Appreciates all types of design ideas.
Good form & function should always work hand in hand but at times designs needs to be push through all types of boundaries.
There is no standing still for design,only moving forward.
“There are too many fresh kids, it makes me worry for the future”
This quote seems to have some reverance with the volume of ‘emerging’ brands, which many cultural critics believe to lack true creative direction, yet rather they ‘play off’ industry trends. Although ‘workwear’ may to some extent be the latest ‘casuality’ of this nature, Ann Demeulemeester has forged one of the most inspirational and unique brands within fashion. Her gothic, avant-garde take on fashion, harks back to her days in the 1980’s emergence of the ‘Antwerp Six’, arguably the most influential movement on modern design.
This store is no different in many ways to her approach to fashion – standing out from the crowd – yet is totally unrelated to anything she has been previously involved in. The ‘green’ exterior is stark contrast to the grey Seoul City backdrop, showing Ann and archtiects Mass Media at their creative best. However, 4 floors infused with light, bamboo walls, and ‘fluid- curvacious’ walls are a far cry from her asymetric, monotone styles which have graced catwalks. Open air spaces not only allow pieces to become one with their environment, but also suggest the removal of barriers between catwalk and street – a battle which has plagued her career.
This removal from the norm, freedom of expression and the ability to adapt are truly what Jean Touitou meant, surrounded in what is now a ’sub-culture of conformity’. This building demonstrates how people respect individuality, and perhpas now, with an abundence of genreic design, both this building and Demeulermeester’s collections will be given unquestionabey merited respect, as markers of a ‘new-wave’ of design excitement.
Loft Hamburg, located in a restored building in Winterhude district of Hamburg, is a private 118 square-meter residence designed by Graft. The focal point of the high-ceilinged and otherwise white space is a large pod paneled with walnut. The pod contains the residence’s kitchen and bathroom, hides its central heating, cooling and plumbing, and even provides some cupboards and bookshelves. The owner was looking to use a wide variety of materials, and the walnut pod contrasts beautifully with the soft fabrics, leather and natural stone used elsewhere in the loft.
Some background on Graft:
Graft is an architecture, urban planning and design company established in 1998 in Los Angeles by German architects (,) Lars Krückeberg, Wolfram Putz, Thomas Willemeit and Gregor Hoheisel, all now in their early forties. Their Berlin office opened in 2001, and Beijing office in 2004. Alejandra Lillo joined Graft as the fifth partner in Los Angeles in 2007.
Fireworks explode over the site of World Expo during a rehearsal for the opening ceremony in Shanghai, China on April 27, 2010.
Organizers of Shanghai's World Expo have been holding trial runs this week, before the official opening this Saturday, May 1st. About 70 percent of the nearly 200 participants participated in the trials, and visitors were already encountering long lines. Officials now estimate the 6-month event, themed "Better City, Better Life", will attract up to 100 million visitors, 95 percent of them Chinese. Shanghai has spent 400 billion yuan (58.6 billion US dollars) preparing for the Expo, according to state media - more than was spent on the Beijing Olympics.
Visitors wait in queue to enter the Spain Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo Monday, May 3, 2010 in Shanghai, China.
Visitors look at a display of screens inside the Spain Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo Monday, May 3, 2010 in Shanghai, China.
Visitors gather in front of a huge animated baby mannequin displayed in the Spanish pavilion at the site of the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai on April 25, 2010. Expo organizers gave members of the public a preview of the largest-ever World's Fair as they tested facilities and public transportation before the official start on May
A visitor stands at the South Korea Pavilion at the World Expo site on the trial day Friday, April 23, 2010 in Shanghai, China.
Visitors walk past the illuminated Expo Axis of Sunshine Valley on the first day of the trial run of the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, China, on Tuesday, April 20, 2010.
Visitors stand outside the U.K. Pavilion, known as the "Seed Cathedral," at the site of the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, China, on Wednesday, April 14, 2010.
A Chinese worker peers from behind a wall surrounding the UK pavilion at the site of the World expo 2010 in Shanghai on April 7, 2010.
A man takes a picture inside the British pavilion at the World Expo 2010 site in Shanghai on April 14, 2010.
A visitor examines a seed encased in acrylic inside the U.K. Pavilion, known as the "Seed Cathedral," at the site of the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, China, on Wednesday, April 14, 2010.
Check video of the UK Pavilion here:
A night view shows the Serbia pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo site April 23, 2010.
Workers attach a logo in Chinese characters meaning the United States at the USA Pavilion at the World Expo site on the trial day Sunday, April 25, 2010 in Shanghai, China.
Journalists gather at the US pavilion for a press preview at the site of the World expo 2010 in Shanghai on April 7, 2010.
Visitors outside the Danish pavilion take photos of Denmark's iconic Little Mermaid statue after it was unveiled at Shanghai World Expo site April 25, 2010.
Denmark's famed Little Mermaid statue is displayed after it was unveiled in Denmark Pavilion at the World Expo site on the trial day Sunday, April 25, 2010 in Shanghai, China. The 5-foot (1.5-meter) statue honoring Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen left Copenhagen Harbor for first time in 97 years for Shanghai's Expo which opens May 1.
Lead architect of the Danish pavilion, Bjarke Ingels rides a bicycle on its roof at the site of the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai on April 25, 2010.
Workers assemble a wall part of the Latvia Pavilion at the World Expo site on the trial day Sunday, April 25, 2010 in Shanghai, China.
A night view shows the Russia pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo site April 23, 2010.
A man walks past the Polish pavilion at the site of the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai on April 27, 2010.
An aerial view shows the French Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo site in Shanghai March 28, 2010.
A Chinese worker stands on the top of the pavilion of Iceland at the site of the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai on April 7, 2010.
A child poses for her mother in front of the China Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo site April 25, 2010.
Visitors walk past the Shanghai Corporate Pavilion, known as the Dream Cube, in Shanghai on April 26, 2010. Multi-nationals are seizing on the six-month event beginning May 1 to build their brand presence in the market of 1.3 billion people, but also the business and government connections - or "guanxi" - crucial to making money in China.
A visitor takes photos of a 3D-projected image of a jade burial suit in the Aurora Pavilion as organizers of Shanghai's World Expo gave members of the public a preview of the massive event in Shanghai on April 26, 2010.
A project model shows a possible future transport system in the Pavilion of Future as organizers of Shanghai's World Expo gave members of the public a preview of the massive event in Shanghai on April 26, 2010.
Visitors walk past the "Information and Communications Pavilion," built by China Mobile Ltd. and China Telecom Corp., in Shanghai, China, on Monday, April 19, 2010.
The North Korean pavilion is seen, next to the Iranian pavilion (right) at the site of the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai on April 27, 2010.
An aerial view shows vehicles traveling on newly-lit intersections at night in Shanghai in this March 28, 2010 photo.
Tourists walk past the Finland Pavilion at the site of Shanghai 2010 World Expo, during its third trial operation on April 23, 2010 in Shanghai, China. The World Expo, which runs May 1 through October 31, is expected to attract about 70 million visitors.
