In response to the recent economic climate, this past Christmas, the city of Lisbon decided it needed to spread holiday cheer on a budget. So Lisbon City Hall, along with the Museum of Design and Fashion, invited 25 artists, architects, and designers to submit light sculpture plans to mark the holiday. Ultimately, seven temporary concepts were selected for installation, including one especially eye-catching intervention: LIKE Architects‘ very beautiful, very clever Frozen Trees.

Using an unexpectedly common material–Ikea’s “Rationell Variera” plastic bag dispenser by K Hagberg/M Hagberg–LIKE Architects transformed Lisbon’s Rossi square into an interactive, ephemeral holiday experience. Thirty 3.6 meter-tall cylinders of varying diameters were composed from multiple dispensers and a white monochromatic LED system. They were then placed throughout the square, redefining the public space for visitors. As Diogo Aguiar, one half of the duo behind LIKE Architects explains, the studio saw this as “an opportunity to take from the shelves things that are right before our eyes and to look at them in a less obvious way–to subvert their logic with a sense of humor.”

Further, he notes, “It is great to see people approaching the Frozen Trees, peeking and suddenly realizing the installation is made of objects they could find in their own pantries. . . They leave the place with a smile on their faces. . . [And] at a time of crisis, we need a creative Christmas, a Christmas where a lot can be done by using very few and where creativity is essential to surprise others and to put a smile on people’s faces.”

And partner Teresa Otto observes, “The purpose of doing these exercises, registered in photos and in the memory of those who have seen them, is precisely to be part of the history of that place. . . That’s a story, a story that is part of the city’s history, the city’s architecture history.”

Check out the gallery and short video by Dinis&Gustavo below. And for more information, visit likearchitects.com.

Frozen Trees from dinis&gustavo on Vimeo.

CREDITS:
Authors: LIKEarchitects © (likearchitects.com) / Diogo Aguiar (diogoaguiar.com) + Teresa Otto (teresaotto.com)
Client: Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, MUDE – Museu do Design e da Moda
Construction: OutrosMercadus ©
Photography: FG+SG Fotografia de arquitectura | Architecture photography & Dinis Sottomayor

Dimensions:
10 prisms with 3,60 m high with pentagonal base (16 cm side);
10 prisms with 3,60 m high with decagonal base (16 cm side);
10 prisms with 3,60 m high with pentadecagonal base (16 cm side);

Materials:
2400 plastic bags dispensers ”Rationell Variera”
2500 meters of metallic tubular (square section) – 10X10X1.5mm
100 meters of metallic tubular (square section) – 25X25X2mm
330 linear meters of 12-volt white LED tape
45 12-volt car batteries
10 battery chargers
4800 self-drilling screws 3.5x16mm;

All images courtesy of LIKEarchitects.
H/T Domus.

Daniel Arsham navigates in a space where architecture and art merge, often playing upon existing structures to create unexpected yet organic sculptures. And his latest exhibition, “The Fall, The Ball, and The Wall,” showcases the Brooklyn-based artist’s diverse, innovative practice and his ongoing interest in challenging expectations of accepted reality.

Arsham presents three bodies of work for the new show–his first solo exhibition in L.A.: His structural interventions continue to defy the notion of architectural rigidity, causing walls to drip and corners to meet in knots. These are accompanied by a new series of work on canvas that depicts realistic buildings neighbored by text that rises tall as skyscrapers, spelling out words such as “oops” and “okay.” And finally, the show features a large-scale, hanging mass of tinted spheres–based on the pixels of a hyper-magnified photo of a cloud formation–from the set of Merce Cunningham’s final performances.

The exhibition is on view January 20 through February 16, 2012 at OHWOW.

Debuting this past week at Cape Town’s Design Indaba and now stateside tonight at New York’s New Museum, Israeli-born, New York-based designer Dror Benshetrit presents his latest design – a versatile support system called QuaDror.

Four years in the making, this unique structural support geometry is made by assembling four identical, interlocking, L-shaped pieces. Initially, the designer was excited by the system’s flexibility and aesthetic. Upon further exploration, though, he soon recognized its structural integrity and broad potential applications, and began working collaboratively with a variety of experts to determine its capabilities.

