Dana Barnes - Textile Designs

Textile designer and artist Dana Barnes sure knows how to tie a knot. Her latest work, UNSPUN: Tangled and Fused experiments with unspun natural fibers and innovative felting processes. Barnes explores different ways of forming objects using various techniques: knotting, netting, twisting and looping of fibers to create large scale textile art pieces for interior spaces. Inspired by nature, her work references thick crop fields, grazed hills and meadows, gnarled and knobby aged oak trees, and entwined and interlocked Spanish moss. Pictured above is RIGGERS KNOT Twisted Rope Object.Design Milk

iotti + pavarani architetti wins renzo piano award for domus technica

The Renzo Piano foundation has named Reggio Emilia-based firm Iotti + Pavarani architetti as the 'best Italian practice under 40'. the award, which was handed over earlier this year, stems from the recently completed 'Domus Technica', a project piano claims secured the first place prize.

Located in Brescello, Italy, the building acts as home to mechanical and industrial engineer immergas'
center for advanced training. conceived as a laboratory, the design intends to create a flexible and responsive environment that is shaped by both its function and its users. 

Swedish Island House - Petra Gipp Arkitektur & Katarina Lundeberg

Petra Gipp Arkitektur and Katarina Lundeberg designed this house on an island near
Stockholm, Sweden.

Contemporist

Marimekko – Puutahurin Parhaat Apron

Marimekko, established in 1951,is a Finnish textile and clothing design company renowned for its original prints and colors. Throughout time they collaborated with a variety of brands and designers, a recent example is Converse. Well I just love them for their fresh and graphic prints.


Marimekko

Amanda Seyfried & Justin Timberlake - W's October Cover

Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried may not be dating in real life (Amanda was seen at the U.S. Open with an unidentified beau and JT is rumored to have reconnected with Jessica Biel). But the two Hollywood stars make a picture perfect couple on the October cover of W.

Posing as a presidential candidate and his would-be First Lady, the pair unsubtly channeled the famous Kennedy couple in the retro photo shoot, in which 25-year-old Seyfried dons a classically cut Carolina Herrara satin dress as well as a Calvin Klein sheath on the cover.

Timberlake looks dapper as ever in a Calvin Klein suit and a platinum Harry Winston wedding band.

TheHuffingtonPost

Cabaña Doe Bay － Heliotrope Architects

Cabaña Doe Bay is a delightful small crib (just 97 square meters !) designed by Heliotrope Architects on a limited budget and located in Orcas Island, Washington. Here is the story behind the project from the developers: “Our clients have been traveling regularly to Doe Bay Resort on Orcas Island for two decades. Now with two young children they have formalized their affection for the place by purchasing property located a short walk from the resort. We were challenged to design a modest cabin in size and cost (but not in character) that captures the spirit of this place while reflecting the Japanese and Chinese heritage of the owners. Our design solution combines simplicity and economy through the employment of a prefabricated structural panel system (“SIPS”) and the simple form of a box. Features of the home include an extremely energy efficient envelope, a garden roof and 19ft high by 22ft wide window-wall with unobstructed views down Rosario Strait“. 


Freshome

Countryside home in Salento - Luca Zanaroli

'countryside home in salento', a single family residence located in the countryside of Morciano di Leuca, Italy was created by Bologna-based architect luca zanaroli. the dwelling's rustic shell is formed from the abandoned remnants of two historic structures once used as a temporary shelter for local farmers. A covered veranda within the enclosed courtyard provides inhabitants with an open air shelter from the hot mediterranean climate. inside the building, minimalist furnishings draw attention to the restored barrel vaults and domes constructed with locally sourced stone dating from the late 1800s. 



Designboom

Modern Lumbrein Residence - Switzerland

Lumbrein Residence is a spectacular single family home especially designed by Hurst Song Architekten as a holiday retreat. The building is located at the periphery of a picturesque village and has unobstructed views of the mountain peaks in Graubunden, Switzerland. Here is a short project description from the architects: “Responding to the neighboring barns, the exterior is clad with vertical wooden planks treated with a dark protective coating. The gabled roof is inclined perpendicularly to the mountain face, following suit of the traditional architecture of the region. The elimination of the eave allows the standing-seam copper roof to meet the top of the perimeter walls, eventually aging to match their color. The central staircase is composed of spruce planks spanning the concrete partitions allowing light to filter through to lower levels. These materials pervade the interior surfacing the floors walls and ceiling with matching wood with concrete surfaces relating to the vertical circulation“. 


Freshome

LUZ Shirokane - Naoya Kawabe architect & associates

Japanese practice naoya kawabe architect & associates has sent us images of 'LUZ shirokane', a multi-storey housing complex in Tokyo, Japan. Contrary to conventional layouts where the area of the individual units are maximized, the building inserts a generously-sized common space at the core of its design to encourage a level of communication and transparency between the tenants. 


Designboom

Jøssingfjord museum - LETH & GORI + G.ARK

Copenhagen based architecture firm LETH & GORI has collaborated with norwegian practice G.ARK to submit 'jøssingfjord museum', a proposal for the national association of norwegian architects competition to create a cultural center for Jøssingfjord, Norway. Sited at the base of a deep ravine, this structure is gently raised above the rugged terrain allowing a mountain lake to flow directly under the building. the complex's approach guides.


designboom

Fioriness - Laurent Corio

Fioriness by Laurent Corio for Secondome. Launching this week at Maison et Objet. Corio explains that these were inspired by the idea of a candlelit dinner and a summer sunset. The name is a hybrid of different languages meaning “flower” and “flirt.”

Design Milk

The Franz House - BAK Architects

BAK Architects have shared with us another concrete house they designed in Mar Azul, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.

Village for time & style - Drill design

Japanese studio Drill design has developed the 'village' series for local furniture manufacturer time&style.

The 'village chair' derives its form from the windsor chair, aiming to solve some of the difficulties of the classic furniture icon, such as the visible joinery of the legs, the inconsistency of the spokes and the angle of the seating. Drill design's choice to work with the windsor chair was due to its recognizable form, which remains in people's minds. from this they have developed a comfortable seating design using modern woodworking techniques, lessing the amount of material needed for production,
meeting the high cost performance that is expected in today's modern lifestyle. the series also includes a simple stool with similar proportions and lines.


Designboom

Renovated Tel Aviv Home

Pitsou Kedem Architect completed a home restoration above the harbor in Old Jaffa, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. One could easily resemble its exterior with a medieval fortress, as inspired by its centuries-old facade. But the similarities stop there. When redesigning this home, the architects kept its mysterious stone exterior, but combined it with state of the art modern details. The overall result is a pleasant mix of old and new, making this residence truly stand out. Even though the total living surface of this project is only 105 square meters (1,130 sq ft), the overall feeling that the interiors inspire is that of space. This is due mainly to the vaulted ceilings and modern minimalist arrangements. The  traditional stone walls were kept almost intact and the visual effect they provide is overwhelming.


Freshome

Mike Dempsey's design business tips

Let's start of September with a clean slay. Going back to work after an relaxing inspiring holiday can be hard, and you may find yourself demotivated to get back to what ever project you were working on. But! Just follow these rules and you will see you will back into your creative business routine, feeling good and motivated in no time!

Mike Dempsey's