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Marie Cahalane is a freelance writer and editor. Born in Edinburgh to a Scottish father and Iranian mother, she has also lived in England, Canada and China, has no idea where ‘home’ is any more, and always checks ‘Other’ when asked her ethnic origin. Over the years she has written for a wide range of British and American publications, from The Guardian and Mirror newspapers to Marie Claire, In Style, and New Scientist. She currently lives and works in Los Angeles.
Alicija’s love for travel stems from a somewhat passionate hatred of the British weather. She specilizes in communications, writing and branding for the creative, art and design industry. With incredibly witty and orignial writes and animators this will no doubt be a breeze! She is also a contributing editor for the award winning magazine We Heart — an online lifestyle and design magazine, and a brand influncer on design, culture and lifestyle.
James Davidson is an editorial Creative Director with years of experience working in lifestyle category markets. He is an award-winning publication designer. James dedicated the first stage of his career as a Creative Director and journalist for numerous magazines in U.K. and U.S.. He has worked within nearly every lifestyle subject category from celebrity, fashion, beauty, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, food, wine and travel.
Lisa is a freelance journalist based in Washington D.C.. She covers local news and international issues with focuses on business, culture and travel. Her work has appreciated in The Washington Post, Washington Mazgaine, among others. She currently serves as the Vice Chair of the National Press Club, helpign a dynamic community of freelancers network with potential clients, sources, and each other.
Features
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Cape Town
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Beijing Attractions
A Tour Through 798 Art Zone The 798 Art District is the third most popular destination in Beijing, after the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. Since 2002, it has established itself as an artistic hub of international repute.
The Mother City Lays Down Its Design Credentials Natural beauty and activities aside, the city is thriving with studios, centres, galleries, boutiques and cafés that ooze intoxicating originality. The handmade and the crafted is king here, which gives Cape Town a fascinating edge over many design cultures.
Interview: StudioXAG
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Le Nid, Tour Bretagne Inspired New Bar Flies Into Nantes’ Tallest Building
Utterly barmy, utterly brilliant, this is not a space of high-concept — this is Jullien’s bold, playful illustrative style manifested in the real world. There’s no deep meaning here, there’s no arty pretension; it’s just a ruddy great rubber bird!
Shop Window Maestros Talk British Creativity With Us
Hanging out with the ‘Bright Young Things’ in the 1920s would have been amazing. To adorn oneself in fabulous attire and indulge in such a raucous frivolous lifestyle, pushing boundaries of taste and acceptability.
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Neon Museum, Las Vegas
Departments
We Pay Our Respects At The City’s Dazzling Graveyard
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Sculpture on the Gulf Annual Kiwi Sculpture Event Broadens Our Horizons
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Milan Design Week 2013 Best Picks
Some of our hand-picked selection from Milan Design Week 2013
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Flashy Lights
Taxi Illumination in Japan
42 Centipede Cinema, Guimarães
Standing Room Only At Fascinating Cinema Installation
44 Clancy’s Fishbar City Beach, Perth
Shamelessly Vibrant Antidote To Monochrome Minimalism
Photographer: Kenneth Cappello Designer: Daniel Evans
St. Augustine said, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” Travelling to a city is just like reading a story book about the place. But instead of reading a history book, I am more interested in reading a belles-lettres, or even a graphic novel which written by the younger generations of the city. This issue of Ambience will send you to several historical cities and meet with their young designers. We will lead you into their most popular and creative locations — which all have a common feature — they were all been once forgotten and ignored by the city. These forgotten spots drew the attention of the young designers and artists. At first, these young creative groups might just want to find a place for meeting or expressing their ideas about political and social issues freely in the cities. However, their bold designs and art pieces had attracted the public and tourists; their vitality and creativity brought those forgotten places alive again. What make visitors impressed are not only the beauty of the arts, but also the young designers’ passion about their home, and how they reflected and transferred their cities’ history onto their arts. The world is a book, and it is an unfinished book. So let’s see how the younger generations use their creativity to write a new chapter.
Suki Lui Editor-in-Chief Follow me on Twitter @Sukilxyy
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ISSUE #1 Publisher / Louisa King Associate Publisher / Karim Rice Editor-in-Chief / Suki Lui Executive Editor / Kris Murison Art Director / Michael Pangilinan Co-art Director / Daniel Evans Photo Director / Stephen Walker Photo Editor / Steven Chow Editorial Assistant / Lare Trong National Advertising Manager / Amanda Pettiford Advertising Account Manager / Sakia Wilson Business Manager / Anna Huix Marketing Manager / Louise Barke Production Manager / John Harland Circulation Manager / Alf Santomingo Editorial Contributors / Sean Baker, Andy Beta,
Marie Bobila, Mike Tully, Jessic Hothersall, Lauren Howard, James Orlando, Elena Paresco, Nicholas Tax, Daisy Sparks, Kelly Bruce, Donna Hellinger, Dan Crane, Rebecca Willa Photographic Contributors / Erin Barry, Reed Burgoyne,
David Canning, Adam Fedderly, Tara Darby, Marley Kate, Lelley King, Henry Dukoff, Rupal Parehk, Emily Ray, Diane Vadino, Lynde Kim, Isa Weinberg, Jennifer Beth
Office Cordinator / Chris Abay Advertising Information / 604.432.2221 Subscription Information / 604.222.8133 EDITORIAL OFFICE ADDRESS / 1045 E16TH Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5B2C1 TEL / 604 432 2221 FAX / 604 432 2222 Ambience is published 6 times a year by Ambience Inc. Copyright is reserved, reproduction without permission is prohibted.
Feature
ARTICLE MARIE CAHALANE PHOTOS STEVE WEINIK
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Top Left: Space gallery in 798 Art Zone. Red, old Maoist slogans are still visible on the ceiling arches. Top Right: Entrance of 798 Art Zone. Bottom Left: Interior of an old Bauhaus style factory in 798 Art Zone.
ituated in the northeast Dashanzi area, Chaoyang, the 798 Art District is the third most popular destination in Beijing, after the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. Since 2002, it has established itself as an artistic hub of international repute. For those seeking immediate elevation of cultural prowess, find your way to 798, where architecture and art sustain one another, architecture resonating with notes of the past and art proclaiming China’s more current cultural revolution. 798 is a delightful bombardment of cuttingedge art, culture and coffee, housed in Bauhaus architecture. Beneath the cultural facade exists 798’s past life. In the 1950’s, during China’s first “Five Year Plan,” the area was an advanced center of production, with multiple, numbered factories making military components. Designed by East German architects, the compound was constructed in a distinctly utilitarian way that would make Le Corbusier proud: ‘saw-tooth’ roof designs and high ribbed ceilings, northfacing windows (to minimize shadows and
optimize light), vast spaces, asymmetry and regularity, right-angles and mezzanines. At its inception, 798 was modern and innovative, but electron tubes gave way to semi-conductors. Redundant, the former Factory 718 was vacated in the late 1990’s, and rented out. By 2002, attracted by spatial abundance and low rent, artists invaded. Studios, workshops and exhibition spaces sprung up. Beijing’s existing 798 Art District began to take form: a new kind of industry filling the buildings once occupied by production lines. In 2004, the government considered its destruction, but 798 was saved by the possibility of cultural revenue. Machines, industrial rigging, steam trains, tall chimneys and painted-red slogans imploring workers to surpass their quotas act as reminders of a formidable past, adding to the overall authenticity of 798. Ingrained with satirical undertones, an interesting contrast between the past and the present is created.
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798 Factory itself is a phase of history and is a precious artwork. The artists here think the architectures inside the factory are with lively artistic characteristic. And at the same time, those architectures, the original catchphrase and fresco in 1960s remained on the wall not only witness a phase of resplendent history of development of Chinese industry, but also reveal the pressing history to all of the visitors. 798 Art Zone is bringing the new-styled artistic
livingness to the traditional Beijing with its special culture sentiment. Here, tradition and modernization, realism and illusion, industry and artistry inconceivably conflict but interject with each other. Top Left: Artists Left graffiti in the an old factory of 798 Art Zone. Top Right: A machine tools displays in the Gallery.
