above> video courtesy of gulfstream

this summer DesignApplause was invited to checkout the new business jet gulfstream g500 & g600 at midway airport in chicago. the visit proved very interesting as these new aircraft introduce several industry and in-their-class firsts. here are highlights of our visit. (note: this article was updated 18 december 2016)

above> published on october 2014 / gulfstream unveils the new g500 and g600 jets: a fully-built prototype of the g500 and a cabin mockup for the larger g600 in an event at its savannah headquarters / video courtesy of aintv

[ design ]
gulfstream started with a clean sheet on these planes with boundless possibilities to explore. both models have a four circular arcs cross-section fuselage. the g600 at 96 feet 1 in / 29.29 m is 5 ft / 1.5 m longer than the g500 though the interior difference is only 3.5 ft / 1.1 m. the range of the g600 is 6,200 nm vs 5,000 nm. both aircraft have 14 iconic panoramic windows. both accommodate 2 pilots and 18 passengers.

the wing is a supercritical design with a 0.87 to 0.88 drag divergence mach number depending upon lift coefficient. it’s based on the g650’s wing design with the same 36° sweep. the g600 wing will be 8 feet (2.4 m) wider than the g500, allowing for 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg) of additional fuel. both models have a new tail design based on the aerodynamic shape and systems of the g650’s tail. the wings are designed and manufactured by gulfstream.

the airframe is primarily composed of high-strength aluminum alloys with limited use of steel and titanium alloys. the horizontal stabilizer, fairings, main landing gear doors, rudder and elevators, radome, rear pressure bulkhead and winglets are composite materials. the semi-monocoque fuselage structure is made of stressed skin, frame and longeron.

above> published on august 2016 / gulfstream’s director of interior design, tray crow shows some of the design changes to the g600 cabin mockup / video courtesy of aintv

[ interior ]
the cabin’s elements are modular and easily custom configured: the g500 has three flexible areas, the g600 four. the classic aesthetic is the norm but gulfstream invites buyers to test gulfstream’s design department for a more custom look. both models feature a width of 7 feet 11 inches/2.41 meters and a height of 6 feet 4 inches/1.93 meters.

the aircraft have forward and aft lavatories and a full-size galley that can be located either forward or aft. the galley features a steam oven as an option, an interchangeable beverage maker and a refrigerator that can be placed above or below the counter, depending on the desire for storage or counter space. customizable flooring options like stone and wood can be selected for the entry, galley and lavatories.

the cabin environment influences the travel experience while airborne and upon arrival. the large iconic gulfstream panoramic windows provide captivating views and bathe the cabin in natural light. only 100 percent fresh air, replenished every two minutes, fills the cabin.

gulfstream acousticians engineered the interior to be quiet enough for passengers to converse in normal tones even while in flight. the interior is pressurized to no more than 4,850 feet above sea level/1,478 meters, even at a maximum altitude of 51,000 feet/15,545 meters. commercial cabin pressure is typically 8,000 feet/2438.4 meters though newer planes made of composites are pressurized at 6,000 feet/1828.8 meters. commercial higher interior altitude pressure is the cause of swelling of the feet among other discomforts.

by contrast, the g500 & g600 combination of clean, replenished air and a low interior altitude helps reduce the effects of jet lag so passengers arrive feeling more refreshed and alert.

below> what it takes to design the interior for an all-new family of aircraft / video courtesy of gulfstream

[ engines ]
the g500/g600 will be powered by the pratt & whitney canada pw800 which was originally conceived for the cessna citation columbus program. the pw800 is based on the pratt & whitney geared turbofan core without the gear reduction. the departure from rolls-royce aero engines is a first for gulfstream. the pw800 features class-leading fuel efficiency and low noise and emissions.

