Its just such a beautiful thing, Mr. Read said, biased but not wrong.

The magazines readership is small, with a circulation of 55,000, but influential. Its beloved by those in the creative and visual arts especially. Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of Givenchy; Nicolas Ghesquire, Louis Vuittons creative director, whose Paris apartment was featured in the December 2012 issue; Alessandro Michele, the fashion director for Gucci, who uses The World of Interiors as inspiration for his collections all longtime readers. So are Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and the photographer Tim Walker.

Christopher Bailey, the president and former chief creative officer of Burberry, said that while The World of Interiors appeals to the fashion crowd, its not fashionable. Ive read magazines all my relatively grown-up life. And World of Interiors is the only magazine that Ive kept and trooped around the world wherever Ive lived, he said. Theres something about it that does not feel throwaway. Its not trend-driven. Its not of the moment.

Those who work in magazines read The World of Interiors with a mix of appreciation and envy. In an age when editors of monthlies must compete, seemingly impossibly, with the daily dopamine hits of grams and memes and TikToks, The World of Interiors appears to occupy an earlier, more dignified era.

Founded in 1981, The World of Interiors now breaks every dumb rule of modern magazines. There are no celebrities on the cover (and rarely any inside). You dont feel the hand of advertisers, publicists or digital panic on every page. The design is low-key, almost academic, without gimmicky typeface or colors pushed so that everything looks Disney fake. In fact, the photography is rather moody and in chiaroscuro tones, giving the empty furnished rooms a compelling, dreamlike quality.

The World of Interiors isnt concerned with showing readers how to achieve such-and-such a look or selling an aspirational dream. Who expects to one day live in the Queen Mothers former residence? Still, the magazine has never come across as snobby, because three pages after Clarence House can come, say, the house-turned-museum that an African-American couple, a poet and her postal-worker husband, built in Lynchburg, Va., in 1903 and decorated with recycled materials and great flair. Or an ice hotel in Sweden. Or a mobile home.

The magazines point-of-view is distinct, even wacky. And inventive: Though product pages typically consist of clip art on a white background, The World of Interiors will collect the latest fabrics and drape them across a farm field in the Cotswolds.

Read the rest here:
Inside The World of Interiors, Cond Nasts Secret Weapon - The New York Times

2019 Best of Design Award for Building of the Year: TWA Hotel

Designer: Beyer Blinder BelleLighting Designer: Cooley Monato StudioLocation: New York City

Eero Saarinens TWA Flight Center at JFK International Airport is among the most significant examples of midcentury modern architecture in the world, but the landmark terminal had been subjected to a series of compromising alterations and additions, and critical maintenance had been deferred. Beyer Blinder Belle has been involved with the building for over two decades, first as an advocate to save it from demolition, then as the overall project architect for its restoration and adaptive reuse as a full-service airport hotel. This intervention involved the construction of two seven-story hotel wings, designed by Lubrano Ciavarra Architects with interior design by Stonehill Taylor, and an underground conference center with meeting rooms and a banquet hall by INC Architecture & Design, which are arrayed around the historic terminal.

The original is an architecture of optimism. The rebirth of the project celebrates that. That is extremely needed and refreshing in these times. -Carlos Madrid III

Design Architects for new Hotel Buildings, Consulting Architect: Lubrano Ciavarra ArchitectsEvent Space Interior Design: INC Architecture & DesignHotel Interior Design: Stonehill TaylorLandscape Architect: MNLAConstruction Manager: Turner Construction Company

Finalist

Project Name:Cottonwood Canyon Experience Center

Designer:Signal Architecture + Research

Location:Wasco, Oregon

Building of the Year Finalist: Cottonwood Canyon Experience Center by Signal Architecture + Research (Gabe Border)

Who wouldnt want to learn (or teach) there? Beautiful details give power to the overall restraint of the design, a nod to the surrounding landscape. -Oana Stnescu

Finalist

Project Name:Anita May Rosenstein Campus, Los Angeles LGBT Center

Designer:Leong Leong and KFA

Location:Los Angeles

Public: Anita May Rosenstein Campus, Los Angeles LGBT Center by Leong Leong (Iwan Baan)

This building is a diamond in the rough. Its bold and elegant presence not only supports urban beautification but celebrates its program and purpose. -Carlos Madrid III

More here:
The 2019 Best of Design Awards winners for Building of the Year - The Architect's Newspaper

Life after Homepolish.

Written in stark black text on a white background, the phrase began popping up on Instagram in late September, a few weeks after the collapse of the online interior design platform. Following a dramatic conference call in which founder and CEO Noa Santos announced that his company was broke, designers began sharing testimonials about their experience with the siteand what its demise had cost them.

Homepolish has walked away with more than [$12,000] in retained client fees for my design time.

We lost a cool remodeling project because Homepolish staff disappeared and no one replied to the potential clients emails, which in turn made her not trust us.

Homepolish walked away with over [$3,000] of retained client fees for my design time.

Claire Hung, a New Yorkbased interior designer who had worked with the platform since 2017, was one of many to post the image on Instagram. Homepolishs collapse, she says, had thrown her business into disarray, leading to difficult conversations with clients, sleepless nights and the loss of $32,000 in project fees.

Throughout the tumultuous period around the platforms downfall, Hung created an online group to connect with other Homepolishers to commiserate and share information. After the dust had settled and it became clear that there was no way to recover the unpaid fees, the conversation turned to what would come next.

