Costa Rica Vagabond

The Costa Rica Vagabond is Moving

2009-12-13T17:03:00.004-05:00

Dearest friends, I am happy to announce that Costa Rica Vagabond has a new home. I appreciate your patience during this transition. You will automatically be redirected to the new site once its ready, so no worries! You'll find our behind the scenes coverage of Art Basel and much much more! Stay tuned...
PS below is a picture I snapped of one of my favorite pieces at Basel. Of course the Abir's Tekrar took the spotlight and really live up to it - was the highlight of Pulse and an amazing thing to see. The reactions of those touched were priceless, including a young lady running up to him with tears in her eye, and saying "thank you!" while she reached in for a hug. These are the true moments where an artist gets his/her gratification. These moments make the sleepless nights, applying plaster to finish the piece, worth it.

The Luna 2 by David Wahl and Melanie Hall

2009-11-26T01:38:00.004-05:00

Stunning minimal design - beautiful intersection of perpendiculars and just a well balanced, clean design.

Gorgeous! Look at the details of the stones on the roof, the concrete spine to the home, the glass cubes with light white roofs. Bravisimo! The pool design, the immaculate garden, how everything pieces together! Fantastic execution. Really among my favorite designs in a while. Such great attention to detail and homage to geometry.

Love those stepping stones! Concrete. Raw.

Throw a Warhol on thewall and your done!

The Torres House by GLR Arquitectos

2009-11-26T01:25:00.008-05:00

Gilberto Rodriguiz has incorporated so many incredible elements into this home in Mexico. From the water feature at entrance with the tree as one's entry sclupture and concrete stepping stones, to the floating roof over the glass wall, the natural brick colored minimal interior and exterior, the landscaping lighting - it just doesn't stop!

Yep thats a floating chimney - wow.

Well done, and an excellent example of the integration of a modern structure of concrete and glass so well with the natural surroundings.

The Laidley Street Residence by LSarc

2009-11-26T01:20:00.004-05:00

Simple, sleek, and excellent use of space. Just very well done. Window details are great and simplistic white frame provides the accentuation of the spacious interior.

VIlla in Woods by Zecc Architects

2009-11-26T01:16:00.005-05:00

To cut to the point, wow. Material used is incredible. The natural color of the stone creates a very cool exterior. Pay attention to the detail in the bottom two images. This type of thin stone slab exterior won Peter Zumthor the honor of top architect in 2009, and so this style lives on...

Pavgen

2009-11-26T01:05:00.004-05:00

We expend a lot of energy in our every day lives, whether walking or driving, it seems only logical that we recycle that expended energy. Remember, energy can never be destroyed rather only transferred.

Any one point on a busy street can receive up to 50,000 steps a day, so imagine if you could take all that foot traffic and turn it into something useful – like energy! A new product designed by Laurence Kemball-Cook, the director of Pavegen Systems Ltd., can do just that. With a minuscule flex of 5mm, the energy generating pavement is able to absorb the kinetic energy produced by every footstep, creating 2.1 watts of electricity per hour.
Via Inhabitat

Kengo Kuma Water/Glass House

2009-11-26T01:00:00.003-05:00

Love that Frank Gehry threw this up in his blog, even though its a throw back. This house designed by Kuma in 1995 achieved a very specific goal. Kuma tried to frame space with only two horizontal planes - the floor and the ceiling and to generate between the planes, a transparent and fluid time-space.

In the Western architectural tradition, a building is primarily framed by means of walls and windows. That interposes a frame between the subject and the object. The subject is inevitably cut off from the object. The space becomes a painting in a frame (i.e. a static image); it becomes frozen. On the other hand, in traditional Japanese architecture, horizontal planes (i.e. the floor and the ceiling) are the dominant framing devices. This enables the subject and the object to coexist in a continuous space, without being cut off from each other by the frame. In such a case, the main concern of planning is the introduction of a sequence and speed into a continuous space. One cannot help but introduce into the building the parameter of time as well as the parameter of space. As a result, become inextricably entwined.

My appologies for the delay, we have a lot to catch up!

2009-11-26T00:30:00.002-05:00

Publish Post

Art Basel Miami

2009-11-03T10:58:00.005-05:00

Hi friends, I will be documenting Art Basel Miami this year in a search for the ultimate experience. As art steps out of the realm of exclusivity and into our lives, it is the experiential element that allows anyone to appreciate it. As a layman myself, there are few pieces that really touch me and teach me about my sense and my understanding of art. The below installation will be a feature at Pulse in the center of Art Basel. David Abir is an artist, composer, philosopher and has become a dear friend. The below images do not do justice to his work, but it has changed the lives of many of my peers and has opened my eyes. These massive rooms combine a shifting of the most emotionally powerful colors and moving pieces of music David creates. I am not only happy to have experienced this in my lifetime, but excited for others to have this in their lives. I will not bore you with the typical art banter, but David's work is truly next level. Timeless, moving, and truly valuable in the emotion it evokes and the state of mind it puts one in. This is one of the great artists of our time, and we need not a museum or a gallery or a critic to tell us this, this has been validated by each and every person i've taken to his studio.

See Live coverage of David's work and others at Basel on Dec. 3!

Costa Rican Architect Ricardo Ramirez

2009-11-03T10:45:00.003-05:00

Dear friends, in search for original design, sometimes it is best to rely on the young architects of our time. Ricardo Ramirez has an imagination, a passion, and a drive to create better ways to live. I've known him for about a year now, and have always been impressed by his ideas. Part artist, part architect, part young visionary, he has an amazing discipline to build structures that challenge convention yet provide a real living space. There is a tough balance to strike between one's ideas and what people would like to live in, and Ricardo does this with a graceful ease. His latest design below is being built in Costa Rica as we speak! Well done my friend and thanks for sharing it with the world.