As a workshop owned by the China state, Beijing 798 Factory has an important role in many exciting technology projects played. It was also the industrial area of China where the first atomic bomb was developed. But now the territory of the Bauhaus-style factory, a thriving new neighborhood arts attract worldwide attention. On the outskirts of town, near the Beijing International Airport, it is now an icon of the art world in Beijing. Have gone through social change the Beijing 798 Art District, over the years were followed by the cultural changes in China. In 1952, the third offering of Wireless Equipment Factory was built in the United Huabei. The huge building in the Bauhaus style were designed by East Germans, in a style unusual for China at the time. After the 1980s, however, China began the reform and opening to the outside. By industry regulation, the Beijing 798 Factory Area began work on from. 798 Factory area began to lose its functionality. Once, at least 20,000 workers employed at the site. Soon remained at just over 1000 to continue working. Although workers are now gone home, 798 Factory reminders of the history of the facility, such as poplars and white walls covered with Bottom Left: Some of the old factories have now been turned into art galleries or boutique.
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slogans Cultural Revolution. New to the life of the Beijing 798 Art Zone, when the Central Academy of Fine Arts, School of Art in Beijing leaders, Wangjing Huajia Tue, moved near the plant Beijing 798th Staff and students were looking to work for major studios. And they found the space left by accident. Because the rent was cheap, other professional artists and arts organizations installed, creating a kind of cultural renaissance. During the 2003 Beijing International Biennale, several exhibitions were held device Beijing 798 in order to attract international visitors and the support of the industry to gain visibility in the world of art. The name “Beijing 798” achieved celebrity. The New York Times as the “Soho of Beijing.” Space for a growing number of international exhibitions, has Beijing 798 since become known in the West as a cultural landmark of China. Beijing 798 had a less commercial value, but, as the 798 was an important district for contemporary Chinese art. Once the home of many famous artists of China and the important events of the art in the Beijing 798 District, so that Beijing 798 to appear historically prominent.
The unique architectural features of the area can be in the heart of the 798 Art Center. Huge, serrated factory buildings, large column framework, old vaulted ceilings and slanted bar skylights keep the German Bauhaus style intact, conveying a minimalist atmosphere and focusing on the concept of practical design. Top Left: Exhibition banners and posters are hanging in the Art Zone. Top Right: Huge factory pipes in the Art Zone.
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For those looking for an architectural experience, a visit to the 798 Space gallery is mandatory.
798 is unique: you’ll see mottled slogans, obsolete facilities and equipment alongside brightly colored sculptures, and uniformed workers walking alongside fashionably dressed visitors. It’s a perfect blend of history and reality, industry and art, with a really unique creative atmosphere. Bottom Left: A large tin cup installation with Maoism Slogan on it.
For those looking for an architectural experience, a visit to the 798 Space gallery is mandatory. Even between exhibitions, the doors are left open, enabling visitors to experience its empty shell and get a real feel for the space. A ‘saw-edged’ building, it is not unlike an airport hangar — light cascades through windows and industrial features punctuate the concrete floor. Across a covered alley adjoining the buildings, is the 798 Photo Gallery. Again, light strikes the moment you enter, pouring from above over multiple levels. For an adventure, navigate stairs (which disregard all thoughts of safety) up to the next level where the space extends further. Head up another flight, and you are met with vaulted cubby-holes. A combination of haute culture and architecture lies in wait at the Ullens Centre for Contemporary
Art (UCCA). One of the larger international commercial galleries of 798, it hosts a range of immense exhibitions as well as events. The ground floor is made of three massive exhibition halls of different sizes, along with a small auditorium, a shop and a restaurant (Switch, which serves great food). Light filters through a central source, down arched concrete supports, along a steel skywalk, offset by the old chimney and boiler, naturally saturating the gallery. In May this year, these halls were filled by Giorgio Armani’s “One Night Only in Beijing,” celebrating 10 years of Armani in China and a reminder of the cultural prestige bestowed on 798. Be swallowed by space at the Art Bridge Gallery. The gallery covers an area of 1000 square meters, the height of which is 9 meters, though it is often divided. For an unorthodox and entertaining experience check out the Bandi Panda House. The Faurschou Gallery and Quac Art Space are elaborate examples of saw-edged building design and are also certainly worth visiting. In the summer of 2006, Paul Smith, the British designer for men, famous for his striped T-shirts, a fashion show held in the “Beijing 798“. Super models, famous artists and personalities of the sport as an artist whose prices are rising rapidly,
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attended the ceremony. On the stage Beijing 798, is in harmony with the art of fashion. No doubt, the Olympic traffic in 2008 brought even more attention to the famous Beijing 798 Art District. After all that wandering, grab a coffee or a bite to eat in The High Place. Literally wrapped around a tree, you must climb over limbs to grab a seat. If you have a cruel streak, head up the steep and narrow stairs for a tree-top table (hats off to the staff who ascend those steps with ease). For an ultra chic cafe experience, stop in With Space With Space. Large glass windows are perfect for people watching; spot the cool kids and the
hipsters as they soak up the art and the occasional wedding photographer as he snaps pictures of a happy couple. Gentrification has ushered in yet another stage for 798. It seems the district has developed into a micro-city fully equipped with lavish accommodation, a hotel, a hospital, design businesses and more. Needless to say there is worry that the area has lost its original artistic essence. In reality however, the 798 Art District remains a two-tiered exhibition field: on the one hand you have the cultural aspirations of modern China and on the other, China’s socio-industrial history; the former enabling the latter. In the early 1980s, contemporary Chinese artists were finally into the general consciousness, but not the mass market. Some have succeeded in the region. Zhao Bandi, a performance artist and one of the first studio to be in the region Beijing 798, also the first owner of an Alfa Romeo convertible in Beijing and has appeared in films was with his car. As the artists began to earn a living, moving art to be performance-oriented, more object oriented. Turbulent decade after the Beijing performance art, more artists: paintings, sculpture and photography has become as a medium of expression, they could also live it. As art became more and more supplies, shopping centers, restaurants, design firms, magazine publishers, cafes and boutiques also appeared. Tourists started coming just to the art, which is still easily accessible to many artists’ studios, in addition to the showrooms to see open to the public. For this reason, many artists in the hope of gaining greater international attention, after the wave of creativity “Beijing 798”. The area is now known as “Beijing Dashanzi art district”. In recent years, many foreign art
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Top Left: Scupltures of wolves. Top Right: Scuplture of a screaming Chinese worker. Bottom Left: A statue of a soilder, display outside of the factory. Bottom Right: A contemporary statue of Buddha.
galleries are in the vicinity of Beijing 798 arts, including art projects in Tokyo, Japan, and opened the Galleria Continua in Italy. Some are even rumors that the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation would have found a new museum at Beijing 798 However, there was also a rumor that Qi Xing Group, the property management company, had planned to return to the field of real estate investment. The news created much discussion, but Qi Xing Group, was silent in the excitement. With great efforts by teachers at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, artists and art lovers this year, the Beijing city government officially announced that the county would recognize the art for improvements Advanced Contemporary Art in Beijing 798. Soon after, Guy & Myriam Ullens decided Foundation, one of the largest collections in the world of contemporary Chinese art, a museum open in the region with the help of his director Fei Dawei. Ullens collection is currently in Switzerland.
continued on page 10 Top & Bottom: Graffti can be found everywhere in 798 Art Zone. Artisits expressed their thoughts about government and society thought graffiti.