Ahmad AbouZanat, a former Homepolish designer also based in New York, hosted an in-person gathering for local designers in Hungs group. He recalls the discussion quickly turning from negative to positive: A lot of designers in the room had the same reaction: You know what? This is bad. But were going to get something good from it.

Three months after Santoss announcement, 11 former Homepolish designers are announcing a new venture theyre hoping will be that something good: a not-for-profit organization called Interior Collab. Their goal is to replicate the engine at the heart of Homepolishan online tool to connect clients to designerswithout the venture capital baggage.

With all these tech startups trying to middleman the interior design industry, theyre really exposing designers to an unnecessary amount of risk, says Hung, name-checking Laurel & Wolf and WeWork. While I recognize there is a benefit of making up-and-coming designers more accessible to the masses, I felt like there was a better way of creating a space on the web for clients to find designers. Its for designers, by designers.

Their first step has been the launch of a website, featuring portfolios of the founding members work. The full roster: AbouZanat, Hung, Alexandra Balic, Venessa Brennan, Gala Magrina, Gianna Marzella, Tana Nesbitt-Hayes, Ana Claudia Schultz, Hope Scully, Francisca Trujillo and Emi Young. Next, the group is planning to launch a Kickstarter campaign to fund the development of a more robust platformone they hope will serve as a larger, easily searchable directory for clients on the hunt for design work.

In theory, its not entirely different from Homepolish, with a few key distinctions. For one, Hung says Interior Collab has no intention of getting involved in projects after the designer-client connection has been made. For another, the site wont charge clients or dictate fees and billing. The overall philosophy is: Get designers work, and get out of the way.

We dont want to get into the business of doing what Homepolish did, and we dont think it worked, says Hung.

Interior Collab's founding directors (plus an intern and a few new recruits)Courtesy of Interior Collab

There are challenges ahead. One is to grow the network beyond the initial 11 New Yorkbased designers. Interior Collab plans to take a communal, open-arms approach. Their membership application form does ask for a few qualifying documents, but the goal is to expand the ranks, not exhaustively vet each incoming designer. A $250 annual fee for the listing, Hung says, will go toward the development and maintenance of the website, and growing opportunities for members. (Interior Collab plans to file as a 501(c)(6) nonprofita designation that applies to trade groups and industry organizations.)

Another challenge: In the vast wilds of online commerce, attention is expensive. Companies often pay hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to acquire one customer. Homepolish was no exception. Backed by $20 million in venture funding, Santoss startup spent heavily to build its brand. Without a hefty marketing budget, Interior Collab faces a tough battle getting the word out.

The founding members are optimistic that press and word-of-mouth will help, but are realistic about short-term goals. Homepolish definitely invested a lot in marketing and we all know thats how they got that big pool of clients, says AbouZanat. The main goal right now is to build this platform thats pushing designers in front of potential clients.

Im hopeful that [Interior Collab] will be a source of new business, but that will take some time, adds Marzella.

Even if their venture cant match Homepolishs VC-backed lead-generating muscle in its early incarnation, the Collab-ers are optimistic that the organization can be more than just a referral engine. Theyve discussed pooling resources to create a shared workspace or to develop a collective material library. In whatever form, their hope is to grow a community of designers and leverage it for the common good.

Theres a lot that could come out of this, says Marzella. We could get better discountseven just having a network of people to refer contractors and trustworthy vendors would be great. So much of what weve learned from Homepolish is [the dangers of] relying on a bigger company and someone at the other end of an inbox.

And if a side effect is a show of defiance to would-be design industry disruptors? Thats intentional.

We want to send a message, says Hung.

Homepage photo: Design by Ahmad AbouZanat | Photo by Nick Gelmenakis

Excerpt from:
Here's why these former Homepolish designers are banding together - Business of Home

Whats it like for two artists to be in a romantic relationship?

History has provided us with enough examples to know that partnerships between creatives can be as mutually beneficial as they can be toxic. In fact, some of the more famous love stories over the years have been those of artists whose brightly burning unions emit as much smoke as they do light. Frieda Kahlo and Diego Rivera, for instance, ultimately couldnt live without each otheror, as it turned out, under the same roof.The artist Franoise Gilot, Pablo Picassos longtime lover, noted in her recent memoir that a relationship with Picasso was a catastrophe I didnt want to avoid. Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollock, meanwhile, shaped and influenced each others styles considerably, even though they maintained a strict invitation-only policy for visiting each others studios.

It doesnt have to be that way, though.

Recently, Artnet News sat down with food artist Laila Gohar and graphic designer Omar Sosa at their favorite New York haunt, Cafe Altro Paradiso, to learn about their lives as two married young creatives building a future together. The Cairo-born Gohar, who designs eating experiences and edible still-life installations, uses food to bring people from different cultures around the same table, while also drawing attention to the way technology has disrupted even such simple human interactions as sharing a meal. Her thoughtful culinary approach has made her a frequent collaborator of New Yorks Chamber Gallery, Creative Time, and Galerie Perrotin, as well as brands like Google and Tiffany & Co.

