Architecture
Habitat have opened a new store in a disused cinema building at 123 Regent Street. The grade II listed building has had a remarkable history – from meat market to Gallery to Cinema to Church. The store design is the first from Habitat’s Non Executive Creative Director Tom Dixon who has been involved with the project at every stage, from the interior restoration to the fittings. A number of original features have been restored, these include the magnificent auditorium and significant remaining features of the cinema including the original gallery space with a vaulted plaster ceiling, Neo-Egyptian light fittings and original Wurlitzer organ. The Film Society held its first meeting at this cinema in 1925. Founder members of The Film Society included H G Wells, George Bernard Shaw and Augustus John. The first show included the feature film The Waxworks (directed by Paul Leni) and Champion Charlie, a Chaplin short.
Infact the building looks so good after the renovation, it’s hard to know which is the biggest draw: the building or its contents.
Nathan Usmar Lauder
Posted on Wednesday, 24th of May 2006 Permalink
There’s a general rule of thumb about architects (okay two rules of thumb—two hands, two thumbs). Architects are rarely women, and even more rarely successful before 50. The exception to the rule is Barbara Bestor (she’s 39 and doesn’t look like an architect). There are none of those Corbu style-heavy black glasses going on. So, she wears skinny jeans high heels and is all about modernism—but doing it with interesting materials. Plywood for one. Or cardboard. Both used to great effect in her building for Grand Royal and stores for XL. And now she has a gorgeous book out—Bohemian Modern Living in Silverlake, which is great not just for the cool houses (Eli Bonerz’s Neutra one for one and Barbara’s own iconic shack in the hills), but also for its cover and illustrations. The cover has that heavily textured feel that makes you think of math textbooks in the 7th grade (or if you’re British your second year of secondary school) – and the illustrations are all by the legendary Geoff Mcfetridge. And you can buy it all on Amazon.
Jennifer Kabat
Posted on Tuesday, 9th of May 2006 Permalink
BOOSH LIVE TOUR 2006
65 Gigs in 51 venues over 12 weeks. In almost every venue, before the doors opened, I took a shot from the stage looking out into the empty theatre. A great momento of the tour, a great insight into UK theatre design & a great set of images.
You’re so much better than last nights crowd!
I’ll be here all week!
flickr set
Dave Brown
Posted on Tuesday, 2nd of May 2006 Permalink
Over the years, architecture practice, FAT, have carved out a reputation for a body of work that is unique and charismatic. Their latest installation at RIBA, London, is no exception.
‘In a Lonely Place’ takes the form of a 7-metre inflated black sphere punctured by a half-timbered structure. Inside, a stair leads up to a viewing platform, from where the surrounding void is broken by small pinpricks of light, made by transparent panels cut into the sphere.
In their own words “the sphere’s tiny transparent windows form what seem to be constellations. But rather than referring to a natural phenomenon, they mark out a tourist map of Hollywood stars homes. This plan of Los Angeles takes on a planetary scale. This banal man made pattern becomes sublime when viewed from the centrally positioned platform within the sphere”.
Ruth Kent
Posted on Thursday, 6th of April 2006 Permalink
Sir Norman Foster’s ‘gherkin’ is now a familiar feature upon the landscape of the City of London, but have you ever stopped to consider what this iconic structure replaced? Well, it was built where the Baltic Exchange once stood, a building from a very different era but no less iconic in its time. Erected in 1903 by Smith and Wimble, the building set out to demonstrate the wealth and solemnity, not to say solidity, of London’s maritime trade.
So what happened to the Grade II listed building? It was removed (at a cost of £4 million), brick by brick, marble pillar by marble pillar, and is now sitting in a great many wooden crates in a 35,000sqft warehouse located in Kent. For those who like a challenge, the complete building (dismantled) is now offered for sale by Pavilions of Splendour – price on application, viewing essential. One can only hope that the instructions manual has been approved by the Plain English Society.
Nathan Usmar Lauder
Posted on Friday, 31st of March 2006 Permalink
Your Hidden City is a photography contest over at the architecture blog Tropolism. All the photos have been uploaded to a public Flickr pool, which means that we can see all the entries – over a thousand of them. It’s a real mixed bag but there are some great images such as Sgoralnick’s new look at an iconic building, perceptmaker’s cute graffiti, cscott_sf’s kitsch bears and Duchamp’s concrete poetry (above). Good luck to the judges…
David Rainbird
Posted on Tuesday, 14th of March 2006 Permalink
Following on from the destruction by Hastings Borough Council of a unique 1934 chalet block at West St Leonards sea front, we are now faced with the demolition of a truly beautiful facade in Hastings Town Centre designed by local architect, Henry Ward, in 1924. The building was once the home of the local newspaper, The Hastings and St Leonards Observer, and F.J. Parsons Ltd who installed heavy printing presses suspended upon two feet thick reinforced concrete floors. Unfortunately the building has stood empty for the past 16 years. It’s my favourite building in this particular conservation area and I truly find it beyond comprehension that the future of the facade is in doubt when it could be incorporated into a sympathetic development to enhance this conservation area. If you would like to lend your support to the objection of this disgraceful development, please do. Link
Nathan Usmar Lauder
Posted on Thursday, 9th of March 2006 Permalink
I recently had the opportunity to visit the Absolut Ice Bar in London to mark the launch of new paper range called Inuit, I was quite excited as I’d heard it was a really cool place (literally). So there we all are dressed in massive cloaks looking a little err… stupid?! At first it was great, the whole bar was made of ice and even the drinks were served in ice glasses, the novelty soon wore off as the -5 atmosphere seeped through the insulation of our cloaks, we bailed out after 10 minutes in seek of refuge downstairs, we found it, free vodka shots off a polar bear ice sculpture. If there is anyone brave (or stupid) enough you can also stay in the Absolut ice hotel in Canada or Sweden.
Pack the Long Johns.
Liz Greening
Posted on Monday, 6th of March 2006 Permalink
Now in it’s fifth year, The Snow Show is being constructed at the Winter Olympics in Sestriere. Each year artists and architects collaborate to create ephemeral structures from snow and ice. The huge numbers that Jaume Plensa & Norman Foster have cut into the snow look fantastic whist The Penal Colony by Yoko Ono & Arata Isozaki looks like a frozen Richard Serra sculpture.
David Rainbird
Posted on Friday, 10th of February 2006 Permalink
An historic two-storey chalet building, described as “architecturally unique, a notable representation of the spirit of the age and an important example of 1930s concrete construction” by John McAsian Partnership – architects of the recently restored De La War Pavilion, Bexhill, is currently under threat of demolition by Hastings Council. Allegedly the decision to demolish the block was made without consultation and without expert advice.
The recently established Chalet Restoration Action Group (CRAG) has been working to save the chalets and restore them to their former glory.
National heritage societies have expressed their concerns with press releases.
Adam Wilkinson of SAVE Britain’s Heritage said: “SAVE is extremely concerned about these buildings. Their demolition would be completely unnecessary”.
The Twentieth Century Society urges the local council to rethink the future of the building and work with those who want to bring it back to life.
Please add your signature to the petition. Link
Nathan Usmar Lauder
Posted on Sunday, 22nd of January 2006 Permalink
