FOCUS III

British Library

Charles Booth's 'Descriptive Map of London Poverty'. Detail showing city of London and the East End.
Plans, sections, elevations, panoramas, paintings of London through the ages. Interesting to see the evolution of information and representation in maps and how the information has shaped the urban fabric of London today.
British Library here.

Design Museum

Go along to test ride some of the most influential modern chair designs. My personal favorite 'Crate Chair', 1934 by Thomas Gerrit Rietveld. Comfortable and made from a packing crate. Anyone could make this chair. Wonder what the Pallet chair would look like? Might make one...
Design Museum here.

Alvar Alto through the eyes of Shigeru Ban. Modernist Architecture and Design.

Material, minimalism and man. Alto creates sublime spaces through the use of form and materials. He also played with the interpretation of pine forests into his designs. Drawing nature in from the exterior. Alto's product designs are in my humble opinion where his designs really come to life. The Paimio lounge chair 41 shows his intimate knowledge of material and ergonomics, when a rigid frame of plywood can become a flexible comfortable chair.
Alvar Alto Foundation here.
Barbican here.

The Curve

Jeppe Hein, Distance.
Don't follow the ball...
Barbican here.

Barbican Estate

Vertical village, floating walkways, hanging gardens... in east London? Good to see a high density residential development that not only looks great but is a pleasant environment to be in, well worth a look in.
Barbican Estate here.

Accidental Collections



Photos of Stuart Haygarth collection - Aladdin 2006.
An exhibition of seven artists/designers collections. Interesting because it highlights the fact that an object can be interpreted in an infinite number of ways. Stuart Haygarth is a lighting designer. His collection of crystal, when viewed from above, looks similar to a micoscopic environment.
Aram gallery here
Stuart Haygarth here.

Innovations for the Built Environment

Technology, material, techniques and suits. Held in Earls Court Innovations for the Built Environment was an informative trip. Artscape and MakingArtWork are bringing art to the masses. Deeproot the urban ecosystem project and Land Restoration Trust realise the importance of green space and are bringing to your city. Woodhouseprojects providers of bespoke urban furniture. UK Green Building Council is on a mission. Finally, sshhhhh the quietrevoltion is here...
Cityscape here.
Earls Court here.

NLA

Public City People for Places. A guide to built and proposed public space in and around London. Get the book its free!
Or you can download it here.
New London Architecture here.

RIBA

Horizons, Madrid Social Housing 1981 - 2006.
Models of housing commissions by the EMVS, Empresa Municipal de la Vivenda y el Suelo de Madrid.
EVMS here.

Emerging Architecture, Architectural Review Awards 2006.
Miro Rivera Architects, Pedestrian Bridge, Lake Austin, Texas, USA. Particular favorite more here.
AR Awards for Emerging Architecture here.
Royal Institute of British Architects here.

FORM.




Modern and Contemporary Art and Design at the Olympia.
MATERIALS, MATERIALS, MATERIALS.
Form here.
Olympia here.