Monthly Archives: July 2012

By the time the summer Olympics conclude in London (the games begin July 27), the village garden's fame may only be second to Eden. Already, the hyperbole is being tossed around like an Olympic hammer: The most ambitious public planting ever; The largest garden to be built in Europe in the last 150 years; The largest new urban park in the U.K. in the last 100 years; The largest perennial planting anywhere; The lofty Orbit Tower is the UK’s tallest sculpture; The lead planting designers are two of the most innovative, cutting-edge plantsmen in the world: James Hitchmough and Nigel Dunnett; and on and on.

The park covers 500 acres of East London, rehabilitating land that was once an industrial park. As with many former industrial sites, the area required significant clean up: 1.4 million cubic meters of contaminated soil was excavated (then run through five enormous soil washing machines to wash the soil and filter out oil, tar and heavy metals—10% of the soil was removed) and 98% of the material from the 200 demolished buildings on site was reused and recycled (including 80 lampposts, 2 tons of red bricks, and 76 tons of paving stones). There was also the olympic undertaking of eradicating every trace of the invasive Japanese knotweed (an introduced specie of bamboo-like Class-B noxious weed) that responsible for clogging the river Rea that runs through the property and erodes its banks. A river famous for its polluted condition going back to the days of Charles Dickens. The site promises to be the greenest Olympic park ever built.

The space is being designed for a legacy of generations. Temporary venues will be transformed into downsized permanent ones, new roads and bridges have been constructed for the long term benefit of the local neighborhood, and as seen in the rendering below, the park itself has been designed with an eye for recreational use giving access to open space with a network of tow paths, 3 km of walking trails, and cycle-ways.

More drawings of the proposed site available here.

As with any public work of sculpture, the Orbit Tower has received its share of controversy. Critics have called it "a roller coaster gone awry" and "the Godzilla of public art." Defenders have pointed out that St. George's Cathedral and the Eiffel Tower were both hated in their time too. On the upside, at nearly 4,500 feet high (72 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty) the tower offers panoramic views of the city. This "instrument of viewing" wraparound observation deck offers a pair of huge concave mirrors to create a kind of observatory of the city. Designer Anish Kapoor understood the sculpture wouldn't likely find universal love, admitting that the structure's bold design is "awkward. ... It has its elbows sticking out in a way. ... It refuses to be an emblem." The truth of that statement remains to be seen. We'll see if the Orbit replaces Big Ben and the Tower of London as icons on post cards anytime soon.

More tower details here.

As with any public work of sculpture, the Orbit Tower has received its share of controversy. Critics have called it "a roller coaster gone awry" and "the Godzilla of public art." Defenders have pointed out that St. George's Cathedral and the Eiffel Tower were both hated in their time too. On the upside, the tower does offer panoramic views of the city. Designer Anish Kapoor understood that he was not entering territory destined for universal love, admitting that "it's awkward. ... It has its elbows sticking out in a way. ... It refuses to be an emblem."

The tower will be at the heart of a new 560-acre park, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, that includes a lush river valley and a tree-lined promenade. The park will open in stages starting in July 2013 and finishing in early 2014.

The mission of the garden was to be sustainable, bio-diverse, and beautiful. The annual and perennial wildflower meadows alone cover over 10 hectares of land—an area larger than 10 football fields, or pitches as locals call them. The plantings have been divided into four zones representing the history of plant introductions into Britain: Europe, America, Africa and Asia. The plan for the garden was to have all the surrounding wildflower meadows blooming in a glorious gold simultaneously, effectively wrapping the stadium in a golden blanket. The blooms in turn will attract butterflies and bees, along with the schema, will give the space an aura of Olympic spirit under the gleam of a floral smile.

Visually, the garden's style is very much in the flowery English tradition. Conceptually, the planting reflects the years of work that professors Hitchmough (we first wrote about him here) and Dunnett have invested in understanding the nature and sustainability of meadows. Their cornucopian mixture includes thyme, calamint, origanum, viper’s bugloss, wild carrot, musk mallow, several species of geraniums, devil’s bit scabious, red clover and great burnet.

Pergolas, arbors, extended porches, loggias—whatever it may be: Below, we cast a display of love under the shade:

A view is inviting, but a loggia is an invitation. It makes the view an experience.

A garden isn't a garden unless you can sit in it for a while and drink it in. It's in the sitting that the sensualist can begin to sense.

Below, under the boughs of Sting and Trudy's pergola at their much photographed home in Tuscany.