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Market for Chinese contemporary art has the red Fortoty Beijing 798 to a center of consumption and a stage for the parties. With official support of Beijing, many artist begin to spend time and money into renovating and decorating their rooms in Beijing 798 “We have rented a new space — more than 1,000 square meters in Beijing 798” said Cheng Xindong, director Cheng Xindong space for contemporary art and Qi Xing group suggested that although most shops were rented out. There are a number of arts organizations and companies on the waiting list.
Top Left: “Her Tears Flowed” exhibited in a Gallery of 798 Art Zone. Bottom Left: Beautiful window display installations in a fashion boutique of 798 Art Zone. Bottom Right: Tourist is taking picture with the installations and graffiti wall.
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Artist Huang Rui, who is much more to contribute to cultural development of the region is, from now on only rare for media interviews. In 2003 he and his friends hosted the annual “Festival of Art Dashanzi.” The first edition of the Dashanzi Art Festival has been viewed positively by management of the Group of Qi Xing. But in 2006 the festival took the name “Beijing / Background,” more than 100 Chinese and foreign contemporary artists in every medium. Huang
Rui and his friends pushed the “Beijing 798” on a broader stage of art. There is even a hint of optimism about the future of the “Beijing 798” for artists, galleries and the media. Market for Chinese contemporary art has the red Fortoty Beijing 798 to a center of consumption and a stage for the parties. Beijing 798 is also the home of all media, including the headquarters of Time Out Beijing, the editor of Elle magazine, and many other creative services.
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Natural beauty and activities aside, the city is thriving with studios, centres, galleries, boutiques and cafĂŠs that ooze intoxicating originality. The handmade and the crafted is king here, which gives Cape Town a fascinating edge over many design cultures. Bottom Left: People in Cape Town are re-painting the old town into bright yellow, for celebrating the coming event.
ARTICLE ALICJA MCCARTHY PHOTOS CAPE TOWN DESIGN NPC 12 MAY/JUNE 2013
Top Left: Sculpture in Cape Town Design Indaba Conference, 2013.
he city of Cape Town went a little design crazy for a week in and around Design Indaba festival, the country’s leading annual design-led extravaganza. Having been awarded the prestigious World Design Capital 2014 title, it’s all go in terms of creativity. I must admit a trip to South Africa filled me with excitement but slight anxiety — known for its natural beauty and resources, it’s also known as a particularly violent place if caught out in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Of course, this was not enough to deter us from packing our shorts and camera and heading 9,000 miles south! The Mother City, although not the capital, is a stunning continent’s edge — sharing both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Its main landmark — Table Mountain – stands tall and flat overlooking the city. Both atop and from below, the views are spectacular; spanning miles against perfect blue skies and gentle waters. One of the main attractions of Cape Town is still the weather: moderate, sunny and most agreeable, naturally. However, natural beauty and activities aside, the city is thriving with studios, centres, galleries, boutiques and cafés that ooze intoxicating originality. The handmade and the crafted is king here, which gives Cape Town a fascinating edge over many design cultures.
Having attended the Design Indaba Conference, we saw some of the world leading international authorities on graphic arts — Seymour Chwast, food — Alex Atala and architecture — David Adjaye, speaking about their careers and the future of their craft. In terms of top names in design, it seemed everyone was there! Having launched in 1995, Design Indaba remains ‘committed to a better world through design’, which not only helps the economy but also educates — which is a significant goal in terms of a better life for all South Africans.
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Bottom Right: The distinctive red of the Clock Tower has been replaced by a bright yellow to signify the implementation of the Cape Town World Design Capital 2014. Photo courtesy of World Design Capital Cape Town 2014.
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It’s not Cape Town’s most upmarket suburb, but it is authentic and vibrant, which can be partly be attributed to the fact that it escaped the trauma of apartheid’s Group Areas Act and was always a racially mixed area.
The Design Indaba Expo was another integral part of the festival. The young design crowd exhibited anything from furniture to ceramics. Fashion designer Jessica Harwood at Take Care stood out for me with her simple cuts and stunning fabrics; while Pichulik’s hand-made rope jewellery had a bold and daring graphical aesthetic. Design Indaba is a fine event in terms of awareness through creativity, education and making connections. For me however, it was the Woodstock Design District that was a real eye opener when discovering new design in Cape Town. It’s here that ‘renewal, regeneration and growth’ is at its most exciting. The location is a short drive east from the centre of town, and as you enter the area old Victorian townhouses and warehouses appear. Colourful and charming by day, you’ll need a pre-booked taxi at night, as unfortunately there’s still a level of crime in the area.
The Woodstock Exchange is a hub of ridiculously hip concept stores and cafés. It’s as if the patrons have taken the best in world design and mixed it with local history and aesthetics. Design café culture is big here, and surrounded by artisan shops it makes for a great afternoon out. The Woodstock Foundry is another space for makers and designers, the gated studios are vast and here you’ll find many sculptors and product designers – the idea is for artists and designers to be a part of the regeneration of Woodstock, ‘a place that brings the buyer closer to the maker’. We attended the launch of the Heavy Metal exhibition, curated by Trevyn McGowan of the non-profit Southern Guild, who is a local authority on new talent. With over thirty artists, sculptors and makers exhibiting a wide variety of metal works.
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Bottom Left & Bottom Right: Woodstock Exchange Studio. Woodstock, one of Cape Town’s oldest suburbs, is located within the City Bowl and within easy access of the city centre. From Woodstock, visitors have views of the harbour to the north and Table Mountain to the south. Companies are encouraged to set up shop here to boost both the commercial and residential property markets. It’s not Cape Town’s most upmarket suburb, but it is authentic and vibrant, which can be partly be attributed to the fact that it escaped the trauma of apartheid’s Group Areas Act and was always a racially mixed area.
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Top Left & Top Right: At the Woodstock Foundry we found a space carefully curated and filled with one-off pieces, books, stationery, writing implements and art. It all combines to form the studio and shop of Andrew Breitenberg, an American artist. He moved to Cape Town to pursue a career in street art that focuses on poverty stricken areas in Africa. He opened the public studio in the Woodstock area where a lot of his street art is on display and named it SELAH, meaning “pause and reflect”, inviting you in to browse and spend some time perusing his work and vintage finds.
Bottom Left and Bottom Right: Next up is the amazing hair cuttery, The Lobby. Craig Johns, hairstylist and owner, hit the nail on the head with the look and feel. It’s one of those places that you walk in and instantly feel cooler just for being there. Besides his clear talent for design, Craig is also a genius with a pair of scissors, so if you’re in need of a trim- you know where to head.
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I was agog with the talent on show. With largescale sculptures from Bronze Age, Dokter and Misses’ fine drinks cabinet, Jop Kunneke’s Sous Chef ’s knife block, to name just a fraction…
The Soweto Theatre is more than a theatre — there will be several performance spaces, parkland, public art and other amenities. It will be a multipurpose performing arts centre, used for theatre productions, music productions, dance productions and choir singing. It will also host festivals, conferences, meetings and community gatherings. Bottom Left: The Soweto Theatre.
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When it comes to evenings in Cape Town there are plenty of quality restaurants and bars. Do your research first as you don’t want to be wandering onto the wrong street tanked up on cocktails. We ate at the wonderful Bukhara and Savoy Cabbage where we sampled springbok! For drinks, we spent plenty of Rand at The Orphanage – where the cocktails were superb. Daddy Cool at The Grand Daddy hotel is another great cocktail bar, try to stay at their Airstream Rooftom Trailer Park if you can! For real South African lo-fi greatness, we drank local wine at the Tibuktu Café, which is essentially a plant-filled balcony that blares out all types of music; from 1920s jazz to soul. Cape Town is a beautiful city, but not without its problems. Inequality is still prevalent, yet it’s a city full of genuine heart. Rich and progressive in many ways, using design and creativity seems one the best ways to educate not only local people but tourists and observers alike.
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Situated on the slopes of Signal Hill and west of the City Bowl, Bo-Kaap’s steep streets are lined with colourful traditional houses that are painted in vibrant colours.