[ systems ]
electric and hydraulic systems are from the g650, as the digital air data computers, secondary power distribution with electronics, cabin acoustical treatment, primary avionics, satcom, improved cabin management system and digital fly-by-wire system. the oxygen, cabin pressurization, landing gear control, aircraft health and trend monitoring systems are adapted from the g650. the auxiliary power unit is a honeywell htg400g.

above> published on october 2014 / aviation week’s fred george takes a look at the new features being introduced in the cockpit while guy norris discusses the pratt & whitney pw800 engine / video courtesy of aviation week

[ flight deck ]
here’s where things get interesting. it is equipped with bae systems active sidesticks, appearing to be mechanically linked by being electrically back-driven, the first civil aircraft to be so. the honeywell symmetry flight deck achieves another flight deck breakthrough. as business aviation’s leading innovator, gulfstream debuts two revolutionary technologies in the all-new g500 and g600. the immersive, intelligent integration of the new flight systems enhances efficiency and further improves safety.

active control sidesticks replace the control columns, creating more space and better comfort for pilots. the sidesticks are digitally linked to provide the same response and control of a traditional pedestal-mounted yoke to ensure that both pilots see and feel every maneuver and control input the other pilot makes.

ten integrated touch screens eliminate the majority of flight deck switches to reduce workload and improve how pilots interact with onboard systems. using gulfstream’s immersive phase-of-flight™ intelligence, the touch screens display a structured task list and selection options needed for a specific phase of flight.

a next-generation enhanced vision system heightens pilot awareness in low visibility. an improved infrared sensor boosts resolution by 400 percent, and camera advancements provide a wider field of view. the evs is linked to a head-up display, allowing the pilot to view images on a transparent screen positioned in his or her field of vision. gulfstream is the first business aviation company to offer this third-generation evs, and it comes as standard equipment on the g500 and g600.

above> published on november 2015 / the g500 first flight test with experimental test pilot scott martin and his take on all-new ‘symmetry flight deck™’ / video courtesy of gulfstream

[ happenings update ]
17 December 2016 – g600 flew for the first time (below)
5 august 2016 – g500 first production test flight

above> the gulfstream g600 first flight-test program is progressing ahead of schedule / video courtesy of gulfstream

the g500 is slated to enter service in 2017 and the g600 in 2018.

new gulfstream g600 list price: $54.5 million usd
new gulfstream g550 list price: $61.5 million usd

above> craig breedlove / spirit of america 1963

last june 2016 craig breedlove, the owner, builder and driver of the jet car sued and lost but the court’s verdict left him opening. he amended the suit a tried again…

“the car is an american icon,” breedlove said. “it about broke my heart to see the abuse. i didn’t really know the full extent until i got it home.”

courtesy> national archives

9 january 2017 – chicago (ap) — a judge has ruled that craig breedlove can move forward with his legal claim that chicago’s museum of science and industry damaged the jet car he used to set a land-speed record at the bonneville salt flats in utah in 1964.
.
the chicago tribune reports the 79-year-old breedlove says the museum caused more than $395,000 in damage to his spirit of america car. it was displayed at the museum for 50 years and returned to breedlove in october 2015.

breedlove, filed an amended complaint in october, including supporting documents on the american association of museums’ standards and best practices. the judge ruled last week that he can sue.

steven young, a los angeles-based attorney representing breedlove, said monday the aam standards “made clearer to the court” that the museum was negligent in its handling of the vehicle. the museum and breedlove have a settlement meeting set before the judge on 23 january. young said he would like to see the case resolved without either the museum or breedlove having to “spend more money,” but said a settlement is unlikely.

“if it doesn’t (settle), we will go forward … and ultimately, we will see the museum in court,” young said.

courtesy> national archives

“spirit of america,” recorded a new land speed of 407.25 miles per hour on the salt flats of bonneville, utah.

flemish studio govaert & vanhoutte architects designed a single-family concrete bachelor pad for a mid-century style enthusiast.

the view from the river shows a long floating horizontal concrete framework that defines the ground floor, which holds all day functions, the pool area and pool house. a second smaller concrete volume contains the master bed and bathroom and two extra rooms with their own service bathroom. a private terrace on the roof, linked only to the master bedroom.

the entire ground floor area favors the river. to allow more privacy, a wooden box that looks like the pool house can extend via sliding panels to completely hide the pool area from the passing boats on the river. the front facade facing the street discreetly presents two entrance doors and a gate for the car elevator.

on the first floor each bedroom has a private terrace. nightly activities reside underground: descending the stairs along the glazed front facade, the luminous ground floor becomes dark with wood and black moroccan tadelakt to set the tone. the focus in the basement is the big window behind the bar, revealing the inside of the pool. the bar, a dj booth, a glazed wine cabinet, long lounge benches, the area for exclusive cars, and a built in cigar cabinet, resemble an exclusive underground club.