Sosa, her husband, grew up in Barcelona and is a graphic designer, publisher of artists books, and freelance creative director for a number of design- and lifestyle-companies under Apartamento Studios, a creative consultancy born from the interiorsmagazine Apartamento, which Sosa co-founded in2008. Since its founding, the cult-favorite publication has garnered acclaim for itsmission to showcase the charm of unstaged, real-life interior design. (Its tagline reads a tidy house only exists in your mothers imagination.)

Below, Noor Brara spoke to Gohar and Sosa about how they met and fell in love, what its like to be wedded to another creative person, which artists work they hope to acquire (someday), and the pains of self-promotion.

How did you meet?

Laila Gohar: We have different versions of this story, but Ill let Omar tell it. My version is much less romantic.

Omar Sosa: Ill tell the short version. I used to come to New York often when I lived in Barcelona, where I grew up. One day we were introduced by mutual friends. After that, we saw each other at a few dinners. I dont remember how we ended up going to Coney Island aloneit was supposed to be a big group of people, and for whatever reason no one else showed upbut we had a great day together. I thought it was romantic, and she thought it was whatever. Despite that, though, she started texting me nonstop. After a few years of texting and more visits to New York, the relationship slowly began to evolve. Its going to take me so long to tell this story.

Gohar: Do you see how hes itching to tell the long version? [laughs]Basically we met, but nothing happened for a couple of years. I didnt really like him for a long time. He wasnt really living here and I didnt want to do long-distance. We would just see each other every once in a while when he would visit. Eventually, he moved here and then moved in with me.

How did you know the relationship was something more than a friendship?

Sosa: She became someone I always wanted to talk to. When we were apart, we would have dinner together over FaceTime. So we grew closer. It was half because of that, and half because she was an obsession of mine.

Gohar: You were obsessed with me?!

She was your muse!

Sosa: She was. And then, of course, moving to New York meant that we could begin to really envision a life together, but I didnt want to get too stuck on that. I didnt know how serious she was about me. But eventually, she came to Barcelona to visit memy policy was, you know, Come to me if you think this is serious and we spent a couple of weeks together and then we knew we wanted to be with each other. Then I moved here. The rest is history. A year and a half later, we were married.

Laila Gohar and Omar Sosa at Cafe Altro Paradiso. Photo courtesy Nicolas Bloise.

You were married last year at a gorgeous wedding in Andalucia, to which you both arrived on horseback. What was that like?

Gohar: Our wedding was really fun. Not to talk myself up, but if I have one skill its that I can throw a really great party. So it was just thata really, really fun party. I enjoyed every minute of it, from the planning to the actual ceremony. It was very relaxed, but it was also very celebratory and rowdy.

Sosa: We want to do it again. We fantasize about that all the time, but its too soon to do it now. We wish it were five or 10 years from nowit would be fantastic. Its definitely going to happen again.

As an artist couple, tell me a little about how you engage with art. What art do you enjoy together or disagree about? What do you like to live with?

Gohar: I would say that were drawn to similar things. Certainly, there are also some differences in what we gravitate towards. I think when you live with someone you get to know what they will be drawn to, to some degree, and I appreciate that we know what the other likes. I think theres also a big difference between what you like and what you like to live with. I wouldnt limit the latter to one category, but, for example, Omar doesnt like to have figurative works in the bedroom, which I dont really mind. He doesnt like to look at faces in there, but now, for some reason, we have a lot of that kind of work. Its funny how you think you dont like something, but with time, you ease into it. I find that our preferencesour relationships with our things and the things we likecan be really fluid.

Sosa: I think the thing we have in common is that neither of us have clear boundaries about what we do and do not like. Even though we have different tastes, we kind of evolve togethersometimes in different directions, but I think thats what makes life interesting for us. Its never black or white. Its never a static situation.

Gohar: Omar is a graphic designer and at one point he was drawn to more graphic, repetitive prints and works. We had a lot of stuff like that in our home, a lot of patterned things. But hes moved away from that more recently.

Laila, why did you decide to become an artist?

Gohar: I never had a set career path, whereas Omar knew he wanted to be a graphic designer. He went to school to study the thing he still does today. Theres been some twists and turns along the way, but his path has always been more linear in that sense. In my case, it was more of an evolution and a series of decisions that lead me to where I am now. I didnt study anything in relation to what I do. For me, food art is just the way I know how to express myself. I dont know if theres some greater mission behind itits just more that I know how to communicate something using food when words fail me. Its how I know how to realize my thoughts, and its basically as simple and as complex as that.

Youre also known for your great dinner parties here in New York. Did you grow up cooking with your family?

Gohar: I grew up around the kitchen with my family, yes. My mom is not an especially good cook, but my dad and other people in my family are. Food lives at the core of my familys culture.

Omar, what lead you to become a graphic designer?

Sosa: Its pretty typicalI grew up painting and drawing, like many graphic designers. I wanted to study something that had to do with the visual arts, but something that could be done quickly, too. I was very impatient. I thought I would like industrial design, but ultimately felt it would take too much time to make something like a chair or a car.

My grandmother always encouraged me to be an artist, while my dad wanted me to pick something clearer. Hes a real estate agent. So I ended up picking graphic design, which sits between tech and art. I liked the freedom of it, and I liked how quickly I could design things. When I was a kid, I designed my own money. It was a very natural fit for me. Later I realized I didnt want to only be a graphic designer. Thats how Apartamento came about, and being a designer certainly helped in making that magazine.