The collapsible system allows for rapid assembly (from closed and flat to open and self-standing) and easy transfer (less volume in transit without giving up great load-bearing capabilities), and adapts to a variety of conditions, making it a fit for everything from product design (lamps, etc.) to trestle structures (bridges, saw horses), dividing walls, sound barriers, and architecture (frame and relief structures, and high-end dwellings, pop up structures, public art installations, emergency structures, etc.). And the collapsibility of the units and the potential use of local materials allow for low-carbon footprint and energy efficiency. In fact, according to the studio, 1750 QuaDror relief structure kits (each one creating a new emergency relief home) can fit in one 40-feet container. The studio is currently in the process of manufacturing the “QuaDror Home,” and hopes to construct the first QuaDror houses in Sierra Leone.

According to Dror: “Our goal is to inspire change. Working with creative and innovative experts from various fields, we aim to share and implement this geometry in urban design, architecture, philanthropic work, and public art. When realizing that the system could potentially bring a groundbreaking solution to the global issue of habitat, we were eager to complete our experimentations and share this discovery with the world.”

Check out the video demonstration below, plus several possible applications for QuaDror’s design. And if you’d like to learn a little more about Dror, check out studiodror.com or my recent interview with him for Dwell.com.

QuaDror from Dror on Vimeo.

*above: QuaDror table

*above: QuaDror Volume MGX (lamp)

*above: QuaDror PopUp Building

*above: QuaDror building

*above: QuaDror villa

*above: QuaDror bridge

*Images and video courtesy of Dror Benshetrit.

World renowned French architect Jean Nouvel has designed England’s 2010 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion. (Several images below!) Launched in 2000, this ongoing, annual commission invites internationally acclaimed architects and designers to create a temporary (3-month) structure on the Gallery’s lawn. The entire process allots only six months from invitation to completion, an opportunity to demonstrate each designer or architect’s skill and talent.

This year, the gallery celebrates its 40th anniversary, and Nouvel’s project is his first completed building in the UK. A contrast of lightweight materials and dramatic, metal cantilevered structures, Nouvel’s entire design is rendered in a vivid red that simultaneously contrasts with the green of its park setting. The color reflects the iconic British images of traditional telephone boxes, post boxes and London buses. The building consists of bold geometric forms, large retractable awnings and a freestanding wall that climbs 12m above the lawn, sloping at a gravity defying angle. Glass, polycarbonate and fabric structures create a versatile system of interior and exterior spaces.

Around the Pavilion, Nouvel has created spaces for outdoor play, bringing the tradition of French civic parks to London. Red table tennis tables, draughts, chess, frisbees and kites will be available for the public to play with throughout the summer months. The flexible auditorium will accommodate the Serpentine Gallery café, as well as Park Nights, the Gallery’s lecture and event program, and will culminate in the annual Serpentine Gallery Marathon on October 16th and 17th. The theme of the 5th Serpentine Gallery Marathon – The Marathon of Maps for the 21 Century – considers maps’ hold on our imaginations, and their ability to define our understanding of geography, scale, space and ideas. During the event, artists, writers and scientists will present maps encompassing their experience of the world today.

Jean Nouvel is responsible for the design of over 200 buildings the world over, including the Copenhagen Concert Hall (2009); the Ferrari Factory, Modena (2009); 40 Mercer Street, New York (2008); the Musée du quai Branly, Paris (2006); the extension to the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid (2006); the Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis (2001); the Torre Agbar, Barcelona (2000); the Culture and Congress Centre, Lucerne (2000), and the Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris (1989). (Images below!)

Previous Pavilion architects include: Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, SANAA, 2009; Frank Gehry, 2008; Olafur Eliasson and Kjetil Thorsen, 2007; Rem Koolhaas and Cecil Balmond, with Arup, 2006; Álvaro Siza and Eduardo Souto de Moura with Cecil Balmond, Arup, 2005; MVRDV with Arup, 2004 (un-realised); Oscar Niemeyer, 2003; Toyo Ito with Arup, 2002; Daniel Libeskind with Arup, 2001; and Zaha Hadid, 2000.

*above: Jean Nouvel. Photograph © Gaston Bergeret

*above: Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2010, Designed by Jean Nouvel. © Ateliers Jean Nouvel.

*above: Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2010, Designed by Jean Nouvel. © Ateliers Jean Nouvel. Photograph: Philippe Ruault

*above: Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2010, Designed by Jean Nouvel. © Ateliers Jean Nouvel.

