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Month #2 : : February

It's been a rough and a hard, bitter winter. And we still have a ways to go. Seemingly there is snow in the forecast up to and including the Ides of March.

This issue is trés riche. . . . full of some wonderful trésoirs trouvé - found treasures. Goodies.....I hope you react to them in much the same way I have  - with wonderment both in regards to brilliant technology advances, or to wondrous beauty. So, sit back, enjoy.

Over the five decades of my professional career I have been ever so fortunate to have made some great friends,  worked with some fantastic clients and am still now, proud of their accomplishments and of our successes in projects in which we've worked together.

One such person is a now retired Montreal interior designer, Suzan Carsley. Her family, and her, operated a fabulous interior design firm, Jean Carsley Interiors. Suzan now lives in New Brunswick, where over the last many years she has followed her other creative passion, painting in watercolours.  Some of her work is shown here.

The title of this piece is 'Bullwinkle's Beat'• I LOVE Bullwinkle!

Along the St. John

Mexican Street

These are only three of her delightful paintings. A large selection of her work can be seen at:
www.facebook.com/suzancarsleyartist
Suzan can be contacted as follows:
(506) 328-6485
suzancarsleyartist@gmail.com

BIO:  Suzan Carsley, interior designer by profession, fell in love with the medium of watercolour after seeing work by Ming Ma in Montreal in 1992 and then studied with him from 1993 - 1997.

“The vibrancy of his work was incredible- something I had never seen before withwatercolour.”
Suzan moved to Woodstock New Brunswick from Montreal in 2011 and retired from the interior design profession.
“I am passionate about watercolour and revel in using bold colour saturation and strong forms in landscape and architecture. I like to travel different paths, exploring linocuts and other techniques, often incorporating them into my watercolours.”
Above all, I try to stay true to myself. I challenge myself with every painting.”
A member of the Woodstock Art Club, Suzan’s work can be seen
at the Creek Village Gallery & Café in Woodstock Galerie Acanthus in Grand Sault
or by appointment at her studio in Bedell.

Suzan and I re-connected a couple of years ago through this DesignBlog. I wish her continued success and more exciting works to come.
Which brings me to the next greatFriend/Client, Del Foxton.
Del and I have worked together for almost 40 years, as designer/client - even as recently as last year.
Upon retiring as VP, Public Relations for Tana Canada about 15 years ago, she, and her wonderful husband Bill, decided to buy beachfront property in Freeport, Bahamas (actually about 20 miles outside of Freeport). Together we worked on the design and building of a dreamHouse beach house......
It is a fabulous retreat where I have been lucky to spend many wonderful hours. Upon retirement Del began pursuit and study of paper-making. Over these past years she has become a master in custom paper making and in the development of her own career as an outstanding artist, highly regarded throughout the Bahamas. Here are a few of her pieces - she made all the paper, and created the artwork.
​Wonderful!

Del in her studio

            Del Foxton is an International Artist and Hand Made Paper Artisan. This passionate artist is truly obsessed with every part of hand paper making which was inspired by an ancient Chinese art form. Artists and art lovers around the world are captivated by the boundless creativity captured within each piece. Her artistry is diversifying the world of fine art. Her pieces have graced the walls of Art Exhibitions in The Bahamas, Canada and the United States.
          She is a fine art practitioner, teacher, and an inspiration for everyone with a passion for art. The emergence of this fine art medium is welcomed by art galleries all over the world. Del designs with you in mind, no two pieces are alike. Size, shape, thickness, color, and texture of canvases are handmade to your liking. 
         Foxton’s work is currently in galleries in Canada, Florida, The Bahamas and Adagio Art Gallery & Studio on Grand Bahama Island.
      Del is an active member of Headwaters Arts, Orangeville Art Group, Grand Bahama Artists Association, American Papermaking Association, Friends of Dard Hunter, International Paper Makers and Artists.
           She invites like-minded people to contact her to share in her journey and to learn how her artistry can transform their home or office space.
​As a matter of course, and as long held business principle, I have routinely attempted to put people together to see if there may be a mutual benefit or experience. Thus, recently, I introduced Suzan to Del.....who knows - perhaps Suzan's future watercolours may be found on some of Del's great handmade papers. Yay!