Apartamento lead me to do other things as wellI learned about editing and running a business. I started making artists books. And that opened doors to meeting a lot of artists. I think the boundaries are sort of blurred today between all the creative fields. If youre making a book, youre a designer, but youre also an editor. I love making books because you get really deep into someones work and life, and thats pretty special.

Sosa and Gohar. Photo courtesy Nicolas Bloise.

Whats an example of an artist book that you produced recently?

Sosa: I designed a book for the photographer Peter Berlin, the gay icon from the 70s. The challenge there was to figure out how to show his workmost of which has never been seenin a contemporary way, without trying too hard. For me, that looked like an art book. Peter wasnt comfortable with the idea in the beginning, which is what made it interesting. I think thats really importantforcing yourself to do something different. After he saw the results, I think he was happy with it.

Thats the most recent thing I did, and of course weve done a lot in collaboration with Apartamento. In the fall, for example, we launched a book with Michael Anastassiades, an artist and interior designer. The book accompanied an exhibition of his work that he presented at a museum in Cyprus. It was also his first monograph. I really enjoy those moments.

How much do you both weigh in on each others work?

Gohar: A little bit. Omars opinion is pretty important to me. I care about what he has to say. I know hes going to be honest with me. If something is great, hell say its great, or if it needs work, hell say so. A lot of times people are supportive and will always say nice things, so I think its nice to be able to rely a little bit on his criticism, too.

Sosa: Laila usually brings the disruptive, critical side. That can be a nice wakeup call from the pleasantries of most people. Sometimes Ill take it personally if shes very harshand she tends to bebut I think overall its healthy and it helps me a lot. The relationship we have with each others work is very casual, but its deep at the same time because obviously we care about what the other is doing. I think we also inspire each other, and I think what we do together inspires our work.

What do your day-to-day schedules look like?

Gohar: Generally, we wake up and we each go to our studios and then we come home for dinner, which we try to have together. Omars schedule is more consistent, while mine is more project-based. Well meet at home around 8 or 9 in the evening. I travel a lot, too. I opened an installation in Shanghai last week at the West Bund Art & Design fair, and before that I was in Tokyo for research. I work a lot in Paris and London. I move around quite a bit.

What are the most challenging aspects of being in a relationship with another artist?

Sosa: Were both opinionated, which can be difficult sometimes. Its not like one person decides something and the other goes with the flow. In regards to what we eat, we always go with Lailas opinion. I love food, but thats her thing. For everything else, we have strong opinions so, of course, we fight sometimes. We disagree. But it makes things interesting.

Gohar: Yeah, disagreements are fine. I would say its frustrating if I want to buy a work and Omar doesnt want to, so then I have to buy it by myself [laughs]. Thats annoying. But it doesnt happen that often.

Can you give me an example of a disagreement youve had over an art- or design-choice?

Sosa: Laila repainted the whole house while I was away. It was terracotta originally, and she painted it a light yellow. Then she made me see it alone when I came home. She wasnt even there.

Gohar: I was kind of tired of the color. Omar thinks more long-termhe gets attached to things, and he likes consistency. We spent an obscene amount of time picking the terracotta color, and after about a year and a half, I got sick of it. People tend to get overly attached to the color of their home I think. Anyway, I went to visit this artist who was quite oldshes passed away nowand I really loved the color on her walls. I asked her grandson if he knew what it was, and he said, Oh, it used to be white, but my grandmother smoked for 80 years and the nicotine stained all the walls. He moved aside a frame to show me, and sure enough it was white behind it! I was like, Wow what a beautiful color. So I got this yellowish-white paint that I really love. Omar wasnt into the idea, and I kept trying to convince him for three months. Then he went awayso I painted it.

Sosa: Welcome to my life. But now I like it.

Sosa and Gohar. Photo courtesy Nicolas Bloise.

How does that differenceyour need for constant change and Omars preference for more permanent, fixed ideas and objectsmanifest in your artwork?

Gohar: Im much more attracted to ephemeral things. My work is all ephemeralyou know, you consume food. I spend months thinking about the work and planning it and working on it and then it sort of evaporates. Im fine with that. Omar makes books, so its the oppositebooks are objects that are here to stay. Ive found that Im not so concerned with leaving a mark on this world or a legacy or anything like that. Im more concerned with providing an experience in the context of a moment, which eventually goes away and becomes a memory. The memory is then the closest thing you get to leaving a mark.

Sosa: Were very yin/yang in that sense. Laila thinks about whats happening two seconds from now. In a way, her version of long-term is tomorrow. And Ill think about two years from now. I prevent her from crashing sometimes, and she prevents me from staying the same and becoming absolutely boring.

What do your studios look like? How are they the same or different?

Gohar: I recently moved studios. Its still fairly new and were building it out. Its kind of funny to have a space thats just my ownI dont have to consult with Omar about any aesthetic decisions. I can just do whatever I want. I used to share a studio with another artist in Brooklyn. I found this space one day as I was walking to the bridge to go to Brooklyn, on the border of Chinatown. It feels great for the kind of work that I do, and its only a five-minute bike ride from my house.I feel like our studios both reflect our home in many ways. My space is two floors, and the ground floor is more of an industrial, raw space for the work, but then I have a little room upstairs for my office. People joke that it looks like a bedroom.