Notice the beautiful angles allowing natural sunlight through the large windows. I love skylights but this is the ultimate sky light. I believe sun is essential for people in their everyday lives. The juxtaposition of wood and concrete, all warm up the living environment - modern yet comfortable and livable. This will be a key direction in modern design, as modernism often suffers the reality of creating a comfortable home. As an artists you want to create beauty but you also want people to live in this beauty so a balance has to be struck. Ricardo achieves this flawlessly and I am excited to see his future design!

Richard Meier Architect Volume 5

2009-10-18T14:19:00.006-04:00

Thanks to my amigos at Proof7 for keeping me in the loop on the freshest of Rizzoli publications! I trust them for anything related to print, they are the mavens in NY in this regard and many others.

In celebration of Richard Meier Studio’s 45th anniversary, Rizzoli new monograph looks at the Pritzker Prize-winning American architect's recent work. Titled "Richard Meier Architect Volume 5," this latest volume reveals that time hast slowed Meier down at all.Focusing on his work between 2004 and 2009, the book offers a thorough and intimate understanding of Meier’s style—particularly the qualities of light and fluidity across a variety of project sizes—through case studies, photographs, illustrations, renderings and drawings of his recent work. Continue reading...

by Anna Carnick

Emerging Landscapes by KLab Architecture

2009-10-15T14:47:00.005-04:00

Its amazing how this home interacts with the surrounding environment. The Angles are beautiful and the glass really brings the environment into the home. Notice the details as well - the green roof has a railing, so its really a neat little green terrace you can enjoy and walk on.

Images via Arch Daily

Slit House by Eastern Design

2009-10-15T14:31:00.003-04:00

Interesting how this home is not one I particularly love or would live in, but I can recognize the beauty and really appreciate it as an amazing work of architecture. These slits make me feel a bit cold, but you see the interior picture and the effect it creates with light, and it changes my opinion completely. Its a bit like the famous example of a painting of Hitler - even though I hate Hitler and his image disgusts me, the artist achieved his goal in evoking an emotional response from me. This art work, this home below, evoked an emotional response from me, even though its not a home I would build for myself.

Via Yatzer

Queensland artist Sebastian Di Mauro

2009-10-15T14:23:00.003-04:00

Sebastian Di Mauro creates these beautiful pieces that I feel would compliment many homes. Its a nice element to liven up and color up one's interior.

Link

Helix Wind Turbine

2009-10-15T14:13:00.005-04:00

This is one of a number of beautiful wind turbines I've seen hit the market recently. I like this as it plays into architecture, because one does not have to sacrifice beauty for sustainability. If people are to incorporate wind turbines into their homes and everyday lives, someone has to make them beautiful. Philippe Starck just created one as well, so this sentiment is obviously a growing one in the community. I think its awesome that people are branching out to do this. I've been interested in this since some of my earliest posts (see energy ball etc.), I think the future will see a lot of innovation in this regard, and I can't wait.

Via Inhabitat

Via Luxist

House Bierings by Rocha Tombal Architects

2009-10-15T14:01:00.004-04:00

This house in the Utrecht achieves something I personally find amazing. Besides the exterior (the wood is gorgeous) and interior aesthetic beauty, the use of light is incredible. I love natural sunlight, makes me feel warm and happy, and I like to live with it. The window design and the wall design allow the sunlight to play an integral part in this home. The minimalist white walls add to that warmth and the subtle angles allow for light to make certain areas glow with energy. This house, in its subtly and simplicity, achieves a lot.

Link

Wooster x Costa Rica

2009-10-15T13:58:00.001-04:00

I like the interaction between graffiti and urban architecture! Like the zipper on the side of the building posted last month. There is so much room for creativity and so many interesting examples I've seen in Costa Rica. This one brought to us by the Wooster collective.

Via Wooster Collective

Pedro Almodovar´s Monument / Enproyecto Arquitectura

2009-10-15T13:55:00.003-04:00

Location: Calzada de Calatrava, Ciudad Real, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

Read more at Arch Daily...

Change, Change, Change....

2009-10-12T15:49:00.003-04:00

Dear Friends,
I want to firstly apologize for the lack of posts these last few weeks. It had to stop for a week or two and step back to look at the CR Vagabond from a distance. I did this while in Costa Rica last week. Its hard to step back and not get taken up by the storm of new design, architecture, and cool material flooding my screen on a daily basis. I have an itch to post, post, post but had to treat that itch with some Calomine lotion and re-think things a little. While the overall philosophy, content, and site design of the CR Vagabond blog will stay the same, there is a major overhaul happening and the key word is FOCUS. You will see the new selection of carefully curated updates starting to appear this week. Thank you for your patience and continued support.

PS if you haven't already, take a look at the new teaser site for Puerta a la Vida... My first project, the result of 5 years of planning, passion, and hard work, and what took me to CR in the first place!
Link: Puerta a la Vida

Moss House

2009-10-01T23:55:00.005-04:00

Nendo Studios renovated this house in Tokyo with dry moss and it looks ridiculously cool. The vivid green moss against the white walls really makes it look alive and most of all there is texture! You can touch it and enjoy an experience beyond the mundane flat walls with paint/wallpaper that we are so used to in our everyday lives. Challenge convention and I'll always approve.