photography> tim van de velde

residence vdb
venue> sint-martens-latem, ghent, belgium
architects> govaert & vanhoutte architects, benny govaert, damiaan vanhoutte
structural engineering> cobe ingenieurs bvba
main contractor> de mey eddy bvba
completion> 2016

our story starts in a small village with just 600 inhabitants on the banks of a gently flowing river, a bucolic picture postcard from eastern france. it’s here, at the edge of the village, that the haeberlin family established the now famous auberge de l’ill over 150 years ago. with its three michelin stars, maintained in an unbroken run since 1967, the auberge de l’ill is part of the heritage of alsace and french gastronomic tradition.

today marc haeberlin presides over the kitchen, supported by his sister danielle baumann and her children, who run the gastronomic restaurant, and marco baumann, who runs the adjacent hotel. in 2007, marc haeberlin and danielle baumann commissioned patrick jouin and sanjit manku to carefully rethink the architectural concept of the restaurant’s interiors.

above> danielle baumann and marco baumann / below> auberge de l’ill by jouin manku 2007

above/below> this marked the beginning of a loyal friendship that continued with the design of the haras de strasbourg in 2014, the chef’s first brasserie, in exceptional surroundings at the heart of the alsatian capital, which has been incredibly successful.

in 2016, danielle and marco decided to extend their hotel’s capacity and to equip the hôtel des berges with a new annexe, the spa des saules. architecture and interior design were entrusted to jouin manku, in collaboration with silvio rauseo. by way of a brief, the two designers were (in all confidence) given carte blanche to design a place for rest and relaxation, a complete break, where time is suspended.

below> the modern barn with suites/balconies in foreground 2016

for marco and edouard baumann, the idea was to create a place that would go beyond hospitality and give the visitor the impression of being a guest in their home. their ambition was to equip the hôtel des berges with a spa and meditation space that would allow guests to get the most from this oasis of calm at the heart of the alsatian countryside. this is how patrick jouin and sanjit manku came to imagine a space ‘of one’s dreams’, a new building of a simple, pared-back design, ideal for enjoying a moment of wellbeing and total relaxation. there are just five junior suites, ensuring the calm environment is preserved, a mineral spa, whose treatments are inspired by the roman baths of the region, and a ‘multi-faith chapel’, a space ideally suited for a spiritual retreat.

below> the spa 2016

patrick jouin and sanjit manku’s proposal was to faithfully respect the baumann family’s wishes. but took the fairly radical decision to pare back the design, to keep just the essential, removing any superficial detail or ornamentation from the project. spiritual, a stay at the hôtel des berges is a moment to refocus and recharge the batteries. an authentic simplicity, and meditation, are the project’s key themes. the architecture had to reflect these directional ideas.

patrick jouin and sanjit manku designed the annexe by drawing for inspiration on the timber frames of the alsace region’s vast old barns. materials are natural and untreated, the palette of colors very limited: an oak timber structure rests on a concrete volume, the whole then placed on smooth grey stone. materials are left in their natural state and not re-worked. they express the authentic, natural characteristics that inspired the designers. from the outside looking through the trees, the visitor can see an imposing timber frame that literally envelops the building, a roof tiled in dark grey tiles and a volume in raw concrete. upstairs are the five junior suites, each 430 sqf / 40 sqm with 23 ft / 7m-high ceilings. on the ground floor the spa includes a hot pool that extends outside from within the building.

below> the suites 2016

above> 2018 bentley continental gt

our criteria in no particular order > alternative fuel > aesthetics > fun > innovation > performance > technology.

[ technology ] 2018 mercedes e-class coupe
this is as close to an autonomous car as you can get. wish they would 86 the polished chrome.

[ aesthetics/technology ] 2018 mercedes amg gt
exterior very un-mercedes-like in a good way. a lot of knobs to look at in the cockpit though rave reviews on user friendliness.

[ performance ] 2018 bentley continental gt
touted to be fastest four-seater on the road though… 0-60 in 4.3 seconds not so fast but tops out at 198mph.

[ function ] audi q8 concept
this car is very close to production. there’s some controversy on a suv hybrid of this size and price point but we like audi’s pushing the envelope. time will tell. an aside, almost removed the q8 from this list in favor of the kia stinger but we felt a need for stylish function.

[ alternative fuel / innovation ] vw id buzz concept
electric, driverless. the first fully-electric vw is scheduled for 2020. stay tuned.

