the readers of Life and Look magazines and skyrocketed both Coldene’s sales and PKL’s popularity. “When you got it— flaunt it!” Lois created the slogan in 1967 for a series of Braniff airlines TV commercials. The spots featured celeb “odd couples” in conversation, implying that passengers might be seated with a pop culture icon your next flight.
Lois based his clever 1959 ad for Kerid Eardrops on the company’s hardcore research. At the time, pencils, bobby pins, and assorted small utensils reigned supreme as the earwax removers of choice.
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Features
Top left: Lois’first Esquire cover. He lucked out: the mag approved and ran the cover —depicting heavyweight champ Floyd Patterson's defeat — before the fight took place.
Bottom left: Actress Virna Lisi shaving in 1965, before Feminism was cool
Top right: After Sonny Liston KOed Patterson, Lois put him on the December cover. A black Santa Claus? Merry Christmas, white America.
Bottom right: With eight short words, Lois brought home the horrors of Vietnam
Features
Top left: In 1968, Lois made a case for Muhammad Ali’s religious refusal to fight in Vietnam. Inspired by a Francesco Botticini painting, he depicted him as St. Sebastian, a Roman soldier who survived death-by-arrow for converting to Christianity. The Feds didn’t take too kindly to the message.
Bottom left: Getting cheeky with youth values in 1970
Top right: Nixon’s campaign staff was really pissed over this 1968 cover. The reason? The lipstick.
DESIGN BUREAU
Bottom right: To get the flip image just right, Lois shot Campbell’s iconic can and pop art idol Warhol separately. Then he collaged the two together. Warhol loved it.
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Features
To save a flailing MTV from “crib death,” Lois riffed on the famous “I want my Maypo!” (the oatmeal brand) slogan and came up with “I want my MTV!.” The network went gangbusters.
Iwant my ,,
,,
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ON VISI E L E IC T S U M
Tips from Lois’s latest book, Damn Good Advice. You should probably go read up. But then again, “research is the enemy of creativity.”
46. If all else fails, threaten to commit suicide.
25. Reject Group Grope. Think about this: Decisive, breakthrough creative decision-making is almost always made by one, two, or possibly three minds working in unison, take it or leave it. Collective thinking usually leads to stalemate or worse. And the smarter the individuals in the group, the harder it is to nail the idea. Certainly, in my experience as a mass communicator and cultural provocateur, I know this to be absolutely true: Group thinking and decision-making results in group grope.
26. Reject Analysis Paralysis. Get the Big Idea, think it through – it all fits, you know it’s right, you know it’s ambitious and aggressive, it thrills every cell in your body. Does it work in print? Yes. Does it make a gangbuster TV spot? Yes. Put it all on paper and sell it to your client. Do not analyze it. Trust your gut. Trust your instincts. In all creative decision-making, analysis involves conjuring up not only the pros, but also those hidden, spooky cons – and discussion about the cons is, ipso facto, analysis paralysis.
At Doyle Dane Bernbach in 1959, I created a Passover subway poster for Goodman’s Matzos. My headline was in Hebrew with two universally understood words (at least in New York ), Kosher for Passover, and under it, a gigantic matzo. When the account man came back with a resounding no from the client, I went to my boss, Bill Bernbach, and insisted he make an appointment with Goodman’s honcho, an Old Testament, bushy-eyebrowed tyrant, a master kvetch. The matzos maven yawned as I opened with a passionate pitch. When I unfurled my poster, he muttered, “I dun like it.” I disregarded him and pressed forwards, selling my guts out. The tyrant tapped the desk for silence as one, then two, then three of his staff registered support for the powerful Hebrew headline. “No, no,” he said, “I dun like it!” I had to make a final move – so I walked up to an open casement window. As I began to climb through the window, he shouted after me, “You going someplace?” He and his staff gasped at me as if I was some kind of meshuggener, poised on the outer ledge three floors above the pavement. I gripped the vertical window support with my left hand, waved the poster with my free hand, and screamed from the ledge at the top of my lungs, “You make the matzo, I’ll make the ads!” “Stop, stop,” said the old man, frantically. “Ve’ll run it.” I climbed back into the room and thanked the patriarch for the nice way he received my work. As I was leaving, he shouted after me, “Young man, if you ever qvit advertising, you got yourself ah job as ah matzos salesman!”