An pergola brings the softer organic energy back to the hardscape.

A covering over an outdoor kitchen built from reclaimed beams.

Wisteria, gravel, and bamboo poles and their shadows:

More wisteria in bloom:

A combination of the tightly manicured with the free-form that altogether produce a picture of bounty:

And a pergola that nearly isn't:

Star forts were once the cutting edge of military technology. As with the fort below, Goryokaku in southern Hokkaidō, Japan, its five-point star shape served to eliminate blind spots for cannon fire that were an aspect of earlier circular tower design.

Note the blooms of the cherry orchards:

Undoubtedly, these forts were also puffed-chested displays of state power and wealth. As history has shown us, over and over, there was never a wall constructed that could not be breached, the boasting may've been more symbolic than actual. Still, it was a potent symbol.

The Dutch fort of Bourtange (above) was initially built during the 80 Years War (c. 1568 - 1648) by William I of Orange. The fort's purpose was to control the only road between the Groningen province and Germany which was an important trade artery. At the time it was controlled by the Spaniards.

Some examples of other European counterparts:

Palmanova, Italy:

Almeida, Portugal:

Saint Martin de Ré, France:

The burdens of Empire, Fort George at Inverness: This bastion was built to keep down internal revolts and rebellious Scots in their place. Now, it's one of England's most beautiful country strolls.

Many years later, with their intended military purposes behind them, the properties would be turned into gardens and public museums. These fortresses now inhabit sparsely populated areas. As is often the case, areas once considered of extreme value economically and strategically were abandoned as development happened elsewhere. Travelers to the American south will also often find this to be true.

Below, two views of the fort at Naarden, the Netherlands:

Another star fort built during William of Orange's reign, Wierickerschans: As often happened in the Dutch marshland, this fort was constructed to withstand flooding.

Now, the fortified walls and geometric moats serve only to protect finely manicured gardens.

You'd have to admit there is a kind of a poetic justice at work here, this transforming of hegemonic displays of military might into tranquil scenic gardens. The Flower Children would've been proud.

Addenda: Just discovered this, a contemporary homage to star forts in the form of this public garden located in Heerhugowaard-South, The Netherlands. Design was by HOSPER and DRFTWD Office Associates.

Pools: We're still waiting for the summer weather to come to us in West LA but we can sympathize with our planetary comrades who've been enduring some of the worst summer weather ever. Of the last 17 years, 16 have been the hottest on record. If the trend continues—and why wouldn't it?—a backyard swimming pool may become more necessity than luxury.

A cocktail in a hammock with a nap: Bring it on.

The first swimming pool is believed to have been built in present day Pakistan in the 3rd millennium BCE (it was lined with bricks and a tar-based sealant). By the 19th century pools became popular on private estates, cities wanting to flaunt their social and urban modernity coveted indoor public pools. By 1837, six were built in London. They were also viewed as safe alternative to rivers where many bathers were known to drown.

By the sixties, the pool was the symbol of affordable suburban luxury. Kidney shaped pools inhabited the cul-de-sac backyards of the middle class along with their brick barbecues, wet bars, and electric kitchens.

The provenience of the image below is forgotten but it may've been from a hotel in Mexico, somewhere.

Brazilian architect Marcio Kogan's Casa Araras:

An indoor pool by the great Danish designer Verner Panton from the Hotel Astoria in Trondheim, Norway, 1960.

Below, one of the world's more famous indoors, the Roman pool at Heart Castle, San Simeon: Styled after the Baths of Caracalla in Rome c. 211-17 CE.

From the design of Eva Harlou, Denmark's architectural version of Kelly Wearstler. The Z House on the eastern coastline of Jutland: First below, the indoor pool; second below, as it appears from the outside.

The Sheats-Goldstein house by John Lautner with its semi-covered pool, 1963: The docents call it "probably the most dangerous house you've ever been in" because of its sheet glass walkway over a water feature with no handrails. Guests cross at their own peril.

Raymond Loewy, the designer extraordinaire who masterminded the Avanti ("the car that never dies"), had this Palm Springs house created for him by architect Albert Frey in 1947. Note how the pool intersects the threshold of the house.

This isn't an indoor pool but a room below the pool deck that looks into the pool. The house itself overlooks Hout Bay in Cape Town, South Africa.

Afternoon shadow play:

See Part 1 here.

This is not a pipe: Magritte called it The Treachery of Images. More treachery below, taking on the same idea only this time with chairs. Chairs to confound your concept of what a chair should look like.

