January 29

Blueprint, issue 286 review

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(Text by Gaia Bianchini)


Blueprint has traditionally made its readers well accustomed to sound explanations on design mechanisms and processes, what’s exactly up with design today. And, of course, by “today” we mean “now”. And, possibly, tomorrow.

Thinking of some attribute to generally define the thin, large format magazine, I can’t avoid stressing its most peculiar features: young and independent.

Under the wise guidance of Vicky Richardson (who’s recently been appointed as director Architecture, Design and Fashion at the British Council) and Tim Abrahams, Blueprint goes on giving its lucid, 360°- oriented glance on our world through specific sections dedicated to people/objects/exhibitions/installations/processes and meanings.

This month’s issue gives a challenging assessment on the 25 people among designers, architects and campaigners who will change architecture, design, graphics and communication in 2010. Of course – since the borders of the architect and designer profession are more and more blurring into somewhere else – the list includes personalities from researchers to graffiti artists; from economists to sculptors. Just keep an eye on architectural firms like  Toh Shimazaki Architecture, or sculptor Richard Wilson; or even the think tank Tomorrow’s Thoughts Today, which is “exploring the consequences of fantastic, perverse and underrated urbanisms”, to see what’s in store in Innovationland for 2010. Read more

January 28

Elise Island Project: design for highest achievements

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(Text by Diana Nóbrega; photos: diephotodesigner.de for :: dan pearlman, all materials courtesy of :: dan pearlman)


The Evangelisches Konigin Elisabeth Krankenhaus Hospital, in Berlin, created a holistic dreamland for young patients with psychiatric issues in cooperation with :: dan pearlman creative agency.

The patients of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry of the Evangelisches Konigin Elisabeth Krankenhaus Hospital (KEH), in Berlin, will never feel alone again. Since october, in addition to doctors and nurses the youngsters are, hosted by Princess Elise. She is the protagonist of the story told to the children and adolescents as soo as they arrive at the Institution. When Princess Elise was a child she invented her own island, with golden sand, palm trees, rocks that kiss the waves and shelters where she could rest when she needed to. Here she felt protected and sheltered. Now that Elise has grown a grandmother, she doesn’t need the island and she has decided to share it with the young patients of the Hospital.
The legend was created and transferred from the imaginary into reality by the German creative agency :: dan pearlman who worked closely with the KEH psychiatrists over ten months. The Isle of Elise project is based on a holistic therapy which gives design a central role, the result represents a completely new approach to child and adolescent psychiatry. Read more

January 27

Demolition Man: to Destroy LA is to Build LA

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(By Nicola Bozzi)


Due to a mostly comedy-oriented film education as a kid, I had missed Marco Brambilla’s action-classic Demolition Man (1993) back when I had the chance to catch it in its box-office semi-freshness (17 years ago it took a while before a movie passed from the movie theater to the TV screen). I have recently made up for this lack, and while the roughly-cut screenplay, the flat characters, and the unlikely fighting choreographies might have amused me much more when I was 10 years old, I have to be thankful I could enjoy a first impact with the movie after reading Mike Davis‘ City of Quartz and watching a couple of documentaries about the riots that shook Los Angeles in the 90s. In the analysis that follows, this article here has also been a big inspiration in terms of the movie’s relationship with Hollywood and LA’s urban and social landscape. Read more

January 25

Architect Kamil Khan Mumtaz in the spotlight. A frank chat

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(Text by Aresha Gul in co-operation with Kamil Khan Mumtaz Architects, all projects and images © Kamil Khan Mumtaz Architects)

Lahore, my city, is blessed with beautiful and unique architecture. To find the true soul of Lahore you must visit the Old Walled City which dates back hundreds of years. The Walled City includes lovely buildings, homes and a network of small, narrow streets which take you back in time to relive history.

The typical home was the “Haveli”. This word comes from “Hava” that is “wind”, as the Haveli was the traditional design, with large airy verandahs on all sides, high ceilings and an atrium in the middle for lighting. Haveli gave way to modern residences and buildings, though the wave of contemporary design could not wipe out the beauty and sensible pragmatism of the Haveli. It’s not surprising that the traditional Pakistani home is now back in vogue. Architect Kamil Khan Mumtaz is among those architects and designers experimenting with the haveli form and succeeding in a delicate blend between the traditional and the contemporary.