And while speaking of friends, to my mind, time/distance - in terms of true friendship - matters little in terms of how much time may pass throughout the course of one's life - if the core of a friendship is well forged, years, decades, may pass. Such is the case with a fabulously talented lady, Nina Keogh. Nina and I have not actually seen each other for over 40 years! We re-connected, via Facebook, about 4 years ago when she was living on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in Twillingate, Newfoundland.  

e​She was the puppeteer for Mr. Dressup, Polkadot Door, Friendly Giant, Today's Special along with many other shows. Her IMDB profile is here.
In 1999 Nina retired from the world of entertainment to focus on her evolution as a professional painter/artist. Her recent show at a gallery in Toronto had the following piece as a standout canvas.

Nina's work - and visual language - is much like Nina herself - exuberant, effervescent and completely alive! Her artistic vision is so refreshing.

Nina Keogh is a graduate of Central Technical School Art Department Toronto.
As a third generation artist and puppeteer, she was involved in  many iconic award winning television series, both creating puppets and operating them.  Her teaching ranged from Haliburton School of the Arts to Ryerson , CBC workshops and more.
 
Nina Keogh
Artist, performer, lecturer
Toronto (647)515-9398
www.ninakeogh.com

While on the subject of artistic vision and creativity, please check this work.

         Cecilia Paredes is a Peruvian-born, Philadelphia-based artist who incredibly merges artistic photography with human painting. The contemporary artist is always the main focus of her artwork, even when it is not noticeable at first, she remains the center of it all. You just got to look close to it! Kind of like a way of self portraits, these paintings/photographs are a unique form of art.
               Her artwork is patterned with beautiful floral prints and Paredes is centered right in the middle of her self portraits work, aesthetically merging with the background. Her body is her canvas. She paints directly onto her own skin. Paint and clothing are what she uses for her modern art, the artist recreates the same pattern used for the background, on her body and on the fabric used.
               Paredes is like a chameleon, perfectly blending with everything and making herself unnoticeable. Sometimes she leaves her hair exposed, making her presence visible for who lays eyes on it.
Frame after frame, her body remains present. Her body, as a blank canvas later on fully covered in art, serves as an empty vessel to reflect both her surroundings and feelings.
             Her art is completely outstanding and very inspiring and I Lobo You is head over heels with it, it’s truly a beautiful and lyrical form of modern art.

More information on Cecilia Paredes can be found here.

WOW!  How are y'all holding up? We're just getting started here.
We have at least 4 more projects to feature - all from our editorial and advisory board : : 
Vanessa Bertan / Hana Elayan / Rita Edwards / Steven Hu. And I promise, there's more after that.

Then there is this wonderful architectural achievement - El Topo - please take a look.

Vanessa Bertran of our editorial staff did the research and the translation
​ (this is also available on our spanish page).

THE MOLE HOUSE
This project was conceived with the premise of minimizing its impact on the environment, looking for the house to seem to be smaller than it really is. For this the architect Martin Dulanto Sangalli and his team of collaborators, semi-buried the lower level of the house (which contains the social and service areas) giving a treatment of rustic and organic character, because this was the level that would be directly related to nature;  while, in contrast, the upper level, (which contains the dorms), was raised as a pure block and completely clad in wood, which would appear to be simply resting on the ground.
The first level is the entrance to the project and contains the bedrooms. This was designed as a large wooden box that would be supported on the ground to take advantage of its height and provide the bedrooms with a panoramic view of both the lagoon and the Quebrada in its landscape.
While in the first level the dorm area is located, the lower level contains the following areas: social interior, social exterior the terrace and the service area.
This project not only takes into account the requirements of its inhabitants for the daily life, but its interest to preserve the beauty of its surroundings and the protection of the environment, really a project worthy of admiration. 