Sosa: Ive always had a studio. Its the first thing that I looked for when I moved here. A couple of years ago, I got a space in Chelsea. I go there every day. Its very beautiful. For me, its an extension of the house, tooI have wall-to-wall carpet and a big sofa. Its cozy. You can spend a weekend there easily. For me its important to structure your ideas in a space that allows for that because at home you can get easily distracted.

Is there an artist or work you one day hope to add to your collection?

Sosa: Yes. And we actually both agree on who it is.

Gohar: We would really love to own a painting by Etel Adnan. Theres a really personal story behind that.

Sosa: Its personal because when we were living in two different cities and there was this romantic thing going on between us, we used to send each other letters. Laila once sent me a photo of this painting of Adnans that I already knew and liked so it was like, Oh, we like the same artist. It wasnt really about the art, though. It was more about the meaning behind it. There were two big mountains and an ocean behind them, and Laila wanted to imagine what living together would be like. She sort of thought that ideaof living together, of a life togetherstood beyond the mountains, which in a sense represented our two cities at the time. It made the painting important for us. We still cant afford it, though. Laila gave me a really nice etching of Adnans, but wed like to have a painting.

How do you feel about the year coming to an end and the work that youve done in 2019?Is there anything in particular that youre proud of?

Gohar: No. [laughs]

Sosa: Im a little bit like Laila in that sense. Were pretty terrible at promoting our own work.

Gohar: I think its because were both not American. Ive found that self-promotion is a skill we really lack. Weve gotten slightly better at it, but I feel like people here are taught to speak about their work in a way thats really positive and they really know how to present their work. I recently learned that people can join Speech and Debate clubs at school. And even when you first meet someone, the way that they explain what they do or what their thing is feels very advanced to me. I dont talk about my work like thatI have very clear ideas about what Im doing and howbut to be able to verbalize all of it is a struggle and its one of the reasons why I make my work.

Sosa: Its a really common thing with artists. I still like that approach. When you explain things too much, it complicates them. I dont like how it sounds. I know talking about your work is the norm today, but if you look at artists from the past or artists that you really admire, they dont really narrate their work or talk about themselves too much. They make the work and thats it.

Of course, some of the work we do is not purely artistic, so its helpful when you can explain the idea properly to a clientwho has to pay for itbecause they need that narration. I feel that thats very necessary if youre living in America. Instead of saying, I made this for you, you have to explain why you made it and why it works. I dont like that side of it, though. Its hard for me.

Sosa and Gohar. Photo courtesy Nicolas Bloise.

Its interesting that you mention that. We recently did an interview with Anish Kapoor, who said, very expressly, that he has nothing to say as an artist.

Gohar: Whats the point of making the work if youre going to spoon-feed it? It doesnt need to exist then.

Sosa: Its worse than spoiling a movie before you watch it. Youre depriving someone of reaching their own conclusions, which is the best thing art can do or help with. I think now especially, with social media, everything is so explained and labeled. But like Laila, I wish I were a little bit better at packaging myself, because admittedly everyone around us is better at it.

Gohar: I really admire when people are good at their elevator pitch. Its not like Im talking it down. Its just not something Ive ever really learned. It makes me uncomfortable.

Do you ever think about leaving New York?

Gohar: Definitely. I grew up in Cairo. Its a very different city than New York. Its in a developing country, and its much more raw. That sort of chaos is pretty innate to me, and that way of life feels the most natural. I fantasize about a move like that. I try to go back once a year. Omar came with me recently for the first time.

Sosa: We just want to be free. We feel we can go anywhere and make it work. Its also nice to have a place here and there and move between them.

Gohar: I dont care about any of that. Im ready to just pick up and leave. Ive moved many times in my life when I was younger, whereas Omar moved to New York in his twenties. The older you get, the heavier the move I think.

Sosa: For me, its actually the opposite. I think once you do it, it becomes easier.

Gohar: Okay, yeah. For me, my family is scattered all over the world. We all live in different countries and were very mobile. Thats why Id say the idea of creating a home in an apartment or a studio is really important to me because thats my only real attachment to the notion of a home or conceptually what it means to be from a place. I was born in Egypt, but I dont feel any nationalistic sort of pride or anything. So thats why creating a nestlike environment in my immediate realm is really important. Its less about being geographically attached to a country and more about creating a little ecosystem of my own.

Continue reading here:
We Evolve Together: Food Artist Laila Gohar and Graphic Designer Omar Sosa on How Married Life Fuels Their Creativity - artnet News

STRO

IKEA interior designer Christina Levenborn just helped researchers outfit the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), a habitat in the Utah desert that acts as an analogue for the Martian surface, Fast Company reports.

IKEA designers have been trying to come up with new methods to make the cramped space feel like a home while maximizing utility. The vision is surprisingly similar to what youd find in an Earth-based IKEA furniture store: adjustable stools, stackable chairs, and movable trolleys.

We tried to work with products for small-space living situations that could be arranged in a flexible and multifunctional way, Levenborn said. For the habitat, we brought products on wheels for mobile living, stools for seating, and table surfaces and stackable chairs for saving space.

The MDRS habitat is a 26-feet-tall domed cylinder that includes a lab, workshop, kitchen, and six small sleeping bunks. Six researchers often spend up to a couple of months in the tight living space, studying the day-to-day experience of what it might be to live on the Red Planet.

