Montecito Residence (photo: Tim Bies / Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects)
Tom Kundig is a partner in the Seattle-based firm Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen. Tom is widely recognized for his poetic, elemental and intuitive designs. His projects revere the beauty of the American West. He uses art, craft, and materials to connect us with the landscape, and he creates serene places for contemplation and repose.
Delta Shelter (photo: Tim Bies / Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects)
Kundig's projects seamlessly integrate architecture and landscape, and pay uniquely meticulous attention to detail and the materials used, which are often left in their natural, raw state. His ingenuity lies in the experiential nature of his work, the use of kinetic architectural features, and the reinvention of structural elements that are often overlooked, such as doors, windows and stairs. Kundig has garnered recognition for projects ranging from small cabins to high-rises across the American West and throughout North America.
The Brain (photo: Marco Prozzo)
Rolling Huts (photo: Tim Bies / Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects)
Simone Giostra & Partners Architects (a New York-based office) have designed the GreenPix - Zero Energy Media Wall - a groundbreaking project applying sustainable and digital media technology to the curtain wall of Xicui Entertainment Complex in Beijing, near the site of the 2008 Olympics. Featuring the largest color LED display worldwide and the first photovoltaic system integrated into a glass curtain wall in China, GreenPix transforms the building envelop into a self-sufficient organic system, harvesting solar energy by day and using it to illuminate the screen after dark, mirroring a day’s climatic cycle. Arup provided engineering services for the project.
“The Media Wall will provide the city of Beijing with its first venue dedicated to digital media art, while offering the most radical example of sustainable technology applied to an entire building’s envelope to date”, said Simone Giostra. The building will open to the public in June 2008, with a specially commissioned program of video installations and live performances by artists including: Xu Wenkai, Michael Bell Smith, Takeshi Murata, Shih Chieh Huang, Feng Mengbo and Varvara Shavrova.
Greenpix behaves like an organic system, absorbing solar energy during the day and then generating light from the same power that evening. The project promotes the uncompromised integration of sustainable technology in new Chinese architecture, responding to the aggressive and unregulated economic development currently undertaken by the industry, often at the expense of the environment.
If you are familiar with Design Addict, you surely noticed that there are a lot of talented people who express their opinion and questioning in our Forum. We have decided, every now and then, to draw your attention on subjects which seems to us worthy of interest.
An eco-friendly home in a Cotswold nature reserve in United Kingdom was designed by London architect, Sarah Featherstone, whose office will be designing part of the Olympic athletes' village. The 'Orchid House’ was inspired by the Bee Orchid that is found on the reserve.
One of the many green features of the 'Orchid House' will be to produce more energy than it uses with an underground heat pump, geothermal heating and cooling, rainwater and solar and wind power.
"Our inspiration for Orchid House comes from the wildlife and landscape at Lower Mill Estate. A number of Orchid species can be found here, but it is the camouflage of the Bee Orchid that specifically generated our design."
"The house will blend with its landscape and environment. The organic form is created from laminated veneer lumbar (LVL) ribs and clad with timber shingles (tiles). The camouflage pattern is burnt to the timber."
"The house offers flexible living spaces, adopting a layout which we have pioneered in our house designs. The kitchen is at the heart of the house with the living and dining wings fanning out to create an intimate open courtyard around which the house orientates. It is like a 'whorl' of leaves encircling the seed of the flower."
The house has been sold off-plan and will be completed in 2011.
What is the Phonofone you ask? In short, it's like a speaker for your
iPod, only it uses no power. Through passive amplification alone, these
unique pieces instantly transform any personal music player + earbuds
into a sculptural audio console.
Without the use of external power or batteries, the Phonofone II inventively exploits the virtues of horn acoustics to boost the audio output of standard earphones to up to 55 decibels. Now let's make this clear, 55 decibels is not going to entertain your party, but it's fine for the office or next to the bed or or for a dinner party. But honestly, if you want to get a great sounding set of speakers that you can crank up and rock out to, get a set of Bose.
Tristan Zimmermann studied industrial design at the Ontario College of Art and Design. Upon graduation in 2004 Tristan assumed the position of senior product designer at an international bio-medical device company. Unfortunately, early in 2005 Tristan was diagnosed with a severe case of “cubicle fever” (see cubicalia feverum), a gripping disease suffered when genius is confined to work in the field of monotony.In the pursuit of recovery Tristan formed Science and Sons, as a side venture to sate his own creative musings. Science and Sons has since remained the masthead under which the eccentric miscellany of his creative acumen is codified into a palatable format.
Louise Campbell is the featured designer on dkVogue.com, a large source for Danish design that introduces modern, authentic Danish furnishings, lighting and accessories to North America.
