The world has its eyes on China this week for the beginning of the Olympics. Sharing the spotlight with the athletes will be the quite-incredible National Stadium in Beijing. Designed by the duo Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, the stadium has been given the rather appropriate nickname of “bird’s nest.” The resulting structure is breathtaking and as complex as the nation it’s housed in. The New York Times has a slideshow here.
An idea from two years ago became a reality on July 31, when we hosted David Lynch in the Los Angeles, Beverly Blvd Studio. Three-time Oscar nominee, Lynch is among the leading filmmakers of our era. From the early seventies to the present day, Lynch’s popular and critically acclaimed film projects are internationally recognized for breaking down the wall between art-house cinema and Hollywood moviemaking. His gracious manner and inspiring insights to his creative process, entwined with his 30-year commitment to Transcendental Meditation, provided the platform for a very colorful Q&A. Lynch described the experience of “diving within” and “catching” ideas like fish, and then preparing them for television or movie screens, and other mediums in which he works, such as painting, music and design. During the event, our book sponsor, Book Soup, sold every copy it had of Lynch’s new book, “Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness and Creativity.” For those who did not want to leave the event empty handed, we offered Lynch’s signature roasted coffee. (It’s delicious by the way.)
If you’re in the LA area and want to learn more about Beverly Blvd Studio events, visit us on Facebook.
The Fort Mason Center is really very San Francisco: Take a former military base and turn it into an arts center/conference hall/event space. It’s got one of the best vegetarian restaurants in the city (Greens) and is home to one of the most forward-thinking (literally) nonprofits around (learn more about the Long Now Foundation here). I’ve even been to a wedding there.
It also happens to have a massive space – the Festival Pavilion – which is an ideal location for the largest-ever DWR Warehouse Sale. Imagine (if you dare) 50,000 square feet of product in every category that’s discounted 20–80%. The sale lasts for four days, August 7–10, so please come by. Make a day of it: Bring a picnic to snack on at Crissy Field and stroll along the water, gazing at the Golden Gate Bridge (and probably some fog). Then stop in to check out the best in modern design, at a discount. Find hours, directions and other info here.
Gary Hustwit, who created the wonderful, must-see film Helvetica has announced a new film that I am eagerly anticipating. Debuting in 2009, Objectified is a documentary about industrial design. The film features some of DWR’s favorite designers: Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, Hella Jongerius and Karim Rashid. It aims to “document the creative processes of some of the world’s most influential designers, and looks at how the things they make impact our lives.” I am equally excited about the film’s logo, which features the Panton chair. They’re blogging about the film here.
For 40 years, Faith and Edward Deming Andrews collected Shaker art, amassing what is believed to be one of the most comprehensive collections of Shaker materials ever assembled. The Andrewses’ story, from acquiring and ultimately disposing of their collection, is the subject of a traveling exhibit, “Gather Up the Fragments: The Andrews Shaker Collection.” In addition to showing more than 200 objects, some of which have never been on display before, the exhibit examines the Andrewes’ involvement – as scholars, collectors, and dealers – of Shaker art.
The Andrewses have been credited with being among the first to recognize the unique contributions of the Shakers to American culture. “The story of how they acquired and eventually disposed of their collection is a fascinating tale of intrigue.”
Through October 31, 2008, the exhibit is at the Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Contact them for additional tour locations. For a review by “Antiques and the Arts,” click here.
...and stayed for the Starbucks Coffee and best in modern design.
Southlake, Texas. 7:30am
Posted by E. David Goltl, Proprietor, Southlake Studio
Around this time last year, Apple introduced the iPhone – and it was a mad house around the Southlake Studio. People started gathering in line the evening before the release date. Well, Apple is at it again, this year promising the iPhone G3 to be “twice as fast” and “half the price.” And the public is listening. This morning when I opened the Studio, I found four young men (the first of many, I’m sure) taking refuge from the Texas sun in the entryway (luckily they brought their own chairs). I’m sure they’ll be a bit groggy tomorrow, so we will be providing Starbucks Coffee and bottled water for our sidewalk campers at 7am. Gonna be there? Stop by the Studio to check out the Geneva Sound System, the perfect complement to the new iPhone.
