WIDN blog: August 2009 Archives
Playing the Building by David Byrne
August 25, 2009
The Roundhouse has been host to many musical events, including David Byrne’s first UK gig with Talking Heads in 1976, but today a pump organ sits in the centre of the room. Coloured tubes, looking like veins, are attached to it. Each colour connects to a mechanical device fixed to different parts of the building. When the keys of the organ are pressed, the devices ‘play’ the room like a gigantic musical instrument.
Malham Ivory from William Ball
August 24, 2009
William Ball's new Malham kitchen range, Malham Ivory is a classic kitchen with a contemporary twist. Its design is especially suited to period properties, but it is equally suitable for those in newer homes wishing to install a kitchen with a classical design signature that will stand the tests of time. It has been tested by the Furniture Industry Research Association and received the FIRA Gold Award for heavy domestic use.
Jan de Cock: Don’t Mention the Chipboard
After working with the material for most of his professional life (albeit he is just 32), Jan de Cock wants to talk about something other than chipboard. ‘Would you ask Rubens why he uses oil paint?’, de Cock complains vociferously. It’s clear that a lot is at stake with this new exhibition, which he has been working on for nearly two years, and tensions are running high.
Victoria and Albert Museum comes to Dundee
August 21, 2009
V&A director Mark Jones outside the V&A in London
With the London Design Festival approaching, we’re in danger of getting a bit London-centric. So I was glad to learn this week that plans for a new Victoria and Albert Museum in Dundee are a step closer to fruition.
London Design Festival: The Tournament
London’s Trafalgar Square will play host to The Tournament, a gigantic chess set created by Spanish designer Jaime Hayón, during the London Design Festival.
ALNO Country Collection
August 20, 2009
ALNOTERM
The new Country Collection from ALNO features warm wood finishes, open sideboard units for baskets and bottles, and glass doors with top light sash bars. The collection creates a snug, country house ambiance, but manages to maintain the look and feel of a lovely quaint farm style kitchen with a modern sophisticated edge.
Palomba Collection by Laufen
This is the third new product installation in Laufen's Palomba collection since it was launched in 2005. The new ceramic pieces include three standard-sized and one small washbasin, and are the result of a collaboration between Italian designers Ludovica+Roberto Palomba and leading Swiss bathroom brand Laufen.
FusionDesign Kitchens by Troy Adams Design
August 19, 2009
Take a look at these gorgeous dream kitchens by Troy Adams Design. This is a circular kitchen based around a California Red pyrolave countertopped island. For the uneducated, pyrolave is an enameled lava-glazed stone used for surface materials, apparently. At first, the kitchen was a standard, cramped u-shape with an island. Adams opened the kitchen up to the adjacent living area by making it circular with only a breakfast bar dividing it from the rest of the home.
Radical Nature and Richard Long
One of Heather and Ivan Morison’s domes entitled, I am so sorry. Goodbye, installed at the Barbican
Let ecology inspire artists, let biology be the blueprint for architects. If Radical Nature had a manifesto, that might be it. The Barbican’s show charts the vogue for eco-design with works dating back to 1969, before global warming was even on the international agenda.
London Design Festival: Size + Matter
August 18, 2009
Shigeru Ban, one of two designers commissioned for the London Design Festival’s Size + Matter Initiative, will construct the world’s tallest paper tower 
It seems London may squeeze in just a few more warm, sunny days, but the harsh reality is, summer, or whatever we have to consider to be a summer, is nearly over. And on its heels, for the design industry, is the hectic and exciting month of September.
The London Design Festival is set to run the 19 – 27 of September with up to 200 design events and activities geared toward designers, manufacturers, students, consumers, businesses and other enthusiasts.
New glaze colours from Lubna Chowdhary
London-based artist Lubna Chowdhary caught my eye earlier this year with her whimsical style, created through traditional craft techniques with contemporary colour combinations and abstract motifs.
Chowdhary has unveiled new glaze palettes she has developed for her “cipher” collection of tiles. They are available in 10x10cm and 5x5cm sizes.
Snøhetta Bucks Recession Trends
A model of the King Abdulaziz Centre wrapped in steel wire to represent steel pipes that capture heat from the sun
Snøhetta has obviously not heard that icons are out of fashion. Speaking at the Royal Academy’s Annual Architecture Lecture in July, practice directors Craig Dykers and Kjetil Thorsen, described how they ‘look for similarities in different places’, and think the term ‘context’ is overrated. A map of their current projects, shows the globe with coloured dots scattered all over it. One of the most dramatic is located in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Spinning Seats by Noel Blakeman
August 17, 2009
This year, the Affordable Art Fair celebrates its 10th anniversary with a special 10th Anniversary Garden, designed by landscape design practice Green Graphite. The design sees a vertical landscape of living walls planted with herbs, ferns and flowers, surrounded by lush lawn and amazing furniture designed in my favourite material, yes, you've guessed it - Corian!