Bo-Kaap is situated on the slopes of Signal Hill, west of the City Bowl. Steep streets are lined with colorful traditional houses, painted in vibrant colors. Bo-Kaap is a neighborhood in Cape Town, South Africa, that was originally settled by freed slaves brought over by the Dutch in the 17th and 18th Century. Today the Bo-Kaap area is an attractive place to stroll around. The cobbled streets are lined with colorful houses providing the perfect opportunity for some wonderful snap shots. Walking tours as well as culinary tours are readily available. Top Left and Middle Left: Colourful houses in Bo-kaap.
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Department
We Pay Our Respects At The City’s Dazzling Graveyard
ARTICLE EDWARD ROTHSTEIN PHOTOS WILSON HENNESSY 18 MAY/JUNE 2013
Las Vegas, We may be made of star stuff, as the astronomer Carl Sagan once said, but our imaginations contain a strong dose of “Stardust”, at least as the word appears here. The capital S, its 17-foot-tall body peppered with bulbs, is shaped like a coy lightning bolt. Its jagged strokes change thickness and meet at unexpected angles, like the stylized clothes of “The Jetsons.” The T’s are like toon sketches of rays shooting from stars. And the whole word here — though not lighted up with pulsing energy as it once was — seems to conjure fantasy. It doesn’t just advertise the name of a Las Vegas casino, now defunct. Its associated whiffs of sci-fi adventure and high-tech possibility — of stardust and neon — are imprinted on the imaginations of several generations.
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It’s an unconventional museum in two parts. The defunct, decommissioned signs of Las Vegas have a new resting place — the Neon Boneyard — looking more like a scrapyard for crapped-out motors, minus the usual pair of mangy curs on a chainlink leash keeping out the skiprats.
The letters appear here in the outdoor “boneyard” of the Neon Museum, just past a time-rubbed Aladdin’s lamp and a shattered signature of tubed glass that once heralded the Liberace Museum. A boneyard is an outdoor graveyard for discarded hardware and spare parts; in this case it contains the relics of an age of neon in a town that transmuted inert gases into things nearly alive. The museum began in 1996 as a modest attempt to rescue remnants of that era, later leasing city land for its own boneyard of salvaged signs. The Young Electric Sign Company, once Las Vegas’s most innovative sign manufacturer, also donated its jangle of corpses. The collection grew. Over the years the boneyard began to live up to its name with peeling paint, empty sockets and rusted metal, and the museum began to live up to its name with tours on request through its one and a half acres containing about 450
elements from often kitschy signs. Public and private money was raised for what became a $4 million project (including a small park across the street). By raising another $2.5 million, the museum was able to restore 15 major signs to their full glory. They were mounted downtown and on Las Vegas Boulevard. Finally, the lobby building of the 1961 La Concha Motel, which the museum helped save from the ax, was moved here. Its poured concrete clamshell design, revealing glass walls beneath its whorls, was restored to the vision of its creator, Paul Revere Williams. It opened last fall as a kind of museum lobby, providing a small store, display screens surveying Las Vegas history, and a place where visitors could meet guides for a 45-minute tour, which is still the only way the artifacts can be viewed. With set hours, a visitor center and a staff, the boneyard is being resurrected in museum form. Annual attendance is expected to double from the roughly 20,000 of the past. Stick with Stardust for a moment. As those letters stand here, we can’t really get their full impact. They come from the original sign that made its debut with the casino in 1958. It was just after Sputnik was launched, and tourists were gathering here to watch atomic blasts at the Nevada Test Site. Its font became famously known as “Electra Jag” or, more familiarly, “Atomic.” The sign was the Strip’s largest, 216 feet long, rising 27 feet above the casino’s first floor, with 11,000 bulbs and 7,000 feet of neon tubing, sparkling with extraterrestrial splendor: it displayed the entire
continued on page 20 Top Left: Sign fragments from Horse Casino. Bottom: Sign fragments from the Aladdin, Stardust and Sahara casinos.
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solar system, the Earth at its pre-Copernican center. It has been suggested that the original pinkish lettering matched the color of Vegas’s radioactive dust. The sign made an explosive impact and could be seen for three miles across the desert, a blast in its own right. You can get some idea by looking at old photographs at the visitor center or touring the Mob Museum nearby. In the early 1960s — the Renaissance of Neon — Tom Wolfe described Las Vegas as “the only town in the world whose skyline is made up neither of buildings, like New York, nor of trees, like Wilbraham, Mass., but signs.” In their startlingly original book, “Learning From Las Vegas” (1972), the architects Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown and Steven Izenour pointed out that signs might be the most “changeable” aspect of Las Vegas, but also “the most unique, most monumental parts of the Strip.” The Golden Nugget casino, they write, evolved over 30 years “from a building with a sign on it to a totally sign-covered building.” They refer to this as creating a “decorated shed.” No one in Las Vegas, Mr. Wolfe suggested, buys a sign to fit a building; the building is modified to support the largest possible sign. These signs, then, are more substance than ornament. Behind the original Stardust sign and its casino were motel-like buildings, undecorated sheds. They
Top Left: The H Wall. Top Right: Sign fragments in The Boneyard Park.
were lifted from the mundane partly by being given planetary names, but mainly by the neon’s afterglow. The sign transformed what was within not by pointing to it like a traditional sign, but by pointing somewhere else — here, to the fantastical, explosive possibilities of the atomic space age. Signs had to be spectacular because they were enactments of fantasy fulfilled. You want stardust? Here it is.That might give an idea of what was once at stake here. One of the most striking signs is from the 1955 Moulin Rouge, its cursive letters curving into elegant patterns in which the art historian Kirsten Swenson fancifully sees a mock-Arabic script — as if invoking the early 20th century’s French African colonies. And, indeed, the Moulin Rouge was advertised as “the nation’s first major interracial hotel” at a time when most casinos made racial “exceptions” only for entertainment. But it closed just months after opening. The themes are rich. What is
needed is more information. The museum’s companion book, “Spectacular: A History of Las Vegas Neon,” is deft and informative, but it would help to have signs labeled and the narrative more clearly defined. And a deeper exploration of neon’s past on the new video screens would help make sense of the surprisingly different present. There are, of course, still signs in Las Vegas. But as the authors of “Spectacular” point out, the contemporary casino has become a sign unto itself. Beginning in the 1990s, themed casinos, like the Luxor and Excalibur, turned their entire structures into signs: an Egyptian pyramid, a medieval castle. That effect endures even when the approach is more abstract. The Wynn, for example, calls attention to itself by having no apparent theme; it is a sleek, showy, mirrored curve of gold — a surface with no grit, only gleam. Inside the Wynn the fantasy shifts with images of ripe flowers bursting into extravagant bloom in bouquets, floor patterns, paintings, even stage sets for the casino’s show. Sensual fullness and fecundity within, gilded excess and elegance without. Who needs neon when everything is a sign? But if you find yourself succumbing to stardust’s allure too completely, you can now go to the Neon Museum and see what happens to all that flash when colors fade and decay sets in.
Bottom Left: Sign fragments from Stardust Spire.
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ARTICLE JAMES DIVIDSON PHOTOS THIBAULT DUMAS 22 MAY/JUNE 2013
tterly barmy, utterly brilliant, this is not a space of high-concept — this is Jullien’s bold, playful illustrative style manifested in the real world. The bar is holed up in big bird’s rear, its neck stretching around the entire space, the eyes of his sleepy head open and close, whilst visitors cavort in his strewn eggs — there’s no deep meaning here, there’s no arty pretension; it’s just a ruddy great rubber bird! Commissioned by Le Voyage à Nantes — a major arts initiative for the French city — Le Nid is everything you could wish for in a bar, we egg-spect you won’t want to leave.
Top Left: The 144-metre tall Tour Bretagne standing in the city of Nantes. Bottom Right: The huge rubber bird display in the bar Le Nid.