Bille goes Zen - Cabinet maker Lars Bille Christensen (2003/2006)
Louise Campbell’s work is playful and experimental, and is increasingly gaining a reputation for gently twisting not only every day objects and situations, but also materials and manufacturing processes in new directions. The combination of Scandinavian rationalism and femininity, and perhaps her dual nationality (Danish and British), give the works of Louise Campbell an unusual edge. Illustrating contrasts seem to be an issue, that keeps returning in her work.
'Spiderwoman' - HAY (2008) 'Retreat' (1998)
'Seesaw' and 'Entertainment' - Erik Jørgensens Møbelfabrik (2002)
'Veryround' - Zanotta (2006) 'Prince Chair' - HAY (2005)
Royal VKB is the latest brand of Dutch company Koninklijke Van Kempen & Begeer, founded in 1789, which focuses on innovation. Here are some of their latest products. You will notice that Jorre van Ast has found a producer for his great 'Jar Tops' that we were showing on the blog in February.
Thomas Owens is a young British product design graduate. His
latest project is a stylish bicycle that not only offers all the
benefits of cycling but, with its power system, the user can cruise
around with ease.
When folded, 'One' turns into an amazing compact case free of all dirty and protruding parts. It can be easily carried, stowed and stored.
British manufacturing company Established & Sons has become renowned for its original approach since its first launching during the Milan Furniture Fair in 2005. They are constantly looking to innovate and their intention remains today just the same as it was then - to produce the highest quality furniture designs and work with the very best emerging design talents as well as established contemporary designers.
Here are some of the new designs that have been launched at this year's Milan fair.
'Crate series' by Jasper Morrisson
'Torch' by Sylvain Willenz
'Frame' by Wouter Scheublin 'Pole Light' by Paul Cocksedge
After successful international premiere in Talent Zone, Copenhagen Furniture Fair, last year, Wood Processing &
Furniture Design students have demonstrated their sustainable design
work - furniture prototypes and interior elements, at Salone Satellite
2008, Milan Furniture Fair, held from 16th-21 April.
Exhibition showed fresh, multi functional elements, new construction principles, as well as projects from REST WOOD DESIGN sustainable design workshop by mentor MA Jelena Matic, held every year at the Center for Tools and Machinery, at Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade.
Organized annually, the workshop operates as an extracurricular activity at the University promoting sustainable creativity through innovative use of industrial wood waste in student furniture and interior design concepts, which often results in real student prototypes, first time experiences, valuable knowledge, and rewards to young designers.
French architect Jean Nouvel has been chosen as the 2008 Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize. The
formal ceremony for what has come to be known throughout the world as
architecture’s highest honor will be held on June 2 in Washington,D.C.
at the Library of Congress. At that time, a $100,000 grant and a bronze
medallion will be bestowed on the 62-year old architect.
Photo by Gaston Bergeret
Nouvel who came to international attention with the completion of his Institut du Monde Arabe in 1987 in Paris, now has several projects in the United States, including the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis completed in 2006, a 75-story tower (Tour Verre) next door to MOMA in New York, and recently announced plans for a high rise condominium (Suncal Tower) in the Century City district of Los Angeles. In Europe, some of his other important works are the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art (Paris 1994), the Branly Museum (Paris 2006), the Agbar Tower (Barcelona 2005), a Courthouse (Nantes 2000), a Cultural and Conference Center (Lucerne 2000), an Opera House (Lyon 1993), and Expo 2002 (Switzerland). Also currently under construction is a concert hall in Copenhagen.
Institut du Monde Arabe (IMA or Arab World Institute) 1981-87 Paris, France (photo by Philippe Ruault)
In announcing the jury’s choice, Thomas J. Pritzker, chairman of The Hyatt Foundation, quoted from the jury citation, “Of the many phrases that might be used to describe the career of architect Jean Nouvel, foremost are those that emphasize his courageous pursuit of new ideas and his challenge of accepted norms in order to stretch the boundaries of the field.” And further, Pritzker added, “The jury acknowledged the ‘persistence, imagination, exuberance, and, above all, an insatiable urge for creative experimentation’ as qualities abundant in Nouvel’s work.”
Tour de Verre, New York City, NY - 2007-in progress - Guthrie Theater Minneapolis, Minnesota - 1999-2006 (photo by Roland Halbe)
In Nouvel’s own words, “My interest has always been in an architecture which reflects the modernity of our epoch as opposed to the rethinking of historical references. My work deals with what is happening now—our techniques and materials, what we are capable of doing today.”
Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art, Paris, France 1991-94 (photos by George Fessy)
Montecito Residence (photo: Tim Bies / Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects)
Delta Shelter (photo: Tim Bies / Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects)
The Brain (photo: Marco Prozzo)
Rolling Huts (photo: Tim Bies / Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects)
Outpost (photo: Jan Cox)
Mission Hill Winery (photo: Paul Warchol)
Studio House (photo: Benjamin Benschneider)
Picture by Brent