We chose to maximize communal space and minimize private space, Robert Zubrin, president of the space advocacy group that runs MDRS, said in a statement. Each crew member has a small bunk they can retire to when they want to be alone, but the space they share is fairly large.

The Swedish furniture brand has also released a collection of MDRS-inspired homewares last year, including a rocket-shaped indoor terrarium, and space-age-y air purifiers.

READ MORE: Now that Ikea has colonized Earth, its going after Mars [Fast Company]

More on IKEA: IKEA Wants to Sell You Robotic Furniture for Your Tiny Apartment

Read the original here:
IKEA Designed the Interior of a Mars Habitat - Futurism

While architecture and interior design are technically two different fields, both share a similar level of creative opportunity. Both fields rely heavily on client-facing communication as well as an eye for attention to detail. According to theU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics job forecast for (2014-2024), those who pursue an architectural degree can expect to earn an average of $76,930 annually, compared to the annual median of $49,810 for an interior designer.

So which companies are hiring for $100K jobsin architecture and interior design? Ladders put together a list of the 15 companies hiring the most $100K+ jobs in architecture and interior design currently from its continuously updated database of high-paying jobs.

NTT DATAis a Global IT Innovator delivering technology-enabled services and solutions to clients around the world.

2. Boeing: 525

Despite falling under public scrutiny the faulty design of the737 MAX aircraft, Boeing holds the title of the largest global aircraft manufacturers; it is the second-largest defense contractor in the world based on 2015 revenue.

3. Walmart: 425

While Walmart has increasingly turned to robots to fill janitorial tasks, the companys higher-level job openings remain high. Walmart has 11,695 stores and clubs in 28 countries, under a total of 63 banners.

4. Jacobs Engineering: 353

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., is an international technical professional services firm. The companyplans to create almost 2,500 jobs in UK.

5. Abb Holdings Inc: 275

Highest paying job titles at Abb Holdings Inc include Power and Performance Engineer, Account Manager, and Senior Software Developer

6. AECOM Technology Corporation: 249

AECOM is an American multinational engineering firm that provides design, consulting, construction, and management services to a wide range of clients.

7. Marriott International: 205

Marriott is expanding its portfolio to Jamaica and Curacao.

8. Honeywell International: 168

The company operates three business units, known as Strategic Business Units Honeywell Aerospace, Honeywell Automation, and Control Solutions, and Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies.

9. Level 3 Communications: 165

Level 3 Communications is an American multinational telecommunications and Internet service provider company headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado.

10. Cushman & Wakefield: 161

The Trump Organization was recently hired by Cushman & Wakefield to fill the 62,000-square-foot space at the bottom ofTrump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago.

11. Stantec: 148

Stantec Inc. is an international professional services company in the design and consulting industry.

12. HNTB: 147

The firm has designed many bridges, roadways, airports, professional sports stadiums and rail and transit systems across the United States and around the world.

13. OldCastle: 104

OldcastleInfrastructure is an industry leader in engineered building solutions.

14. HDR: 66

HDRpartners with clients to connect the right engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services experience and expertise for your projects.

15. Johns Hopkins University: 66

Johns Hopkins just became the first university to partner with NATO.

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The Top 15 highest paying jobs in architecture and interior design - Ladders

The Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) is a simulated Martian habitat in Utah. Its owned by the Mars Society, and its the societys second such station. The MDRS is a research facility, and while there, scientists must live as if they were on Mars, including wearing simulated space suits.

One group of visitors wasnt there for science, but for interior design. Two years ago, a trio of Ikea designers spent three days at the MDRS to develop Ikea products for small spaces. As it turns out, they ended up using their experience at the MDRS to help outfit the MDRS itself.

The Ikea team wanted to know how thinking like a spaceship or space station designer could help them design products for tiny living quarters in the Worlds mega-cities. Places like Hong Kong feature tiny apartments, spaces so small it would make the average North American claustrophobic.

Tiny living quarters are a reality for many people in the world. The question for the designers was: Could they learn valuable lessons from or space habitats like the MDRS that could translate into private living quarters? Those tiny apartments are peoples homes, and they not only need to provide for day to day living, they need to be psychologically comfortable. The same is true for astronauts on long-duration space missions.

Two years ago, after they left the station, Ikea designer Christina Levenborn said It was very apparent that all the human values that we take for granted werent taken into consideration, like eating together, enjoying entertaining activities and, especially your personal privacy.

Thats not surprising, especially from someone who specializes in design. Spaceships, space stations, and research stations like MDRS are designed with technical considerations at the forefront. Its the same with the pods at the research station, and thats the way it has to be. As another of the designers said, Of course theres a lot technically that needs to play a big part of these pods, but more interesting is the fact that the technical aspect can fail at any given moment because of the emotional climate in the pod.

Like a home, a research station contains both group spaces and private spaces. The Ikea designers focused on making both spaces more inviting, more comfortable, and more practical. Flexibility and modularity was key.

They developed what theyre calling the Rumtid line. Rumtid translates as space time, and those two words are part of the theme behind Rumtid. Ikeas Rumtid actually encompasses four words: space, time, water, and air.

But the designers work didnt end with a new product line. They also returned the favor to the MDRS. They came up with interior layouts and design strategies to make the place more livable, more effective, and more psychologically comfortable.