[ detroit auto show / 8>22 january 2017 ]

above das haus (concept): the installation reimagines a home as three zones for dining, hygiene and rest. hall 2.2 image courtesy of todd bracher studio

new york designer todd bracher is the guest of honor for the sixth edition of das haus. “for me, design isn’t an art or a personal matter— it’s an experiment. my work is based on the desire to reduce something down to its essence. my job is to look for what’s really important to people and give it to them.” todd calls his reduction theory essentialism.

above> light installation: “time drifts cologne ii” by philipp geist. images courtesy of imm cologne

during the trade fair duo imm cologne and livingkitchen, koelnmesse will presents the light installation “time drifts cologne ii” by the berlin-based light artist philipp geist. the installation can be seen in the vicinity of cologne cathedral on 15 and 16 january 2017 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. this event will be an extension of the artist’s media performance “time drifts cologne” on new year’s eve 2016 into the 2017 trade fair year.

above> pure talents contest / hall 3.1 /// the copper olfactory clock by patrick palcic, allows the user to experience the passage of time in a different way. at hourly intervals, a drop of essence trickles down onto the pre-heated copper dish and leaves behind a very delicate trace. a new fragrance can thus be assigned to each hour // collecta by alberto bellamoli. images courtesy of imm cologne

now marks the fourteenth year, the pure talents contest was conceived exclusively for designers who are still pursuing their studies or have just left university. each year at imm cologne, prizes are awarded by koelnmesse. the internationally recognized jury consisting of:

sophie lovell (journalist, berlin)
rianne makkink (designer, studio makkink & bey, rotterdam)
tobias lutz (managing director and founder architonic ag, zurich)
sebastian herkner (designer, offenbach)
harry paul van ierssel (designer, studio harry&camila, barcelona)

the finalists // alberto bellamoli, italy / ulrike becker, germany / roee magdassi, israel / patrick palcic, germany / pieter peulen, belgium / susanne tesche, germany / vera aldejohann, germany / philipp hermes & dustin jessen, germany / christoph buomberger & tobias pfister, switzerland / david ciernicki, germany / pierre-emmanuel vandeputte, france / bernhard osann, germany /guillaume morillon, france / enzo zak lux, germany / simon diener, germany / thélonious goupil, france / christoph hauf, germany / jona messerli, switzerland / bar gantz, israel / martijn rigters & fabio hendry, the netherlands/switzerland / robert hahn, germany

above> sofa kerman by philipp mainzer and farah ebrahimi for e15 presents a canvas to project awareness and aspirations. like in lewis caroll’s novel “through the looking glass” (1871), the visitor dives into another world behind the mirror. halls 3.2 and 2.2

the “featured editions” curated by stylepark for the imm cologne 2017 furniture trade fair center around the key theme, “textiles”. the other installations are courtesy of alias (designer renato stauffacher & andrea sanguineti), cappellini (giulio cappellini), création baumann (benjamin thut) / nanimarquina (nani marquina) / thonet (nya nordiska & sebastian herkner) / ton (studio de form) / uli budde (ulle budde) and vitra (anina koch).

above> cappellini hall 2.2

[ imm cologne ] [ DesignApplause instagram ] [ post in progress ]

[ NYCxDESIGN ]
NYCxDESIGN, New York City’s official citywide celebration of design takes place each May. Spanning all disciplines of design, NYCxDESIGN creates a collaborative platform for cultural and commercial opportunities, elevates established and emerging design practices and increases awareness of and appreciation for design by all audiences.

Hosted in New York City, NYCxDESIGN brings together all the disciplines of design, commerce, culture, education, and entertainment with a full, varied program, including exhibitions, installations, trade shows, talks, launches and open studios. 2016, the fourth year of the celebration, featured over 500 events across the 5 Boroughs of New York City and included topics from graphic design to architecture, technology and urban design to fashion and product design, interiors to landscape, furniture to design thinking, and more. Click here to view a recap of NYCxDESIGN 2016.

For an overview of NYCxDESIGN 2017 and inspiration for events that you could put on this year, click [ here ]

also check out happenings at [ icff 2017 ] between 21 > 24 may 2017

[ icff ]
The 29th annual [ ICFF NYC ] North America’s platform for global design, will map the newest frontier of what’s best and what’s next at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, May 21-24, 2017. Registration is now open. No cost registration for industry professional ends May 18th, after May 18th the cost is $60.

