color changing wall by Amirkhan Abdurakhmanov
In some marvelous fusion of “paint chip samples” and “Wheel of Fortune puzzle board” comes a conceptual design for a customizable wall by Amirkhan Abdurakhmanov (aka Amirko). The idea is simple, prism shaped blocks are stacked into rotating columns and aligned into rows against a wall. When each block is turned (revealing a white, black, or color surface) a unique plane of pixelated color emerges.
While this could be an awesome addition to any contemporary residence, the practical applications for commercial and retail design are what make the idea viable. Changing displays for new merchandise could now involve completely modifying the space in which it is sold without having to apply a fresh coat of paint. The fixed locations of colors do restrain the gradient that can be displayed, but given the modular design there’s no limit to how finite the variation between each tile could be. In addition to color, I’d love to see what grayscale or tactile material versions of this design might look like. That being said, if I ever got the chance I wouldn’t hesitate to spec or install this “as-is” in my own designs.
more @ yanko design
olympic medal concept and final design - photos by omer arbel/robert keziere
For a line of jewelry that is by no means awarded lightly, this year’s olympic medals employ the playful concept of a locket. Designed by Omer Arbel, the initial design consisted of two pieces that would separate to reveal a small cavity to hide a keepsake after removing a pendant necklace found inside. Unlike the medal, which is traditionally put on display or stored away, the pendant could be worn daily by the athlete.
After a series of iterations and modifications to the form based on an abstraction of Vancouver’s regional topography, the final medals were “cropped” from a large orca motif by Vancouver artist Corrine Hunt. Each medal became a unique keepsake while still remaining part of a larger work of art. They are a reminder that design based on driven development of fundamental ideals can yield a magnificent result… much like the ambition found within the athletes of the Olympic Games.
more @ omer arbel | corrine hunt
hanasaki house by MoNo - photo by koshimizu susumu
My first official design project as an architecture student was a compact live/work residence and gallery for an urban artist. While my project didn’t have the same restraints as this small urban plot in Yokohama City, the challenge of creating a vibrant inner space still holds a special place in my heart.
MoNo designed a series of spaces that would protect the inhabitant without sacrificing the connection to the urban context by building around a single exterior wall. The five level residence employs light, wind, music, smell, and sight lines to create a dynamic sensory circulation throughout. I would imagine that the spatial experience here is richer than any photo could show. A material palette of concrete and glass allows for a complete saturation of dynamic elements. The tectonic expression here is simple, but not lacking. I guess it just goes to show that even basic design problems can yield the most elegant solutions.
more @ dailytonic
march 27, july 11, march 30, october 29 - photo a day project by jenny cestnik
Knowing that 2009 would be a year of transition for me (finishing graduate school and starting my professional career) I decided to do another Photo A Day project, capturing a image of something I did or saw every day and posting it to my flickr account. While I don’t think it made me a better photographer, I found that I’ve become more aware of my surroundings, and the things, both extraordinary or mundane, that make day to day life interesting. These are a few of my favorites, but I find the project much more impressive to see as an entire set. It’s fascinating to look at the personal fabric that’s created when all the images are organized and aligned to a basic grid. Not only was this a successful exercise in design and creativity, but a generator for a wonderful keepsake of an important year of my life.
the complete project @ flickr
chocolate mies van der rohe barcelona cake - photo by twbe.com
The tired cliché of having a piece of Barcelona furniture prominently displayed in an architectural photograph or placed in a chic modern space has officially been obliterated, leaving behind the remains of classic form floating on a chocolaty cloud of awesome. Created by Leandro Erlich for ‘Cake Happening’ in NYC, this replica of the famous Mies van der Rohe couch could be easily mistaken for any contemporary copy with details accordant to the 1930 original.
(Though it’s probably much more delicious.)
original @ theworldsbestever
Patio by Thom Faulder - photo by Digited Image Company
“I wanted someone to barf when they look at it.”
Not really a statement that most designers strive for, let alone utter, but you’ve got to hand it to client Jeff Dauber and architect Thom Faulder, this patio almost makes you want to loose your lunch in a memorized, why couldn’t I think of that, kind of way. The concept of pattern is pushed to the extreme, calling upon tricks of the eye that date back to the Renaissance. However, rather than traditional painted or drawn methods of forced perspective, plywood tiles were designed, manufactured, and hand installed on the small patio to create a vortex centered around an existing maple. Ultimately, what could have been a banal plane for gathering became an unique piece of art for the house.
