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Been There, Done That

Wednesday, July 20, 2011 by Chris

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When I saw this photo by Scott Frances in Alexa Hampton's latest book, The Language of Interior Design, it really took me back. The sculpture on the table is a maquette of a MUCH bigger piece by Bruno Giorgi originally called Guerreiros (Warriors) or more commonly, Os candangos (The Labourers). Created in 1959, the sculpture is a monumental tribute to the workers who built the Brazilian capital in the late 1950s; it stands today in Brasilia's Plaza of the Three Powers, where the photo of me, below, was taken in 2002. How and why I ended up in this astonishing place is less important than the impression it made upon me. Brasilia can fairly be called the world's most "modern" city. It was planned by Lúcio Costa and built in a matter of years showcasing the masterworks of visionary Brazilian architect Oscar Neimeyer (born December 15, 1907). Never have I been so awestruck by so many buildings; no wonder architecture students make pilgrimages to the place. Touring Brasilia allowed me to understand that the modernist vernacular could be just as thrilling as the most revered and beautiful buildings ever constructed.

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International Check-In: Edinburgh

Friday, September 11, 2009 by Jackie

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As a Canadian of Scottish heritage I was looking forward to Homecoming 2009, a 12-month event welcoming back the Scottish diaspora to celebrate Scotland's contributions to the world as well as the 250th anniversary of poet Robert Burns' birth. Although we didn't sample the official Homecoming offerings, we did commemorate in our own way by absorbing the history, grandeur and beauty of Scotland.

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International Check-In: Maine Road Trip

Saturday, August 15, 2009 by Lindsay Bowman

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While visiting my family in New Brunswick during my summer holidays, Mom and I decided to take a little road trip down Maine's Highway 1, famous for its tiny coastal towns, plentiful fresh seafood, and hundreds of antique shops lining the interstate. To our delight, there were so many antique malls and flea markets that we concluded we'd never make it to Portland if we stopped at every one; we agreed to check out every third or fourth store on our side of the road! Between stops we were able to admire the gorgeous coastal scenery and fit in a traditional Maine lobster roll (or three).

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Material Matters: ICFF, New York City

Wednesday, May 20, 2009 by kj

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For both vendors and buyers New York's ICFF is quite simply THE international show to be at. Shortly into the fair I had a bit of an 'ahha' moment. It suddenly struck me how important materials are to a designer. Give the average Joe a piece of Velcro, a plastic bottle or a bunch of quarters and ask him to make something and well, I think we all know what the outcome would be. But give these same materials to a good designer and magic happens . . .

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Weird Fun: Memoires.ae

Saturday, March 28, 2009 by Chris

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Last week's New York Times Style magazine did a little feature on Dubai, which included the following innocuous reference: "3 pm. Explore the baroque kitsch at Memoires, a fashion and decor shop filled with hidden rooms. Wafi mall; memoires.ae." Well, you know I just had to surf on over there and all I can say is . . . jumping jehosaphat! I've never seen a site quite like it. Weird, creepy, fascinating, a virtual Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. No, they're not real Canadians, but they sure as heck are decorating. Don't miss the splash page!

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