Below, the description of the environments corresponding to each level: 
Lower level
Terrace, swimming pool, living room, dining room, kitchen, hallway, staircase that goes up to the second level, visiting bathroom, service hall, patio, canopy laundry, service bedroom with closet and bathroom.
First level
Staircase that comes from the lower level, master bedroom with closet and main bathroom 1 and main bathroom 2 Incorporated, bedroom 2 with closet and bathroom 2 Incorporated, bedroom 3 with closet and Bathroom 3 incorporated. A guest bedroom with closet and bathroom 4 built-in, living room and deposit.
​
Architect: Martín Dulanto Sangalli
Collaborators: Raúl Montesinos, Jose Cepero, Gabriel Tanaka & Dora González
Location: Condo La Quebrada, Cieneguilla. LIMA-PERÚ
Terrain Area: 1871.34m²
Structural Engineer: Jorge Avendaño
Design year: 2017
https://martindulanto.com/proyecto/casa-topo/

WHAT? A Kleenex box? Nope . . . . it's a wonderful new Bluetooth speaker....

               Brighton-based design studio Gomi has created a portable bluetooth speaker using plastic waste that is deemed non-recyclable by local councils in the UK.
Each Gomi speaker features a rectangular body formed from colourful marble-effect plastic. The equivalent of 100 plastic bags in non-recyclable – or flexible – plastic go into the body of each speaker.
Flexible plastic includes materials such as plastic bags and bubble wrap made of low-density polyethylene, and is not accepted by UK councils for recycling.
              The speaker consists of three modular components that can be easily separated and melted down into new parts for future products without losing any material value.
Each speaker is hand-marbled, which means that every product has its own individual aesthetic and colour pattern, depending on the particular plastic waste that has gone into it.
The studio worked with local food wholesalers who typically use a large amount of packaging that is usually thrown away.
            "With our bluetooth speakers, we want to intercept a waste stream that would otherwise be landfilled or incinerated," said Meades.
It was important that the speaker was "not only aesthetically desirable, but also sounds great". To achieve this, the studio worked with electronic engineers and audio professionals to hone the sound of the speaker.
                The studio embarked on the project after its research found that plastic waste makes up 85 per cent of the pollution on beaches across the world, and that the UK throws away 300 million kilos of flexible plastic each year.
             "We were inspired by the cradle-to-cradle design process, thinking about our products full life-cycle right from the beginning of our design process," said Gomi co-founder Tom Meades.
"Flexible plastics are widely regarded as non-recyclable by UK councils, and so we thought this would be the perfect material to harness and show that through innovative design this can be valuable, and does not have to end up as waste polluting our environment. Instead, we can craft this material into desirable objects," he explained.
              In a bid to move towards a circular economy, the design studio is aiming to offer free repairs for their products and a system where customers can return the products to be recycled.
Gomi are one of many studios looking at alternative ways to use plastic waste. In Thessaloniki, The New Raw design studio has set up a laboratory called 

Rita Edwards, Interior Designer, Victoria, British Columbia
Rita, is - a friend.....a very special friend who I met when she was one of my students in the Interior Design programme at the International Academy of Design, Montreal, 2002.
She is ultra-talented with great insight and sensitivity. We will have regular updates to this project over the next few issues.

The view from the property

By Marguerita Edwards : : 
Victoria British Columbia, is known for its picturesque charm. Situated alongside the waterfront, with calm bays and sandy beaches, on the one side, and Garry Oak meadows, granite hills and knolls, on the other, its inhabitants choose to settle here for its quality of life.
 
I am no different. I moved here in 2013 to make a home for my family. However, I also wanted to embrace the potential of the design in the area. Many of the older homes were being torn down and replaced with monolithic structures with very little consideration for the historical value of surrounding neighborhood. I promised myself to salvage these houses, one at a time, from a world of homogenization and standardization.
One such home has captured my heart.  The Hertel’s Victorian cottage, which dates back to 1896, sits in the pristine neighbourhood of Oak Bay. 