54. Never eat shit. (If it looks like shit, and it smells like shit, and it tastes like shit... it’s shit.)
50. Research is the enemy of creativity– unless it’s your own “creative” research (heh-heh). Advertising is an art, not a science. If you create advertising to pass a research test (as almost all establishment agencies do), the “science” of advertising runs the show. Most of my ad campaigns would have flunked commercial pre-testing because edgy, sometimes mind-blowing concepts get ripped apart in group-grope “focus groups.” I once used research (conceived and conducted by my agency) to create a gigantic marketing success for Quaker’s Aunt Jemima pancake brand. Inexplicably, Quaker refused to market an Aunt Jemima syrup, a no-brainer if I ever poured one. Their management was adamant every time I brought it up. But I plunged ahead with a research questionnaire devised on Aunt Jemima pancake mix, including one question at the end of the survey asking consumers to name the syrup brand they used most recently – and I included the nonexistent Aunt Jemima syrup among a list of 10 brands. Eighty-nine out of 100 pancake eaters claimed they had purchased Aunt Jemima syrup that year! The honchos at Quaker were stunned and convinced by my results – and they finally plunged into the syrup business. Within a year, the new Aunt Jemima syrup became the best-selling syrup in America. If you can’t convince a client to produce a no-brainer win, manipulate them any way you can to win them over.
“People always ask, ‘How’d you get away with it?’ Well, because my ideas worked. They made sales explosions. Advertising today is so scared of selling. Don’t be embarrassed about selling something.”
If you’re in a relationship (with your boss, supervisor, partner, or client ) and you suspect that you are continually being used and / or abused, admit it – you’re eating shit. Without the courage to put an end to it, you’ll never create great work. Put an end to it.
51. When you present an entrepreneurial idea, if it takes more than three sentences to explain it to the money guys, it’s not a Big Idea! After three sentences of explanation, people’s eyes glaze over.
55. To keep the Big Boys honest, speak Truth to Power. Abraham Lincoln said, “To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.” The best of us whose creations can be thought of as art are cultural provocateurs, infused with subversion against all kinds of authority, even God. Join those of us in the creative community that are hard on big business moguls, fat cats, “the authorities,” courts, politicians, Wall Street greed, government that benefits the wealthy at the expense of the poor and powerless, and anyone corrupted by money and power. Bob Dylan famously wrote in his iconic indictment, “Masters of War ”: I think you will find When your death takes its toll All the money you made Will never buy back your soul.
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DESIGN BUREAU
as-we-damn-well-please duo would learn a painful lesson about playing nice with others, “He left, I left. It sucked. Somebody makes something incredible for you, and then you think you don’t need them anymore,” says Lois, dejectedly. The infamous relationship ended in 1971 when Hayes was pushed out of the magazine, and the pair would only work together once more, many years later, out of posterity. It was inevitable that the magazine would eventually push back, and it was probably more surprising that it lasted for so long. But for the ever-strong man who made magazine covers his passion, this end was perhaps the greatest disappointment of his career. “I would have really loved to do fifty years of Esquire—fifty years of American culture, captured in covers. That would have been amazing.” So why were all these poorly abused souls clamoring to work with Lois? It seems surreal—the man who can’t bullshit turns out to be best salesman of all. “People always ask, ‘How’d you get away with it?,” he says. “Well, because my ideas worked. They knocked people on their asses. They made sales explosions. Advertising today is so scared of selling. Don’t be embarrassed about selling something.” According to Lois, his first Xerox television spot had fulfilled the company’s sales goals for the next 15 years in a mere six months. Lois never needed to learn the craft of sweet-talking his clients; they were quick learners. Go with the Lois idea. You’ll make money.
Lois has been getting extra attention since the Mad Men series began. Everyone wants to know what the greatest real-life ad man (whose younger image bears an uncanny resemblance to Jon Hamm’s Don Draper) thinks about the show. “Mad Men is [an example of ] agencies at their worst,” Lois says. “They were anti-Semitic and racist, they were womanizers, and they had no talent. They were not part of the creative revolution at all. While all that was going on, there were other terrific places to work at, right down the street. At Doyle Dane during the 1950’s, out of twelve writers, six of them would’ve been women. And these weren’t the Mad Men secretaries, they were respected, and they had real talent. We already had women pioneers in advertising in those times. What we were doing was so different from Mad Men, it isn’t even funny.”