While fascinating, projects like this do present a problem with the desire for hyper-customized design. The patio can really only be viewed in its intended state in a few spots, and even then only at the the eye level of the client. To create something similar for a mass audience would be a challenge, if not almost impossible… But in the case of vomit enducing architecture? That’s probably not such a bad thing.
original @ metropolis
“The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.” - Voltaire
Last spring I took a writing class taught by local editor and critic Randy Gragg. We studied techniques of storytelling, and how it relates to architecture and space. As architects, it’s just as imperative to be able to express ideas through written and verbal communication as it is through drawing and other graphic methods. But when it comes to space, how do you simply tell a story, and more importantly, where do you start?
My final project was to write a short book that would be left on a patient’s beside table in a Portland, Oregon hospital. It’s an opportunity to encourage one’s imagination and offer a chance to transform a barren hospital environment to a restorative and natural one. During a time when a patient is likely to experience a series of emotions including bored, angry, and afraid, this book tells how to mentally change unfamiliar medical spaces into those that are much more commonplace.
While this is a book intended for patients to read, my discussions about it in class and with reviewers brought up the conversation that perhaps it could also be used for hospital executives and designers. It’s one thing to imagine a technical environment as one that is natural, it’s another to utilize the language of the familiar in the design process.
I guess that’s another story to write.
have a look at my book (as a pdf) here!
SeaSk8 - photo by seattleskateparks.org
While I’ve yet to ever ride a skatepark myself, let alone figure out how to gracefully balance on a board or bike, I’ll admit that I’m utterly fascinated with the typology of these urban parks and the culture that sustains them. The most recent design to catch my eye is located in one of the most iconic areas of Seattle, Washington, right by the Space Needle.
SeaSk8 sits on top of an auxiliary roof of Key Arena and appears to be an attractive, well designed park with amenities for seasoned riders and cautious observers alike (the term “skateable public art” has come up more than once). Given the site, surrounding conditions, and dreams for a public park, the design and construction method is a fascinating one. Foam is the primary material, and while it’s a far cry from the concrete pools of Dogtown, the traditional earthen mounds of contemporary parks, or the piles of who knows what under the famed Burnside Park in Portland, it’s a method that makes sense for the context. Shaped by hand with a +/- 1/8″ tolerance, its lightweight and modular form allows for its initial fabrication and overall permanence . Unlike earth that shifts and settles over time, rigid foam underneath a topping slab of concrete will keep form without adding additional weight to the building below.
With this building technology in place it’s apparent that the future of skatepark locations could be virtually anywhere. While there still much to be done in order for these spaces to be socially accepted in many cities, I’ve learned that the community spirit and dedication of riders and neighbors is what makes them truly successful and welcomed. Next time I’m in Seattle, I’ll be excited to see how SeaSk8 has worked out.
more @ arcade | seattleskateparks
I was finally able to upload photos, drawings, monographs, and manifestos to the site! Here’s hoping this fall I can start slowly teaching myself some web design so that I can ultimately have a completely digital portfolio interface instead of the [design - research - thesis - jenny] tabs above.
Until then, take care, and check out the pdf’s of my most recent monographs here:
Thesis Monograph pdf here
Portfolio of Research + Design Monograph pdf here
concrete wallpaper by architects paper
I may have found something to tide me over while I design my dream house that includes one, if not many, instances of exposed concrete. I have long admired the expression of this fundamental building material, and thus, was fascinated with this interpretation by the German manufacturer Architects Paper. A thin layer of concrete is applied as a powder to typical cotton weave, resulting in a wall covering that has similar sound-proofing and insulation qualities as a wall of traditional concrete. It’s an interesting idea, though I question the tectonics of spaces that use it. As the covering is technically made from the material, is it still considered an honest expression, or rather a cosmetic fallacy? What is it like to the touch? Can the porosity of a cast in place concrete wall be truly replicated? Regardless, it’s certainly a viable way to change the quality of any space quickly, not to mention without any major construction.
product @ architects paper
