2009 April | design tavern

Interior Photography By Rachael Smith

Here are some of the shots from London based freelance photographer, Rachael Smith

Rachael who graduated from University in 2000 has worked for a number of design and advertising clients throughout the UK and also across Europe.

She has a talent for capturing the very essence of a place in her interior shots. Portraying not just the physical features of a home, but giving us an insight into what it may very well be like to live there.

She has the unique ability to capture what makes a house a home in her interior shots.

Here were a few of my favourites..

Swedish Summer House

Against the Swedish, Forest Background.

A well loved and often used fireplace

A warm room that captures the ability of floor to ceiling windows to bring outside in.

Ladbroke Grove Home

This shot gives us into a glimpse of the family home — A Classical piano on modern, polished concrete floors is the main feature of the room. Whilst the toy car lets us know that the Home belongs to a young family.

Eero Aarnio’s Home

The Home of Furniture designer Eero Aarnio.
Here he is with his famous bubble chair

A library or study room – With still a hint of Aarnio’s plastic and fibreglass furniture

www.RachaelSmith.net

Published on April 28, 2009 8:14 pm.
Filed under: architecture, photography

Philippe Starck — more than just an outrageous accent.

Designer Philippe Starck — Attempts to answer the question.. “Why design?”

An interesting and entertaining presentation.

Check out Philippe Starck’s full bio via Ted.Com

“…and there is people like me, who try to deserve to exist, and who are ashamed to make this useless job, who try to do it in another way, and they try, I try, to not make the object for the object but for the result, for the profit for the human being, the person who will use it. If we take the toothbrush — I don’t think about the toothbrush. I think, What will be the effect of the brush in the mouth? And to understand what will be the effect of the toothbrush in the mouth, I must imagine: Who owns this mouth? What is the life of the owner of this mouth? In what society this guy live? What civilization create this society? What animal species creates this civilization? When I arrive — (and I take one minute, I am not so intelligent) — when I arrive at the level of animal species, that becomes real interesting.”

Published on April 25, 2009 7:30 pm.
Filed under: design

Emotive Illustrations by Micah Lidberg

Here is a sample of some of the talented work of Micah Lidberg that I have fallen in love with on my great internet travels. Michah, now living in Missouri describes his work as “a sincere effort to capture the great beauty and energy I see in the chaos that is our world.”

His signature is to use simple materials to make complete pieces whilst exploring the constant entertainment of ‘making.’

Beautiful/Decay, Computer Arts, Creative Quarterly Journal, Crafty Magazine & Society of Illustrators LA

‘They’ is a piece from a project where I would go venturing through the woods at night snapping all sorts of photos. The illustrations are based on what my imagination was telling me was out there with me.

Code Book from Micah Lidberg on Vimeo.

A small message is encoded in the imagery. The key to the code is laid out on the front and back cover.

‘Angry Cloud’ is the story of a rebellion staged by the creatures of the forest against a power hungry storm cloud.

Wait — This is based off a sketch book project I worked on with a friend, Scott Ener Grover.

http://micahlidberg.com/

Published on April 23, 2009 10:56 pm.
Filed under: art

Unique Australian Residential Architecture from Melbourne based firm.

Edward River House
Deniliquin NSW
The design of this farmhouse located on the Edward River near Deniliquin explores an interpretation of historic farm buildings in the local area typically constructed of timber frames and corrugated iron cladding.
The house is traditionally sited adjacent to the river and the two storey structure is linked to a water tank tower which identifies its position nestled amoungst the indigenous Red Gums on the river frontage.

Melbourne Based architects Jackson Clement Burrows offer highly refined, unique and successful solutions for their clients and public.

The founding directors are Tim Jackson, Jon Clements and Graham Burrows, and are involved and committed to all stage of architectural process, from start to finish.

Armadale House, Armadale VIC

An alterations and additions project to an existing Victorian house in Armadale that had been renovated in the late 1980s. The project involved a complete refurbishment of the existing Victorian House and a new upper level extension separated into two private zones.

The project was Runner-up in the Belle-SAAB House of the Year awards 2004

The team which consists of 20 core architectural staff suggest that their design philosophies lie within their ability to be flexible during the design process –

“Our design methodology is often informed by making intelligent decisions about perceived constraints.”
The Team can also boast a broad and diverse range of collective experience, allowing for the tackling of small residential programs right through to large scale urban design, multi-storey commercial and residential towers and large industrial projects.

Cape Schank House, Mornington Peninsula, VIC

The Primary program is elevate to take advantage of expansive views across the Mornington Peninsula from Bass Strait to Port Phillip Bay.

The house engages with the landscape in both form and materiality. The upper level extends westwards towards the views appearing to emerge from the Ti-tree over an artificial escarpment formed by the lower level.