Those sought-after “sales explosions” in the ad world got him the attention of Esquire magazine, who wanted a piece of the profit pie. His stint designing covers for the magazine started in 1962 and lasted for nine years, but it sure wasn’t because he was such a pleasure to His ad agency days are long over since his retirement in 2000, work with. He never provided options for the magazine to choose though he continues to be present in the creative world through from and he never accepted direction; in fact, half the time he barely his writing, and still works on branding and advertising projects even told them what he was doing. The first five issues were just de- with his son, Luke. “I supposedly retired, but my wife says I’m not livered—completed concepts, no changes allowed— just in time to retired, just tired.” He’s written 10 books now since 1972, all of them print. The covers were just that good. And they sold. In 1962, the very containing brassy wisdoms on the things he knows and loves best: first Esquire cover of Lois’ design correctly predicted the unforeseen Selling explosive ideas, being ballsy, pop culture and celebrities, and winner of a major boxing match (Floyd Patterson vs. Sonny Liston). of course, boxing. It was so controversial that the publisher added a disclaimer notice to it. But this inaugural hotcake issue sold out, was reprinted, and “Many of my most innovative concepts grew from my ability to understand and respond to the people and events of my era. With that said, then that sold out, too. I have always felt creative in every bone in my body, and for every Lois had an accomplice over at Esquire. Harold Hayes was his editor, second I’m awake and asleep.” whom he held in high regard. “What we had can never be duplicated,” says Lois. “Now Hayes, he had balls. When he looked at that first cover, Lois recently took a break from "retirement" to crank out yet another he said ‘George, you’re crazy.’ And I said no, you’re crazy—because book, this time for Phaidon. They approached him with an idea in you’re going to run this.” Since the magazine continued to exponen- mind and a reference: a collection of tips for young people published tially increase in sales, crazy was clearly working. “Hayes was the only the year before by a “so-called creative director” at the mega-worldone over at Esquire who actually liked my covers,” he says. “Every wide advertising agency Saatchi and Saatchi. Lois read it, despised it, single time, he said ‘I love it!’ And I always said ‘Oh yea? Anyone else and then wrote a response to it called Damn Good Advice (For People over there love it?’ No. They all hated them. But Hayes kept me out of with Talent). “All this guy was saying was how to be phony and how all that bullshit. And the art directors over there were smart enough to fake your way through life. I want to teach kids how to be original.” to stay out of something that was working.” But in this case, the do- No bullshitting—just his style. a
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For Design Bure au's Second Anniversary, w e a sk ed eigh t guest edi tor s a quest ion: w h at inspire s you ? O v e r t he ne x t 6 6 pages, e ach one answered with words a nd im ages t h at de mon s t r at e t he ir cre at i v e pa s sion.
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THE INSPIRATion ATION issue willia m a br anowic z p ho t o gr a p he r , Elle D eco r, Van ity Fai r, a nd Mor e
z oe ryan c ur at or , T he A r t in s t i t u t e of c hic a go
jennif e r ca r pente r a c t r e s s, D exter
e r ik brunetti s t r e e t w e a r de s igne r , Fuct
de s ign a r m y a r t dir ec t or s, Adobe , t he R i t z-C a r lt on, Di s ne y a nd Mor e
ale x andr e de beta k r un way de s igne r , Chan el, Vi cto ria's Secret a nd Mor e
andr ew bruntel v ideo dir ec t or , M o dest M o usE, Liars, a nd Mor e
antonio b allator e in t e r ior de s igne r , HGTV D esi gn Star
w il l i a m a br a now icz , photogr a pher
S T ORIE S
and that’s what I do when I fly my bird. I hunt for rabbits. When I do my own work, I am insanely serious to the point at which I have to remember when I approach someone to take their photograph that I have to smile. I have to show them that I am not going to hurt them. I really couldn’t care less about who and what the pedigree of design is. All I care about is what it feels like. I was into the very composed technical qualities of photography...and then I went to Greece. I had a smaller camera and I took it off the tripod and started to move. Suddenly the photography changed in a big way, so Greece has become our place. I think photographers are really wonderful, but I think painters are better.