Sara Zaman Residence, Cavalry Ground, LAhore; © Kamil Khan Mumtaz Architects Read more

January 25

Soft Parcel by TAF. Universal Design

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(All photos © Joakim Bergström)

Find a rectangular piece of foam rubber and wrap it up in brown paper, a simple object will look like a present. The instant modules will give you the chance of infinite sitting arrangements and space layers. The simple, easy and cheap act to create always new and modifiable space solutions has been put in practice by swedish architects and designers TAF, Gabriella Gustafson & Mattias Ståhlbom. Read more

January 22

BRICKS OF ENLIGHTENMENT. Ismar Cirkinagic + a-lab @ Kunsthallen Nikolaj, Copenhagen

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(All materials courtesy of Nikolaj, Copenhagen Contemporary Art Center & A-Lab)

BRICKS OF ENLIGHTENMENT
Ismar Cirkinagic + a-lab
ML2090 First Phase 23th January – 14th March
Nikolaj, Copenhagen Contemporary Art Center

Kunsthallen Nikolaj presents the installation Brick of Enlightenment by Danish-Bosnian artist Ismar Cirkinagic, in collaboration with the architectural office a-lab. The exhibition is the first phase of three in the project ML2090, and is a visual examination of staging power based on the novel 1984 by George Orwell.
Read more

January 21

Cracking Art Group invades Treviso. Charity auction

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(All materials courtesy of Cracking Art Group)

Consorzio Per Mio Figlio presents Treviso Cracking Art Regeneration, an alliance event betwen contemporary art and solidarity in favour of the paediatric ward of Treviso hospital. Artworks by Cracking Art Group will be put up for auction on tuesday January 26, at 8 pm. The proceeds will be donated to buy two important pieces of medical equipment for Treviso’s younger patients. A minum of Euro 50 grant is requested to join the benefit dinner. Download the invitation. Read more

January 20

La Casa Interiore – The Inner House by na3

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“The hidden plot is stronger than the obvious” (Heraclitus).

The title, La Casa Interiore, fully expresses the inner meaning of the work: a reflection on the theme of equality and eternal dichotomy between outward and inward between the appearance and being in front of the leveling power of death. Architecture conceived as a Temple. A simple white cube, silent and seemingly impenetrable, contains within it a valuable space, full of decorative elements: an exciting blend of light, shapes, materials as a metaphor for the richness of mind of the people, the poetry as an instrument of equality revelation of the uniqueness of our inner world. (Mirco Vacchi)

The characteristics of this small private Temple are:
• Exterior. The pure white walls, the choice of a pure geometry of the shape of the container: a cube, a door.
• Interior. The decorative richness of space: the walls, coatings, time, natural light and artificial interact with materials such as wood and plaster.
A world.
The inner world and the beauty of who was there and now there’s no more: like many times in art, we deal with the concept of the “presence of absence.”
The plan is simple and organized by placing niches on two walls.
The interior walls are covered with mdf with applied decorations.
The front door is glass laminated glossy. Read more

January 19

Aldo Lanzini – Dopo le cause, prima delle conseguenze

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Aldo Lanzini @ Triennale Bovisa Milano
from February 3 to 28 – dal 3 al 28 febbraio
Opening on Tuesday February 2, h.6.30pm – Inaugurazione martedi 2 febbraio dalle 18.30

Aldo Lanzini’s exhibition is the first of a series of shows, workshops, and events curated by do-knit-yourself and taking place at Triennale Bovisa from February to June 2010.

Together with crocket hook pieces conceived around the theme of identity in costruction, already shown in the photographic version during the Dritto-Rovescio exhibition in March 2009, Lanzini also presents a series of multi-media pieces (drawing, sewing, writing, photography, music and video) some of which have been realized for the occasion. In the spirit of Triennale Bovisa’s activities, where exhibitions become ateliers, during the show (February 2010) the artist and do-knit-yourself will hold Talking Hands, a few open workshops on manual tecniques. Read more

January 18

The Self Assigned Photographer. Farewell to Dennis Stock

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American photo journalist Dennis Stock, also renowned for shooting some of the most famous portraits of celebrities like Audrey Hepburn and James Dean, has died last week. See a tribute video at Magnum Photos.

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