Remembering the extraordinary Lebbeus Woods

"Architectural imagination, freed from constraints of finance and buildability, should be uncompromising, always. One should imagine entirely new structures, spaces without walls, radically reconstructing the outermost possibilities of the built environment. If need be, we should re-think the very planet we stand on."  

Lebbeus Woods (via BLDGBLOG)

Above images - Top: Lebbeus Woods' 'Havana' (1994), & Bottom: Lebbeus Woods' 'Future structures of the Korean demilitarised zone' (1988)

I share here a short, impromptu post regarding the late Lebbeus Woods. It saddens me to learn that we have not only lost one of our time's great experimental architects, but also an incredible writer, conceptualiser of space, and, moreover, theorist on notions of architecture linked to society and its politics. His death comes in a somber period where his own city, New York, stands brave under the recent Sandy storm.

Above image Lebbeus Woods' 'Lower Manhattan' (1999)

What I actually find most mystically interesting is the irony of his passing away in a nature ravaged New York, a scenario that he wrote about and illustrated in 1999 for Abitare magazine which, at the time, was doing a piece on the city. In the illustration (above image) Woods depicts the city such that the earth under a part of Lower Manhattan is cracked and raised, and the rivers are dammed. Woods' objective with this image was to show that even though NY is one of the biggest cities, as we humans perceive cities, size is only a mere perception. Our notion of the scale of the city changes completely when we take into account the size of the mere rock that Manhattan is built on compared to the size & power of nature and our earth.

Above three images from Lebbeus Woods' 'War & Architecture'

Needless to say, I sit very far from knowing the work of Woods well. I, thus, invite you to read the following two pieces that I found are just so beautifully written, both via BLDGBLOG. The first is an interview with Woods dating back to 3rd October 2007, and the second is a tribute to his life and influence on the architectural world. The words of the author comprise a compelling goodbye to an incredible architect all while taking us back through the amazing work and words of Lebbeus Woods. 

Above image, Lebbeus Woods' 'Nine Reconstructed Boxes'

Above image, Lebbeus Woods' 'Siteline Vienna' (1998)

Above two images, Lebbeus Woods' 'The Wall Game'

Above three images, Lebbeus Woods' conceptualisation of the 'Einstein's Tomb' (1980)

Source - bldgblog

All images courtesy of - bldgblog

Painting memories with well-forgotten old things

Oh how I'm so very proudly excited to have found the work of Ukraine based interior workshop Sergey Makhno! Not only because Nest of Pearls searches to discover talented designers in all corners of the world, but also because the work is just very simply breathtaking. Headed-up by Sergey Makhno himself, the talented team embark on a vast array of projects ranging from interior fit-outs, to architectural projects, through to, and this is what has won my little heart, unforgettable object design.

As it's rather impossible to wrap one's mind around all their fabulous work in just one blog post, I've chosen to share with you their collection called The Invariants, but I do encourage you to immerse yourself further and discover all their great work, available for view via their site. 

So, The Invariants. The collection portrays a series of vases using materials that we find very familiar from our childhood days, such as concrete and glass jars. Despite its simplicity, the work captures a magnitude of emotions, a certain austerity as well as a notion of loneliness. We also feel the absence of the elements of nature... yet another link to childhood memories of big city living, where streets were the haven for play and fun.

Source - mahno.com

Could this be the smallest house in the world?

This project is like a time machine for me, yikes! It actually takes me back to my second year of university where we were asked to create a museum in a very tight & narrow space between two buildings in Sydney's Darlinghurst road, and I think it was just opposite Whites Lane, if memory serves me correctly... but that's neither here nor there. What I wanted to point out in mentioning this is that being asked to design outside the comfort of our understanding of conventional space is a real challenge and forces very unique and highly creative ideas to be born where we never fathomed that such ideas could linger.

What is very possibly the smallest house in the world, this little abode is located between two buildings in Warsaw and is a project born through the coming together of Polish architect Jakub Szczesny* and Israeli author Etgar Keret, and impressive it is! It is an undertaking involving more than cute decoration or simple additions of the right colour in the right corner. This project is a study of, and an excellent execution of, a truly deep understanding of space. In essence, the narrow building acts as juncture between two existing buildings that come from different periods. The interior has been designed such that the inhabitant is always moving up or down rather than in the very obvious and accepted notion of moving forward, backwards, left and right. 

The space is more or less completely white, salvaging anyone with notions of claustrophobia, with injected blobs of very bright colours, tactically placed in opposing corners, to allow the eye to always travel to another spot and the mind to bounce around and delve into a sense of continuous movement, albeit the tight interior.

Courtesy of - ny times

Photography - andreas meichsner 

* unfortunately I was unable to find a link to the architect's work, this will be updated as soon as I do.

Swedish interior conversion

This sassy conversion of an old shop into a swanky house is situated in Sweden's Gotland, and I just love the modern approach to the redesign of the interior. Firstly the floor, I love the touch of wood and the soft, warm grey it brings into the space. I particularly like how each stain & mark has been kept & magnified on the wood floor panels, adding a unique character to each corner of the surface. 

The rugged textures are also oh-so lusciously seductive. Every room carries its own subtle nod to accents of vintage... from the warm, natural sanded shades of the kitchen cupboards and the luscious, uneven pink textures of the doors inviting us onto the living space, to the delectable traditional sofa throw-overs playing on the contrast of the unrefined metal finish of the lamp hanging just above. There is a real juxtaposition of materials and colours that enhances our appreciation of the space.

Source - lovelylife via bodieandfou

Creamy sensations

A quick Saturday post on delicious creamy tones. I know I say it again and again, but I simply love a white space that one can spruce up with soft colours and accents... Below I share with you some of my favourite styling shots of the week, each one exploring a different use of a soft pallet of cream and beige colours... Enjoy!

Source - Pinterest