*above: Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2010, Designed by Jean Nouvel. © Ateliers Jean Nouvel. Photograph: Philippe Ruault

*above: Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2010, Designed by Jean Nouvel. © Ateliers Jean Nouvel. Photograph: Philippe Ruault

*above: Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2010, Designed by Jean Nouvel. © Ateliers Jean Nouvel. Photograph: Philippe Ruault

*above:Jean Nouvel, Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Paris, 1991-95. © Jean Nouvel. Photograph: Philippe Ruault

*above: Jean Nouvel, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, 2007. © Jean Nouvel

*above: Jean Nouvel, Agbar Tower, Barcelona, 1999-2005. © Jean Nouvel. Photograph: Philippe Ruault

*All images courtesy of Serpentine Gallery.

One of the world’s most renowned architects, Zaha Hadid has been celebrated for a one-of-a-kind architectural language, based on fluid, organic shapes, always seemingly just beyond this world. For Summer 2010, she’s bringing her same creative language to a jewelry collection for Atelier Swarovski.

The Glace collection, as its called, consists of five pieces – bracelets, necklaces and rings – designed to be dramatically worn individually or as complementary pieces together. Each sculpted piece features colorful crystals suspended in clear resin, and every piece is available as one of only 50 in the exclusive collection.

According to Ms. Hadid:
“This enigmatic new Glace collection celebrates a powerful dichotomy between the purity of Swarovski’s precision cut crystals and the subtle, organic forms that envelop them. Each piece within the collection has evolved as an abstraction of the sinuous forms evident in nature, revealing my desire for experimentation and invention throughout every stage of design and realization.”

A selection from the new line is below; for more information, visit atelierswarovski.com.

*above: Zaha Hadid Pendant Jet

*above: Zaha Hadid Flame Cuffs

*above: Zaha Hadid Collar Opal

*above: Zaha Hadid Ring 1 +2 Crystal

*above: Zaha Hadid Jet Bangles

*All images courtesy of Atelier Swarovksi.

An in-depth, thoughtful look at the history, evolution and current state of container architecture, Gestalten‘s latest title – Container Atlas: A Practical Guide to Container Architecture – is an informative, visually stimulating collection of examples of this “contemporary architectural phenomenon.”

The book’s introduction provides background on the container story, taking readers back to the early 20th century, when former trucking entrepreneur Malcolm McLean began to push for the implementation of standardized containers for universal freight transport, and through to the steel boxes’ role in US Army logistical operations of World War II. But it’s the visual examination of these containers’ prevalent roles in contemporary society that demands the most attention. For example, their use in :

Social/low budget architecture: Since the containers are accessible and functional, they are suitable for use in charitable organizations funded by donations, such as Melbourne’s Children’s Activity Centre (Phooey Architects), made of four shipping containers transformed into a social facility for children.

Events/exhibitions/installations: Such as architect Shigeru Ban‘s Nomadic Museum, which employs containers in two ways: as building blocks that form the supporting structure for the exhibit hall, and as transport containers for building elements and for the display specimens themselves.

Commercial/corporate architecture: Such as the mobile PUMA salesroom by LOT-EK, consising of 24 shipping containers staggered to form a three-story building.

…as well as examples of housing, public buildings, offices, art and more.

In addition to gorgeous photos of existing container architecture (check out a sampling of images below!) Container Atlas also includes plans and associated costs for each project. It even suggests solutions for common problems in the arena, making it a reliable reference for everyone from professional architects and planners to marketing managers and the general public.

Container Atlas
A Practical Guide to Container Architecture
Editors: H. Slawik, J. Bergmann, M. Buchmeier, S. Tinney
Published by: Gestalten
Price: € 49,90 / $ 78,00 / £ 45,00
Format: 24 x 30 cm
Features: 256 pages, full color, hardcover

Available now from Amazon or Gestalten.

*All images from Container Atlas: A Practical Guide to Container Architecture, © Gestalten 2010.

Architect David Tajchman recently earned an honorable mention for his futuristic “Stealth” design proposal for the new visual arts Maribor Museum in Slovenia.

As shown below, the museum’s external design reinterprets the Slovenian lacework tradition, with perforated patterns that filter natural light for the exhibitions spaces within. Similar patterns are used on flooring inside to make surfaces non-slippery, and to hide technical elements (air conditioners, etc.) on the ceilings. Removable partition walls inside slip from structural elements that provide storage or cover technical elements to subdivide the exhibition spaces.