As we've noted before, when it comes to chair design—traditionally—it's mostly a conservative medium. Forms are followed from history, sometimes very ancient history, and tend to get repeated in endless iterations. New tends don't enter into the design vernacular much. And how long will this thrall to all things mid-century go on?

Be that as it may, let's look at chairs that draw their design inspiration from somewhere other than chair history: Chairs that take their influence from other parts of the design world. Something of the unexpected: Not always or necessarily beautiful, but different.

Not sure if these wall-mounted chairs above are even usable in this configuration but the concept is certainly... interesting.

The Beehive chair from Kiwi designer Graham Roebuck. The materials are described thusly: Made of Lakepine Zero low emitting MDF and polished in beeswax to the edges, while tepid White Formica high pressure laminate envelopes the perpendicular faces of the piece.

The Bloom Chair by Kenneth Cobonpue; Here's how one seller describes it: Deep soft folds of handmade microfibre stitched with a steel base in different fabric colors that pop! Very comfortable and very artsy. Or kind of like a meat-eating orchid, as someone once said.

This bowl-with-a-hole chair is from Dublin based Tierney Haines Architects:

Where they found the inspiration: Donald Knorr's award winning Knoll 132 from 1950, designed to be low cost with steel legs and an aluminum seat. The chair has been discontinued.

The Ball chair by Finn Eero Aarnio, ca. 1963:

An even more flowery take on the Saarinen Tulip chair, this one from Australian designer Sydney Feathersone, 1969: the Stem chair.

This Guadi chair from Dutch designer Bam Geenen takes inspiration from its namesake basing it upon the master's use of arches for optimum strength.

Here, barely a chair from Oki Sato by way of Nendo.

The Vermelha chair from the Brazilian design team of the Campana Brothers. The chair is a steel structure with hand woven and dyed cotton rope.

Designer Yangsoo Pyo created these Afro chairs out of steel wire coiled (think two-ring binder springs) into a giant Brillo pad. Despite its appearance, it's claimed that the chair is actually quite comfortable.

Oskar Zieta's Chippensteel chairs:

The chair as a Buick: The Maxell chair by Harald Belker. You won't be surprised to learn that Belker actually designs cars for Porsche and Mercedes Benz. The chair was reportedly inspired by the Maxell ads with the guy being blown away in the Le Corbusier chair.

Another barely there chair, this one designed by Verner Panton, another take on a chair done for Herman Miller in the 70s. Panton is considered to be one of Denmark's most influential 20th century furniture designers. As Denmark was one of the apogees of the Mid-Century, this is no small claim.

The Lodge chair by Baltasar Portillo:

The crouching Z-Chair by—who else?—Zaha Hadid:

More to come in Part 3.

Digging through the unpublished archives of this blog we found this: A reaction written about the release of the new IKEA catalog of a year ago. No matter what you feel about IKEA—as a corporation, design entity, or manufacturer of furniture designed to be thrown away—you have to give them respect as one of the best design oriented companies out there. Anyway, here it is.

If you saw The Devil Wears Prada, you'll no doubt remember the scene where Meryl Streep's character looses a ninja-like assault of deadly force upon her assistant's fashion naiveté. The restrained diatribe, more or less, described how color comes to the market. It does not arrive arbitrarily, she argues. In the world of fashion subtle changes of color often come at the ends of long and arduous journeys, whether it's a sweater hanging in a Rodeo Drive boutique or polo shirt in the bargain bin at Walmart. Never scoff at the nano-differences between two blues.

This is also true of design trends in general; The evolution may begin crawling on the catwalks, but for the mainstream, they don't begin to walk upright until they reach Ikea. For better or worse, Ikea is trending in the classic epoch. Then, it seems, is when the rest of the world begins to notice.

So, when Ikea launches a new catalog, it's a big deal.

Aesthetically, the degrees between the above and Architectural Digest are minute. Ikea admits that many of the photos use environments created in the studio and not displays of product in their natural habitat. It's hard to argue with the results: These pictures are pretty. Results in your own home are sure to vary.

Ikea in the professional kitchen (it's a dream so just go with it): A room such as this could only encourage deep breaths and gentle thoughts. Gordon Ramsey* could not exist in here.

*He of reality television's Hell's Kitchen, et. al.

Ikea knows: The trend of vintage industrial is shown in full flower.

This is not some Sears catalog of old, to end its short life in a back country outhouse. If this isn't where design is going it is certainly where its gone and here the world follows.

In any event, you've got to admit it looks pretty good.