Transport for London launches design competition
From graphics to roundels, Tube stations to textiles, London Underground is steeped in a history of innovative design. As part of the refurbishment and upgrade of London’s transport system, Transport for London is holding a competition to design a new seating fabric, also known as moquette, for use on the Underground system. The winning design will launch on the Piccadilly line in 2012 and will then be adopted across the other lines.
Restaurant Bond by BERLINRODEO interior concepts
August 13, 2009
Here are some shots of the interior of Restaurant Bond Berlin, designed by Berlin-based architect and interior designer Axel Schaefer. The restaurant is designed to echo the glamorous style of the Bond films from the 60’s and 70’s, but with a modern sensibility that brings it up to date.
Handle Stools By Fernando Brizo At Amode
Designed by Fernando Brizio, the Handle Stool is a limited edition piece available from Amode. Only 2000 will be made and sold worldwide via selected retailers and each handle stool is signed and numbered under the base.It was initially developed to install “the perfect skin” concept, presented at the 2000 “Essere Ben Essere, Triannalle” in Milan.
Platonic Fireplaces
I know it's August so posting about fireplaces seems a bit odd - unless they double as a BBQ - but with British weather you always need to be ready to warm up no matter what month it is! These unusual fireplaces by architect Henry Harrison really caught my eye.
Notion by Vado
August 12, 2009
UK based Brassware Specialist VADO has recently introduced its new range of bathroom products, Notion. Clean smooth chrome is carefully coordinated with a delicate finish of either snakeskin or silver raindrops to add a luxurious feel to the bathroom. The range incorporates a variety of products for bathing and showering including single lever basin mixers in both mono and wall mounted fixtures, floor mounted bath and shower mixers, concealed shower mixers and waterfall spouts in both decked and wall mounted versions.
Adventures in Corian #9 - Chiaraluce lamps
August 11, 2009
Table and mini
Designed by Monica Ferrigno and Carlo Dameno, the Chiaraluce range includes a table lamp, mini lamp and suspended light. The 6 mm-thick Corian piece is cut and folded and treated by hand to create a surface finish that slightly reflects the light source. It is available as standard in white or black and on request in other existing Corian colours and finishes.
Adventures in Corian #8 - Ruggiu
Italian design firm Ruggiu have created Strip, a contemporary table or wall light crafted from DuPont™ Corian® that uses LED technology. It can be attached facing down or used as an attractive up-lighter.
The Cube, Madrid
August 10, 2009
This glass “Cube” in the new Spanish financial centre near Madrid is 21.6 metres high and 30 metres wide. The cube‑shaped bank lobby was designed by architect Alfonso Millanes Mato. Inside, trees up to twelve metres high throw dynamic shadows and provide a pleasant room climate.
Adventures in Corian # 7 - chorusdesigngroup
August 7, 2009
MORE Corian! Italian firm chorusdesigngroup dreamt up this table and lamp combo which I absolutely love. Paolo.a, is an innovative and elegant outdoor seating solution. Both elements of the design - the mattress-like formed
bench and the adjustable height lamp shade - are formed from Corian.
Should the Government do more to discourage intellectual property theft?
ACID CEO Dids Macdonald
In a recent press release, ACID, the self-described ‘hard-hitting’ Anti Copying in Design organisation, has attacked what it sees as the Government’s soft line on Intellectual property theft.
Le Méridien Grand Hotel Nürnberg renovation by JOI-Design
August 6, 2009
JOI-Design have reinvented Le Méridien Grand Hotel Nürnberg with a stylish blend of “old world” Grand European glamour and values of chic cultural discovery and the “language of travel”. The renovation of its 186 guestrooms is due for completion in October 2009, while the newly created ‘Fürstenhof’ restaurant has recently
opened.
The Challenging Lifestyle of N55’s Ion Sørvin
August 4, 2009
Ion Sorvin - Danish artist, activist and self-proclaimed ‘closet architect’
It’s hard not to feel a little envious of Ion Sorvin. The Danish artist, activist and self-proclaimed ‘closet architect’, lives out the summer months in primitive but sociable style on a small houseboat moored at Copenhagen harbour. He kayaks every day; has a respected place in the local community, and with N55, the art collective he co-founded with his wife in 1994, has carved out a career challenging conventional notions of living, architecture and land ownership.
Preview: Celebration of Craftsmanship & Design
August 3, 2009
Birch ply ‘Lounger 1’ by Simon Austen (above) will be one of many original designs and products on exhibition at the Thirlestaine Long Gallery in Cheltenham College for Celebration of Craftsmanship & Design.
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