“Our depth of experience ensures that we can service projects of all types and sizes and our collaborative studio culture combined with the intimate scale of our offices ensures that we maintain consisten and direct contact with out clients.”

The practice has been awarded with wide print media coverage and AIA awards. “We believe our proven ability, intelligent design responses and collaborative team approach make us ideally suited to delivering successful architectural outcomes.”

Port Melbourne, VIC
This project is located on a small infill site of just 120m2. The two bedroom house has off-street parking concealed behind an active facade which is illuminated at night. The project consciously challenges the neighbouring mock-heritage terraces and gives the streetscape a new identity.

http://www.jcba.com.au/

Published on April 23, 2009 12:06 am.
Filed under: architecture

Hot Spot in Paris

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The French are often times described as being the most fashion-savvy people in the world. As a result, it would be unlikely for a new, hip-restaurant in Paris to be a success without an equally fashionable interior and La Société accomplishes just that. The 130-seat restaurant located in a historic building across from the Saint Gemain church is owned by the famous Alex Denis and Jean-Louis Costes and was designed by Christian Liaigre.

]Liaigre gave the interior a classic modern , lounge-like feel by using rich, chocolate tones of mahogany and leather furniture in contrast with patina finish parquet floors, a marble champagne bar, and white sanded walls. Contemporary art provides a unique addition to the interior with works by Peter Linderbgh, Sophie Lafont, Mathieu Lévy, Sara Favraiu, and Marc Rebollo.

La Société has already received much hype with famous guests such as Rachida Dati, Dolce & Gabbana, and the Fendi family and is currently featured in both Wallpaper and Vogue magazines.

Published on April 21, 2009 2:00 am.
Filed under: design

Flickr Finds

the adventures of Bubi

Published on April 15, 2009 12:05 am.
Filed under: photography

Contemporary Jewish Museum – Daniel Libeskind

Daniel Libeskind is an internationally renowned figure in the fields of architecture and urban design. An American architect of Polish-Jewish birth, Libeskind was originally a virtuoso performer before turning architect and receiving his degree in 1970.

Libeskind has dozends of completed works and many still under construction with projected completion over the next decade.. I wished to share an introduction to Libeskind’s work and philosophy with this example,
The contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco.

With the opening of its new building in June 2008, the Contemporary Jewish Museum (CJM) will usher in a new chapter in its 20-plus year history of engaging audiences and artists in exploring contemporary perspectives on Jewish culture, history, art and ideas. The new facility will be a lively center where people of all ages and backgrounds can gather to appreciate art, share diverse perspectives, and engage in hands-on activities.

“Inspired by the Hebrew phrase “l’chaim” (to life), the building is a physical embodiment of the CJM’s mission to bring together tradition and innovation in an exploration of the relevance of Jewish values and traditions in the 21st century. The new 63,000-square-foot facility, located on Mission Street between 3rd & 4th Streets in downtown San Francisco, will enable the Museum to present an expanded array of engaging programming including art exhibitions, live music, film screenings, lectures and discussions, and educational activities for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

The new addition to the Museum explodes out from inside the traditional building

Minimialsit interior, interesting use of light as well in this shot.

Published on April 11, 2009 2:09 am.
Filed under: design

Book vs. Knife vs. World

The book business has been in trouble for quite some time now thanks to the glorious digitalisation of…well, everything. No longer are books the prestigious technology, able to transport knowledge in the most effective manner. Instead, we have the internet where information, books and beyond are a mere click away, ready to be viewed on our personal computer screens.

The tangible book, it has long been predicted, is a dying art form, slowly being eroded by newer and more efficient internet technologies. Artist, Brian Dettmer from Chicago, in his ‘book autopsies’ demonstrates this erosion in its most metaphorical sense in his body of work, Adaptations.

Antonia Peacock writes, “As content morphs into miniature geologic landscapes, the natural physicality of the book is accentuated. We experience these deconstructed books as fragile, organic matter that cannot escape eventual decomposition.”

Images via Packer Schopf Gallery

Another, somewhat more optimistic reading of the works is that the intricate sculptural designs carved into the books are symbolic of the depth of meaning present in a printed work, one which is only distinguishable after much carving and cutting away at the physical form.

For book lovers, on the other hand, it seems like an almost bible-burning pursuit, one which is destroying beloved stories and words of the authors.

Check out more of Brian Dettmer’s work at the Packer Schopf Gallery here.

Published on April 8, 2009 11:02 pm.
Filed under: art

Fro Yo Craze

TangySweet – Washington D.C.

This past weekend I was walking around D.C and I passed the newest Tangy Sweet {a frozen yogurt shop} — which just opened up its second shop in Penn Quarter. As I was studying the design of the front facade I decided that this would be a really fun post to develop, a look into the Interior Design of the frozen yogurt craze.

