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Running scared, I believe is the case. Should we be, scared? I think it's naieve not to be, at least seriously alarmed. Facts/fiction can all too often become intertwined, desrever, and/or skewed. Most of you know, that for four years my classes were largely Asian students - from China. We made some lasting friendships - still many of us remain in contact - either because they are still here in Canada (Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto) or in China. One girl - rather special - had returned to China to continue in the field of interior design, figuring that, although she passed all the Québec french exams, she might get a more robust, 'boots on the ground' kind of experience. And of course, she is back home with her mother and grandmother. The city is immaterial. A couple of weeks ago, being concerned for her welfare, I wrote her, enquiring. She wrote back (remember - this was 2+ weeks ago) telling me that her mother, a nurse, had not left the hospital to come home, for 3 weeks, even though her home is actually next door to the hospital. And she, and her grandmother have been self-quarantined for all this time. Is that, scary? I'd say so. And now, two weeks on, the intensity has mushroomed. This is not going to go quietly into the night - not this, not this time. Despite the promises of Dr. Donald, the local expert. We can only take precautions, keep our heads on our shoulders and be vigilant. It will, end........I think we should all do what one smart fella told us he was doing - stock up on Corona beer and guzzle it down! Perhaps it contains hidden secret antibodies. I wish everyone well. Seriously.  This, is a very special house. In Japan. This featured project came to our attention in ArchDaily (www.archdaily.com). It is the Abo Residence, by Kidosaki Architects Studio The following is text supplied by the architects: Located on a sloping mountain ridge at the foot of the Yatsugatake Mountains, this house was designed on a piece of land that offers spectacular views that are rarely known. Seeking for the best in picturesque scenery, the client took up residence in Tateshina , and spent many years searching for the ideal site for building his house. Inevitably, the main aim of this project is to meet the client's expectations to incorporate these stunning views in to the design. When I visited the site, my first impression was that this untapped and expansive nature must be embraced into the interior to the greatest extent possible. I decided to arrange the house in such that this horizontal expanded scenery must be maximized. In order to realize this design, I introduced mega structures column enabling half of the house to extend into the air. To support this large overhanging floor, 2 diagonal bracing steel cylinders, each 300 mm in diameter is introduced. With this, the house is floats in to the midst of a glorious natural surroundings. With this overhanging structure, the breeze of the mountain plateau flow through the interior, makes you coexistent with nature. When you are invited to the entranceway, after passing through the restrained space of the hallway, and as you enter in to this dramatic space, magnificent and impressive scenery spreads out before your eyes. Additional information can be found on the architect's web-site. IMHO, this is a stunningly beautiful piece of architecture. Think you'll all agree.    We can all, use, more space : : space++ So here's a twist on what we've all seen before - the Murphy bed.....does anybody know who Murphy was? FamilyHandyman shows us a different way to harness hidden space. I, in particular, like this solution - for it means that in a spare room, say, it can still easily function as an office/workspace........if you have that occasional guest that you want to be able to have stay over, this is as perfect a solution as I have seen. From FamilyHandyman there is this very cool idea. Tight on space? This is a piece of furniture you'll want to check out. Every product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. In our April 2020 issue of Family Handyman magazine, Senior Editor Brad Holden shows readers how to build a Murphy Bed/Desk. If you’re tight on living space or want your guest room to double as an office, this is a piece of furniture you’ll want to check out. Cost SavingsThis bed quickly converts to a desk without increasing its footprint. When you switch it back to a bed, the desk stays level, so you can leave all your stuff on it. A company called Hiddenbed sells bed kits with all the parts precut and ready for assembly. You can also purchase just the hardware kit, which includes the plans. Building the bed yourself instead of buying the precut kit can save you about $1,200!  As a desk it is clean-lined, simple - functional. But, as a bed:  Well, it just works - check the video link.  To all of you, from Iran - one of the verboten states in regards to travel these days.  WHAT, is this?  It's like, a Moonscape......  Personally I LOVE it!  It is - raw! Visceral! It pulls at all my senses! It is an amoebic outgrowth of nature, naturalness (is that a word?). I - yes, I, could live there. It is evocative, responsive - it resonates with a simplistic power of brute purity...... Try as I might the only information I can find on this remarkable concept/idea is that it is the work of one Mohtashami Reza - of the VW ARTCLUB - it seems it is a digital fantasy : : but, I love it. And if I were to live there I would simply have to have this parked outside:  How's that for your dailyRide?  