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Photography helps me cope, share, and empathize with people, but what drives me are stories.
I know when something is building up, it’s like all the confluences of life and the events around me come together and there is that moment that I can see coming.
I always thought that my photography was a little bit like fishing or hunting. When I get in the car, I am hunting for photographs,
The hardest thing is when you walk into a home and it feels like no one has been there. I want to feel a life, I want to see something of a story.
IN TE RVIEW by jennifer hamblett Por trait By charle s maraia William Abranowicz has been a photographer for more than 35 years. His work can be found in books, permanent collections of museums, and magazines like Conde Nast Traveler, Vanity Fair, and Vogue. williamabranowicz.com
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The De Menil House, Houston, 1991
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Stonehenge, 1998 Santorini, Greece, 1990
Athens, Greece, 2004 Upstate New York, 2010
Crete, Greece, 2008 Dominic Maino, Poultry Butcher, Hoboken, New Jersey, 1987 Santorini, Greece, 1998
DESIGN A RM Y, CRE AT I V E DIRECTOR S
COL OR
Color makes us feel alive. It fuels minds, connects spirits and feeds imaginations. It shapes who we are and reveals our inner shades of design DNA. Color is a precious commodity. We breed it. We crave it. We fight for it. It is the ultimate currency to sustain and nourish our creative souls. It's a design mantra we call Color Consumption. Imagine living in a colorless world, seeing everything in black and white. Color transforms and drives the world; the more color there is, the more people want it. Color sets the mood, and it’s then up to each individual to determine where it will take them. Give every color an opportunity to shine.
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IN TE RVIEW by kri stin l amp rech t P o rtrait By Dea n Al exander Pum and Jake Lefebure are the co-founders of DC-based creative firm Design Army. Their work has run in Washingtonian Bride & Groom, and their clients include Adobe, Disney, and more. designarmy.com
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Color connects
Intercourses through our veins
Mind and body flow
Soulful shades
primal power
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Visualize
A design tribe
Color the only currency
To nourish souls
Color Consumption
Design + concept Design Army | Photography Cade Martin | Hair + Make up Dean Krapf | Wigs Kim Reyes body painting Kim Reyes for European Body Art | Body Paint Assistant Juana Hernandez | Wardrobe Stylist Polly Spadavecchia Location Guilford College Art Gallery | Sculpture Patrick Dougherty
Color tortures and tempts us
We endure so we may indulge
Surrender to its sway
Color shades our DNA
Its virility must be nurtured
Its core protected
Jennifer C a rpen t er, Act res s
L ov e
My home is a place where I feel totally safe and I can try on a lot of different things. So at home, I dance, I write. I hate saying this out loud, but I write poetry. Anybody who is enthusiastic about what they do for a living is inspiring. My dad worked at a Ford plant for thirty years. The honor of showing up every day to make the life you want is so impressive and inspiring to me. I do what I do because I want to, because I have to. At this point, I wonder if this is an addiction…is there something I haven’t said creatively that I am waiting to say?
I love what I do. Even when you play hateful characters, I think it’s important to have love. If you are a creative person, then you are never really off the clock. Even sleeping feels creative.
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My grandfather’s dying words were, “It’s all about the love.” If you love what you do, and realize that everyone around you is related to you in one way or another, then your intentions will be good, your ethics will be good, your moral center will be where it needs to be. You’ll have a better shot, I think, at attracting a really interesting life.