Read more at Inhabitat

Google x Life Magazine

2009-10-01T23:50:00.004-04:00

Google has done it again! They now have every single issue of LIFE magazine every published. This is a ridiculous achievement. Not only is this one of the most coveted collectors magazines, but a cultural staple. I have a nice collection of vintage LIFE mags I picked up at an antique shop in Norwich, CT and I know many people who go nuts about them. Whats amazing about this is that you can actually browse through them so easily and even just look through the covers to get a feel of history. Its a photographic journey through time and so cool to see what made the covers and what was a big deal back in the day. The Year In Pictures - 1972 is one of the coolest, so make sure to check it out.

Take a look yourself!

FU-1 house by Takao Akiyama

2009-10-01T23:45:00.003-04:00

Experiments in grandeur meet Japanese minimalism. Almost a sure shot to land on a design or architecture site - make it grand - add the Meier wall - big solid color space with connecting structures and large voids. We've discussed this before in some of my earliest posts. I like it, not saying anything bad, just a very popular trend these days in architecture. Like making a Jet Li x DMX film - may not get an Oscar but always a guarantee to make money.

Link

Kengo Kuma x MA,YU

2009-10-01T23:32:00.008-04:00

Kengo Kuma teams up with Mayumi Ohmori to create a jewelry line inspired by his designs. Normally I stray away from anything about jewelry etc. but this is an exception for Kengo. He is not only one of the most incredible architects of our time, but someone who has inspired even the most famous of architects. He is one of my favorites, and even the inspiration of a high-end clothing line my friend own called Rochambeau. The jewelry really captures the essence of his designs and does great justice to his work. There are some amazing books that showcase his work, but none better that his Selected Works by who else - Rizzoli! Love the book and love anything Rizzoli publishes. When I make a lot of money, I will not spend it on a Ferrari, I will spend it on a Rizzoli library. Yes I am quite sick in the head!

Read on...

Bloom Gin

2009-10-01T23:28:00.000-04:00

Beautiful new bottle design by Bloom Gin of London

Link

J&B Start a Party Campaign

2009-10-01T23:13:00.003-04:00

Great new ad campaign by J&B!

Via Fubiz

WOODEN HOUSE BY WIM GOES

2009-09-24T23:32:00.002-04:00

Located on the outskirts of Gent, Belgium’s third-largest city, is this stunning private sanctuary.

Read More...

Noma Bar: Negative Space

2009-09-24T23:23:00.005-04:00

To provoke a second glance, Noma Bar expertly uses negative space: his illustrations are formed of both a single image and a series of themed elements that give the final piece its shape.

The Big Squeeze: piece for an article on the oil gains to be made from Iraq

Gun Crime illustration

Fat Cat: for a piece on how CEOs invest their personal wealth

This is The End illustration

See more...

Photo of Sydney Today

2009-09-24T23:16:00.002-04:00

Dust storm - cool! I was caught in one in Israel once. Hard to imagine how it can be raining sand so hard that you can't see anything at all. No flights, no driving, just engulfed in the redness.

Link

Paul Smith x Evian

2009-09-24T23:14:00.001-04:00

Pantonecans

2009-09-24T23:10:00.004-04:00

Uber cool meets graph

Link

Keith Haring Domino

2009-09-24T23:00:00.003-04:00

Crack is Wack! I remember driving by that wall along the FDR so many times. Keith was an NYC artistic period piece embodied in one man. Loved by the likes of Warhol, grew up with Madonna, worshiped by art lovers around the world - he was such an integral piece in the NYC puzzle at the time. Christina Clausen's - Universe of Haring was an amazing documentary I enjoyed at the Tribeca Film Festival.

PS Going back to Costa Tuesday!

Algae Buildings

2009-09-24T22:58:00.003-04:00

Are living green buildings just around the corner? A report recently released by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers suggests that sealed containers of algae photobioreactors could be integrated into the sides of buildings to produce biofuels and sequester carbon, adding a whole new meaning to the term ‘green building’. As the algae grows it sucks up CO2 from the surrounding air which can then be stored.
Continue reading...

Diving the Great Wall of China

2009-09-24T22:23:00.004-04:00

Adventure provides great memories.

Introducing Diving the Great Wall, the first-ever organized tour of the submerged portions of the Great Wall, running missions now.

This portion of the wall has been under a lake since the 1980s, but unless you planned on ferrying a few hundred pounds of diving equipment across the border, you couldn't take it on until now. Your scuba-sherpas will suit you up, bring you to the exact spot where the wall dips underwater and guide you to its most dive-worthy parts. Once submerged, you'll stumble across a few Ming-era stone carvings, some intricate tunnels and a tight-squeeze guard tower that will require every last ounce of your Bond-like scuba ability. (Wearing your backup tux is advised.)

Over the course of the trip, you'll get two scuba-assisted dives into the Atlantis-style ruins (feel free to keep the dress semi-formal for the second) before you start the earthbound portion of the voyage, which includes a guided tour of the unrestored parts of the Forbidden City, usually off-limits to tourists.
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Thank you to our friends at Urbane Nomads for another great one!

Jotabequ x Gold's Gym Costa Rica

2009-09-22T10:11:00.005-04:00

I met with JBQ not to long ago - they have some real talent. A division of Grey Group (brilliant marketing, branding, PR Agency that Google and many others employ). This campaign for Gold's Gym Costa Rica is hilarious.

Villa O in Cap de Ferrat

2009-09-19T13:08:00.005-04:00

Beautiful home in one of the classiest locales on the Côte d'Azur. Unbelievable little town that's always been known to have a special charm and prestige.

