Zaha Hadid and Suprematism
Galerie Gmurzynska, Zurich, Switzerland June 13 – September 25, 2010 Galerie Gmurzynska presents a seminal exhibition curated and designed by Zaha Hadid juxtaposing works of the Russian Avant-Garde with the work of Zaha Hadid Architects. A bright explosion of Russian Works pierces through the contemporary works of Zaha Hadid in a dynamic black and white design. The dialogue of these works constantly shifts and realigns as one moves through the space focusing on four themes: Abstraction, Distortion, Fragmentation, and Floatation. A site-specific artwork, the exhibition design is a projection of a 2-dimensional drawing into the 3-dimensional space. The gallery has become a spatial painting in which the ...
Shakespeare in the Park Campaign
This year’s season of Shakespeare in the Park is set to present powerful productions of The Winter’s Tale and The Merchant of Venice, starring Al Pacino as Shylock. Paula Scher of Pentagram has designed the festival’s promotional campaign, currently going up on buses and in subways and train stations all over New York City. Unlike recent past seasons, which featured a pair of plays staged separately in the early and late summer, this year’s plays are being presented in repertory throughout the season. Scher’s campaign focuses on the evocative language in both plays, pulling lines from each to meet in a dimensional explosion ...
BKLYN Designs Kicks Off the Design Season in NYC
May 7-9 BKLYN Designs will be celebrating their 8th annual design show. The show is presented by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce to promote industrial and interior designers with an emphasis on green manufacturing, sustainability and local production. Carl Hum, President of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, pointed out that the show is a testament to Brooklyn’s rich history of design and its impressive potential. All of the exhibitors are from Brooklyn and had their work specially selected by a jury and as a result we can expect a well organized and special selection of Brooklyn’s best and brightest. In addition ...
Palazzina Grazzi on the Grand Canal
For his first hotel designed in Italy, French designer, Philippe Starck, scored the Palazzina Grassi. The newest hotel in the heart of Venice, Italy is located on the Grand Canal, right next to the famed Palazzo Grassi. The façade is a classical 16th-century shell, behind which generations of noble and haute-bourgeois families lived and several centuries earlier, the site served as a Roman spa. While Venetian hotellerie tends to favor a classic approach to design, Palazzina Grassi brought in Starck to create a “next-generation luxury hotel”. Emanuele Garosci, creator of Palazzina Grassi, says: “There was a need in Venice for something ...
Zaha Hadid and Suprematism
Galerie Gmurzynska, Zurich, Switzerland June 13 – September 25, 2010 Galerie Gmurzynska presents a seminal exhibition curated and designed by Zaha Hadid juxtaposing works of the Russian Avant-Garde... read more
Shakespeare in the Park Campaign
This year’s season of Shakespeare in the Park is set to present powerful productions of The Winter’s Tale and The Merchant of Venice, starring Al Pacino as Shylock. Paula Scher of Pentagram has... read more
At Large: ICFF Eve
On the eve of ICFF 2010, the events surrounding the show begin in earnest. ICFF is the hub, but all the other events are what really make it a design week. You have to pick and choose which events to... read more
At Large: BKLYN Designs
The spring design season has officially kicked off with the opening of BKLYN Designs this morning. I was able to attend the press preview and avoid the (hopefully) crowds. We will have a full wrap-up of... read more
SkyTran by Unimodal
Mass transportation doesn’t have to mean masses of people stuffed in large vehicles. SkyTran, a cross between a monorail, Minority Report and a hanging roller coaster, is a departure from what most... read more
BKLYN Designs Kicks Off the Design Season in NYC
May 7-9 BKLYN Designs will be celebrating their 8th annual design show. The show is presented by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce to promote industrial and interior designers with an emphasis on green... read more
Lazy Bones Stool from Slide
Lazy Bones is the latest in a long series of design collaborations that continues to enrich SLIDE’s collection, this time with an original, essential design chair. Lazy Bones is built from polyethylene... read more
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Renamed Burj Dubai Opens as Burj Khalifa
On January 4, 2010 the tallest structure in the world was opened with fireworks and fanfare. One of the biggest surprises was the last-minute announcement that the name of the tower was changed to Burj... read more
Rafael del Pino Auditorium-Madrid, Spain
When Spanish architect, Rafael de La-Hoz Castanys was asked to design an auditorium located in the old garden of the palacete built by Salaberry in 1907, he took the context of the location very seriously. Based... read more
Giant Eco-Egg Skyscraper: A Conceptual Luxury Hotel
Source: Inhabitat by Haily Zaki From the unseen, unsung files of design competitions past comes the Envision Green Hotel proposed by Miami-based Michael Rosenthal Associates for Hospitality Design’s Radical... read more
Formosa 1140 – West Hollywood, CA
A new housing development in West Hollywood, California is turning heads for an obvious and not so obvious reason. Formosa 1140, designed by Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects (LOHA), is a striking eleven-unit... read more
City of Jaca Hockey Arena
