# 24 living in design
Space-making in Singapore. Apartment living. Andra Matin in Jakarta. Storage solutions. Why not play a little?
JULY – SEPTEMBER | 2014 AUD$16.95 | NZ$16.95 | USD$17.95 CDN$18.95 | GBP£9.90 | SGD$11.95
# 24 Just to whet your appetite for what’s to come: our selection of the latest products, all designed to help make the compleat home. 24. DESIGN NEWS Sit on it, shower under it, light up your life, store your knick-knacks – here are some suggestions. 35. R ESHOOT Tap into a whole new world of bathing, tap your way across the floor and tap the possibilities of where to put all those little things. 41. play time Homo ludens – humanity and play. Time to lighten up and get a sense of play into our everyday domestic life.
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50. THAI PARADOX Campbell Drake discusses three recently released books which survey the complexity of Thai architecture.
We have re-organised ourselves... Meet the makers, inspiring movers and shakers across the region and engage with a cast of creative personalities. 58. ROOPA PEMMARAJU How migration lit the torch of creativity. Alice Blackwood meets an Indian fashion designer who found her mojo in Melbourne and in the richness of Aboriginal art. 69. SOPHEAP PICH Going home again meant a vocational awakening for this Cambodian artist. As Michael Young discovers, he has transformed the artistic landscape of his homeland. 79. ASIAN DESIGN CENTURY? The cultural vibrancy of the Asia Pacific is driving a wave of quality design and local manufacture, as Nicky Lobo reports.
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87. MICHELE CHOW Interior designer turned manufacturer. Linda Cheng meets a dynamic entrepreneur who brings Malaysia, Thailand and Australia together in her brand Dessein.
96. LUNUGANGA He changed the face of South-East Asian architecture. Andrew Pfeiffer re-visits the Sri Lankan home of Geoffrey Bawa and savours one of the great gardens of the world.
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#139 Placemaking is what distinguishes the residential architecture of the Asia Pacific. Delight in the rich variety of these projects from India, Indonesia, Singapore, Melbourne and Perth. 114. KHOPOLI HOUSE This house by Spasm Design, perched on an exposed knob of rock with panoramic views transcends the limits of form, says Jagan Shah, and makes the monsoon a dramatic experience while generating an intimate connection with the landscape. 128. H UNTER STREET APARTMENT It may look like a warehouse, but this cluster of three units by ODR Architects is a lot more subtle. Mark Scruby explores its spatial and urban strategies, providing a rich environment for those inside and added amenity for those outside. 139. JAKARTA HOUSE Prominent Indonesian architect, Andra Matin, has built a house for himself and his family which, says Nikita Notowidigdo, recovers both his childhood and another way of building.
153. HOUSE AT CLOVER One way to beat the high cost of land in Singapore is to adapt an existing house. Luo Jingmei looks at how The Carpenter’s Workshop have optimised space in this confined inter-terrace. 163. 4-ROOM HOUSE Architects, Adrian Iredale, and his wife, Caroline Di Costa have, says Carly Barrett, a passion for alterations and additions. This found an outlet with their own home in Perth. 181. COMPARTMENT LIVING It used to be only the megalopolises of the world, but now space is at a premium wherever you live. Habitus does a scan of the issues and solutions to living with limited space.
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If this doesn’t inspire a green thumb, then nothing will. Designed by Giulio Iacchetti, ORTE is a set of three gardening tools in polished metal. The set comes with a wooden base where the items can be stored away after use – no excuses for leaving them out. In a powdercoat finish, the natural colour palette of green and browns with the timber base will sit unobtrusively in your outdoor environment. A hoe, a rake and a shovel walk into a garden bar... giulioiacchetti.com / internoitaliano.com
The PARCHMENT armchair is the latest from multi award-winning Filipino furniture designer, Kenneth Cobonpue, for his eponymous brand. Composed of steel and Maple, the simplicity of the structure gives way to the intricate details of knotted cord and folded cushioning, creating a piece of balance and visual texture. His cultural approach – integrating local materials and handmade processes – has made Conbonpue synonymous with Filipino design. kennethcobonpue.com / kezu.com.au
Global leaders in innovative bathroom design, Kohler, have unveiled the new MOXIE showerhead. This internationally award-winning Bluetooth-enabled showerhead streams music and podcasts straight into the shower stall, with no distortion of sound. Magnetically attached and corrosion resistant, the music keeps playing so you can revitalise both physically and sonically. au.kohler.com
The SIGMA50 flushplate from Geberit is refreshed with a new design by Christoph Behling, TAG Heur’s lead designer. The seamless exterior adds an air of timelessness to any bathroom. christophbehlingdesign.com / geberit.com.au
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The new MUTLI BRUSH from Field Experiments was created as part of a collaborative research and development project to challenge the traditional concept of the souvenir. During a three-month long stay in a local farming community in Ubud, Bali, the trio of designers explored a range of creative techniques as they learnt from the local craftspeople, eventually creating a diverse collection of handmade souvenirs infused with the essence and vivacity of Bali.
