Photography

Bachalpsee - Switzerland

Colorado Plateau - Arizona

Hubei - China

Mount Roraima - Venezuela

Pongua Falls - Vietnam

London 1012 Velodrome - Hopkins Architects


London firm Hopkins Architects have completed the Velodrome, the first of the five permanent venues on the Olympic Park for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The hyperbolic paraboloid-shaped steel-framed structure sits on a 360 degree glazed concourse at entry level, and is clad in timber with little apertures to allow for natural ventilation.

The lightweight, double-curving, cable-net roof structure was designed to reflect the shape of the cycling track. 48,000 cubic metres of material was excavated to create the bowl in which the building sits. The London 2012 Velodrome will host the Olympic and Paralympic indoor cycling events and also includes changing rooms, retail facilities, workshop and a viewing concourse.

Hopkins Architects

Broom Chair - Philippe Starck

This stacking chair by French designer Philippe Starck is made of discarded material found in lumber factories and industrial plastic plants.

The reclaimed polypropylene and discarded wood-fibre can eventually be recycled and turned into a new wood-plastic composite, extending the lifespan of the waste materials even further. 

Philippe Starck

El Palauet

In its latest incarnation, Barcelona’s El Palauet is now appearing as a most desirable home away from home. Six luxurious apartments, each approximately 150 square meters in size and designed to please even the most demanding traveler, are available for rent for stays of three days or longer.




With the confident charm of the well-lived and well-looked-after, the 1906 modernist building’s residences ooze affluence, elegance and tradition, while at the same time sporting the latest technology, connectivity and gadgets.




The beautiful details and ornamentation of the building are matched by the high-end designer interiors and furnishings throughout the apartments, and in the common spaces. A private spa with a Finnish sauna is open exclusively for the guests and located on the terrace that opens to views of Passeig de Garcia and the Tibidado mountain. A-la-carte hotel services from daily breakfasts to private chefs and butlers are also available.

Deskbox - Raw Edges

Shown at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile for Dutch brand Arco, Deskbox can be fixed to a wall and acts as a shelf and container when closed.

A parallel mechanism, similar to that used in compartmentalised sewing boxes allows the front section to hinge down and provide a flat surface for working on. 

Raw Edges

Design of the Year 2012


The London 2012 Olympic Torch by east London designers BarberOsgerby has been awarded as Design of the Year in a ceremony at the Design Museum in London.

Seven Category awards were also presented at the ceremony:

The Architecture Award went to the London 2012 Velodrome.

The Fashion Award went to Issey Miyake 132.5 collection.

The Digital Award went to Kinect by Microsoft.

The Transport Award went to the redesign of the Emergency Ambulance.

The Graphic Award went to Nokia Pure, a font design that can adjust to all languages.

The Furniture Category was won by recent RCA graduate Kihyun Kim for his balsa wood 1.3 Chair.

1.3 Chair - Ki Hyun Kim

Here is a project by Royal College of Art graduate Ki Hyun Kim: a balsa wood dining chair that weights just 1.3 kilograms, making it even lighter than Gio Ponti’s famous 1.7 kilogram Superleggera chair.

The chair is made of compressed balsa wood protected by hardwood veneer to give it structural stability and a tough outer shell, while keeping it much lighter than Gio Ponti’s 1957 effort.

Ki Hyun Kim Design

London Tube Map - Mark Noad Design

London designer Mark Noad has revamped the London Underground map to be more geographically accurate. The diagram uses lines set at 30 and 60 degree angles, unlike the original map by Harry Beck that uses 45 degrees angles only. Station names are typed in a more space-efficient font that can be easily read on mobile devices as well as in print.

Mark Noad

House With Eaves and an Attic - ON Design

The huge tiled roof that wraps around this Tokyo house integrates arched windows and openings for tree branches.

Designed by Japanese architects ON design, the house conceals two of its three storeys behind the overhanging roof, which also shelters a stretch of land around the building’s perimeter.

There are no windows on the low-ceilinged middle floor, as it is only used for storage.

The only bedroom is located on the ground level, while living rooms occupy the top floor.

ON Design

Gentle - Front

The flexible back of this chair by Swedish designers Front comprises a thick spring wrapped in black leather.

Presented for Italian brand Porro in Milan, the Gentle chair has a matching black leather seat but pale wooden front legs, which continue up and around the backrest in one loop to form arms. 

Front

London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Posters


Here are a selection of posters that have been created by leading British artists to celebrate next year’s London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The artists were asked to create imagery that celebrates the Olympic Games coming to London and expresses the values of the Olympics and Paralympics. The posters will be exhibited next summer at Tate Britain as part of the London 2012 Festival, a 12-week celebration of British culture running concurrent to the Games.

Baker D Chirico - March Studio

Australian practice March Studio conceived this Melbourne bakery as an oversized breadbasket. The undulating wooden slats that cover the rear wall and ceiling of the shop function as shelves for storing and displaying breads of different shapes and sizes.

A wooden chopping board spans the length of the bakery to create a countertop with integrated pockets for scales, knives, crumb-catchers and checkouts. 

An undulation of CNC routed plywood forms wall and ceiling. Subtractions from the wall provide display areas for bread; the varying depths of the shelves and heights of the subtractions meticulously arranged to accommodate all sizes of bread.

March Studio

Discipline


New Italian brand Discipline launched their inaugural collection in Milan.

Discipline’s collection conveys the energy of natural materials and essential forms dictated by such basic needs as sitting or illuminating a room or by needs that are still unobserved, but which are suggested by an original function of a common object.

This is why each product is built with materials selected for their self-regenerating properties, such as wood, cork, bamboo, glass, natural textiles and eco upholstering, obtained by sustainable production methods.

Discipline

Fan Table - Mauricio Affonso

The 400 wooden slats of this table top by Mauricio Affonso allow it to expand, contract and fan out into a full circle.

It has a birch base with gate legs that fold out or tuck away as it changes shape and can be quickly transformed into an array of different shapes and sizes to suit its context or use. 

The Fan Table is on show at Ventura Lambrate as part of Paradise, a show of work from the Royal College of Art in London. 

Mauricio Affonso

Nike Fuel Band

This wristband by sports brand Nike tracks your movement throughout the day and gives you points for being more active.

The FuelBand uses an accelerometer to measure activity plus algorithms to allow for different types of movement, resulting in an index of points called NikeFuel that everyone can earn regardless of what exercise they do. The LED display counts NikeFuel in realtime and can also display calories, steps or the time. A strip of 20 LEDS along the edge change from red to green as the wearer approaches their daily goal. The band can sync by UBS with the Nike+ website or wirelessly with a mobile phone app so users can analyse their progress, compare scores with others regardless of what sport they do and share via social networks.

Nike Fuel Band