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In Mexico City, Young & Ayata and Michan Architecture bring a perforated concrete facade to DL1310 apartments.
+ Based in Mexico City‘s Tetelpan neighborhood, the DL1310 apartments have recessed windows framed by twisting board-marked concrete, a popular material in Mexican architecture.
+ “The concrete striation patterns on the exterior concrete casts are both a design intention as well as a way of working with traditional formwork techniques,” Young & Ayata cofounder Kutan Ayata told Dezeen.
Photo courtesy of pentagram.com
In other creative news, ahead of its 30th anniversary Frieze gets a new brand identity designed by Pentagram.
+ Since its founding in 1991, Frieze has built an art empire with three publications, four international art fairs, a digital platform, podcasts, and more—all with separate identities.
+ Pentagram, led by partners Luke Powell and Jody Hudson-Powell, created a singular visual identity to unify the brand. “It was essential that the new brand design system provided the art with space to breathe. Therefore, the typeface is characterful and distinctive but does not dictate the layout,” Pentagram said about the project.
Photo courtesy of hyundai.com
A walking, four-legged vehicle? Meet the Hyundai TIGER X-1.
+ TIGER, or Transforming Intelligent Ground Excursion Robot, is a small, self-driving vehicle that can extend its four legs—yes, it has legs—and rotate its wheels to move in any direction and on any terrain.
+ A concept from Hyundai’s New Horizons Studio, the design isn’t meant to hold people, but its ability to weather complex, remote terrain means it could be used as an emergency vehicle, shopping tool, or even for scientific exploration.
Photo courtesy of cosentino.com
Here are the highlights from this year’s KBIS virtual event.
+ Color played a big role at this year’s event, with brands such as Brown Jordan, Cosentino, Hastings Tile & Bath, and more unveiling new colorways and finishes.
+ Meanwhile other brands focused more on pattern. BlueStar introduced a new printing process that allows any graphic, print, or artwork to be applied directly onto kitchen appliances, while Shaws Sinks launched a line of patina-like fireclay sinks.
In addition to projects like this one for Portland Homeless Family Solutions, interior designer Jessica Helgerson is working to help those in housing crises through The One Percent Project. Photo courtesy of jhinteriordesign.com
Interior designer Jessica Helgerson is fighting homelessness one project at a time.
+ Launched by the Portland-based designer, The One Percent Project asks clients to put 1% of their invoice total toward addressing homelessness.
+ The line item is optional—a sort of “voluntary tax” that the firm says is akin to rounding up a dollar at the grocery store—with the funds going toward nonprofits providing critical services to those without housing.
Photo courtesy of americanexpress.com
Rem Koolhaas’ latest work: the new “Art Card” for American Express.
+ The card is the smallest work the famed architect has ever designed, taking inspiration from graphic design and Boompjes, one of his most famous projects.
+ “I see graphic design as a crucial domain to project ideas in. Architecture is also a domain to project ideas in. The similarity [between the disciplines] is about ideas, and these can take any form,” he told Wallpaper.
Photo courtesy of kwongvonglinow.com
For its first built project, Kwong Von Glinow turns traditional residential architecture on its head.
+ The Chicago-based design studio’s Ardmore House has a contemporary floor plan where the private and public living spaces are flipped, with the communal areas on the top floor and bedrooms below.
+ “This approach supports contemporary ways of living, emphasizing communal areas, interconnectivity, and flexible live-work spaces that receive ample natural light and engage the surrounding urban context,” say founders Lap Chi Kwong and Alison Von Glinow on the studio’s website.
Photo courtesy of nike.com
Virgil Abloh’s new book, ICONS, traces the creative process of designing with Nike.
+ The book includes original text messages between Virgil and Nike designers, materials from the Nike archives, and more behind-the-scenes moments that helped shape sneaker culture.
+ The Off-White designer originally partnered with Nike in 2017 for “The Ten” collection, which became one of the biggest collaborations in sneaker history.
Photo courtesy of kremer-pigmente.com
The first new shade of blue in 200 years is now available to buy as paint.
+ Called YInMn, the hue was discovered in 2009 and was the first new blue pigment to be discovered since cobalt in 1802.
+ The shade was approved by the EPA for use in artists’ materials last May and is now finally available for purchase through paint makers such as Kremer Pigmente and Golden Artist Colors. No more feeling blue!
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Japanese designer Hiroshi Fujiwara unveils Apple’s reusable face mask.
+ Hiroshi shared the mask and its packaging on his Instagram. Following typical Apple design, the mask is sleek and minimal.
+ For those looking to add the face mask to their Apple collection, no word yet on when, or if, it will be available for purchase.
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