P U R I T Y : is that not a cornerstone of the best design? Consider this:   Unfortunately I have NO information or details about this - it is, though, spectacular, no?  This is a wonderful painting by my friend, Nina Keogh.......if you want to buy it I will act as her agent- it's a great steal at $3000.00. Contact me if interested.   Do you have a cat? We have a cat : : Fiji The WonderCat! Those of us who are cat lovers or CatAppreciators, can see what a treat this would be for our feline friends : : Called WickedBall for cats, it's a h o o t ! You must watch the video.....and it's not completely unreasonable at $49.00. Probably the only cat toy you'd ever have to buy.  This is a series of fantabulous escape residences in Costa Rica - a country dear to my heart, which I've visited probably a dozen times, going back to the early 80's. In no particular order these are the descriptions of the fabulous places available in CR: Written by Eric Baldwin Costa Rica’s new modern homes are built to float above the landscape. This wave of elevated housing is designed to minimize environmental impact while working with varied terrain. Aiming to become a carbon-neutral country, Costa Rica is transforming its housing market as it experiences a growing demand for more residential buildings. Located in Central America, Costa Rich shares borders with Nicaragua and Panama, as well as the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The sovereign state’s progressive environmental policies have influenced and shaped the built environment, including how projects are tied to diverse energy sources like geothermal, hydro and solar. The Green Building Council Costa Rica (GBCCR) has taken a number of steps to help in this effort and address the residential sector of the building market. Sited in steeply sloped and forested sites, many new homes are built atop shifting topography and dense vegetation. Today, Costa Rica’s modern homes are opening up to nature and the ocean as the country works to mobilize the residential market towards greener building practices. The following projects showcase some of the elevated housing that has been created over the last five years, including a number of houses with smaller footprints built atop stilts. They feature a range of building programs and scales, but share a common approach to Costa Rica’s rich landscape. Costa Rica Treehouse by Olson Kundig Costa Rica Treehouse is inspired by the jungle of this densely forested site on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Built entirely of teak wood harvested on-site, the retreat engages with the jungle at each of its three levels: at the forest floor, the middle floor is nestled within the trees, and the top level rises above the tree canopy with views of the surf at nearby Playa Hermosa beach. Designed as an open-air surfer hut, the project engages the Costa Rican landscape, from the vegetation accessible just off the main floor, to the larger weather and surf patterns one can experience on the top level. Pájaro de Plata House by OsArquitectura The House sits on a mountain top in a remote beach town called Playa Negra. It is a vacation home for a New York couple that was interested in a home away from home that not only adapted well to its surroundings but was instrumental to understanding them. The house takes cues from local vernacular constructions of the area that insert themselves in what Gilles Clément calls the third landscape; going with rather than against natural conditions. Flotanta House by Studio Saxe he Gooden-Nahome family wanted to create a home on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica and they found an incredible site overlooking the ocean. The biggest challenge the team encountered was that their plot of land was predominantly comprised of a very steep slope, and the view of the ocean could only be seen from the upper-mid portion of the site. The team saw this as an opportunity rather than a constraint, and immediately considered an architectural response that was appropriate for these conditions. Indios DIn the Papagayo peninsula, placed on the tip of an seaward pointing, and slightly downward sloping ridge of a peninsular shaped lot, with forest on both sides ( one a natural reserve), is the house named Indios Desnudos. It is named after some of the most characteristic trees on the lot, indio desnudo (naked indian) they make up a focal point of the house, especially in the main living area. esnudos House by Cañas Arquitectos Room and Ficus by Cañas Arquitectos This project was designed around an existing Ficus and to highlight the surrounding place. Programmatically, “it’s a place where one can enjoy the view and spend afternoons and part of the evening with friends and family.” The location selected had a slight slope towards the east and a bonsai-like tree that resembles the ones grown by its owner. In turn, the view of the San Jose city with the central volcanic mountain range was central to the design, with the Escazu mountains and its Pico Blanco or White Peak. Jungle Frame House by Studio Saxe The client commissioned Studio Saxe to create a dwelling in the jungle that brings the outside in. The property was composed of a slope that went down into a beautiful creek that overlooks the jungle. Studio Saxe decided to create a large triple height space to be able to see the sky all the way from the bottom of the jungle floor and to appreciate the full scope of every tree that surrounds the house. This volume of space enclosed in glass is a powerful moment that brings shadows inside, natural ventilation and provides a place which is always surrounded by the jungle.   