Posted by E. David Goltl, Proprietor, Southlake Studio
Oh, Ettore Sottsass, how you are loved and missed. In 1981, with the launch of his Memphis Group, Sottsass pursued one of my favorite obessions – the often rocky and incestuous relationship between high and low brow. He effectively put a nail in the coffin of generally accepted 1970s idea of “good taste” (ie, boring). Though Memphis and its legion of young Italian designers imploded by the end of the decade, its impact is still relevant 25-plus years later. In 2007, before passing away at the age of 90, Sottsass (a longtime champion of the 1006 Navy® Chair) collaborated with aluminum chair manufacturers Emeco to unleash his final design: the Nine-0 Collection.
Please join the DWR Potrero Studio and Dan Fogelson of Emeco on Thursday, July 10 from 6 to 8pm for a presentation from the company. In addition to leaning more about Emeco and Sottsass, you’ll have the opportunity to see the Nine-0 Swivel Armchair live and in person. The first 200 production models are individually numbered and nearly begging for cult status (and are only at DWR). Ettore would want nothing less for his brilliant and triumphant final design.
Posted by Timothy Williamson, Studio Account Executive, Potrero Studio
Sometimes inspiration arrives in an unusual package. Living in D.C., one would assume it would come from the vast Smithsonian collections. But my recent earthquake of inspiration came from a perfect hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. I heard about the hotel, 21C, years ago and have yearned to visit it since. 21C stand for 21st-century art. The hotel and its galleries are packed with it, they feature pieces made by only living artists.
The experience is worth keeping it on your radar. Stay, dine and gaze at pieces from this phenomenal collection without any barriers. I sat beneath an opera singing chandelier by Werner Reiterer in the lobby, sipped wine inches from a Chuck Close and descended a cement staircase to a wall filled with heart-stopping photography by Peiter Hugo.
The aesthetic is modern, the staff is excellent and down to earth, the restaurant and bar, Proof, serves up food that rivals the top eateries of San Francisco or New York. The hotel is just one of the developments churning the development of a great little downtown...all the while, supporting living, modern artists, and inspiring the rest of us.
Posted by Ann Blackwell, Studio Proprietor, Georgetown
The stamps are here! Today is Charles Eames’ birthday (he would have been 101), which is why the Postal Service chose June 17, 2008 to release 16 42-cent stamps honoring Charles and Ray Eames. The stamps include images of the husband-and-wife team and their furniture, as well as their textiles, House of Cards and images from their films. Order your stamps from the Postal Service.
The Design Within Reach Westport Studio and the Glass House are pleased to announce an evening with legendary designer Jens Risom on Thursday, June 26 from 5:30pm-7:30pm. The event is open to the public and will have several of Risom’s designs on view for the evening. It promises to be an evening of discussions with Jens about his designs and career.
Born in Copenhagenin 1916, Jens Risom’s career has spanned nearly 70 years and counting. His iconic Risom Chair, designed in 1941 and one of the first chairs to be manufactured by Knoll®, has been in continuous production since it was first introduced. With his Danish approach to modernism, with its emphasis on traditional values and the human need for warmth, beauty and simplicity, Risom is widely considered one of the most influential furniture designers of the 20th century. In 2003 he was awarded an honorary doctorate of fine arts degree by the Rhode Island School of Design. RSVP here .
The image above is of Jens and many DWR employees at the Glass House last October.
-Aran Winterbottom, Westport Studio Proprietor
On Tuesday, I had the good fortune to start my morning off with a bit of inspiration. Nani Marquina, whose innovative rugs have been carried by DWR for years now, was honored at an awards breakfast given by the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce and hosted the 2008 IWEC (International Women Entrepreneurial Challenge) Awards at the Harvard Club.
Barcelona-based Nani was among 11 other female recipients of the award, hailing from Africa, India, NYC and Spain. The awardees were chosen based on their success exporting their goods or services to the overseas marketplace.
Nani and the other honorees reminded me that we all bring so much more to our careers than just product. We each have a chance every day to inspire others and be great role models. Thanks Nani for making us proud to be representing your product and your integrity!
-Sandra Hansel, Regional Director of Sales