Love the Scarface bed! Ju know what a hazer is Frank?

Contemporist

Paraty House by Marcio Kogan Architects

2009-09-16T03:14:00.006-04:00

Link

2009-09-16T03:12:00.001-04:00

Rahimoana Villa by Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects

2009-09-16T03:07:00.007-04:00

Link

Onitsuka Tiger 60th Annivesary

2009-09-16T02:55:00.007-04:00

Ridiculously awesome. Look at the hand sown binding and the laser cut stencil! Damn thats nice.

On fun packaging that has recently shown up ~ how awesome is this Made Of Japan (TAB Exclusive Boxed Edition) by Onitsuka Tiger ~ the packaging is stunning with a laser cut tiger motif on the cardboard sleeve that i’m just itching to spray paint as a stencil to see how it would look… From the TAB site: “Exclusive to TAB: the book comes in a box with a laser-cut Tiger sleeve. Limited to 250 boxes! Onitsuka Tiger is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year - an event of major significance in Japan. Made of Japan is the beautiful result of a journey into taste: 260 pages presenting the brands’ original sports heritage, its vision and evolution, and its influence as a style icon amongst fashion leaders, artists, athletes and sports fans around the world.” Take a peek on the next page of the awesome packaging (the sleeve and box are gorgeous ~ and the binding style as well!) + some of my favorite pics from within! Continue reading...

Quoteskin kills it!

2009-09-14T22:44:00.005-04:00

Quoteskin is a dope site - graphic designer x moleskin.

Quoteskin is the brainchild of Lee Crutchley, a graphic designer who, armed with nothing but a Moleskin and some Asda pens, doodles euphemisms, quotes, song lyrics, and whatever else he wants in his journal.

Nice work by Nick Brandt

2009-09-11T01:35:00.009-04:00

Love some good BW

Link

2009-09-07T19:55:00.005-04:00

Ahead of Si Scott Show Sept. 3rd
So Tight

Link

2009-09-07T19:48:00.003-04:00

Tree Top Luxury in the Amazon
Does it get any better? You know how I feel about tree houses, let alone a tree house and a luxury adventure travel experience.

You may not remember, but with the right equipment, a tree house can be pretty sweet. A tall tree's a good start—just far enough away that you've got the space to yourself—but then you'll want to bring in the chairs, the binoculars... and maybe a few drinks. Welcome to the Canopy Tree House, a bar- and butler-equipped luxury suite resting 90 feet off the ground in the middle of the Peruvian Amazon, open now.
Visit Site

2009-09-07T19:43:00.003-04:00

Grand! Sustainable and beautiful.

Internationally acclaimed designer Michael Jantzen continues to wow us with his architectural and renewable energy wonders. His newest brainchild, the Sun Rays Pavilion, consists of 12 massive columns that rise out of the earth like giant crystals reaching for the sun. Appropriate, because the acutely slanted building relies on the sun’s rays alone for power. Jantzen has many other designs for renewable energy pavilions, like his Wind Shaped Kinetic Pavilion or his Solar Wind Pavilion. This latest design is outfitted with photovoltaic film to generate electricity in order to power the pavilion and sell any excess to the grid. Continue reading at Inhabitat...

2009-09-07T19:41:00.003-04:00

Re-branding an Iced Tea Classic!

Source: Playmedesign

2009-09-07T19:30:00.004-04:00

LAPP: Light Art Performance Photography
One photo - no computer enhancement!

The fantastic spectacles of colour - which are the latest trend in street art - are as impressive as fireworks. A host of light sources, from flash lights and bike lights to blinking LED lights, are used to 'paint' a picture straight onto the camera lens.
Also known as light drawing or light painting, these arresting images are created with long exposure cameras in the dark. Sometimes the exposures run on for longer than an hour.These images are made by Jan Wöllert and Jörg Miedza, the brains behind Light Art Performance Photography. The pair from Bremen, Germany, have been working together since 2007 but neither are full-time photographers.
Full Article

2009-09-03T20:24:00.004-04:00

Youngest Vagabond Hits the Streets!
These images of street art were collected by my (almost) 8 year old nephew Oscar. He will be a co-writer on future entries and a watchful eye to help curate the future.

Courtesy of Wooster Collective

World's Largest Penthouse! And its in Costa Rica!

2009-09-02T13:57:00.008-04:00

This will be built in Puntarenas, a great area opened up by the new highway being built. It will take me 45 minutes to get from my house in San Jose to the beach (and into my new penthouse!) This is an up and coming area to watch as new luxury developments are beginning to pop up (most recent additions: beautiful new Yacht Club and the extraordinary Puerta a la Vida development above the trees).

Straight from the wire:
PUNTARENAS, Costa Rica--(Business Wire)--
The real estate development firm Caspi International Inc. has begun pre-sales for a new 14-story oceanfront condominium tower in Costa Rica that sets a new standard for high-end real estate in Latin America. The $120 million Genesis Puntarenas, as it will be known, is Costa Rica`s first all-glass multifamily residential building. It will also be home to the world`s largest penthouse, a sprawling 68,459-square-foot, 10-bedroom masterpiece with three stories of living space, a private helipad, swimming pool and tennis court.

Oyster System is a new way to harness energy from the Ocean

2009-09-02T13:53:00.004-04:00

What I like about this, is that a version of this had been on the drawing boards for years, but this is finally in production as evidenced by the image below. Using currents to push a buoy, that then pushes a piston/lever and captures the energy created is a great idea. Something similar was created in France that floats on the waters surface to do the same.

