Thursday, October 15

eye candy explosion: Boscolo in Milan

BOSCOLO Exedra Hotel in Milan
(text by Marcia Argyriades for Yatzer)

The Boscolo Exedra Milan Hotel is the crop of the visionary and talented Architect Italo Rota, who has completely rethought the building on Corso Matteotti formerly housing IMI Bank. The shapes, solutions and colors are distinctly unique in the hotel world. There are no two rooms alike in this hotel, signifying the concept of ultimate personalization in service: a stay at the Exedra thus becomes a unique experience for each guest. Boscolo and Rota’s idea of an “urban hotel” recaptures a long and prestigious tradition in modern Italian and specifically Milanese architecture, which recalls the works of Gio Ponti. But it is the hotel in general that represents a combination of many aspects of “Made in Italy” excellence in the design, furnishings, technology and materials.

Only the finest “Made in Italy” signature products have made it in to this hotel; Meritalia custom made the furniture that decorates the public areas; Driade, Artemide, Fontana Arte occupy their unique positions in all rooms and suites with an exceptional guest appearance of the much loved Tom Dixon. The tone of the hall is set by two gigantic colorful columns // sculptures which are created by Italo Rota and inspired by a Lombard Carnival character, the Harlequin, which is lit up by more than 4,000 LED lights. The perfect atmosphere is created in this hotel by the “smart” lighting system which automatically changes color and intensity of the lighting according to exterior factors such as time, season, and the weather. The three restaurants in Exedra are faithfully devoted to Italian food, while the stunning Lambruscheria, a bar where local wines accompany local food, intensify the allure of the “champagnirie.”

all photos © Jürgen Eheim
Image Courtesy of Boscolo Exedra Milan

Vs. Children

Words by Sean Moeller // Illustration by Johnnie Cluney // Sound engineering by Mike Gentry

Owen Ashworth has previously regaled us with gray, cold sadness, made it seem as if it were the fuel and energy that kept the characters in his songs running, albeit on the weakest of fumes. They were still working spoons and forks and cups to their mouths, feeding their pitiful bodies with nutrients, maybe just to steady the hunger pangs rather than supplying nourishment for sagging will and spirit. (read the rest here)

Zaha Hadid Architects Exhibition

(from design addict)

A major retrospective on the works of Zaha Hadid Architects is taking place within the salone of Palazzo della Ragione, Padua, Italy. The exhibition examines the practice’s continued experimentation and research into digital design and construction methods at the cutting edge of the industry.

Zaha Hadid
Exhibition from October 27 2009 to March 1 2010
Palazzo della Ragione, Padua


rodarte for target sneak peek

The Rodarte for Target Go International collection consists of 55 pieces and will range from $9.99 for knee-highs to $79.99 for a leopard print jacket. A Target spokesman says of the collection: “very feminine, yet very modern and incorporates a rich mix of patterns and fabrications and everything from sequins and bows to faux fur”.


The collection will be available at Target stores nationwide and on target.com on December 20, 2009, through February 6, 2009!

i want to go to there for realz

Dutch architects Sluijmer & Van Leeuwen designed a house for the Utrecht Landscape Foundation.





sidenote: um i wish the sky was really this blue at night.
The house is located on an estate that is owned by the foundation, and is surrounded by 185 hectares of forest and agricultural land.

Friday, October 9

indie rock coloring book:::hm, i like coloring and i like music, so this should work out well.


From the creative womb of theYellow Bird Project, the Indie Rock Coloring Book ($10) offers an interactive and colorful journey of creativity, artistic expression, music, and charity. Andy J. Miller, a talented illustrator, collaborated with YBP to produce this unique expression of art and music. Wiggle yourself through the intricate Broken Social Scene maze, marvel in the colourful carnival of CYHSY, color Bon Iver's enchanted water supply, or slide down the psychedelic playground of MGMT. Profits from this colourful venture will go towards YBP charities.

tgif::eye candy::shoes from Paris spring 2010

So would it be totally impractical to skip groceries for a few months and splurge on a pair?

Miu Mui :: No words


Alexander McQueen ::: Pure genius



John Galliano :: <3

2009 London Design Festival:::De La Espada

From the contemporist
During the 2009 London Design Festival, De La Espada held a series of exhibitions which focused on craftsmanship in modern design, and featured their latest products from designers such as Autoban, Leif.designpark, Matthew Hilton, and their newest collaboration with Studioilse.




new obsession:::papernstitch.com

Papernstitch is an online exhibition site that was created to promote talented artists, designers, and makers selling handmade goods. The exhibition space is curated monthly and showcases the best of the best on an international level. hence our tagline: hand-picked. handmade.

Papernstitch the Blog is focused on design and style, and features artists, makers, crafters, and indie labels. And also features DIY projects and tutorials, fashion and home decor. A little bit of everything. The blog is updated with new posts 3-5 times a day.

Just a few of the recent items I saw and immediately fell in love with:

Vintage Brentwood Suitcase. $20
Sold by: Vintage Picnic
shop :: website


Orange Sherbert Hairband. $30
Created by: Garden Dub
shop :: website

Vintage Taupe White Wing Tips. $12.50 (!!!!!!!!!)
Sold by: Test of Time
shop

Enjoy :)

Thursday, October 8

in Prague? you know what to do.

Designblok is the annual week-long exhibition of new pieces from the world of design.


Designblok takes place in selected showrooms, boutiques, and galleries situated all over Prague. 11th annual of Designblok ´09 brings 212 presentations, exhibitions and events at 63 participating venues all over the city of Prague.

Full list of exhibitors here.
Calendar here.

do you guys like my new house???

Morato Arquitetura designed this bold (to say the very least) home in Nova Lima, a city in the Minas Gerais state of Brazil.

From Morato Arquitetura site:
This construction occupies the top of a hillside and is projected over an immense valley framed with a chain of mountains, a predominant relief in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In the surroundings of Nova Lima – MG, where the construction was erected, a considerable part of the houses are influenced by the language of Portuguese colonial architecture and uses manual techniques of construction.
The house was projected for a young executive with a bold entrepreneur profile. Our architectonic proposal created a contemporaneous language tuned to the owner’s profile and, at the same time, it incorporated the constructive techniques and materials available in the region. With this conceptual arrangement we were able to articulate constructive tradition to contemporaneous design and open space to a new approach of architectonic solution for local houses.

The place chosen for the house was determined by the generous native landscape in the surroundings. In this context, space definition privileged the possibilities of relationship of house users with the exuberant natural landscape. As for the relation House x Nature, we decided for the contrast, i.e., the radicalization of a geometric and rational design in opposition to natural organic shapes. Therefore, the “natural order” and “cultural order” are mutually distinguished and valued.

The house was built in a land with three distinct levels. This arrangement lead to a better use of declivity and, at the same time, great plasticity to architectonic elements. Pure volumes receive interference from inclined columns, from discontinuous covering planes and from the red wall that crosses the house. The reference to the Brazilian modernist architecture is maintained and nevertheless unconstructed and reorganized.

Thursday, October 1

Mariposa Chair by Kate Rider/me being creepy


Kate Rider, a recent graduate of the Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland, has designed the Mariposa chair, which mixes the feminine craft of lace making with the masculinity of metalwork.

Yes the chair design is lovely, but more importantly - how do I make the beautiful man sitting in the chairs my boyfriend??? LEMME KNOW.