do one thing, do it right!

This store is a perfect example of how a commercial space can truly be successful. Do one thing and make a strong statement doing so. Aesop's 11th store is the work of award-winning Melbourne architect Rodney Eggleston. It features a ceiling of 7560 glass bottles. This space is genius because "the product is the focal point and idea of the store". 

Versailles!

Looking for spa retreat? Let me recommend the mother of all spa retreats! As I am a person for Drama with a capital D, check out the  fabulous revamping of The Trianon Palace and Spa in Versailles.  Interior Designer Fiona Thompson transforms the 199 rooms as well as restaurant, ballroom and spa, with oyster-grays and apple greens. Lot's of impact and a very sophisticated vibe. Can you say craziness!!!!

Anyone up for Chinese?

You've never been to a Chinese restaurant such as this one, Fulu Delicious Elite is glitzy and lavish! Located a few blocks from OMA's renowned CCTV tower, this unusual eatery /nightclub serves pricey Japanese and Chinese dinners. The Architect Gustaf  C.K. kan gives his Chinese restaurant a new twist: a very loungy dark feel that is loud in all the right ways.

Not your mother's figurines!

Alain and I were at the Macef show in Milan in early September, we came across the LLADRO stand. We were blown away by their capacity to change with the times and create decorative porcelain masterpieces (with new and inventive themes) that are as valid today as they were yesterday. The Fantasy, the fist collection signed by Jaime Hayon for the brand. Feast you eyes on these beautiful pieces!

Wally!

If your looking to buy a yacht this is the yacht we recommend.

check out more boats from wally at http://www.wally.com/jumpCh.asp?idChannel=1&idUser=0&idLang=IT

Factories are known for assembly lines, blue collar workers, and being dirty. But that has all changed for the Volkswagen Phaeton factory in Dresden Germany. The cost for the factory was $ 320 million US dollars with an addition $ 10.27 million invested in the campus. Located 100 meters from the city’s Botanical Gardens the factory has implement some interesting system to keep the traffic to a minimum. The only component of the Phaetons that is brought in by truck is the car’s body everything else is brought in by way of the city’s tram system.

The Phaeton is hand built and does not use a traditional assembly line. Unique to the factory is the moving hardwood floor which acts as an assembly line, where the cars move slowly through the factory to different stages of the cars production.

If you are looking for a tour there are daily guided and unguided tours of the factory, if you are looking to buy a Phaeton you are able to go to the factory and choose the colour and options for your new car.

More China!

Every now and then there's a country, a city that commissions a high concentration of works and every so often most of them are successful. That's what's up in Beijing! Check out (Pitzker Prize-winning architects) Herzog and de Meuron's Master piece Olympic Stadium, perhaps the most beautiful most unique stadium in the world. These are the buildings that change a city forever.

China's rebith

China's central television headquarters


Take a look at what will be the second-largest office building after the pentagon. It's the headquarters for China's central television and Rem Koolhaas has done it again. This beautiful Monster defies the typical outcome of large architectural projects, the bigger the building is, the harder it is to make wonderful. "It has a delicacy despite it's size" Koolhaas says. " It's something that's not really a tower, but three dimensional, so it defies urban space".

Colour

I came across something interesting today, it’s a Sony Bravia ad I’m not to sure how old it is but it’s quite interesting. This is part of a series of ads taking place around the world where Sony has come up with interesting ways to display colour. What is happening in this particular ad is an ariel show of paint. The set is a community housing complex in Scotland which was going to be demolished, and the paint used is eco friendly there is a making of video on youtube as well. Enjoy the show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOU3xIVWbHY&NR=1

Something interesting for you, the Royal mint of the United Kingdom is modernizing its coin design. There was an open design competition which had 4000 entries, which was won by a London graphic designer Mathew Dent. His concept is one image which is separated into six coins, and requires them to be brought together in order to see the larger image, or just looking at the one pound piece would do the trick.

Alexander McQueen Store in Los Angeles by William Russel of Pentagram.

Located on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles it is the fourth Alexander McQueen store that William Russel has designed. It is the flagship McQueen store taking the same design language for the stores in London, Milan, and New York. The interior of the stores are inspired by McQueen’s catwalk shows, which uses the minimal amount of materials while presenting the collections. The store was created on a vacant site which allowed Russel to design both the exterior and interior.

The store also hosts a sculpture by Robert Bryce Muir titled “ Angel of the Americas” which is suspended through a skylight next to the entrance.