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This is Jullien’s bold, playful illustrative style manifested in the real world. There’s no deep meaning here, there’s no arty pretension; it’s just a great rubber bird!
Dominating the skyline of Nantes, and one of France’s tallest buildings outside Paris, Tour Bretagne is not exactly the prettiest of skyscrapers — but that no longer matters. Not one iota. Because, thanks to London-based French graphic designer Jean Jullien, it now hosts perhaps one of the greatest sky bars on the whole bloody planet. Le Nid — which towers 144m over the city — centres around a sleepy 40m-long half-stork, half-heron, and its eggs; which form the bar’s stools and tables. Weighing 80 000 tonnes, the 144-metre tall Tour Bretagne. An unpopular architectural symbol of Nantes erected thirty-six years ago, whose colossal shadow looms over the heart of the city. On the 32nd floor, which was once closed off in the early 2000s for security reasons, Nantes-born but London-based artist Jean Jullien created Le Nid (The Nest). Born in Nantes, he now works and lives in London. Directly inspired by popular culture from his childhood (from cartoons to video games) and still today, through exhibitions, books, marketing campaigns, as part of the many commissions he has received
from all over the world, he offers a sensitive and lunar universe, emphasized by the “handmade” aspect of his work. Le Nid is the home of an enormous white bird, half-stork, half-heron, who sleepily watches over the city. Its reassuring presence invites spectators to come contemplate the view. Its large body also doubles as a bar. As if leaping out of a Jean Jullien drawing, gigantic eggshells transform into seats and tables. On the walls, the artist’s hand has immortalized the city’s emblematic spots on bright posters. Inspired by toys, cartoons and Japanese mythology his work often revolves around innocent characters and his talent of applying personality to his work is evident in Le Nid. Around the bar the walls are decorated with handdrawn typography and posters naming buildings and landmarks of Nantes which is coupled with a soundtrack developed specifically for Le Nid by Jullien’s own brother — the musician Niwouinwouin. What had started as an artistic venture became a city-wide success after the skyscraper was re-opened to the public on June 15th 2012 (175 000 visitors have since passed through its doors). Does this mean that the Tour Bretagne has finally been accepted by the local population? We have a talk with 29 years old Jean Julien.
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What was your impression when you first got out of the lift on the 32nd floor of the Tour Bretagne? It wasn’t that impressive to be honest, as it was just an office space with partition walls. So you didn’t have that great open space that currently exists. But the view was the same so as soon as we got on the terrace, yes it was pretty amazing. Your work on the top platform at 144-meter high is based on the idea of a bird and a nest? Like most of my work, the idea behind Le Nid was pretty simple: I wanted to create a cosy place with a great view at the top of a high tower. Hence the nest, which is exactly that. But we couldn’t fill the space with straw, for obvious health and safety reasons, so I decided to expand on the idea by resting a giant bird in the space and turning the furniture into eggs. I wanted the whole space to be very coherent and be a graphic piece as much as a livable space, which is why everything has been designed as a whole. Along with this enormous white bird Le Nid bar is decorated with posters stylishly representing monuments of the city. Is Nantes’ tortuous history inspiring? Most definitely. But I tried to stay light and put hints of humor without making obvious statements. You have to remember these will be on the walls for as long as the bar is open so they
shouldn’t bore the viewer. They’re definitely more “aesthetic” than some of my other work because The main feature of the bar is the large curving neck of the bird, with its body operating as the counter and it’s neck leading you around the space and seating areas — which by the way are made up of chairs styled as eggs.
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Top Left: Interior of the bar Le Nid. Top Right: Egg-shaped chairs in the bar. Bottom Left: The original floor plan of the bar drawn by Jean Jullien.
they need to be able to blend in as decorative pieces. It’s when you take the time to “read” these images that the subtlety appears. They are about the architecture with hints of connotations, rather than statements on the history of the city. I think it’s more fun this way. Is this aerial artistic construction a counterpoint to the gigantic water tank located underneath the tower? No but now that I think of it, it would be great to create a whale to go in this tank!
For Graphic Designer Jean Jullien, this bar is his first 3D and installation design project. We can see he has put lots of graphic design elements into the design of the bar. For example: illustrations, posters, typography, etc. Top: Tables and chairs in the bar, posters designed by Jullien are displaying on the wall. Bottom Left: Jullien also designed logo, identity and menu for the bar. Picture shows a menu on the egg-shaped table. Bottom Right: Original sketches of the egg-shaped table and chair, drawn by Jullien.
The Tour Bretagne is often depicted as an architectural failure, the sky scraper symbolically opened in 1976 just after the success of The Towering Inferno. A tough image to reinvent... I kind of like the Tour de Bretagne. Sure it’s not what you’d called an architectural masterpiece but representative of a certain era. That’s the beauty of architecture: whether you like it or not, a building always says something about the history of the place it’s built in. I
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Le Nid offers visitors unrivalled 360° over the city of Nantes, the river Loire which flows through the city and out towards the surrounding countryside, the Muscadet vineyards and the Loire estuary towards the port of Saint Nazaire. Top Left & Top Right: Visitors are view the city of Nantes from the outdoor area of Le Nib. Bottom Right: A sketch of the skyscraper and the huge rubber bird installation.
think calling it a failure is very subjective. One persons’ horror is another persons’ treasure... I think the problem with the tower was that it is so big and central, yet so private. Everybody could see it but nobody could see from it. I think part of the success of Le Nid comes from the fact that it is “giving back” the view to the people of Nantes. In fact after a decade of closure, more then 3000 visitors come now each day to take in the view from the tower. So you think this urban spot has finally become popular? It seems so. It’s been very well received by the public. I think it’s a mix of curiosity and enthusiasm. People heard about it, about this weird idea of putting a bar with a giant bird at the top of the tower and decided to go and check it out. Now let’s hope this enthusiasm carries on.
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Artistically speaking what are the differences between Nantes and let’s say... London? Well for starter London is a world wide class capital. It’s a gigantic city booming with arts, culture and thousands of creative. So, statistically speaking, there are more things happening. Having said that, I think Nantes is immensely dynamic in term of creativity. The Voyage à Nantes [artistic mega-festival that took place this summer] has really put the city on the European (world?) map of culture. But there’s a lot more happening that you don’t hear of. Lots of musicians, designers, graffiti artists, etc... Artistically, it’s very rich and definitely my second home after London. This is what happens when you let a graphic designer decorate a bar on top of a skyscraper. Le Nid overlooks the city of Nantes at the too
of the Tour de Bretagne. The idea is simple but so extremely well executed. As it’s a nest, the bar is shaped like the body of a bird, while it’s long necks circles and wraps around the space, eventually ending at the birds head. Around the space are dozens of cracked egg chairs for sitting or resting your drinks on, which give the space such a wonderful touch. To further the ambience, Jean’s brother Nicolas, who creates music under the name Niwouinwouin, has created original music for the space. Topping it all off is the fantastic, 360º view of Nantes, which as you’ll see in the video above is an absolute treat. Seems like a nice change from the typical generic swank of sky bars, non?
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ARTICLE LISA DARBY PHOTOS JAMES MILLS 28 MAY/JUNE 2013
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Hanging out with the “Bright Young Things” in the 1920s would have been amazing. To adorn oneself in fabulous attire and indulge in such a raucous frivolous lifestyle, pushing boundaries of taste and acceptability.
Whilst the Oxford Street front windows of Selfridges are packed full of Kusama polka dots, the side of the store has been made over with over-size props of makeup tools to mark the launch of the brand new Beauty Workshop. Each display showcases the different beauty services the workshop offers via a mixture of scaled-up card sculptures of lipsticks, make-up brushes, scissors, eyelash curlers, and even a hair dryer. The Selfridges 3D creative
team collaborated with East End set design collective Studio XAG to construct these impressive paper pieces.
ounded in 2009 by Xavier Sheriff and Gemma Ruse, StudioXAG are a magicweaving duo whose work we’ve featured before. No surprise then, that we’re fans of the spells they’ve cast upon many a shop window; their works for the likes of Diesel, Christian Louboutin and Fred Perry causing gasps of excitement and awe from design junkies around the world.
