Diane, A Shaded View on Fashion

Luis Mansilla and Emilio Tuñón - architects

Luis Mansilla and Emilio Tunon in Ponteverdra, Galacia 

 Dear Shaded Viewers,

I met the architects Luis Mansilla and Emilio Tunon when we were on the jury together last week in Galacia. Both were born in Madrid at the end of the 50's and studied architecture at the escuela tecnica superior in architecture in Madrid. In 1992 they established their firm Mansilla + Tunon. They specialize in designing public and private buildings world wide and one of them that they are quite proud of is is the contemporary art museum in castilla y leon, spain , MUSAC. In 1907 it received the prestigious Mies Van der Rohe award. Recently they won first prize for the Madrid International Convention Center.

http://www.mansilla-tunon.com

 

 

MUSAC exterior and interior and opening day

The two are  quiet and unassuming, one of their main concerns is how their work will interact with people's lives. I enjoyed discussing with Emilio the total lack of concern for that from some very celebrated architects. In addition to the human factor Luis and Emilio  are  very concerned about the environmental process and how buildings are constructed and insulated and how durable the materials are. When they designed  the facade of an automotive museum they used discarded cars, it was a way of expressing their feelings about recycling. Like the majority of architects, most of their projects are the result of competitions. 

http://mansilla-tunon.blogspot.com/

 
 

 

they won first prize for this institutional space that is able to catalyze initiatives concerning energy and sustainability in the territory of castilla y leon , Spain.

I was quite charmed when they told me that they read my blog and were thinking of linking it to their site.
 
  
  
 

Vincent Brunessaux _his furniture and his new life in Sao Paulo

 

Dear Shaded Viewers,

After years spent in the depths of his cellar breaking up glass or twisting bits of iron to make armchairs decorated with Christ transformed into Batman under the guidance of his mentors Andre Dubreuil and Marco de Gueltz, Vincent joined the renowed Boulle School in Paris where he received his diploma as a fitter sculptor in bronze metal. He left school and continued to work with bronze in the neo baroque style. Little by little his own designs became smooth and slippery like the tiles of a swimming pool. 

 

His baroque days over with the exception of the occassional ferret popping up in the corner of a lamp. He left Paris 4 months ago and is enjoying his new life in Sao Paulo. His blog shows his new life.

 

 
http://www.tropiqueaucompteur.blogspot.com/

http://www.aisselle.fr

Later,

Diane

Brasilia - Capital Fashion Week- Day 3

Dear Shaded Viewers,

The figures in the background are 'The Warriors' by artist Bruno Giorgio and were created as a tribute to the thousands of workers that built Brasilia.

The plan for the city was meant to be two arms embracing its people but the common explanation of the city is that it is built like a plane with wings. If you do not have a car you can pretty much forget getting around. Everything is really quite spread out. The city was originally built for 500,000 people but now there are at least 3,000,000.

Above Gabriel Rajao & DP and Robb Young hiding from the bright winter sunlight.

Later,

Diane

All Diane's photos by Samsung ST50

THE OOMPA LOOMPA STYLINGS OF DESIGN COLLECTIVE DFC

 

 

My friend Tony Moxham's company DFC has introduced their new collection of fiercely collectible design objects for Fall/Winter 09/10 in the most amusing way. Who is responsible for the creation of DFC's new collection, you may very well ask? Meet the DFC Factoritas! DFC is working this season with a grand troupe of these hard-working design, art, style, and production experts and would be lost without their genius!! Resembelance to the Ooompa-Loompa is purely coincidental. All Factorita fotos by David Franco. Styling by the genius Vera, and hair and makeup by multi-talented Maripili. Model: Momo. Mil Gracias! For more info please contact tony@dfcasa.com or tony@tonyworld.com - Walt Cessna

Design Parade 04 Villa Noailles Hyeres-July 3, 4 and 5- photos by Laure Grandon

The High Line Park in New York. Photos & text by Glenn Belverio

Dear Shaded & Sun-bathed Viewers,

Yesterday, after 49 days of rain and gloom, the sun came out in New York. The city's vitamin D-deprived dwellers bolted from their gulag-like offices and shoebox apartments and ran through the streets, stripping off the majority of their clothing and heading for nearby parks or anywhere where they could expose their pale, corpse-like flesh to the healing rays of ultraviolet radiation. Some NYers exorcised their rain rage by setting huge piles of umbrellas ablaze in the middle of Times Square; others sacrificed squirrels and pigeons to the sun goddess in the hopes that She would stay with us for the rest of the summer.

I took the sunny day as an opportunity to visit the recently opened High Line Park in the Meatpacking District. For those who don't know, the High Line is a 1.45 mile-long (sorry, we don't do meters in the US) elevated, steel structure built in the 1930's to carry freight trains. It runs up Tenth Avenue from Gansevoort Street to 34th Street--but the new park ends at 20th Street. The remainder of the High Line will be completed next year. (As far as I know, the only other elevated rail park in the world is the Promenade Plantee in Paris).