IN TE RVIEW by k r istin lamprecht Por trait By N ic k Heavican Jennifer Carpenter plays Debra Morgan on Showtime's Dexter
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Above: Yves Klein "Leap into the Void" 1960, photo by Shunk-Kender Š Roy Lichtenstein Foundation Facing page: Hair: Harry Josh | Hair assistant: Blake Burkholder | Makeup: Maud Laceppe for Nars Cosmetics | Clothing: Rag and Bone
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Top left: Orion Nebula 2 by Tom Borgese
Top middle: Interior by Ashe + Leandro Photo by Alex Chohlas-Wood
Top right: Thomas Ashe "Playa Vista" ghost town, Los Angeles, CA
Bottom: Photo by Gabriela Herman
Facing page top: © Lucas Allen
Facing page bottom: © mysticcorner.tumblr.com
Facing page top: Paris Lock Bridge, photo by Shannon Corr
Facing page bottom left: Jennifer Carpenter, self portrait
Facing page bottom right: Nikki Katsikas “Alvy & Annie” based on a still from the film Annie Hall
Top: Ice, photo by Jennifer Carpenter
Bottom: Nan Goldin, “Swan-Like Embrace, Paris,” chromogenic print, 30 x 40 inches, 2010, © Nan Goldin, courtesy Matthew Marks Gallery
ANDre w BRUNTEL , FILMMAKER & DIRECTOR
M YS T ERY
Locations are a big influence for me. It can change your whole idea and how you envisioned your approach. I’m such a visual person that I don’t feel like something is really real or done until I see it. I don’t think good design is taught. I think it’s something that you either intrinsically do or you don’t. Coming from an art background, where my projects were just for me, I think I just have more of myself in a project. You throw yourself into it, and as you work, it becomes more and more a part of you. But at the end of it, you don’t always have the final say, so it can be emotionally draining.
Everything I like has a certain sense of mystery to it. I could be walking along the street and find some sort of note or photo and then explore the story behind that. I want something that will allow my brain to be invigorated rather than being completely shut off.
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I’m most excited at that point when you know you are about to solve a problem, the point if I am writing a treatment for a song when you just crack it, almost like solving the mystery that I set out with. There is always more mystery with photos— you can read more into it than with film. There is less said, more to be inferred. I find it invigorating.
IN TE RVIEW by JE N NIFER HA MBL ET T Por trait By BRYAN SHEFF IEL D Andrew Bruntel's past work inlcudes music videos for artists such as Liars, Bodies of Water, No Age, and Modest Mouse, among others. andybruntel.com
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Images courtesy of Andrew Bruntel
ZOë RYAN, CURATOR
CURIOSI T Y
Architects and designers help us overcome challenges and allow us to accept things in everyday life. I made that connection early on, that the spaces we live in tell us who we are and influence us. I’m attracted to the generosity of one’s spirit in others. I work with some of the most interesting designers and architects who are very generous in their work, as well as to younger talents in the field. Growing up, I was surrounded by creative people who were always making things and explaining the importance of art as a form of personal expression, and how those ideas related to daily life. One of the things I love about being a curator is being able to go behind the scenes, poke around designers’ studios, and have access to their thinking and approach. I’m very curious about people, especially those that are creative and have the capacity to produce inventive work. Design today is less about function. It’s very much about our emotional well being, concepts and ideas, and narratives.
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If i wasn’t a curator, I’d work in period films. I love imagining places, spaces, and how society influences architecture and design. It’s important when you do a challenging project that you love the material, and that you are convinced that the materials are rich and rewarding—that’s what keeps you going.
IN TE RVIEW by LE SLEY STANL EY Por trait By LISA PREDKO Zoë Ryan is the John H. Bryan Chair and Curator of Architecture and Design at the Art Institute of Chicago. artic.edu
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Tokujin Yoshioka, Honey-Pop Armchair, 2001. Image courtesy of Tokujin Yoshioka Inc.
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Above:
Above:
Bless, N. 45 Musiccurtain, 2010
Sandra Backlund, Knitted Dress,
© 2012 The Art Institute of Chicago
Spring/Summer 2010 Sandra Backlund, Fall/Winter 2010–11 Sandra Backlund, Spring/Sumer 2011 Sandra Backlund, Ink Blot Test, Fall/Winter 2007–2008 Photos by Ola Bergengren
Clockwise from top left: Boudicca, still from the film of Tornado Dress from Living in Time, Fall/Winter 2009-10 Boudicca, still from film of the Motion Capture Sequin Dress from Fragmented Dream, Spring/Summer 2011 Boudicca, stills from promotional film for Wode by Boudicca, 2011 Photos courtesy of Boudicca
Above: Hulger and Samuel Wilkinson Design Plumen 001, 2010 Image courtesy of Hulger and ŠIan Nolan
Clockwise from top left:
Keiichi Matsuda, still from the animation
Konstantin Grcic, 360ยบ chair, 2009
Jonathan Olivares, The Outdoor Office, 2011
Augmented (hyper)Reality: Domestic Robocop, 2010
Image Courtesy of Konstantin Grcic
Image courtesy of Jonathan Olivares Design Research
Image courtesy of Keiichi Matsuda
Industrial Design, Munich
ERIK BRUNETTI, STREET w e a r designer & a rt ist
IN T ER PRE TAT ION
the Planet of the Apes images… It’s in them because they’ve seen the movie when they were young. There’s more to FUCT than taking an image and using it. It needs to create some dialogue with the viewer. Otherwise, it’s not art, it’s not design. Graffiti is such an ego driven thing to do. It’s putting your name everywhere for the sake of putting your name everywhere. I remember clearly knowing that I wanted to do more artistically. When we started FUCT, there were no computers, no scanners, no Internet. All the early FUCT art was hand-drawn by my friends or me. I just came from a different era than the current brands that are around today. I don’t really consider FUCT my art. It’s just applying graphics to a garment to sell. It’s a company. Art is interpretation. In some cases, it’s reinterpretation. You’re communicating with the viewer by having them release this memory of an object or a film. Take for example FUCT with
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Art is something you are born with. I was born an artist. I can play music, I draw. There isn’t some big grand rush to start pumping out art. I’ll be doing it forever.