Recently Edinburgh-based company Aquamarine Power unveiled plans to install a new type of wave power system in place in the seabed off the Orkney Islands coast. Dubbed the Oyster, the system utilizes an on-shore base that is much easier to maintain than standard wave power designs, and the system is capable of operating at shallow depths, making it more consistent than systems that operate far out at sea. Each unit is capable of producing 300-600kw of electricity, so a commercial farm of ten units could provide clean energy for a town of 3,000 homes!
Read More at Inhabitat...

2009-09-02T13:50:00.002-04:00

Solar Power Roof Tiles
Great Example of how design meets function and sustainability

Learn More...

2009-09-02T13:47:00.001-04:00

Nice Piece for Costa!
James Dyson's Water Flow Illusion

This fountain, which appeared at the Royal Horticultural Society's recent Chelsea Flower Show, was designed by noted British vacuum sexifier James Dyson. Inspired by Escher's "Waterfall," Dyson's "Wrong Garden" incorporates a clever design to create the illusion that water flows up each of the four ramps before cascading over the end. A detail of how it really works is below. Massive props to Flickr user zeddy1200, whose photograph, shown above, seems to be the only decent hi-res image of the fountain online.
Link

2009-09-02T13:34:00.001-04:00

Vertical Gardens Coming Strong

When Patrick Blanc was a boy, he suspended plants from his bedroom wall and ran their roots into a fish tank. The greenery received nourishment from the diluted—ahem—fertilizer and purified the water in return. Forty-five years on, the French botanist's gardens have grown massive in scale. One inside a Portuguese shopping mall is larger than four tennis courts, and there's one in Kuwait that's almost as big. But Blanc's recently completed facade for the Athenaeum hotel in London (shown) could be his most high-profile project yet. Looming over Green Park, it's an eight-story antigravity forest composed of 12,000 plants. Read More...

2009-09-01T16:06:00.001-04:00

LA Fire is Loco
Yet party must go on

2009-08-28T12:27:00.002-04:00

Excuse the interruption - in LA & San Fran until Weds. Will hit you with the essentials.

2009-08-26T00:41:00.003-04:00

NY Times Article x Mayor of Kiev
As a Russian, I had to share this, its to funny. You read this and you think its for sure not reality and rather the subject of some joke. Nope, no joke, this is Russia Today.

LEONID M. CHERNOVETSKY, this city’s unpredictable mayor, likes to answer his critics in his own special way. When Parliament members said he was acting bizarrely and needed a psychiatric exam, he went to a stadium where he jogged for the cameras before yanking off his shirt and doing pull-ups. He swam laps and flexed his muscles like Charles Atlas. Then he held a news conference — in his tiny bathing suit.
“They are judging me today and want me to spend the rest of my life behind the bars of a psychiatric hospital,” Mr. Chernovetsky said. “Look at my body, at how I express my thoughts. I am absolutely healthy. I think logically and philosophically.”
True, he was in fine physical shape for a man of 57, though perhaps this was not the wisest strategy for proving one’s competence.
But that is Mr. Chernovetsky. Think New York City has had its share of outsize personalities as mayor? They have got nothing on Mr. Chernovetsky, who is also known as Lenny Cosmos because sometimes his head seems to be someplace far, far away.
He makes eccentric suggestions (a statue of Ukraine’s most famous poet should be erected in Africa) and staffing decisions (firing a zoo director for not finding a mate for an elephant), and personal gestures (offering to sell his kisses in a lottery).
He interrupts meetings by warbling melancholy Soviet ballads, and even issued a CD on which he covers his favorites. “Who sings better than me?” he asked. “Nobody does, besides God.” Keep Reading...

2009-08-24T18:31:00.004-04:00

ASW x URBAN DADDY
Holy crap, what is happening with the world. Got word of this faux-luxury mega merger via email and started laughing. Maybe they need a pop up shop and a joint twitter account too? Its hilarious, honestly. You think it can't get any more ridiculous and yet it does. Direct marketing at all those dying to have their taste shaped for them by those who "know". I hand in my resignation to both websites due to my unwillingness to participate any longer in this crazy machine - they have killed luxury.

2009-08-21T18:21:00.003-04:00

Must see indie: The Cove
This is a crazy documentary that won the audience award at Cannes 2009. You must watch the preview. Guerrilla Documentary meets Bourne identity. Loco
PS Also cool that I saw this on Kottke.org. He is considered the first blogger ever - woo hoo. Bet he's a dork. But I guess so am I hehe.

2009-08-21T18:17:00.004-04:00

Waterpod Moves
I've been following Waterpod for a while partly because its a barge project, which makes me very happy. Anyone bringing progress to the barge movement is in my good graces. Moreover they try to highlight community living, eco-conscious living, and art. Right on I say, right on...

The Waterpod Project^TMhas been floating around the New York area for the past few months gaining a lot of attention. Beginning in Newtown Creek, between Brooklyn and Queens, the Pod is moving down the East River and Hudson River. As reported by Melena Ryzik for The New York Times (view her articles here) this experimental project investigates the blend of community living and artistry. Showcasing artworks, performances and such, the Waterpod^TM, is an eco-conscious environment that was designed “In preparation for our coming world with an increase in population, a decrease in usable land, and a greater flux in environmental conditions, people will need to rely closely on immediate communities and look for alternative living models; the Waterpod is about cooperation, collaboration, augmentation, and metamorphosis,” explained Mary Mattingly, a photographer who thought of the Waterpod idea.
Read On...