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Original homestead

Its charm captures you in an instant. Walking up to its wrap-around porch, with gingerbread cut-outs and spindle work, I knew I wanted to bring the lustre back to this faded gem. 
​One day, last fall, I walked up the path to the door of Walmsley Cottage and was welcomed by Philipp, Emmanuelle and Jacob Hertel. I was delighted to hear that they too wanted to restore the original beauty of their heritage house, and to reinstate some of the elements that had been lost through renovations executed by previous owners. 

Emmanuelle loved her home for its quirks and cozy corners, but Philipp wanted it to be done sustainably and with a low carbon imprint. He wanted it to function better for his growing family. My challenge was two-fold: how to transform the space to provide a more efficient way of living, while still keeping the integrity and charm of the home. I also had to put considerable consideration into the use of materials. 
 
​I knew this was the project for me! After months of research and planning with the city council, we had permits in hand and began demolition. As the project unfolds, we are met with surprises hiding within the walls!

One never knows what treasures may be found hidden within old walls

The original wood plank sub-floor installed on the bias • Current kitchen

​It is a labour of love, but one that is ultimately gratifying. The house speaks to us every day and lets us know what transformations are necessary. I work hand and hand with my trusted trades, and with them, I can make all the subtle changes that will make all the difference!
Stay with me over the next few months and see the transformation!

This looks like a wonderful project - one of continuing surprises and an evolving delight in an exciting transformation. We will provide regular updates throughout the course of this project. Thank you Rita.

Following is the thoughts and reflections written by Emmanuelle : : 
Dreams for My Dream House

Just before my fifth birthday my family moved into our first house on Island Road. By the time I was twelve, our family had grown by another three children (five kids total) and we were compelled to move into a larger house, incredibly on the same block. In the middle of this block sat the two oldest houses on the street, a set of almost identical white cottages built in the 1890s. Since I can remember, I’d dreamed of one day living in one of those houses. Infatuated with all things “old fashioned” as a child, these heritage houses epitomized the quaint, simple beauty I’ve always cherished.

For a while I babysat for the girl (my younger sister’s best friend) who lived in one of the cottages, and became familiar with - and enchanted by - the interior as well. From the dark fir floors to the wainscoting to the old brass door knobs to the rooms situated under eaves cut in with dormer windows...I was in love.

Roughly fifteen years later I was standing in the kitchen of the San Francisco apartment I shared with my husband when my mom called to let me know that the owner was selling the house. My husband and I were fortunate enough to have been in a position to discuss buying the house for when we were ready to move back to Victoria (we were obligated to stay in the States for a few more years), and we were even more fortunate to have been friends with the owner, who, after hearing from us, canceled her plans to list the house internationally and arranged to sell to us privately - I think she knew it was really our house.