Do you think location affects creativity? Definitely. Your surroundings and environment influence and inspire you all the time.
Top Left and Bottom Right: The store windows of Selfridges on Oxford Street, created by Studio XAG. Top Right: A Designer took photo in front of a giant hair dryer installation while they are setting up the store windows.
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As expert makers, forward-thinkers, and lovers of the eccentric, the duo were perfect candidates for our ongoing Create GB project, so we tracked them down to talk tea, the 1920s, Roald Dahl and British creativity. What are you working on at the moment? A national window roll out and an amazing Christmas installation for Diesel Carnaby Street, and Christian Louboutin’s upcoming windows and renovating our flat amongst other exciting projects. Which piece of art/design/performance/ communication/fashion do you wish you had created? Having first come across him at the Hayward’s Psycho Buildings exhibition, I was blown away by Do-Ho Suh’s amazing intricate fabric structures. I wish I had the patience for that… Where’s your hometown, and where are you based now? Originally from Leeds, now based in East London(Gemma). London all the way(Xavier). Bottom Left: Installation for the London Graphic Centre. Inspired by light refracting through a prism, it was made up of six rays of colour and one white ray made from nearly 4000 individual pens, pencils, pastels etc.
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Top Left: Store Window display for Christian Louboutin in 2011. Featuring a stylized summer garden against the backdrop of a perfect azure sky and cotton wool clouds. The viewers focus is immediately drawn to the central installation; an oversized Caterpillar whose myriad legs have been replaced with those of a shapely woman.
Is Britain’s creative industry too London-centric? It depends on your field to an extent. It would be very difficult to do what we do based anywhere else in the UK, but there are great creative communities all around the country. There has to be an epicentre/focus, you could say most things are too London-centric if you think that way… How would you describe British creativity? Diverse, forward thinking, playful, innovative, inspiring. If we could replace the Queen on bank notes with one iconic British design, which would you choose? The London Underground map so — you always have one handy. Has being British had an effect on your discipline? Coming through the British art school system certainly effects how you channel your creativity. We found that by being fairly loose and open with briefs and tutorials — but ultimately relatively critical — it instills the need for you to set your own rules and march to the beat of your own drum. Perhaps if the weather were better we’d be less inclined to work all the time?
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Bottom Right: “Neon Graveyard” for Christian Louboutin store on Mount Street in 2011. An amazing Vegasinspired typographical installation. Each letter has it’s own story to tell and can be traced back to original Vegas signal. The stainless steel shells house a mix of Pygmy and Golfball bulbs, 4 different colours of neon, backlit
perspex and crystal Cabochon. To make sure the window all came together beautifully each letter was powder coated in a rich, bright and glossy colour to match a shoe or a bag in Christian Louboutin’s current collection. The window was such a success in Mount St., and they recreated a smaller version for the flagship Paris store.
Top Left and Right: “Hands On: Design Brought to Life.” A childhood daydream comes to life as studioXAG create an eccentric doll’s house drawing room scaled up to adult size. The plate glass wall of the gallery reveals a design aficionado’s tea party, replete with the quirkiest
new design objects. Accept the genteel invitation to this Unsettling the nostalgic delight of the scene, a giant pair of hands hang pendulously above the room, a very fitting motif for an exhibition in which handcraft is the star of the show. studioXAG use craft materials to meticulously
What do you think the rest of the world’s view of British creativity is? It seems to be pretty well respected. We’ve got a long established cultural history and our designers, artists and art schools are world renowned.
The best piece of advice you’ve ever been given… When you can’t quite get something and it’s starting to stress you out become awesome, and tackle one or more different little jobs that are nice and easy, come back to it when you’re fresh. What makes you smile? Lie-ins, eating well, dancing, dressing up, friends…
The Swinging 1960s, punk, Hacienda-era Manchester… is there one period of intense British creativity that you’d like to have been a part of, and why? Hanging out with the “Bright Young Things” in the 1920s would have been amazing. To adorn oneself in fabulous attire and indulge in such a raucous frivolous lifestyle, pushing boundaries of taste and acceptability; being part vile, part fabulous and quite fascinating could be fun… if only for a little while. Are there any quintessential British traditions that inform your work? TEA, TEA, TEA. The top 3 British creatives who have inspired you? Tim Walker, Fredrikson Stallard and Roald Dahl. What are your top tips for discovering new talent? Visit the graduate shows and go with your gut instinct. Who is your one to watch? We are! For art Appau Junior Boakye-Yiadom, we love his witty installations… What are you most passionate about? Ooh, different thing all the time. Anything that gets me excited, whatever project we are currently working on. Also, different types of materials.
replicate the interior architecture, from the traditional fireplace and floorboards, to sash windows complete with shutters. The fittings play with scale and materials to surreal effect.
What is your guilty pleasure? Chocolate cake swimming in cream and Spider fighting. Where is your favourite London haunt? The Prince Arthur in Hackney for lazy Sunday lunch. Fish and chips, Cornish pasties… what’s your favourite British dish? Full English breakfast (nice veggie sausages for Gemma please). What is your signature dish? Gotta be the recently named ‘chuckwagon stew’ a rice tomato stew with beans and everything from the cupboard in it. We’re going to the pub and we’re buying, what are you drinking? A pint please. What’s next for you? Hopefully more installations and giant props and collaborations— in dreamland a Selfridges’ window. And of course, we are going to have a bigger studio! Bottom Right: Store installations in for Fred Perry in 2011. As series of sculptural installations made from bicycle parts to promote the launch of Fred Perry’s vintage cycling range in Laurel Wreath stores Europe wide.
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This year they are being treated to the work of a dozen artists; the spectacles range from rural graffiti to urban invasion, from the more conventional to the distinctly abstract.
SCULPTURE ON THE GULF
ARTICLE STEVE COLES PHOTOS JANE HELLER 32 MAY/JUNE 2013
The Headland Sculpture on the Gulf exhibition is held every two years and is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2013. The New York Times puts it in their top 50 places to visit. This year they are being treated to the work of a dozen artists; the spectacles range from rural graffiti to urban invasion, from the more conventional to the distinctly abstract. Left: “Beyond Good and Evil” by Konstantin Dimopoulos. Middle: “Pavilion Structure” by Gregor Kregar. Right: “Breath” by Nic Moon.
Nowhere in the publicity did it say that Peter Jackson had entered a work in the Sculpture on the Gulf exhibition. But there it was, on the headland, a Hobbit building complete with squealing Hobbit children prancing around and playing on the swings which hung from the creaking construction, cobbled together from bits of timber. But these heightened expectations were dashed when it was revealed that the work was actually by the mere mortal of an artist, Gregor Kregar who had created the Middle Earth structure.
Matiatia, the front windows of the store becoming a viewing window of the bay below. This harbor view is also a feature of the remarkably sophisticated “Bunker Vision Hi Fi” ($15,000) by Jonathan Organ and Jessica Pearless. The black building has a slot in one wall much like that of a maimai or one of the many gun emplacements which dot Auckland’s coastline. The exterior of the room has a façade which is based on one of Colin McCahon’s Angels and Beds paintings, one which is subtitled HiFi because the shapes appear to spell out the words.
