Showing posts with label France. Show all posts
Doing Good Through Design
04 July 2008
War Victims - 'child soldiers' by Pablo Grand Mourcel, France
Water Scarcity by Rémy Le Rumeur, France
Child Mortality by Behrooz Gorgin, Iran
Global Warming by Sadık Sakin, Turkey
Human Rights Violation - 'freedom' by Napin Mandhachitara, Thailand
Hunting - 'stop commercial whaling' by Cédric Quissola, France
STDs - 'aids' by Onur Gökalp, Turkey
Good 'O8 has created a contest for advertisers and graphic designers to allow them to use their craft for good, rather than sales. They created 7 topics and asked designers all over the world to create 50x70 posters based on these topics. Thirty winners were selected from each category (above are a few of my favorites) and could potentially be used by charities across the globe.
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Check the designs out... there are so many fabulous and thought provoking designs...
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Forget about Dealing with Codes
25 January 2008
Whenever I see an image like this, part of me wishes that I could have a project in an area without codes and restrictions, and part of me wishes we saw more exciting projects that managed to deal with the local codes and restrictions....
Still... you've got to admit, that those are one spectacular run of stairs.
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Via Style Files
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Walk On Water
18 January 2008
When you first look at these images, its almost as if they've been photoshopped to show different people standing in the middle of the lake. And that's obviously the idea....
I love this installation by Sung Jang and Shin Azumi. It was intended an alternative playground for the Vitra Workshop in Boisbuchet, France. Visitors could wander out to the middle of the lake and commune with nature without the burden of man-made interferences like boats or aircraft. While the clear underwater platform allows you to walk out on top of the water, granting you the illusion of walking on the surface of the water, its still just an illusion and you are obviously using a man-made device. Still, these photos create such marvelous imagery, that its hard not to believe in the concept. I can only imagine that visiting the lake was even more impressive.
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Isn't Civilization Beautiful?
11 December 2007
These images of a proposed Museum of Mediterranean Civilizations in Marseilles by Rudy Ricciotti are really speaking to me. But, they leave me wishing there was more information about the project, and perhaps some plans. Its hard to get a scale of the project against the city backdrop, but I can imagine that the design is for a huge structure. Comparing the far away images of a lacy structure to the single interior shot make it seem as though this is an absolutely enormous proposal. Still, if there was some evidence of human scale it would be easier to judge... not to mention it would be great to see how the interior is intended to be used as a museum..
Rudy Ricciotti Architecte's entire website is filled with beautiful imagery and architectural designs. Unfortunately, none of the projects offers information beyond the photos and renderings. Still... the work is lovely and inspiring and definitely worth checking out.
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Hollow? Yes. Flexible? I'd guess so.
08 December 2007
I'd be interested in seeing how this Hollow Chair by Laurrent Massaloux will adapt and flex when weight is put on the seat....
Inside the Box
29 October 2007
While there is often a stereotype among architects (and others) about the uninspired designs of engineers... it often just isn't true. In fact, many engineers are very creative thinkers and talented designers in their own right. For example, this Welcoming and Security Pavilion in Dublin, Ireland was designed by French engineering firm RFR Ingenieurs. The simple glass enclosure is made quite dynamic by the use of exposed steel and glu lams. The glu lams act as a beautiful expression of the structure, while providing lateral support (at least I think they provide lateral resistance). I also quite like the contast of the clean modern lines with the older structures beyond.
Do you Like It?
13 October 2007
A friend of mine recently came back from a trip to Paris, where she had the opportunity to visit Jean Nouvel's Musee du Quai Branly. There has been a fair amount of press about the live green exterior walls, but I had previously heard very little about the interior spaces. My friend (another architect) seemed to be disappointed by the interior. The dark interiors provided little wayfinding, and what signage was available seemed to be difficult to read; too dark, too small, or inscribed on the wrong kind of surface. So, when I read the Itinerant Urbanist's very similar take on the museum, it made me wonder if anyone is pleased with the project. It seems that so often we are quick to applaud the works of well known architects, whether they are deserving or not. So I'm curious as to what in particular about this project causes architects to be so disappointed. Surely there are worse projects... Have any of you readers visited the Musee du Quai Branly? And if so, what do you think?
Le paradis artificiel à Chaumont sur Loire
22 July 2007
My french is abysmal, so you'll have to pardon me if I incorrectly translated anything...
This temporary garden was designed by Sophie and François Delhay of French architecture and urban design firm Boskop. Designed for the 12 annual international garden festival, Boskop created a series of red arches that were integrated not just into the walkways, but also into the gardens themselves... acting as dividers between different types of planting. It a beautiful and simple solution for a landscape exhibition.
This temporary garden was designed by Sophie and François Delhay of French architecture and urban design firm Boskop. Designed for the 12 annual international garden festival, Boskop created a series of red arches that were integrated not just into the walkways, but also into the gardens themselves... acting as dividers between different types of planting. It a beautiful and simple solution for a landscape exhibition.
Lacaton + Vassal
18 May 2007
A few great images by the architects Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal...
Love at First Sight
01 February 2007
Like a lot of other people, I often fantasize about living in France.
The newly renovated Fouquet's Barriere by Edouard Francois on the Champs Elysees is a dream in my eyes.
To me, there is nothing better than the tension between old and new... and I've rarely seen it done better than here. It makes me want to pack my bags and move back across the pond.