This is part of a new product line from a company, Haver & Boecker. From their product listing web-site: HAVER & BOECKER has actively influenced the technology of wire weaving since its beginning. Based on expertise and more than 125 years of successful company history, today we are able to offer our customers the benefit of our unrivalled experience , technology and know-how about wire mesh. Due to the functional and aesthetic characteristics of our HAVER Architectural Mesh, it offers new and versatile fields of applications in architecture. It convinces with its noble optic and meets at the same time the highest standards of safety and stability in indoor and outdoor applications. Whether science or research , industry or architecture - wherever our stainless steel wire mesh is used, our customers worldwide benefit from a broad but still unique individual service.  Notice the very large image screen on one side of the building façade. This is an example of 'kinetic architecture'- or at least derivative of it. Kinetic architecture? Qu'est-ce que? Known also as 'shape-shifting' architecture, this evolving medium for buildings is growing rapidly both in terms of sophistication and technology. Whole building façades move, change shape - change the architectural conversation with the public. Our next issue will feature examples of this and of similar works by architects such as Tom Whiscombe of Los Angeles. Here are a few images of a spectacular public space structure he designed, commissioned by West Hollywood......it is organic in that it is, its own medium. We all have seen the proliferation of digital signage in Times Square. . . . . it was perhaps the genesis for experimentation that had occurred in the architectural sciences over the last decade or so. Albeit such expressions of architecture, its skin, its envelope, can be quite spectacular the dynamic consequence of this kind of creativity, in my opinion, could probably be effectively used to benefit society in many ways. In fact, I have been working on a paper titled, 'Architecture as Media : : The Harnessing of Architectural Processes in the Advancement of Multicultural Enlightenment.' Sounds fancy, yes? The idea is to explore ways by which some buildings might be designed to incorporate 'learning channels' directed to the passing public. IMHO, the first step in advancing an understanding of cultures/customs, previously unknown to one, is to firstly foster curiosity. Curiosity such as, 'OhMiGod, what is that beautiful building shown there?', or 'The fretwork shown in that digital display is stunning....is it Islamic patterning perhaps?' The natural hoped-for progression from such questions might be to follow such curiosity - to seek out answers and information. As is said in Québec, 'Informez-vous' - Inform yourself, or become aware. In any event, next issue will dive into this topic in greater detail.   The range of 3D Wall Design three-dimensional ceramic surfaces by Atlas Concorde was created from graphical studies and applied to Atlas Concorde white-body wall tiles. Reflecting off the reliefs, light modifies the perception of a space to add a touch of personality. 3D decorated walls are suitable for contemporary residential, wellness, and hospitality spaces. Patterns The 3D Wall Design range is constantly expanding and includes a wide array of decorative patterns in White, Sand, Sage and Night colors. •Geometric designs inspire the textures of Flash, Line, Diamond, Stars, Angle, and the brand new Flake. •Sinuous patterns are reflected in the Wind, Flows, Wave, Dune, Ribbon, and Twist reliefs. •Rippled lines are shown on the Mesh and Plot patterns •Decisive lines that come alive depending on the viewing angle and source of light define the Blade, Ultra Blade, and Kite designs. Finishes
To reduce environmental impact, Atlas Concorde manufactures ceramic stone tiles taking into account atmospheric emissions, optimizing resource use, and recycling waste materials. All Atlas Concorde porcelain floor and white body wall tiles can be used in projects that follow the guidelines of the Green Building Council, which promotes the independent certification system LEED v4. Made in Italy    In this section I will be showcasing a few really cool instances of interior design I came across during my November trip to the UK. The first is the in-store customer consulting space of KUONI Travel.....in the John Lewis store, Birmingham.  What was it that caught my eye? As you will see, this space has a lovely, 'come hither' kinda feel to it - it goes beyond being simply inviting. It exudes comfort, care - it communicates a wonderful e c l e c t i s m and well-chosen artifacts, accessories. It appears to be a very personal space - like it was transplanted from someone's home - I believe that such a message is one of deep feeling - and sincerity. Bravo to whoever the design team was!   Notice the use of the patterned ottoman- completely unexpected in what is usually a sterile retail environment.  When I simply appeared at the entry to this space, I took the three of them by surprise - but they were very gracious. The gentleman in the foreground is Sean Kennedy. You can actually book your travel through him at sean.kennedy@kuoni.co.uk. Tell him I sent you! Mucho gracias Sean.   