IN TE RVIEW by JO HN DUGAN Por trait By E mmelie Brunetti photos by er ik brunetti Erik Brunetti is an artist and founder/designer of the FUCT streetwear brand. fuct.com
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ALEXANDRE DE BETAK , RUNWAY show &a rt director
designing
minute I finish the previous show of the same house or designer. So, in certain cases it’s six months before. In other cases, it’s only two or three months. The great thing about the fast pace of fashion is that we have a very efficient way of working that allows us to do a lot of productions in a very short lapse of time. It’s hard to pick a favorite show. Of course the shows that I did for Victoria’s Secret—the wings were pretty massive—which I did for many years. I would love to do set production for theater. But the fast pace of the fashion world would never really allow me the time to do it. I think it can happen one day.
There really isn’t a formula to fashion show production. I usually start the thinking process the
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Part of the interest in doing these shows is the longevity; working on them for a long time, and telling a story, not just with one show, but many shows one after the other.
IN TE RVIEW by L au ra Neilson Por trait By D aniel Beres for Bur eau Betak
Alexandre de Betak is an art director, designer, photographer, and all around creative mastermind for major fashion shows, with productions for Chanel and Victoria's Secret among his past works. bureaubetak.com
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ANTONIO BALLATORE , INTERIOR DESIGNER
TA K ING CH A NCES
I never picked up a color wheel in my life. I never went to interior design school. I never took any classes. I consider LaChappelle the Andy Warhol of my era. Working with a guy like that —he would get pissed at people, but he would never get pissed at me. Only when I didn’t take a chance, only when I was not pushing it enough. Doing set design for so many years brings imagination for the things you do. How many people can say they built an 18-foot rocket ship or a hand for Madonna to sit in? I like to be like the anti-designer. I like to be more of a creator than a designer. I’ll build a car, I’ll do autowork, I’ll build a house. From the way I live my life to designing now, it’s all about taking these crazy chances. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but I still push forward. I grew up in a household that was all about art, all about being creative. My parents never pushed me to go to college. I didn’t even really graduate school. When I was young, I started out playing in metal bands, punk rock bands, hardcore bands, and toured a little bit. That’s what I really wanted to do. I kind of fell into design by accident.
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Throughout my whole life I’ve always taken these chances, and just said ‘Fuck it’ and gone for it. Ballatore likes bling, and he isn’t afraid to bring it into his own designs, e ven if it's a fireplace. “Antonio had us build a custom stainless steel fascia for the guitar player of a famous metal band,” says Jonathan Burlingham, President of Starfire Direct, a bespoke fireplace design company. “We custom fabricated 304 stainless steel fascia with hundreds of little two-inch studs that installed individually to give it that ‘Rock Star’ look.” Burlingham refused to give up the rocker’s name, but thanks to his craftsmanship and Ballatore’s outrageous design, the fireplace inside definitely lives up to the rock 'n' roll attitude.
IN TE RVIEW by D E LIA C AI Por trait courtesy of his studio
Antonio is an interior designer, winner of HGTV's Design Star, and star of his own series, The Antonio Treatment.
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ith construction jobs, which over time led to things like renovating bars ns for Z Bar on the Lower East Side in New York City, which became the ey were on tour. My staff were all off-tour band members looking for work.