                We’d long planned some of the changes we would make to the house once we lived in it, and when that much-anticipated time finally came, we were referred by lifelong friends to Design One Stevens, and did not hesitate to entrust designer Rita Edwards with our little gem.
            Built in 1896, our house is heritage designated, which meant there was some hold up on the progress of our renovation while we applied to make some of the changes and waited for council’s approval. Thankfully we received it!
                 The interior of the house was awkwardly laid out in some respects, having already been through a few renovations and expansions, and aspects of it had become dated (the paint choices, for starters) or had simply lost (and in some cases never had) functionality. We’d always known we wanted to open up the kitchen - remove a wall to allow in more light and create a bigger footprint, add an island for gathering and food prep, update the 1970s MDF cupboards (whose doors were literally falling off the hinges, and most of the knobs missing) for a classic style of cabinetry in solid wood, incorporating the same attention to detail that makes the house so special. The kitchen also only had one very small window, so we wanted to enlarge that; Rita suggested we add another on the other side of the new oven range for symmetry. We were sold.
              Enlarging the front windows was also at the top of our list, as they were stunted and had clearly been changed during some previous renovation, leaving the low-ceilinged living room with a rather cave-like feel. The cottage next to ours, which has barely (if at all) been updated since it was built, has much larger multi-paned windows in the front, and we wanted to do something similar to those, attempting to restore the original feel of the windows.
               The main floor bathroom next to the living room was a bit of an odd use of space, and rendered the other set of front windows unusable if one wanted privacy while using it! The washer and dryer were also just sort of crammed into the bathroom, and I knew I wanted a proper laundry area with room for a drying rack, shelving, etc.
            The previous owners had been using the side door as the main entrance, with the coat closet situated in a dark hallway on that side, and we wanted to change that and use the front as the main entry again, but didn’t really have a proper mudroom - one just sort of fell into the living room.
              Rita’s brilliant design for the front area addressed and fixed all those problems. We loved her idea to make the footprint of the bathroom smaller but far more functional, and then create a proper entrance in front of the previously unusable windows, with space for shoes, a bench, coat closet and hooks, and designate the back hallway for the new laundry room.
             The upstairs of the house holds the master bedroom, our son’s bedroom, and a workspace under the eaves. The latter space has always been my favourite of the house, and it was the first area we tackled, modifying it to make better use of the very deep closet by turning it into a cabinet with deep drawers and cubbies to hold bolts of fabric. We heightened and expanded the desk that was already there to create a proper space for me to lay out and cut fabric, adding a new bank of drawers underneath and a layer of cork on top (perfect for pins!), while on the other side we joined the tops of the two desk-height bookshelves and expanded its width to accommodate my sewing machines. I loved it before, but now it is truly my dream workspace.
             The master bedroom, situated right under the low-angled eaves, is a strangely designed area, as you have to pass through the doorless ensuite bathroom in order to access the bedroom. We would love to add a shower (and a door!) to this bathroom, but the angles of the eaves along with the non-standard joists in the floor below have proven to be a real challenge. However, I have every faith that Rita will be able to come up with a beautiful solution for when we are ready to get started on that space!
             My dream for the house is simply to do it justice. We want to update certain aspects for modern times and functionality while simultaneously respecting, restoring and replicating the delicate charm that has drawn me to it since childhood.

 O R G A N I C  a r c h i t e c t u r e

The new Montreal campus of the multinational company Ericsson has been designed to provide a stimulating and innovative work environment. This large-scale project by Menkès Shooner Dagenais LeTourneux Architects has won an award of excellence during the National Design and Architecture Exhibition in Toronto for its layout that «embodies a corporate culture of openness and innovation» and its open spaces favourable for creativity.                            Photo credits: Stéphane Brügger.

Blossom Stool – A Piece Designed by Louis Vuitton and Tokujin Yoshioka
            The Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka has collaborated with Louis Vuitton, one of the most famous and recognized luxury brands, to create a four-petal Blossom stool, a modern furniture piece with a contemporary design. The elegant and luxury furniture piece reinterprets the designer brand’s iconic monogram of petals, by reshaping the silhouette to form a delicate overlapping structure.
             French fashion company Louis Vuitton started their ‘objets nomades collection’, with the idea of keeping alive their long tradition of traveling objects. In order to create the set comprised of 25 pieces with an exclusive design, they have collaborated with renowned designers from around the world, bringing together the company’s artisans with the ideas of the creatives, mixing their know-how with experimentation.
             Made of noble materials such as metal, brass, leather or wood, the purpose of this creative work with a unique design is to generate a universal and timeless object in line with the luxury brand’s philosophy. This stool also pays homage to the luxury aesthetic and high level of craftsmanship associated with Louis Vuitton.

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Original article written by: :       FÁBIO OLIVEIRA

                The structure is made of four golden petals that interlace in the shape of a seating, conveying the brand’s long craftsmanship history and techniques. The seat of the Blossom Stool is an articulation of the brand’s iconic four-petal monogram. The folding structure ensures absolute functionality, and the organic form makes for an indispensable accessory.
             Foldable and luxury furniture, mobile lamps and travel accessories are at the heart of
Louis Vuitton’s unique collection of nomad objects. To complete this list, new objects have been presented, including the Blossom stool by Tokujin Yoshioka.