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With an irresistible 1970s shape, the VALENTINE lounge collection invites you to sit back and completely chill out. Designed by Marzia and Leonardo Dainelli for Italian brand, Saba, the range is informal in the classiest way, cultivating comfort and convenience. Pre-shaped polystyrene is covered with polyurethane foam, creating both lightness and strength. With completely removable covers, VALENTINE is suitable for outdoor use. sabaitalia.it / cafecultureinsitu.com.au
field-experiments.com
“After nearly ten years in the industry, working almost exclusively via computer, I found myself missing the process of creating something by hand,” says graphic designer-turned ceramic artist Kim Wallace. The EBB TIDE collection in warm autumn hues is some of her handiwork, inspired by the natural surrounds of the Sunshine Coast hinterland. kwceramics.com.au
Conceived by Berlin-based Korean designer Lee Sanghyeok, USEFUL SHELF is influenced by scaffolding structures and classic Danish furniture. The minimalist approach and elegant proportions of the USEFUL LIVING collection is expressed in Oak – a classic Danish timber – with custom brass joints and wood-smoked shelves in this piece enhancing the refined aesthetic. leesanghyeok.com
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Clockwise from centre left: Fizz rug in Jet by Teresa Ceberek, $2,424, Tsar, ; Ruby wears Annike pant as before, Alphaville, Mollie dress in black by Alpha60, $260, Alphaville, and paper neckpiece, headpiece as before; birds custom designed and made by Benja Harney; table tennis bats, balls and net supplied by Aussie Table Tennis; quoits as before; Tjanpi pendant lights, Tili Wiru, from $420, Koskela; Dusty pink wall and joinery made by Rosemonts; wall paint in Frozen Frappe, Dulux; wall joinery paint in Riviera Sea, Government Green & Signature, Dulux; ‘Digital Organic Mineral’ sculptures by Stephen Ormandy, in marble $3,300, and in
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marble & bronze $2,750, Olsen Irwin; Established & Sons Font clock, $1,255, Living Edge, Volcanic vase in two tone, $144, Dinosaur Designs; Earth vase in two tone, Dinosaur Designs, $97; Morgan wears paper hat and neckpiece as before, Berrimal navy suit, $89, Gimondi navy shirt, $99.95, Vitale green pocket square, $39.95, and Hotham navy waistcoat, $250, all from M.J. Bale; large Temple plates in two tone by Dinosaur Designs, $132; Älv napkin, $50, Shilo; Andreu World Nub lounge chair by Patricia Urquiola, from $2,253, Kezu; Leon overdyed vintage kotosh rug, , $4,800, Koskela. Pick ‘N’ Mix table with parallelogram and triangle leg option, $4,290, Tait.
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Cross-cultural love affair Six years ago, fashion designer Roopa Pemmaraju couldn’t have known that moving from India to Australia would inspire a colourful, creative and cultural awakening that would change her life. Alice Blackwood looks into this crosscultural journey of discovery.
text Alice Blackwood | Photography James Geer
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The only rangehoods that sanitise the air.
Pure Air Factory Falmec. The innovative E.ion® System technology applied to the new collection of rangehoods from Falmec, not only reduces odours, but also restores the ionic balance for an optimal healthy living environment. Specialised laboratories certify the efficiency of the E.ion® System technology, declaring an odour reduction of over 70%. Exclusive to Abey Australia. – Falmec E.ion® System.
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Return to home After growing up in America, it wasn’t until returning to his homeland that Cambodian artist Sopheap Pich transformed into the evocative sculptural artist he is now. Michael Young explores the journey. Text Michael Young | Photography lina sokchalina & brett boardman
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10,000 artworks, 3 locations, unlimited possibilities collected, curated and ready for lease
David Griggs, Renewing the Spirit no. 7 2006, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 186.5 x 187cm. Annual rental $1375 (inc. GST)
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1800 251 651 artbank.gov.au
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Local manufacturing What is better: local manufacture or furniture that is designed and made overseas? What are the options for buyers, designers and retailers? Nicky Lobo speaks to some key players across the Region. Text Nicky lobo | Photography various
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Experience the digitally enriched Habitus magazine Available exclusively from Binder, the free architecture and design newsstand on iTunes
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Making good of rubberwood It is no secret that making a career in the over-crowded furniture design market – not to mention a sustainable and affordable one – is tough. But as LINDA CHENG discovers, Malaysian-born, Australian-trained resident, MICHELE CHOW is not easily put off. Text Linda Cheng| Photography Christine Francis
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Paradise preserved Geoffrey Bawa changed the way we think about tropical architecture and its lush landscape setting. His own home and garden at Lunuganga in Sri Lanka are now iconic. Andrew Pfeiffer re-visits this paradisiacal setting. Text andrew pfeiffer | Photography Dominic Sansoni & Geoffrey Bawa Trust
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Monsoon drama
An architect’s vision is not enough to make an outstanding project – they also need clients with a vision. Spasm Design found such a client, enabling them to create this masterpiece in Khopoli.
Text Jagan Shah | Photography Sebastian Zachariah
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Industrial inventions A shed, a factory, or a house? This intriguing design by ODR Architects maximises space, creates amenity, and also adds to the urban landscape of its gritty inner-city neighbourhood in Victoria. Mark Scruby pays a visit. Text Mark Scruby | Photography Armelle Habib
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