The cafeteria in the John Lewis store is a delight - really good, reasonably priced soups, sandwiches. A spillover dining space contains this wonderful 'mosaic' consisting of a series of dinner plates, each one printed individually and differently.......what a clever and lovely idea!  On the same floor as the cafeteria is this wonderful wall-mounted display at the entry to the fabrics department:  Clever, meticulous craftsmanship! What a novel way to send the marketing message.   Close by the wonderful Marriott Grand Residence we stayed at, in Mayfair, was this 'car store'....... a store that specialized in older, used, classic cars. Such as this fabulous Mercedes-Benz. I made them an offer - unfortunately it was not quite enough.  Among the many landmark building s we explored in our four days in London was Westminster Abbey. Spectacular! Hope you enjoy these few shots I took.....from dozens more.   ZAHA HADID : : iconic architecture - organic, in the most honest and accurate interpretation of the philosophies of Frank Lloyd Wright : : that design, architecture should be drawn from, influenced by, the natural world. For example the Johnson Wax building - designed way back in the mid 1940's. His concept, his vision for the revolutionary and unique columnar supports was drawn directly from his core philosophy.  But, this is not intended to be a discussion of the comparative works of these two giants. It is an effort to illustrate how - as I see it - the Hadid Partnership - has created one of the most balanced, innovative structures of recent years. Take a look:  The great photography is by: Hufton + Crow • and this work appeared in the recent issue of DEZEEN and was written by Bridget Cogley. The full article is available here.  And on the subject of Frank Lloyd Wright, if you care about design - if you care about architecture - if you care about or are curious about 'frozen music' - then this news item has to hit home for you. New Petition Aims to Save The School of Architecture at Taliesin
Last month, The School of Architecture at Taliesin announced the closing of the school after 88 years. The school and the Frank Lloyd Wright foundation issued statements on the closure, as well as the students. Now, a new petition started by Simon DeAguero aims to save the school from closing. The news of closure followed the conclusion of a multi-year struggle back in 2017, when the school was approved to maintain its accreditation as an institute of higher learning. As the petition outlines, "the legacy that Frank Lloyd Wright established with his Fellowship, the evolution of which is the School of Architecture at Taliesin, represents an irreplaceable presence in the American cultural landscape." As the student body wrote, "The imminent closure of the School of Architecture at Taliesin has left its student body stunned and deeply distraught. To discontinue eighty-eight years of an alternative pedagogical model is at least as destructive as the demolition of a physical architectural masterwork. To close this school is to dismantle one of the great visions and traditions of the past century; and to preserve the culture that sustains a built environment such as Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin is equivalent in importance to any material evidence of history." The petition was launched within the last two days, and has already gained traction with over two thousand signatures. To find out more about the petition, follow Simon DeAguero's page on change.org The foregoing is drawn from ArchDaily. FLW was too great a genius to suffer such ignominy : : he should be held up and reserved as a national hero - a national American hero - and an international trailblazer in the world of design, architecture and - and - intelligent thought!  Additionally this issue is chockfull - probably, too much, chockfull. A decision - a final decision has not been reached yet in respect to increasing the frequency of DR•I issues. By next issue, it will be - and you will be duly informed. However, a different decision has been arrived at : : starting with the next issue DR•I will be offering a curated selection of 'muchCool' design items.....they will be drawn from places like the Victoria and Albert Museum, The Design Museum, MOMA and other sources. They will be showcased on DR•I allowing you the reader to place an order - and they will be shipped from DR•I. Additionally, ,for the first time we will showcase, and offer for sale, a selection of the great photography by Leonardo Bechini, photographs by Adriana Garcia and the full series of wonderful travel books by Lydia Pawelak. Vietnam, Cambodia and most recently, India. The items chosen for offer, I can promise you will be unusual and unique items - that bespeak, 'DESIGN'. Stay tuned......we may issue a preview in a week or so via www.DesignPreviewInternational.com Sayonara  
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AuthorAs a professional interior designer (45+ years) and as a Certified Graphic Designer (25 years) I have devoted my life to the pursuit of design excellence. Winner of numerous design awards I have also spent 25+ years teaching Interior Design.....the greatest quote regarding design is: the greatest faux pas in design is irrelevance • Note Regarding Archives •
Weebly provides an archive header by month - such as March 2021 . . . . when you select a month, you will be able to access all issues posted in that month - there is no way, thus far, to provide the reader with archival access via Issue number - were working on it. Archives
August 2021
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