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end markS
We let our guest illustrator loose with a full page. This month, Homeless Cop wishes us a Happy Anniversary.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
Š 2012 HOMELESS COP & TRASHLEY
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This issue’s best Albums
Presented by
Music
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A
ALARMPRESS
FANG ISLAND Major (Sargent House) Anthemic rock quintet Fang Island described its self-titled debut as “the sound of everyone high-fiving everyone”—a statement that’s both accurate and destined to lead profiles for the duration on the band’s existence. Its sophomore effort, Major, builds on the theme. The release features more singing than the first album, which relied heavily on riffs, riffs, and more riffs. But the DNA here is similar: free and fun, with enough hooks to hang the audience’s denim jackets. The new album sounds like summer, with a mix of bouncy piano, soaring synths, fuzzed guitars, and sing-alongs. Opener “Kindergarten” leads the listener to a happy place, and the rest of the 11 tracks keep him or her there. Positivity comes easily for Fang Island, a group based on friendship, but adding depth to that emotion is more difficult than one might think. Major does it majorly. [ND] /01
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SQUAREPUSHER
OM
EL-P
Ufabulum (Warp)
Advaitic Songs (Drag City)
Cancer for Cure (Fat Possum)
Bass maestro and electronic musician Tom Jenkinson—better known as Squarepusher— has crafted a catalog of diverse and progressive music since 1996, crossing through IDM, jazz fusion, and even classical sounds. Ufabulum follows d’Demonstrator, the 2010 album with Jenkinson’s “space-pop band” Shobaleader One, and it returns him to pure electronic music.
Borne from the rhythm section of stoner-metal trio Sleep, Om has spent nearly 10 years combining drone and sludge with chant cadences and Eastern motifs and philosophy. Advaitic Songs is the duo’s fifth full-length and second with new drummer and coconspirator Emil Amos of Grails, whose work with bassist/singer Al Cisneros has pushed the material to even greater heights.
Rapper/producer El-P took five years between his 2002 debut, Fantastic Damage, and its follow-up, the dystopian and downtrodden I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead. This year brings another five-year wait to an end with his Fat Possum debut, Cancer for Cure, following the untimely demise of El Producto’s independent label, Definitive Jux.
More impressive than the album’s hypermelodies and drum-and-bass blasts, however, is the album’s accompanying LED live show, which was designed in tandem with the music. Donning his LED mask in front of a swirling array of monotone patterns, Jenkinson has again redefined himself in the live arena, and it just happens to come with an amazing electronic album. [SM] /02
Though the few heavy moments remain similar in style—with fuzz-bass repetitions and Cisneros’ idiosyncratic delivery—the softer moments are better developed and much more accentuated. Beautiful string passages weave in and out of the music, teaming with sitar, tabla, and a dose of guest vocals to build some of Om’s best songs. Advaitic Songs is the mark of a duo hitting—and reinventing—its stride. [SM] /03
Cancer for Cure is more of a return to the style that El-P helped to popularize: a slower BPM rate mixed with fat synths and a faster rhyming style. Most rhymes are infused with a dark sense of humor, and the vocal styles keep a healthy diversity thanks to a bevy of guests, including Killer Mike, Islands’ Nick Thorburn, Danny Brown, and Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire. It’s been a while, but Cancer for Cure was well worth the wait. [DH] /04
FATHER JOHN MISTY
AESOP ROCK
MUCCA PAZZA
Fear Fun (Sub Pop)
Skelethon (Rhymesayers)
Safety Fifth
Prior to his stint as Fleet Foxes’ drummer, singer-songwriter Josh Tillman established an acclaimed but under-recognized solo career as J. Tillman. Now, after leaving the Foxes to focus on his own material, his debut as Father John Misty will make it hard to imagine him again as anything other than a front-man.
Rap always has placed an emphasis on lyrics, and rapper Aesop Rock is known for his motley blend of allusions, metaphors, and symbols. This is rap on hard mode, and it’s nearly unmatched.
If Chicago’s tourism committee were serious about a new theme song, it would’ve chosen Mucca Pazza. The “circus punk” marching band is one of the city’s best-kept secrets—well, except for when its 30-plus members turn up at any given moment, whether in an Andrew Bird video or on the corner outside your apartment.