An article from Wallpaper magazine recently showcased this same story line , called “Top frozen yoghurt bars”. In this article the frozen yogurt craze is described as “a once-gaudy dessert which has traded in its Richard Simmons-type reputation for a stylish new look”. This article featured the design of Frolick in Singapore, Myberry in Paris, Oko in New York, and Pinkberry in California.

Sno: la Kyoto, Japan

Pinkberry, California

Oko, New York

Snog South Kensignton, London

Frolick, Singapore

And if you have not already decided to go hit up your local frozen yogurt shop to check out what this craze is all about then you probably will very soon – as it is becoming the new place to socialize and meet friends. LA Times writer, Charlie Amter, also did a feature on the “frozen yogurt wars” and said, “Fro-yo shops such as Pinkberry and Valley Village’s new Menchie’s are attracting crowds that previously hung out at Starbucks or the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Actual “scenes” are developing at some locations — partially because of their interior design, as well as customers’ increasing appreciation for the health benefits of eating yogurt over, say, drinking a Frappuccino”.

Myberry, Paris

Published on April 7, 2009 4:34 am.
Filed under: design

Iconic Glamour @ Rough Review.

It’s getter rare these days to find decent chick magazines these days. Over at Rough Review, they’ve convinced me that Glamour’s 70th Anniversary issue is a welcome change to this trend.

Rough Review is a review site featuring short editorials covering everything from pop culture, to games and random internet silliness. In this recent post, Rough Review writer (and Design Tavern contributer) Elizabeth comments on the brilliant photospread featured in one of the most popular women’s magazines on the market.

Featured in this issue of the popular women’s magazine is a photo spread dedicated to the iconic females who have helped shape the lives of women across the globe in a myriad of different ways. Actresses, musicians and sports stars – the piece includes them all, displaying most profoundly that magazines are not yet dead and have great artistic merit on occasions.

You can check out the original post @Rough Review here.

Published on April 6, 2009 11:10 pm.
Filed under: photography

Creative Desks & Workspaces

“It is almost necessary to make sure you love your workspace: because it is at your desk where your best work and ideas are born and developed.”

Well, can’t argue with logic like that! Check out the post here!

It’s always an ardous task when you go to sit down at your desk. In fact, these days just sitting down is half the battle when it comes to completing assignments or doing some work. For this very reason, you might as well make your work space an attractive one. Over at La Couturier, this is exactly what her latest post suggests you should do.

Fashion blogger and writer for DuJour mag, ’La Couturier’ knows her stuff. In this latest post, entitled My Space she gives you all the advice you need to revamp your work space and make it an inspiring and oh-so pretty one.

Images via weheartit.com

Published on April 4, 2009 10:11 pm.
Filed under: design, featured

Recycled Paper homes to address homelessness and developing countries.

Wall AG have developed a pre-fab home, the ‘Universal World House’ to be made from recycled paper as a response to those in devloping countries, the homeless or perhaps those displaced by disaster.
The Design uses a product known as Swisscell — Cellulose is extracted from recycled newspaper and cardboard, the resin from the recyclables is then formed into honeycomb like walls that provides an amazing strength to weight ratio as well as excellent insulation.

“Gerd Niemoeller says that the 36sq m paper house weighs barely 800kg (1,763lb)- lighter than a VW Golf. ‘Without the foundation block, the whole house actually weighs in at about 400kg,’ says the design engineer. It will not, however, simply blow away. The basic material is resin-soaked cellulose recovered from recycled cardboard and newspapers.’”

I found this gem via Archicentral.com view the original article here.

and also via Timesonline (UK)

Mr Niemoeller who patented the invention explains.. “The prime purpose is to create intelligent housing settlements almost instantly for the displaced and the urban poor.”

“People don’t want to flee their countries, they’ve been driven to leave their homes out of the need to survive,” said the 58-year-old engineer. “The number of migrants, refugees living in improvised housing, is going to grow with climate change, and we offer an alternative.” An alternative, that is, to the corrugated-iron sheds and lean-tos so often seen in the slums of the developing world.

The house has eight built-in single and double beds and a veranda with a sealed-off area housing a shower and a lavatory. It has been designed together with the German development aid agency GTZ, and with the architect Dirk Donath, from the Bauhaus University in Weimar.

Apart from the sleeping area, there are shelves, a table and benches. “It has been designed so that a family can slaughter an animal on the veranda, wash it in the shower and hang it, along with fish, on an integrated washing line.” The whole wall of the kitchen can be tipped open to let air in and to blur the distinction between inside and outside.

It may be a tad exaggerated (or perhaps ignorant?) to name a design the ‘Universal world house’ I wonder if it could stand up to the likes of a harsh Australian summer or a freezing Greenland? One would also have to question is stability and fire susceptibility — Regardless, a positive step toward global housing.. no matter how fundamental

Published on April 3, 2009 12:20 am.
Filed under: architecture

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