The original; McCahon works were about protection, the Constructed out of eleven tonnes of recycled timber “Pavilion light of knowledge and passing from light into darkness. These Structure” owes much to the traditional children’s tree house, notions are reinforced by the inclusion of a bold pink geometric work by Pearless on an internal wall. the elegant European pavilion and /////////////////////////////////////////////////// the jerry built bachs of Waiheke. The Other architectural works include work has much in common with the Terry Stringer’s “Shrine for the Sea. artist’s previous work that sees him Soil and Sky”, a three sided temple working within the area of the cultural or folly featuring a head, foot and landscape looking at architecture, hand. There are other common cultural symbols and emblems with themes to the exhibition with many an element of playfulness and wit, works referring to figurative elements giving the everyday object a surreal while others reference the history and mythic quality. and the ecology of the island and “Pavilion Structure” is one of several works in this year’s exhibition which have taken an architectural; approach.
The work is a nice commentary and it homages to the fast disappearing Waiheke beachside minimalist holiday home.
the environment in general. One other major theme is the idea of communication.
There is also Mathew Muir’s “April 1975” ($8300) a cute little old bach, bigger than a dolls house but not big enough for a play house. It is equipped with table, chair, bunks and miniature copies of 1970’s magazines as well as one of the artists own paintings – a retro painting of an old bach.
On the opening day the most obvious and literal of these was the work by Fatu Feu’u with his “Waiheke Island Sway”. The work itself does not have the power of most of his sculptural; work consisting of three cartoon-like guitar shapes in red, yellow and blue.
The work is a nice commentary and homage to the fast disappearing Waiheke beachside minimalist holiday home.
What made the work successful was the presence of two grass skirted female musician/ dancers / singers who performed
Waiheke also features in Regan Gentry’s recreation of the facade of the old Rocky Bay Store – an architectural appropriation which is located on the roadside overlooking
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Top Left: “Baubles” by David Carson. Top Right: “Not for Sale” by Bev Goodwin. Top Right: “Collapse” by Fletcher Vaughan.
mid-twentieth songs of the Pacific accompanied by some hula dancing. This bit of Pacific on Waiheke was a clever and witty take on colonialism, cultural appropriation and exploitation. The most successful work of this sort was “Field Notes” by Carolyn Williams. Dozens of delicate metal rods suspended between the bough of a tree and the ground with each rod having a metal shape representing a sound which the artist had transcribed from sounds she had recorded in the environment around the tree. These shapes hovered in the air, a physical representation of the sounds one could hear. Her work had a companion piece in Sharonagh Montrose’s “A Weave of Words” which consisted of a small grove in the bush where which the artist had created a soundscape which could have been pre recorded or sounds picked up from elsewhere on the trail and fed back into the grove. Several of the works were interactive with works such as Aaron McConchie’s “I Am Auckland” ($11,430) which initially looked like a giant scrum machine. The work consists of three large wooden paddles which can be manually manipulated by levers. The work is like a primitive form of semaphore, enabling participants to signal across the harbour to those on the mainland. The most innovative of these notions about communication is Kazu Nakagawa’s “A Play – Catwalk” in which the artist has chosen two curators who in turn have designed costumes to perform on the large outdoor catwalk. The whole piece is a combination of fashion show and promenade with the audience as spectators, voyeurs and participants. Other works in the show include an Phil Price’s elegant “Snake” ($180,000, David McCracken’s “Portrait if Traction and Transmission ($75,000), the only work which makes use of the waters edge and Jeff Thomson’s sprawling “Knotty” ($25,000) which looks like a reworked and repainted version of his large work which sprawled down the hill above Matiatia six years ago. Among the other thirty works are sculptures by Peter Lange, Matt Ellwood, Sarah Brill, Nic Moon and Graham Bennett The New York Times recently voted Sculpture on the Gulf thirty-fifth on a list of 100 great places to see. 34 MAY/JUNE 2013
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Top Left: Scintilla LED lamp from the 2013 collection Admit One Gentleman of DANTE, aka Aylin Langreuter and Christophe de la Fontaine.
Although the most important annual event on the world design calendar recently closed its doors, the electric buzz it’s left behind can still be felt in the air. Having said that, it could just be me and my ongoing jet-lag! I encountered a fair amount of criticism at this year’s Milan Design Week, largely due to everyone’s continued frustration at the sheer volume of things to see and places to visit. From the sprawling RHO Fiera and its epic 24 halls of Salone Internazionale del Mobile, through to the design events spread far and wide across the entire city in every direction, it continues to be virtually impossible to do and see it all. Despite this challenge, this year I managed to keep up the pace and navigate the city better than ever, although I would have liked to have seen more. If I had to single out a few personal highlights they would include Salone Satellite (the best I’ve seen to date), Ventura Lambrate (my favourite day and an area that keeps going from strength to strength), MOST (a truly spectacular setting and a fantastic event instigated by Tom Dixon) and Moooi’s Unexpected Welcome show with its magnificent oversized photography by Erwin Olaf. Zona Tortona and Superstudio remained disappointing for the most part, and I was also somewhat underwhelmed by my usual
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ARTICLE DANA TOMIC HUGHES PHOTOS LAUREN DUKOFF
favorite — Spazio Rosanna Orlandi. Having said this, Orlandi’s exhibition at the incredible Museo Bagatti Valsecchi definitely made up for this. So without further ado, it has been an absolute privilege to collaborate with Mr. Yatzer, aka Costas Voyatzis who trusted and gave me the honour of becoming his eyes and ears for this year’s Italian design marathon. So here’s some of our hand-picked selection of the best projects and installations from Milan Design Week 2013!
Bottom Left: Scenography by Studio Job for Lensvelt inside the 18th century Sala Cenacolo at Museum of Science and Technology (MOST). Bottom Right: Bucket lamp by Studio Job for Moooi.
The Kitchen (Top and Middle)
Quiet Motion (Bottom Right)
“The Kitchen” is an unconventional set of furniture objects which collectively appear more like a playground rather than a system which has been designed with preparing food, cooking and the act of eating in mind. designed by studio rygalik, the industrial looking pieces are all based on a four-legged frame which are complemented by a range of attached elements including: a bread basket, hanger, cutting board table, salad bowl stand with an ‘IV’ dressing stand, and various sized work surfaces all developed with utility in mind.
In partnership with designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, BMW i presents an installation entitled QUIET MOTION. Against the backdrop of the world’s biggest design furniture fair, the BMW Group marks the anniversary of its creative collaboration with designers spanning a wide range of industries. The designers have evolved the underlying values of the new BMWi and the new car design it ushers in. They draw on a typically BMW i eco-friendly, select mix of materials. The carbon fibre for the revolutionary lightweight design of the BMW i bodywork was created using renewable energy sources and is a key material along with the interior leather that has been treated using vegetable tannins. Without any further chemical application, it is nevertheless very hardwearing and boasts a unique look. The designers also used fabrics made of the sustainable wool yarn that will feature in the BMW i seat upholstery. QUIET MOTION proposes to interpret the question of the interior environment of a car with a more domestic approach.
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The White Tiles The white tiles (The Storywall) of the Analogia Project by Andrea Mancuso and Emilia Serra in collaboration with master ceramist Alessio Sarri. (Ventura Lambrate).
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Swarm Lamp (Top Left)
Love Boat (Bottom Left)
The Swedish-based design studio, Jangir Maddadi, is presenting the graceful Swarm at the “HS Design Building (discover via Tortona 58) during the Milan Design Week. Swarm is born from the vision of Jangir designers to create “unique pieces that are both functional and beautiful”. Swarm brings together three simple materials: glass, wood and metal. The angle of each Swarm can be adjusted to a road spectrum of positions, and each lamp can be purchased as one, a group of three or a group of five, giving people the freedom to choose the light that best suits their needs. Swarm is 100% Swedish-made, a lamp with a strong character and a masterful design.
Beirut-based design studio Bojka, which creates furniture and artistic installations using a variety of vintage and contemporary fabrics, will be showing a new collection entitled Migration at Spazio Rossana Orlandi during the upcoming Milan Design Week. Bokja’s philosophy is to cherish a sense of the past and to layer new objects with memory. Each piece is created in the studio’s Beirut workshop by Lebanese and Palestinian women who understand how to celebrate each piece through thoughtful and creative assembly. Reflecting the impact of war, taxes, instability, the economy or even love, the Bokja team has created a textural collection which captures the very fundamental human experience of bundling up belongings, packing away treasure and moving on.