          Here we go again : : another great project by our staff member, Hana Elayan. METAPHORM is the name of her architectural firm in Amman, Jordan. Hana is one of the founders and is the Managing Partner and this project was directed by her partner, Ghazwa Tayeb.......great work!
        Coincidentally, she was one of my design students in the same class that Rita Edwards was in - a while ago.....how time does fly! Hana has contributed other articles/submissions to DRI over the last 3 - 4 years. This one can also be found on our arabic page. 
          This is wonderful architectural design - pure, simple - restful. Beautiful work Hana!

               In a green location in Um Al Basateen (Mother of Orchards), an area characterised by its quiet yet vivid atmosphere in Amman Jordan, an area of 740.51 m2 was chosen for our creatively designed project, the K residence.
               In harmony with the beautiful nature of the area, raw concrete was selected for exterior façades. Enhancing the identity of the building with its rigid natural look, which was further augmented by the contrast formed between raw concrete and glass. Allowing an abundance of natural light to penetrate the 2-story building, the walls were designed to as exaggerated proportions of transparent glass. Light is also celebrated in the posterior surface of the house where transparency enables the residents to enjoy the mesmerising view of the natural terrains around the house from the roof. 
               The view from the ground floor is no less fascinating, were the residents can enjoy the scenery of the outdoor pool and the surrounding landscape, which was expanded on the expense of possible extra built areas only to guarantee a unique outdoor experience in the residence of a lifetime
            As one of the very few architectural offices uses BIM technology in Jordan, K residence was modelled using Autodesk Revit as a LOD350 model, therefor all the following stages including; the working drawings, the 3 Dimensional shots and the tables of quantities were generated using the same software

There has been much talk and frenetic attention of late focused on the seeming 'next step' evolution of the cel-phone. Samsung was first with its introduction of the Samsung 'Fold'. Huawei, however, was immediately behind Samsung with their new offering, the Huawei MATE. Check it out. It is achingly expensive ($2000USD) - but as we all have come to know, introductory prices do not last for long......my own feeling is that, on the one hand, any product that successfully combines two products to become one, is ultimately of benefit to us all. Would I ever consider paying such a price of $2000.00+ - n o p e .

My! Aren't we gettingGlobal? From Victoria, B.C. to Amman, Jordan - to Beijing, China
I can promise you, the readers, one sure thing - there is no regularly published Design Blog like DRI. 
Our staff associates are all working professionals - architects, interior designers, photographers, graphic designers - DesignReviewInternational is certainly unique - and certainly international. 

Grandma’s House Renovation : :  Village Huangshandian, Beijing China

The following submission is number 3 in a series researched, edited and organized by Steven Hu of our staff. This is the final article about the reclamation of derelict Chinese farms that have been resuscitated and restored, re-purposed to continue life as soothing, yet stunning, design retreats.
This is also viewable in mandarin here:

The property prior to restoration

The project is situated in Beijing China.
                 The design changed a collapsed house to a gazebo for outdoor dining, enriching the layers of
the courtyard. During the renovation process, the designer carried out the repair of the
damaged inner roof of the farmhouse with local traditional slate roofing process. It preserves
not only the appearance of the original farmhouse and courtyard enclosure, but also their
spatial relationship. As a result, this renovated farmhouse could be harmoniously integrated
into the village veins and retain the rural memory.
            The design team converted the original appentice at the entrance of the farmhouse into a separate kitchen and private theater, which helps the owner to operate their future Inn, and improves
the functions of this courtyard. These public spaces of the courtyard are arranged in the middle
of the area, such as the dining room and the living room, being individual and yet connected to
each other.