The City of Jaca Hockey Arena in Spain was originally conceived as a facility of the European Youth Olympic Festival of Jaca 2007, the first event in the Pyrennes. The new pavilion, designed by the architectural... read more
MUMUTH Performing Arts Center-Graz, Austria
Architecture for the arts can be a very tricky undertaking, yet when done successfully, can be fulfilling for the architect and for the public. There is a fine line between a building overpowering the... read more
Taubman Museum – Roanoke, VA
When it comes to art, even the buildings are masterpieces. The Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, VA was experiencing a rapid growth in its collections and programs and, in 2005, decided to commission... read more
more architecture
Zaha Hadid and Suprematism
Galerie Gmurzynska, Zurich, Switzerland June 13 – September 25, 2010 Galerie Gmurzynska presents a seminal exhibition curated and designed by Zaha Hadid juxtaposing works of the Russian Avant-Garde... read more
Alessi and haus modern living
Find them here. No wait, there. No wait – they’ve moved again! haus modern living has seen many homes over the last seven years. But with the two current locations, they seem to have found... read more
Hinkley’s Goes Modern
“I didn’t know you did modern” This was the comment heard most when Hinkley’s Lighting unveiled their modern lighting display at the Phoenix Contemporary Design Fair two years... read more
Ogilvy & Mather Guangzhou Office – A Carnival of Ideas
Ogilvy & Mather’s Guangzhou office has been selected as one of the recipients of the third annual China’s Most Successful Design Award 2008, sponsored by FORTUNE China magazine and China... read more
Armani/Fuksas Collaboration
The completion of the new Armani Fifth Avenue store in New York marks the hat-trick for the Armani/Doriana & Massimiliano Fuksas collaboration that started with the groundbreaking Chater House Emporio... read more
Steinhart Aquarium
Much has been made of the new California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco and deservedly so. The enormous Renzo Piano-designed museum is rife with innovation in design and execution and is the largest... read more
Urban Farmer – Portland, Oregon
Urban Farmer might sound like an oxymoron, but in Oregon the two go together hand-in-hand. Urban Farmer is a modern steakhouse located in new luxury hotel Nines at the historic Meier & Frank building... read more
more interior design
SkyTran by Unimodal
Mass transportation doesn’t have to mean masses of people stuffed in large vehicles. SkyTran, a cross between a monorail, Minority Report and a hanging roller coaster, is a departure from what most... read more
Zaha Hadid and Artemide
Everyone seems to be slowing down a little bit, especially in the design sector. Everyone except Zaha Hadid, that is. Even before the architectural slow-down, Hadid had been lending her design aesthetic... read more
Tesla Unveils the Model S
Anyone who has been a reader for kontaktmag for a while knows that we are big fans of the Tesla Motors company and the Tesla Roadster. We have been waiting patiently for a look at the new sedan which... read more
Not All Who Condiment Are Lost
Ok, maybe it’s the zen symbolism of this one but it was too hard to pass up. This must have comes to us via Yanko Design. For truly, it is the one who seeks “Balance,” the salt and pepper shaker... read more
Tea Bag Lights Up your Night, Literally
Surely you caffeine addicts will agree, tea truly is the sexually oriented drink – It picks you up! It illuminates your world, if I may say so. Designer / Bookmark Maker Wonsik Chae takes this... read more
Toaster Re-reimagined
We launched our Reimagined department with toasters. Here are some more imaginative toasters compiled by Yanko Design. Some of them are ones we’ve already covered and others are new. It’s All About... read more
Green Shadow Bicycle
Unlike the STRiDA which was designed for portable urban transportation, the Green Shadow is built for speed. Designed by Spanish graphic and industrial design firm Mr. Onüff, the Green Shadow features... read more
more industrial designtravel
Palazzina Grazzi on the Grand Canal
For his first hotel designed in Italy, French designer, Philippe Starck, scored the Palazzina Grassi. The newest hotel in the heart of Venice, Italy is located on the Grand Canal, right next to the famed... read more
Michelberger Hotel set to Open in Berlin
Hotel veterans might say newcomer Tom Michelberger is playing at being a hotelier which would be fine by him as “play” is a central theme to his brand new hotel. The “first” Michelberger Hotel... read more
SEVVA – Hong Kong
SEVVA (pronounced savor) is the newest “it” spot in downtown Hong Kong. Hong Kong style icon and SEVVA creator, Bonnie Gokson enlisted the aid of Calvin Tsao of Tsao & McKown Architects... read more
more innovationsblog posts
At Large: ICFF Eve
On the eve of ICFF 2010, the events surrounding the show begin in earnest. ICFF is the hub, but all the other events are what really make it a design week. You have to pick and choose which events to... read more
At Large: BKLYN Designs
The spring design season has officially kicked off with the opening of BKLYN Designs this morning. I was able to attend the press preview and avoid the (hopefully) crowds. We will have a full wrap-up of... read more
Publisher at Large: Lego and Architecture
When I was young, my go to toy was a big box of Legos. A mish-mash of colors, shapes and sizes of bricks were at my disposal. I had corner pieces, bricks with holes for wheels and even slanted pieces... read more
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