According to Tajchman, “Like a stealth, the project is inserted in the city in direct visual
and morphologic relation with its context.” In his vision, people pass through the covered ground floor, an open public space for outdoor protected activities of the UGM. in this way, the project aims to encourage visual connections between the old and the modern city. Maribor sits at the crosspoint of the Alps, Adriatic and the Balkans. Other art cities such as Venice, Vienna, Graz and Budapest are a close trainride away.

WIth offices in both Paris and Brussels since 2009, Tajchman keeps busy creating dramatic works of art across the globe, and teaching with Sir Peter Cook at Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture in Paris.

Project Info:
Stealth: New Maribor Museum Architecture Competition
Place: Maribor, Slovenia
Area: 15000 m2
Client: UGM
Architect: David Tajchman
Intern: Luke Izri
Results: 4th prize – honorable mention

*Images courtesy of Architectures David Tajchman.

This week, the Design Museum Holon presents its inaugural exhibition: “The State of Things: Design and the 21st Century.” Opening March 4th and running through May 15th, the exhibit – which takes place in the new Ron Arad-designed, Israeli building – features more than 100 objects that collectively reflect issues concerning the practice, consumption and cultural impact of contemporary international design.

*above: Design Museum Holon, by Ron Arad Architects

The star-studded cast of contributing designers includes Maarten Baas, Jaime Hayon, Max Lamb, Joris Laarman, Front, Yves Behar, Stephen Burks, Tokujin Yoshioka, Konstantin Grcic, POLKA, Tom Dixon, Ingo Maurer, the Campana Brothers and Dror Benshetrit, among others.

*above: “Cabbage Chair” by Nendo

The curated objects range from ordinary household items to life-enhancing and saving technologies. According to Design Museum Holon Creative Director, Galit Gaon: “The museum is committed to showcasing the importance of quality design and its relevance to our lives at this particular point in time; the objects in the exhibition will reveal the same ingenuity and poetry evident in the new Ron Arad building that will house them.”

*above: “Wiek Cabinet” by Maarten Baas

*above: “Brave New World Lamp” by Moooi

Each grouping of works represents a contemporary category. Whether through the materials employed, the concepts conveyed, or the uses intended, these objects reflect our times so acutely that they could only have been made in the last few years: thus, the current “state of things.”

*above: “Cappellini Love Table” by Stephen Burks

For more information on the new Design Museum Holon, check out www.dmh.org.
Tel: +972 7 32151515
Fax: +972 3 6520331

*Images courtesy of Design Museum Holon.

Since the late 1990s, Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto has created interactive, immersive sculptural environments using translucent, stretchable fabrics. “Navedenga” (1998) – one of Neto’s early, quasi-architectural bodies – is on view now at the Museum of Modern Art through late April.

The enveloping sculptural environment invites the audience to participate in a work of art, as they enter the sculpture’s hollow chamber and engage it with their visual, tactile, and olfactory senses. Responsive to the touch, “Navedenga” was constructed from Lycra fabric, Styrofoam and sand, and embedded with aromatic cloves. Its soft, sensuous surface, and round, taut contours reference and evoke the human body.

The installation’s form and the title—a neologism created by the artist that recalls the Portuguese word “nave,” or “ship”—suggest both a fantastical spacecraft and a protective womb. It’s part of a series of “naves” by Neto, alluding to journeys both intimate and expansive, feminine and masculine.

For more information, visit MoMA.org.
All images courtesy of the Museum of Modern Art:
Ernesto Neto, “Navedenga.” 1998. Polyamide stretch fabric, sand, Styrofoam, cloves, cord, and ribbon. 144 x 180 x 252″ (365.8 x 457.2 x 640.1 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of Donald L. Bryant, Jr. Installation photographed at The Museum of Modern Art, 2010. Photo © 2010 Jason Mandella.

“Architecture affects everybody…” Julius Shulman once said. And he’s right – it’s all around us, and far too often taken for granted. Sadly, Shulman passed away earlier this year. Now, director Erik Bricker‘s new documentary, “Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman,” celebrates Shulman’s life and work as the world’s greatest architectural photographer.

Click HERE for a list of screenings.

And check out Dwell Magazine‘s interview with director Erik Bricker HERE.

H/T FreshCreation