Inspired by the wild-seeded condition left after the line had been abandoned, the landscape architecture aesthetic of the High Line is carefully controlled chaos. "Keep it wild, stay on the path" signs constantly warn. The lines between "authentically overgrown" and "calculated cultivation" blur nicely. Having grown up on a farm in New Jersey, I've seen my share of abandoned, weed-covered railroad tracks. Like the pre-renovated High Line, those country landscapes have--depending on your viewpoint--either a melancholy appeal or a quasi-apocalyptic hopelessness. Now that the High Line's vegetation is interwoven with pristine cement pathways and surrounded by trendy architecture, the promise (or illusion) of a better future pleasantly intrudes.

The Standard Hotel straddles the park.

I wasn't sure what I would think of the High Line before I visited. I thought it might be a one-time look, like walking through a gallery show or visiting a monument in a foreign city. I thought it would be too claustrophobic a place to spend my (considerable amount of) downtime in. Like the (unemployed?) lounging NYers above, I found the park very inviting, very relaxing, and will probably return with a sandwich and a good book to while away a weekday summer afternoon.

In one of the park's tunnels, artist Spencer Finch has installed a piece entitled "The River that Flows Both Ways." The 700 laminated glass panels with color film interlayer is "inspired by the Hudson River and documents a 700-minute journey on the river in a single day. The title is a translation of the Muhheakantuck, the Native American name for the Hudson that refers to the river's natural flow in two directions. Like the rail line that existed on the HIgh Line, the Hudson Rivers was, and still is, an active route for transportation of goods into Manhattan. The river and the High Line have always been linked in their geography, their function, and the imprint on the industrial legacy of the city."

These tiered wooden seats afford a peculiarly chosen view: traffic on Tenth Avenue. I think it is the least appealing view in the park This section of the High Line reminded me of Rem Koolhaas's design for the Soho Prada store which is arguably considered a flop.

Two views of Frank Gehry's IAC building.

Daisies and decay

Of course there is a luxury rental apartment building attached to the park.

Thanks for reading.

Love,

Glenn Belverio

P.S. - It might be a bit of a stretch to compare the renovated High Line to a (imaginary) developed Death Valley--but because of the luxury rental building attached to this little vision of Utopia, I couldn't help thinking of this scene from Antonioni's "Zabriskie Point" which features a realtor's pitch for "Sunnydunes."

Carpenters Workshop Gallery at Design Miami Basel

David Lynch collaborates with EC 1 in Lodz and the creation of a new cultural center for Europe

This is the building that will act as the home of film workshops by David Lynch

Dear Shaded Viewers,

If you listened to my video posts you have now had a preview of David Lynch's involvement with the creation of the new cultural center for Europe in Lodz. Monika, one of the architects on this massive project took time away from her work to explain EC 1 to us. Today, probably right now, she will be presenting the EC 1 project to the government for final approval. She tells us about the visits of David Lynch to Lodz and how when he saw this abandoned power station he had the strongest desire to bring it back to life. Imagine being able, as a film student or graduate, to be able to take workshops with David Lynch....

All Diane's pictures taken with Samsung ST-50.

Inside one of the power station buildings

The tower will be restored to its original condition and a resto will be situated on the ground floor.

Zuzanna Mieszek, Monika (one of the architects on this project) and Agnieszka Malecka

Later from Cracow, our last stop in Poland,

Diane

Giuliano Fujiwara's new home furnishing collection

Dear Shaded Viewers,

Giuliano Fujiwara will present his home furnishing collection again this year during the Milanese design week.

The collection concept is Wabi-Sabi, the beauty of imperfection, led by the brand's creative director Masataka Matsumura. His work is on the concept of dominoes, geometric with an inlay like a leitmotiv that links one piece to the other.

Some of the most representative pieces designed by Masataka Matsumura will be displayed exclusively from April 22 - 27th at the Giuliano Fujiwara flagship store on Via Borgospesso, 11.

Later,

Diane

NORDIC FASHION BIENNALE IN REYKJAVIK BY SHOJI FUJII : INTERIOR/EXHIBITION

Dear Shaded Viewers

I would like to show you some images from from the inside of Nordic house where the Nordic Fashion Biennale was held.

www.nordicfashionbiennale.com 

Alvar Aalto, finnish architect/interior designer who designed Nordic House in Reykjavik in the 60's.

All the interior furniture and products are designed by Alvar Aalto.

 

Magic ! flower vase. It stands with a magnet at the bottom.

My favorite room is the Library. It's unique and beautiful. They have a lot of very rare books from nordic & scandinavian countries.

Children's Library/playroom. Love the pop design and colors.

 

 

Slide show, portraits of 32 Icelandic designers by Bjarni Einarsson.

Accessories exhibition, bARBARA Í gONGINI.

I like what it becomes when you put a lot of elastic bands together as  accessories.

Vigdís

Aurum(above & below)

 

Stylist, Anna Clausen(left) at back stage.

shoji