When we first got there, the condition of that pod was a bit surprising. We expected it to be more modern, Robert explains. So the Ikea team set out to modernize it. Not with fancy, extraneous items, but with practical ideas.

They worked to create harmonious group spaces alongside a sense of privacy in personal spaces. Thats not easy in such cramped quarters. They used modular furniture on wheels, and shelving and warm lighting to make the space more home-like.

We tried to work with products for small space living situation that could be arranged in a flexible and multi-functional way. For the habitat, we brought products on wheels for mobile living, stools for seating and table surfaces and stackable chairs for saving space, designer Christina Levenborn said in the Ikea blog.

Itll be a while before people are spending time at a real Mars outpost. But these things have a way of creeping up on us. Successful missions depend on getting the technical requirements right. But astronauts are still people, and though theyre remarkably focused, providing them with some sense of psychological comfort in their surroundings is just setting them up for success. Its common sense.

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IKEA's New Collection is Inspired by the Challenges of Living on Mars - Universe Today

Each week, Mansion Global tackles a topic with an elite group of designers from around the world who work on luxury properties. This week we look at how to use geometric shapes in your homes decor .

Whether iterated in a wallpaper pattern, used as upholstery for a sofa or formed into a functional piece of living room furniture, geometric shapes have a graphic quality that can lend a modernist touch to any space.

The look and feel itself can vary depending on the color and scale of the shapes you work with. Done in muted tones or a subtle scale, the vibe can be sophisticated and balanced; rendered in bold hues and large-scale designs, the effect can be playful and statement making. Circles, squares, octagons, hexagons, diamondsthe beauty of using these motifs to define your space is that there are so many different ways to goboth in pattern and furniture forms themselves.

To help your space take distinctive shape, follow these tips from the design pros.

More: How to Create a Functional Kitchen Without Compromising on the Chic Factor

Think About the Spaces Function

Geometry in a space can create a spatial rhythm, which helps the mind easily process and define its surroundings. Depending on how these shapes are used, they can have a calming influence by creating an ideal space to relax and unwind. Alternatively, when used in a bold way, geometric shapes can help create a playful lookin a childrens room for example, or they can create quite a strong impact in an occasional dining or entertaining room.

The most important thing to learn and achieve in any given space is the sense of balance. If too many shapes, colors or patterns are set together, these may not sit happily. This, in turn, can create a sense of disruption resulting in a stressful or confused space.

The use of strong patterns or shapes can create an impact and can therefore date or tire in time. Because of this, it may be best to keep geometric shapes limited to soft furnishings like cushions, curtains and the backs of chairs that can be easily replaced without too much disruption. However, we at SHH like to take geometric shapes a bit further and often bring them into floor patterns, joinery cabinets and even doors. We do so subtlety and carefully to avoid overpowering a space and losing the sense of balance.

Some clients want to make a statement or an impact, so strong, large-scale geometric shapes can help create this effect. Others, with often busy and stressful careers want a calm and gentle environment to come home to. Therefore, geometric shapes can still work but used in a different way thats smaller in scale and softer in color and texture.

James Taylor, associate director at SHH Architects & Interior Designers in London

More: How to Pull Off the Look of a Mountain-Chic Retreat Anywhere

Create Balance

Geometric shapes add personality and visual interest to interior spaces.

When styling vignettes, its all about the balance of the shapes and negative spaces that give the most interest to things like shelves and coffee tables.

I love to make sure there are circles, ovals and softer shapes in rooms. They balance out the harder lines of rectangles and squares.

Coffee tables are a perfect spot to add visual interest with geometric shapes. As they are usually balancing upholstery, its nice to have cleaner lines against the softness of a sofa and pillows. Also, a small grouping of a single-color objects work well for adding interest without it feeling busy. We love to use a single palette of black against a beautiful marble mantleeverything pops. Have fun; the best rooms always have a bit of playfulness.

Holly Waterfield, lead designer, interiors, at The Brooklyn Home Co., a development and design firm based in Brooklyn, New York

From Penta: Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals Gave US$153 Billion in 2018

Consider Scale and Color

Geometric shapes can add vibrancy and movement to any space. The impact can be a strong or subtle statement depending on scale and color. If youre looking for something more subtle and sophisticated, I recommend staying within a neutral color palette. Tone up the energy with vibrant, playful colors in warm or cool hues.

When you want to make a statement with a geometric design in a space, scale is the easiest go-to. If you want a more understated approach, small scale geometrics can take on a textural effect giving dimension and impact without boldness.

Have fun with shapes. If you want to mix different shapes in a room, tie the patterns together with similar or complementing colors for a cohesive feel.

Mixing prints are fine, but I would try to keep them in the same color family and play with scale so that the designs are not competing.

Whether you do an accent wall or an all-over pattern on four walls depends what you want the feel of the room to be. If youre looking for a playful, maximalist vibe, then I suggest a full room of wallpaper. If youre looking for a wow-factor statement or a centerpiece area of the room, then an accent wall would be your best choice. What matters most is color coordination and the scale of shapes to steer away from appearing too busy for the eye.

Ohio-based Amanda Both, lead designer at Tempaper, a line of removable wallpaper

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How to Create a Standout Space with Geometric Shapes - Mansion Global

Happy 100th birthday, Bauhaus!