Certain base elements are present—1960s and ’70s folk-rock traditions, high-pitched vocal harmonies, and poetic lyrics—but Fear Fun teeters between heartfelt, playful, baroque, and downright weird, while retaining a soft and resonant surreality. Using mischievous and sobering themes, Tillman combines sentiment, jest, and a novelist’s sensibility, resulting in one forceful “debut.” [DT] /05
But the five years since Aesop’s last solo record, None Shall Pass, have not been kind to him. His best friend, rapper Camu Tao, died of lung cancer in 2008, and his record label collapsed two years later. The result, Skelethon, is an album that merges the tragedy of Aesop’s misfortune with his dense delivery and sense of humor. Even more notably, Aesop handles all production duties and imbues the album with a rock slant, fusing his beats with a prickly urgency and throbbing grooves. Don’t miss it. [TH] /06
Led by composer Mark Messing, Mucca Pazza mashes up marching-band brass with amplified instruments like guitar and violin and theatrical skits led by a co-ed team of cheerleaders. On Safety Fifth, the band’s third recording, the compositions are complex enough to satisfy the musically learned, all without undermining its ability to bring it. These are pep-band tunes you head-bang to. [TS] /07
Scott Morrow is the music editor at ALARM Press and author of This Week’s Best Albums, an eclectic weekly series presenting exceptional music. Visit www.alarmpress.com for more. [ND] Noah Davis, [TH] Tom Harrison, [DH] Dave Hofer, [SM] Scott Morrow, [TS] Timothy A. Schuler, [DT] Danielle Turney; Fang Island photo by Mike Garten
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For Hire: Sam Snyder FOR HIRE
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DESIGN TALENT FRESH ON THE MARKET
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Talent This multi-tasker from Illinois got her degree inDesign both graphic design and Fresh On the Market photography. Overachiever!
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Design Talent Fresh On the Market
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FOR HIRE: Laura Allcorn
DESIGN TALENT FRESH ON THE MARKET
DESIGN TALENT FRESH ON THE MARKET
Tell us how you ended up picking both graphic design and photography as your focus? Physically interacting with tactility of materials to create DESIGN TALENT FRESH DESIGN TALENT FRESH ON THE MARKET ON THE MARKET work is the very core of my process. I believe this is why I found such romance in film photography and hand papermaking, and I try to synthesize these aspects into my designs.
FORFORHIRE HIRE
How would you describe your aesthetic? Atmospheric and intuitive. I’m continuously exploring and gathering information about myself and my surroundings to evolve myself as a designer. I design with curiosity. Is there a particular style of design or object that you absolutely despise? I strongly dislike Futura. I think it should take its stumpy little sans serif self, get out of town and hang out in the land of misfit typefaces with its “oversizedcounters” companion, Century Gothic. Why should somebody hire you? There is infinite promise in the unanswered question, the undefined solution. Every piece in my portfolio is an arrival, and I strive to inject design with life beyond its parameters. Hire me because I have unyielding faith in our efforts together. a
Top to bottom: Cream & Flutter bakery’s new identity and interior space, and Pulp, a gallery exhibition inviting the community to explore the issues bombarding papermaking manufacturing.
Sam Likes: Sloths, Andrew Bird, bubbly water, organizing my type collection, quirky dancing, grey & chartreuse, Italian wine, NPR, receiving packages and letters in the mail, and songs that encourage reminiscing Sam Dislikes: Centipedes, mold spores, hot tubs, intolerance, waking up before the sun rises, improper use of type, blood, announcing awkward moments, sneaky animal product additives, and airplanes
RESUME SNAPSHOT: Sam Snyder EDUCATION University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign BFA in graphic design and photography, 2012
Work Experience Pulp Exhibition, Fall 2011 Curated a show highlighting large and small scale paper production
Skills ANALOG Film, pinhole, view camera, darkroom processing, studio and natural lighting
Cream +Flutter Bakery, Spring 2011 Designed visual strategy to promote bakery’s use of organic ingredients
DESIGN InDesign, Illustrator, After Effects, Premier Pro, Soundbooth, Photoshop, Bridge
Interested in being featured in For Hire? Email us at forhire@wearedesignbureau.com
Wanna hire Sam? Check out her website: meetsamsnyder.com
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