2009-08-21T18:14:00.002-04:00

$1 Mil Wine Book (and no its not by Rizolli haha)
A $1 million wine book, weighing 30kg, is set to be released in the Spring of 2010. The Wine Opus will list the world’s top 100 wineries.That’s not a typo: $1 million. Because . . . every purchaser of the book will also receive a six-bottle case of wine from every one of the 100 wineries listed.

Luxuo

2009-08-21T18:12:00.000-04:00

When In Rome!

EternallyCool

2009-08-21T18:10:00.003-04:00

Rock Radio. Cool.

Thanks NotCot

2009-08-21T17:27:00.001-04:00

Staudinger Franke Agency

2009-08-20T09:08:00.003-04:00

Sleeping Beauty - 1961 Benzo 190 SL
Our good friends at Eurotech found her, and will her back to life.

2009-08-18T17:42:00.005-04:00

The Carla Ridge Residence

This home in Beverly Hills, California has recently emerged from a two-year contemporary renovation, and has been listed for sale through the Westside Estate Agency.

2009-08-18T17:40:00.002-04:00

The Ansley Park Glass House by BLDGS ArchitectsBrian Bell and David Yocum of the Atlanta, Georgia based BLDGS Architects have designed the Ansley Park Glass House, an addition to a 1910-era home in a historic downtown neighborhood.

2009-08-18T17:37:00.001-04:00

The Sage Residence: Super High Scoring LEED Platinum Home
by Bridgette Meinhold

LEED, LEED Platinum, LEED Platinum Residence, Oregon, Arbor South Architecture, sage residence arbor south, arbor south architecture, pacific northwest architecture, solar panels, solar hot water, recycled paper countertops, daylighting

LEED residences are becoming a standard item these days, but this particular residence hit our radar because of the high LEED score and its stunning appearance. The Sage Residence in Eugene, Oregon was designed and built by Arbor South Architecture, and received an impressive score of 110 in the LEED rating system — higher than USGBC founder David Gottfried’s LEED Platinum home, which only received 106.5 points. Beautiful inside and out, the home is a perfect example of how green homes can be beautiful, energy efficient and create minimal impact on the environment.
Full Article

2009-08-18T17:33:00.001-04:00

Lakeside Residence by Fook Weng Chan
Vancouver, Canada based architect Fook Weng Chan has designed the Lakeside Residence.

2009-08-15T21:47:00.009-04:00

Jeff "El Capitan" Skulnik killing it on the Wake skate!
El Capitan got his nickname when he got his captains license, but his reputation on the waters proceeds his name. A true enthusiast of everything extreme, Skulnik has always managed to live up to his original nickname - "El Loco". Innovating wake skating each time he jumps in to the water, its a true pleasure to watch.

2009-08-13T18:11:00.000-04:00

Sometimes its best just to say Phuket

Widely thought of as one of the jewels in Thailand’s crown, the island of Phuket offers visitors beautiful white sandy beaches and warm turquoise waters

Occupying one of the most breath-taking locations on the island is Paresa, a luxury resort and residential development opening in August 2009.

Paresa’s elegant villas are situated on the Andaman coast at Kamala, known locally as ‘Millionaire’s Mile’.

All of the rooms take full advantage of the glorious ocean views, with most offering private infinity pools from which guests can enjoy the spectacular surroundings.

Room rates range from $695 up to $3,550

www.paresaresorts.com

2009-08-13T18:07:00.000-04:00

2009 Prix Pictet Environmental Photography Shortlist Announced

by Moe Beitiks

Although its name implies tongue twisters or dancing dwarfs, Prix Pictet is a distinguished international photography award for artists focused on environmental sustainability and has just announced their shortlist. Last year’s winner, Benoit Aquin, documented the effects and creation of deserts in China. This year’s 12 nominees depict the destruction of the environment through the exploitation of the world’s resources. Click through the gallery to see images from all the nominees!

2009-08-13T18:02:00.001-04:00

Seen On The Streets Of Sibiu, Romania

Gracias a mi gente en el Wooster Colectivo

Artists: jana & js

More here.

2009-08-13T18:01:00.000-04:00

Warhol X Jacko

A 1984 portrait by Andy Warhol of the late singer Michael Jackson will go on display at London’s O2 arena before being sold at auction in New York.

The artwork was commissioned by TIME Magazine to celebrate the record sales of Jackson’s album Thriller

Since the death of Jackson and since Warhol passed long ago, the portrait is causing fans and art investors to drool over the possibility of owning this piece of art.

2009-08-11T23:23:00.007-04:00

Yet another ridiculous adventure...
Sorry I went crazy with the red highlighter, but this is some damn good language.

Urbane Nomads, The new Singapore-based travel agency, caters to a new breed of savvy, well-traveled, restless individuals.

They seek out the unique in every destination and bundle it with select accommodation and unusual travel modes.

They are about to launch “The Most Luxurious Trip in the World” that will offer an experience like never before with prices starting at $2 million.

Attempting to re-create a little of the lavish hunting expeditions of Kublai Khan, the trip puts together unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, travelling through the western part of Mongolia, amongst others, to experience horseback falconry.

Guests will be led by an award-winning filmmaker familiar with the area, locals and the eagle hunters of Bayan Olgii in Western Mongolia.

Trying their hand at eagle hunting in Western Mongolia, their experience and portrait will be forever immortalized through an oil painting by a famous painter.