Il Treno (Top Right) A modular dining experience — by Tjep. Presented at PLUSDESIGN Gallery in Ventura Lambrate.
Jar RGB lamp (Bottom Right) Jar RGB is a lighting project, mainly conceived for public spaces, that connects thin colorful glass and the idea of RGB color mixing, allowing users to create an interesting range of combinations. Using white glass for one of the hanging jars allows it to turn into a large light bulb generating the light for the entire fixture. Observing one jar through another and the space surrounding them gives one a unique discovery of color superimposition. Jar is about how the colors interact with each other with see-through effects and with the light, both natural and artificial. In the words of the Arik Levy, the designer “the object benefits from the surroundings and changes according to the background”.
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Top Left & Right: Japanese taxi signs illuminating at night. Top Middle: A Japanese taxi driver.
Prowling the city of Tokyo are hoards of taxis, chasing down lonely passengers on their way, to and fro. Characteristically, all are equipped with automatically opening doors and a driver’s white gloves. However, little distinguishes these roaring vehicles, classically Japanese, outside the small glowing beacon perched on the center of their tops — each company from every region set themselves apart with their own special logo and shape. How practical, since, from far, a passenger can see what type of ride they are in for that night! Today, Ambience spots some of the great variety of roaming lights for you. In Japan, the most simple and ordinary things are that target of unrivalled attention and refinement, proving that the saying God is in the details might have had an Oriental origin. The perfectionist spirit of the Japanese makes them think of every little detail, improving them and personalizing them creatively, as much as prescribed standards will allow. Taxis, for instance, are all alike: they are painted the same colour, equiped with the same automatic doors and driven by a person in white gloves. However, little details make them, to Japanese acute eyes, easy to tell apart. That’s the goal of the small light sign on the car roof of the taxi.
ARTICLE KEVIN MCGUE PHOTOS ALEXANDER JAMES
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When they started being used, light signs were used for emergencies. In 1954, due to the large number of muggings of taxi drivers and passengers, a law was passed that allowed lights to be installed on the roof of the car to signal danger situations, when necessary. After being made redundant, the remaining signs, now with no functional purpose,
were considered extravagances of vain taxi drivers.
Tokyo Cat Yamasuiro Kotsu Taxi
More recently, the light signs have become all the rage again. They are now used to carry the logo for the taxi company, taxi rates, or even publicity. Their shapes and designs vary a great deal and the creativity behind them is astounding...
Tokyo Cat has a really eye-catching sign, an addorable lucky cat on a yellow flash background. They bring luck, for sure!
Checker Taxis
Now let’s take a look at some Tokyo taxis. Kojin Taxi Co. Next we found a Kojin Taxi. Sometime, there is a light with three stars on it. You have to know that these can only be proudly displayed on taxis driven by “master drivers.” In other words, drivers who have not had a traffic violation or accident in at least a year…
Tokyo Musen
Sakura Taxi Co.
Everyday Taxi Co.
Daiwa Taxi
Kakinoki Taxi Co.
No, that’s not meant to be a pyramid! Tokyo Musen’s unique rooftop light was designed with the Tokyo Tower in mind — one of the city’s most famous symbols.
Bottom Right: A taxi is running at night in the urban area of Tokyo.
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ARTICLE ROSE WOOD PHOTOS EDDIE BURKE A new free-standing ‘centipede’ cinema designed by an academic at the Bartlett School of Architecture, UK – will open this week in Guimarães, Portugal as part of celebrations for the 2012 European Capital of Culture. The centipede cinema conceived by Professor Colin Fournier in collaboration with artist Marysia Lewandowska, was commissioned by the 2012 European Capital of Culture as a ‘public intervention’ for the Portuguese city. The design team led by Professor Fournier included two former graduates from Diploma Unit 18 at the Bartlett School of Architecture, George King and Mark Nixon, founding partners of a London based design firm called “Neon”. The cinema invites filmviewers to enter its canvas and cork structure via one of 16 nozzles so that their upper bodies are part of the cinematic experience whilst their legs are rooted in the outside world. The alien-like structure creates a stark contrast with the historical streets of Guimarães, a designated UNESCO World Heritage 42 MAY/JUNE 2013
site. This contrast is echoed in the playful juxtaposition of reality and the world of fiction. The authors were inspired by the Guimarães CineClube (CCG) when conceiving the cinema project. The CCG was founded in 1953 during the authoritarian Portuguese regime Estado Novo, led by António de Oliveira Salazar, which started in 1933. Professor Fournier explained: “The CineClube brought international films to the city, some of them popular films broadly available from commercial distributors, but also many classic “cinéma d’auteur” art films by directors such as Jean-Luc Godard or Fellini, that often openly conflicted with the right-wing ideology of Salazar’s regime. The cinema is also influenced by the local environment and the area’s traditional industries. The cinema is made from a steel frame and covered in local cork to promote the diversity of the material. Portugal is the world’s premier producer of cork, but with the increasing use of synthetic cork in wine bottling, the industry is looking at ways to diversify. Inside, viewers will be treated to an hour-long film made up of 20 3-minute trailers selected by local workers. Top Right: Some people are watching a movie in the centipede cinema. Bottom Left: Interior of the centipede cinema. A couple is enjoying the movie.
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ARTICLE SARA WEBB PHOTOS JO WALKER
Top Left: You are able to see the beautiful sea and beach from the fishbar. Top Right: Colour chairs, drawings on floor, and towel chandeliers in Clancy’s Fishbar.
Unabashed in its stimulating vibrancy, the playful, welcoming interiors of this beachside restaurant are a gleeful ‘up yours’ to the staid, unimaginative minimalism employed by so many contemporary spaces these days. Having been issued a brief to concoct something clever and colourful, whilst being quick and frugal with finances, Perth based architect Paul Burnham set about transforming the large, sprawling and uninspired space of a 10 year old restaurant recently acquired by Joe and John Fisher, the owners of two existing Clancy’s Fish Pubs in Perth, Western Australia. Opening just 7 weeks after work commenced, and coming in at under £170,000 – including all tables and chairs – Burnham certainly achieved on the latter conditions of his initial brief. It’d take a brave man who argued he hasn’t delivered on the clever and colourful too. Unabashed in its stimulating vibrancy, the playful, welcoming interiors of this beachside restaurant are a gleeful ‘up yours’ to the staid, unimaginative minimalism employed by so many contemporary spaces these days, and the relaxed, exuberant vibe is a testament to that. The new Clancy’s Fish Bar at City Beach is the renovation of a ten year old restaurant space within a stand alone beach front pavilion near Perth, 44 MAY/JUNE 2013
Western Australia. The existing building is located directly on the white sand dunes of the popular and pristine City Beach overlooking the wide beach and clear blue of the Indian Ocean. The design intent was to achieve the most significant and dramatic transformation of a sprawling and undistinguished space into a cheerful and family friendly pub environment suited to it’s beachside location. The large space was stripped out and the vast raking ceiling painted in a dark charcoal, providing a background to the twelve lavish fabric chandeliers. The new lights are suspended from the ceiling by a frivolous chord of vibrant fabrics, suggestive of the colour and brightness of summer beach towels. The original concrete floor was painted over with children’s games, patterns and mermaids. All new furniture was designed or selected according to it’s ability to contribute to the festival of colour. Multicoloured slatted timber chairs contribute to the lighthearted beach shack character. Vivacious Designers Guild fabrics, quirky multicoloured timber chairs and a concrete floor painted with children’s games, Burnham’s vision for the City Beach branch of Clancy’s Fishbar is bright, bold, shamelessly theatrical and, we love it.
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