The Opportunity
           Since most of these villages are located in remote mountainous areas without convenient
transportation, the agricultural products in the village are difficult to export, further
exacerbating the local poverty. On the other hand, contemporary urban residents in China are
also plagued by factors such as life pressure and air pollution. They would love to relax in the
suburbs at weekends, but it is hard to find a quality one.
          The overall plan is to find vacant homes in those villages, and transform them to meet the
urban residents’ criteria with the shortest time and lowest cost. The house owner will train
local farmers to do room service, hire a professional team to develop catering menus based on
local crops, and rent them on an online platform. 75% of the revenue will go to the local
farmers and 25% to pay the platform.
          The work was completed on the renovation of nearly forty courtyards in one year, the cost was
controlled at approximately USD 60/sq ft (including cleaning, building renovation, interior
design, furniture, lighting, electromechanical, sewage treatment, etc.), and the total time
spent per renovation was less than two months.
​           The use of local building materials and labor has greatly reduced the cost of their inn operation.
That they allocate most of the income to local farmers has stabilized the business model,
attracting more and more farmers willing to provide us the houses that are not in use.
The booking of the available courtyards is booming, and the income of farmhouse owners far
exceeds the income of their work in the city. Many young people have returned to the village
and joined this industry, solving many social and family problems indirectly.

originally published by EVOLUTIONDESIGN from www.zhuxuncn.com

Yet another great photograph by Leonardo Bechini

Apple has carved out an enviable leadership position over the past five or so years, as being the technological innovator, primarily in the universe of cel-phones, tablets, laptops. It used to be Microsoft that owned that mantle - and it seems hat perhaps, with some of their recent outstanding technical innovations, they could well re-claim the numero 1 position. Their development of the HoloLens is both exciting and insightful. Check this out as it describes the application of this product to the world of construction : : 

Go here to read in greater detail, how this product may change the standards of construction.

              Microsoft is really hoping to get down to business with the next version of the HoloLens. In fact, the software giant announced a new customization program for the HoloLens 2.
              How, precisely, such customized versions of the XR headset will look remains to be seen, but the company’s first partner, construction hardware company Trimble, is offering a pretty interesting glimpse. The company joined Microsoft onstage at Mobile World Conference in Barcelona to debut a new collaboration.
             The XR10 is a customized hard hat with a swiveling HoloLens 2 built in, so construction works can get a heads-up display on site. This first partnership is a clear sign of where Microsoft hopes to go with this second generation of its headset, taking the technology beyond the confines of the office and into real-world sites. 
                Pricing is still TBD, but the headset will be available at the same time as the regular HoloLens 2.

. . . . and so here we are again - end of another issue and I still didn't get half of what I had reserved for it into this release. Oh well - next month. A part of next month's release will be a stunning new project in China by Montreal's most famous architect, Moishe Safdie - it will astound you. And we will go back in time to explore some of the last days of another genius designer, architect, artist, and scientist....Leonardo da Vinci.

Plus a feature on the great design work of Marina Starunova, Ukraine - here's a preview:

And lastly, yet again, the inclusion of some of my work. This issue showcases some of my graphic design projects. As a Certified Graphic Designer, my chosen specialty was logo design and identity graphics.
I got great joy and satisfaction from the process of seeking a form shape that was reflective of the company for whom it was designed. Hope you like them.

This is my most recent logo design/development • for a student of mine who graduated a year ago and is in the process of developing her own freelance clientele.

That's it for now - there are a number of other logos and graphic design projects that could be shown here.....these are fairly representative of the principal philosophy by which I have conducted my design work over 50 years.

Signing off with this thought....graphically and  philosophically......

There are 9 months left in the lifespan of DesignReviewInternational - unless we settle on a plan to keep it sustainable. Current surveys of our readership thus far indicate the support for DRI becoming a paid subscription publication. What might the price point be? Still working on that - if any of you have an opinion as to whether DRI has a value - that you enjoy and appreciate - please feel free to write us. At this juncture such a value price-point is ranging between $2.00 and $5.00 an issue.......thoughts? Ideas?

Thank you all for your enthusiastic comments and support so far.