If youre an architect, interior designer or art enthusiast, youve undoubtedly heard of the Bauhaus School. Launched in Germany 1919, its become one of the most influential cultural movements of the 20th century. Still relevant 100 years later, its form follows function philosophy has influenced all facets of design including architecture, furniture, interior, graphic, and product design.

Hawaii embraced the Bauhaus principles, as evidenced by Governor John A. Burns work of the Hawaii State Capitoltrue to the traditions of Bauhaus in its use of clean lines, simple geometric shapes, and the openness of the entire structure. Other Bauhaus-influenced public buildings include the Battleship Missouri Memorial, the IBM Building, the original Kahala Hilton and Apartments, and the East West Center. Bauhaus design also became a trend in Honolulu office buildings erected in the 1950s and 1960s, with simplified forms and minimal ornamentation. Their interiors were often furnished with Bauhaus-inspired furniture.

As Hawaiis exclusive Knoll dealer, CEI Hawaii has furnished many Hawaii businesses over the last 20 years with these iconic modern pieces including clients such as the Honolulu Museum of Art, Halekulani, Hawaiki Tower, Howard Hughes Corp. and Bank of Hawaii. Clients love them for the timeless and elegant, simple modern design.

Knoll company co-founder Florence Knoll studied under the Bauhaus Schools founder Walter Gropius, incorporating Bauhaus modernist philosophy into her designs for the interiors of Americas largest corporations, including IBM, GM, and CBS. Today, Knoll is an international arbiter of style and design, and found in corporate headquarters and global tech campuses such as Apple and Google, and respected institutions like Stanford University and Stanford Medical.

Interested in further exploring the Bauhaus Movement and Mid-Century Modern Design? We invite you to contact Ann Motonaga, M.Arch.(RISD) (amotonaga@ceihawaii.com) to learn more.

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100 Years of Style - Hawaii Business Magazine

Black Friday has come and gone, and BOH editors have rounded up the latest industry releases that you may not have seen coming.

Jean-Marie Massaud: The Clayton Bench and Armchair

French architect and designer Jean-Marie Massaud is debuting two new pieces for the century-old Italian furniture brand Poltrona Frau (pictured above). Massauds uber-modern designs are clad in a tailored upholstery that will remind you of a time gone by. Inspired by couture craftsmanship, both seats can be customized in a variety of jewel-tone leathers and fabrics.

All in the details: The pieces share a signature weave that pays homage to the larger geometric forms of the two seats. The armchairs frame and the benchs pillow are both texturized by the distinct 3-D stitching.

The Trapeze mobile with porcelain bowlsCourtesy of Apparatus

Apparatus: Trapeze, Lariat and Triad

Much-hyped New Yorkbased brand Apparatus has released new additions to three of its signature lighting collections: the Trapeze, the Lariat and the Triad. The familiar lineup of geometrically inspired lights hold true to their original forms, but have been revamped by way of newly configured mobiles, wall mount fixtures and pendants.

The encore: The lights can be designed using brass or porcelain bowls, with each material giving off its own distinct glow.

The Herron sofa by Alexandra ChampalimaudCourtesy of Alexandra Champalimaud

Charles Burnand x Alexandra Champalimaud

Alexandra Champalimaud, founder of New Yorkbased firm Champalimaud Design, joined London gallery and studio Charles Burnand to debut a capsule collection at the 2019 Salon Art + Design Show. Inspired by the majesty of North American glaciers, the pieces carve themselves into space, blending the grace of nature with robust bronze detailingall in the context of Charles Burnands midcentury modern Italian designs.

The human element: From the Lacuna tables glass slab to the alabaster orbs in the Tana pendant, all of the pieces are handcrafted in London.

The Amphora vase, rightCourtesy of Ray Booth

Arteriors x Ray Booth Collection

At High Point this fall, Texas-based home furnishings wholesaler Arteriors announced a collaboration with Nashville-based interior designer Ray Boothhis debut lighting and accessories line. The 44-piece collection celebrates the contrast of the organic with the man-made, and clean, sculptural forms provide a fresh perspective across several product categories.

A little this, a little that: Almost all of Booths designs for Arteriors mix materials, tastefully pairing ceramic, wood, steel, iron and stone.

The iC1 sneaker by SertaCourtesy of Serta

The iC1 Sneaker by Serta

Mattress giant Serta announced a surprising addition to its repertoire today: a shoe. The company collaborated with hip-hop DJ and producer Clark Kent to create the iC1 Sneaker, which uses mattress technology to bring the same cooling support to feet that the Serta brings to your sleep cycle.

Sole chance: The sneaker is a limited-edition release and will come numbered with a mattress tag listing the product details.

The Lakota rugCourtesy of Lorena Canals

Woolable by Lorena Canals

For the last couple years of her two-decade career in washable rug designs, Barcelona-based Lorena Canals has been researching new methods to design the impossible: a washable wool rug. And now its here. In her new collection, Woolable, Canals announces two bohemian designs: Berber Soul and Lakota. These new rugs (and a pouf) come in mellow neutrals that lend versatility to the pretty and practical designs.

A perfect 10: Each one-of-a-kind rug requires the skills of 10 artisans, from the selection of the wool fibers to the finishing stages of production.

Homepage image: The Clayton bench, courtesy of Jean-Marie Massaud

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Fresh takes: Ray Booth at Arteriors, washable wool rugs and more - Business of Home