Traveling throughout Mongolia by private jet, they will be accompanied by a private chef, a private butler, and be accommodated in luxurious, movable private gers, done up in absolute luxury and redefining standards of luxury in remote places.

As it will be launched as ‘The Most Luxurious Trip in the World’, the trip starts in Beijing where guests will stay in the presidential suite of the Park Hyatt Beijing as well as a private villa designed by Kengo Kuma close to the Great Wall of China.
U rbaneNomad

2009-08-07T18:46:00.000-04:00

Some Fresh Ones...

2009-08-07T18:39:00.006-04:00

Openhouse by XTEN Architects

The Openhouse is embedded into a narrow and sharply sloping property in the Hollywood Hills, a challenging site that led to the creation of a house that is both integrated into the landscape and open to the city below. Retaining walls are configured to extend the first floor living level into the hillside and to create a garden terrace for the second level. Steel beams set into the retaining walls perpendicular to the hillside are cantilevered off structural shear walls at the front of the site.
Continue reading at ArchDaily....

2009-08-07T18:33:00.003-04:00

Studio 2 in 1 by TWS & Partners
Great use of materials and an amazing minimalist interior! Grandeur always wins.

More at ArchDaily

2009-08-07T18:18:00.003-04:00

The Citadel: Floating Apartment Complex in the Netherlands
I snoozed on this one, thanks Cooper!

The Dutch have been fighting the rising and falling tides for centuries, building dikes and pumping water out of areas that are below sea level. Now, rather than fight the water infiltrating their land, the Dutch will use it as part of a new development called ‘New Water‘, which will feature the world’s first floating apartment complex, The Citadel. This “water-breaking” new project was designed by Koen Olthuis of Waterstudio in the Netherlands, and will use 25% less energy than a conventional building on land thanks to the use of water cooling techniques.
Read More at ArchDaily

2009-08-07T18:15:00.003-04:00

Santa Monica's first Eco-townhouses
Architect: Jesse Bornstein

Read more at Inhabitat

2009-08-07T18:11:00.002-04:00

Where the Wild Things Are directed by Spike Jonze
No Way! They are making one of my favorite childhood books into a movie!

@ Yahoo! Video

Link

2009-08-07T17:43:00.006-04:00

Photography by Cody Cobb
American photographer, Cody Cobb, has some absolutely awe-inspiring photos. Predominantly nature based, his work shines some light on the otherwise ignored corners of this world. The photos quiet, serene and unspoiled perspective really triggers an appreciation for nature and its various occupants. His desaturated tonal styling acts as a mute and really pushes that empty, lonely feeling you get while absorbing and digesting his work.

See More...

2009-08-07T17:32:00.006-04:00

Peter Nelson is the man when it comes to tree houses
Challenging convention, these designs are the manifestation of dreams. These dreamers saw their ideas to the finish line and made them a reality. In a short period of time, we'll get some tree houses going in Costa Rica, it's been a long time dream of mine. Another dream of mine is to go above the trees, so we are in the design phase for our resort above the trees at our Miramar property (images coming soon). Its eco-friendly and a killer view. Plus there aren't many resorts in the world that are above the trees! Great to see that there is a whole category of crazies like me who dream to live in and above the trees. (Nelson being president of the crazies!)

2009-08-07T17:29:00.002-04:00

"To have an idea is one thing, to fully understand the process is paramount to good design." - Andrew Duffy

DIY Rotational Moulding

Link

2009-08-07T17:25:00.003-04:00

Big Chill Retro Appliances

They may look like they were stripped out of Betty Draper’s kitchen, but Retro Kitchen's line of fridges, stoves, and dishwashers offer modern-day technology inside their vintage casings. With EnergyStar ratings, optional Ice Maker packages, and a wide assortment of colors, the line brings us one step closer to the time of Elvis and the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Big Chill

2009-08-06T00:56:00.003-04:00

Nikon S1000 is too cool for school
It projects your images and video onto any surface. My buddy saw a future Nokia cell phone with this feature too. That future is creeping up quick. You can find the link below to purchase such fine devices.

Nikon

2009-08-06T00:49:00.004-04:00

sam winston: romeo and juliet
For one of his most recent artworks sam winston cut every word from a copy of shakespeare's 'romeo and juliet' and separated them into three categories: passion, rage, and indifference. he then cut each letter individually and worked them into the patterns you can see here.

the top collage is ‘rage’ and the second ‘passion’. the third ‘indifference’ is still to come. Continue reading on Design Boom

2009-08-06T00:46:00.001-04:00

Beautiful Beach House by Tatiana Bilboa

Article

2009-08-05T20:08:00.005-04:00

Graffiti meets the future.

Halo is a handy light specially dedicated to light-writting. Graffiti artists can conserve their own gesture they have with an aerosol spray. It is possible to change the color and the brightness of the led to change the graffiti’s styles. If the light doesn’t have enough battery, the user must shake it to have energy again.
Read Full Article

2009-08-04T11:30:00.012-04:00

All Points West
Finally got all of the images up. Don't miss the video of loco in kilt raging in the mud to Gogol Bordello.

Girls raging to Gogol Bordello

Kim meets robot

They had some awesome art and sculpture on exhibit

He lives in that house!

Cool - LED's on Ballons stretch miles out

Hippie in mud!

2009-08-04T11:15:00.002-04:00

I got a nice 30 Second clip on the cell cam of Etienne de Crecy finishing his set at APW. Nuts.

2009-08-04T11:10:00.001-04:00

Drama for your mama
White house is outraged that this image is getting such viral circulation, but same thing happened to Bush in a Vanity Fair piece! Don't be a baby, welcome to being in the spotlight.