Blue Frog Mumbai Opened earlier this year the Blue Frog is a 1000 square meter complex which is comprised of a restaurant, club, lounge, sound stage, recording studio and sound lab. It is located in Mumbai’s mill district, designed by Chris Lee and Kapil Gupta of Serie. The pod like seating arrangement circles and rises from a stage area which is reminiscent of a Roman amphitheatre and can double as a dance floor. Since the Blue Frog has opened, acts from around the world have been playing at blue Frog making it one of Mumbai’s hottest clubs.

Perched on a cliff in the tropical jungle, Villa Beige seems to have been set there by the greatest of hazards. Only four couples can stay in this luxurious house at one time. The whole concept is a glass of Chardonnay, for its voluptuousness as well as for its colour beige. And for the first time, I am not offended by the colour beige, and the use of tone on tone. Even here at the Villa Beige however, where the concept is beige, you can see the occasional Pucci chair that pulls it all together with colour, pattern and texture.http://www.villabeige.com/

Go Zaha!

Zaha Hadid has created a dune inspired Opera house and cultural center for an island off Dubai. The Buildings will be located off the mainland of the Seven Pearls district of Dubai; it will include an Opera house, playhouse, art gallery, performing arts school and a hotel. The facilities will be state of the art in order to host world class exhibitions, with the opera house seating 2500 and the playhouse to seat 800. The art gallery is anticipated to be compatible to the size of the Guggenheim museum in New York, along with a 6 star hotel which will be connected to the mainland via a road. The two peaks indicate the location of the opera house and the playhouse. The auditoria are found in the flowing shapes that seem to rise for the underside from the main shell.

Football stadiums are known to be strong architectural images in cities around the world, the idea behind the "11 - The Beautiful Game" foosball table was to create such an image, to enrich the interior spaces where it was placed. The dynamic flowing lines of the table reduce the unnecessary detail which allows for the game to come to the forefront.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du8nN22-DNs&eurl=http://www.geekologie.com/2008/04/designer_foosball_table_looks.php

Mondrian South Beach

 

Marcel Wanders has outdone  himself once again, with his brilliant use of materials and his signature style. The Morgans Group (international chain of designer hotels) gave  Wanders complete creative freedom for their new Miami Venture. Expected completion 2008.

Just Cut

Now here's an interesting company for Interior designers. Justcut is a Toronto based company that can cut practically anything with extreme precision! From glass to plastics, these guys use their CNC machine to the maximum, allowing us creative types to let loose. Looking forward to working with you meticulous boys and girls soon! http://www.justcut.ca/

Moscow City Tower

Moscow City Tower - taller than any other building in Europe - is a striking new addition to the dynamic high-rise skyline of Moscow City. The mixed-use project - incorporating apartments, hotel, office and leisure space - will have an ‘energy cycle’ that will pioneer sustainable architecture and reinforce the economic and social vitality of Moscow City. The construction started in 2007, and occupancy is expected for 2012.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia_Tower

http://www.e-architect.co.uk/moscow/russia_tower.htm

Royalton

I think this speaks for itself. It's well worth looking at...

http://www.royaltonhotel.com/royalton_hotel_penthouse.asp

Speed Style

The sleek little number shown here is the new XSR48. The 48-foot boat is said to be the world's fastest diesel production boat. The boat will be put through a series of world record attempts to be conducted this year. The interior is cool and reflects the overall sharp and image of the vessel. It’s value started off at 1million and has risen to 3million dollars since its unveiling at the Monaco Yacht Show.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsagDKpbc3w

Ketchup This!

I found this new restaurant as I was flipping through a magazine last week. Ketchup-the restaurant, of course, is an all American adaptation of, well, Ketchup. Based on burgers and french fries, the concept is clear, good American food! I think this space is a success and worth talking about, the materials are appropriate, and the menu is honest, the perfect recipe for good design. My favorite feature? The art ketchup bottle above the banquette! Nice one! http://dolcegroup.com/ketchup/

Undersea Restaurant

What is going on here? Craziness!!! Somebody take me to the Maldives, hurry!!! Rumored to be conceptual while under construction; Ithaa (means pearl) restaurant is quite real. Located in the Maldives (Hilton Maldives, Resort and Spa Rangali Islad), six meters out to sea and five meters bellow water via a spiral staircase, made out of curved transparent acrylic walls, Ithaa leaves nothing to the imagination (the underwater view is spectacular). This Gem of a restaurant is considered tiny by resort hotel standards (it seats 12) and it is priced at approximately $187 per person.