2009-08-04T11:06:00.002-04:00

Wooster Collective - "Found in the noose of the Fountain of Youth"

From Jerm IX:
"the first two lines from this piece are from a suicide note i wrote in jail at 16. i have found solace in letting go of my darkest pains on the streets in the form of poetry and for some reason this came out of me today. i am so thankful to have survived that attempt at ending it all."
Wooster Collective

2009-08-04T10:54:00.001-04:00

Cool.

by Gregory Euclid

2009-08-04T10:44:00.002-04:00

Taming Nature - Short clip on Gaia
Incredible street artist & well captured by Nicolas Heller

2009-08-04T10:17:00.002-04:00

Some Videos from All Points West...

You have to check out Etienne's cube show, it's unreal. He recently signed with my buddy Mike at AM ONLY and now killing it!

2009-08-02T10:31:00.003-04:00

All Points West Festival... Loco.

A bordello of intoxicated youth and the fleeting opportunity for some debauchery in this constricting society. Conformity is the anathema that they want no part of. I guess music is the answer to the worlds problems. In the mist of wars, recessions, and overall anxious times, a splatter of mud hits me in he face and reminds me, sometime you just need to jump around in the mud and have some fun and forget about it all, even if its only for a minute. Looking to my right, I see the joy embedded in the face of the girl jumping in the mud. Not sure whether it was the music, ecstasy, or the mud dance but she looked quite happy. Maybe it was all of the above. Either way, conclusion comes in the form of a realization. Music heals the worlds problems, and lets people have some fun and forget about the worries of today's postmodern conundrum. As a great philosopher once said, "get loose and enjoy thy self, for you never know when the opportunity will come a knocking again."
-EZ

I'll post some pictures from the event as soon as they are processed!

2009-07-29T21:28:00.000-04:00

Jape - Floating
Nice female DJ at Apotheke put me on.

2009-07-29T21:25:00.001-04:00

Global warming is the new religion of First World urban elites
Geologist Ian Plimer takes a contrary view, arguing that man-made climate change is a con trick perpetuated by environmentalists

By Jonathan Manthorpe, Vancouver Sun
Ian Plimer has outraged the ayatollahs of purist environmentalism, the Torquemadas of the doctrine of global warming, and he seems to relish the damnation they heap on him.
Plimer is a geologist, professor of mining geology at Adelaide University, and he may well be Australia's best-known and most notorious academic.
Plimer, you see, is an unremitting critic of "anthropogenic global warming" -- man-made climate change to you and me -- and the current environmental orthodoxy that if we change our polluting ways, global warming can be reversed.
\Plimer presents the proposition that anthropogenic global warming is little more than a con trick on the public perpetrated by fundamentalist environmentalists and callously adopted by politicians and government officials who love nothing more than an issue that causes public anxiety.
While environmentalists for the most part draw their conclusions based on climate information gathered in the last few hundred years, geologists, Plimer says, have a time frame stretching back many thousands of millions of years.
The dynamic and changing character of the Earth's climate has always been known by geologists. These changes are cyclical and random, he says. They are not caused or significantly affected by human behaviour.
Polar ice, for example, has been present on the Earth for less than 20 per cent of geological time, Plimer writes. Plus, animal extinctions are an entirely normal part of the Earth's evolution.
Plimer gets especially upset about carbon dioxide, its role in Earth's daily life and the supposed effects on climate of human manufacture of the gas. He says atmospheric carbon dioxide is now at the lowest levels it has been for 500 million years, and that atmospheric carbon dioxide is only 0.001 per cent of the total amount of the chemical held in the oceans, surface rocks, soils and various life forms. Indeed, Plimer says carbon dioxide is not a pollutant, but a plant food. Plants eat carbon dioxide and excrete oxygen. Human activity, he says, contributes only the tiniest fraction to even the atmospheric presence of carbon dioxide.
There is no problem with global warming, Plimer says repeatedly. He points out that for humans periods of global warming have been times of abundance when civilization made leaps forward. Ice ages, in contrast, have been times when human development slowed or even declined.
So global warming, says Plimer, is something humans should welcome and embrace as a harbinger of good times to come.
Full Article

2009-07-29T21:22:00.000-04:00

Robot attacked Swedish factory worker
A Swedish company has been fined 25,000 kronor ($3,000) after a malfunctioning robot attacked and almost killed one of its workers at a factory north of Stockholm.

"I've never heard of a robot attacking somebody like this," he told news agency TT.

The incident took place in June 2007 at a factory in Bålsta, north of Stockholm, when the industrial worker was trying to carry out maintenance on a defective machine generally used to lift heavy rocks. Thinking he had cut off the power supply, the man approached the robot with no sense of trepidation. But the robot suddenly came to life and grabbed a tight hold of the victim's head. The man succeeded in defending himself but not before suffering serious injuries.
Continue Reading...

2009-07-28T17:33:00.002-04:00

Awesome Sketches from Tesura

Tesura

2009-07-28T17:24:00.004-04:00

Floating Urban Beach Barge in Budapest
Rare pleasure of a new barge project. We're not the only crazy one's!

Hungary-based design team Urban Landscape Group recently completed an extraordinary summer project that allows visitors to float down the Danube in a portable pool! Dubbed Barge Beach Budapest, the sandy sailing island acts as a contemporary Turkish bath and open air pool situated in the waterways between the river’s edges. The pop up beach is constructed from three recycled barges and provides residents with a brand new public space to bask in the sun.
Inhabitat