North America’s premier showcase for contemporary design, the ICFF annually lures those in determined pursuit of design’s timely truths and latest trends to an encyclopedic exhibition of up-to-the-moment offerings, as well as a series of fascinating, fun, edifying programs, and a packed schedule of exhibits and features.

2017 Dates-Trade
Sunday, 21 May 10:00 am > 5:00 pm
Monday, 22 May 10:00 am > 6:00 pm
Tuesday, 23 May 10:00 am > 6:00 pm
Trade and General Public
Wednesday, May 24 10:00 am > 4:00 pm
also check out happenings at [ nycxdesign ] between 3 > 24 may 2017

22 > 25 september 2017 / navy pier / chicago

the chicago architecture biennial along with artistic directors, sharon johnston and mark lee from la-based firm johnston marklee, announce the first round of artists and architects selected as participants of the 2017 chicago architecture biennial.

the 2017 exhibition will feature work from more than 100 architects, artists and designers from over 20 countries, building on the initial list below. stay tuned for additional developments related to participants’ projects, exhibition venues and information to help you make you plans to visit us in chicago in the fall.

[ 2017 chicago architecture biennial first round participants ]
51n4e (brussels, belgium; tirana, albania)
6a architects (london, uk)
ábalos+sentkiewicz (madrid, spain; cambridge, usa; shanghai, china)
adamo-faiden (buenos aires, argentina)
agenda agencia de arquitectura (medellin, colombia)
aires mateus (lisbon, portugal)
andrew kovacs (los angeles, usa)
angela deuber architect (chur, switzerland)
ania jaworska (chicago, usa)
arandalasch and terrol dew johnson (new york, usa; tucson, usa)
archi-union (shanghai, china)
architecten de vylder vinck taillieu (ghent, belgium)
arno brandlhuber and christopher roth (berlin, germany)
atelier manferdini (venice, usa)
awp office for territorial reconfiguration (paris, france; london, uk)
bak gordon arquitectos (lisbon, portugal)
barbas lopes (lisbon, portugal)
barkow leibinger (berlin, germany)
baukuh and stefano graziani (milan, italy; genoa, italy)
besler & sons llc (los angeles, usa)
bless (berlin, germany)
bureau spectacular (los angeles, usa)
caruso st john and thomas demand (london, uk; zurich, switzerland; berlin, germany)
charlap hyman & herrero (los angeles, usa; new york, usa)
charles waldheim (cambridge, usa)
christ & gantenbein (basel, switzerland)
daniel everett (chicago, usa; salt lake city, usa)
david schalliol (chicago, usa)
dellekamp arquitectos (mexico city, mexico)
design with company (chicago, usa)
diego arraigada arquitectos (rosario, argentina)
dogma (brussels, belgium)
drdh (london, uk)
ensamble studio (madrid, spain; boston, usa)
éric lapierre architecture (paris, france)
estudio barozzi veiga (barcelona, spain)
fala atelier (porto, portugal)
filip dujardin (ghent, belgium)
fiona connor and erin besler (los angeles, usa; auckland, new zealand)
first office (los angeles, usa)
formlessfinder (new york, usa)
frida escobedo (mexico city, mexico)
gerard & kelly (los angeles, usa; new york, usa)
go hasegawa (tokyo, japan)
hhf architects (basel, switzerland)
iñigo manglano-ovalle (chicago, usa)
j. mayer h. und partner, architekten and philip ursprung (berlin, germany)
james welling (new york, usa)
jesús vassallo (houston, usa)
jorge otero-pailos (new york, usa)
june14 meyer-grohbrügge & chermayeff (new york, usa; berlin, germany)
karamuk * kuo architects (new york, usa; zurich, switzerland)
keith krumwiede (new york, usa)
kéré architecture (berlin, germany)
kuehn malvezzi (berlin, germany)
luisa lambri (milan, italy)
lütjens padmanabhan architekten (zurich, switzerland)
made in (geneva, switzerland; zurich, switzerland)
maio (barcelona, spain)
marianne mueller (zurich, switzerland)
marshall brown (chicago, usa)
mg&co. (houston, usa)
monadnock (rotterdam, the netherlands)
mos (new york, usa)
norman kelley (chicago, usa; new york, usa)
nuno brandåo costa arquitectos ida (porto, portugal)
office kersten geers david van severen (brussels, belgium)
pascal flammer (zurich, switzerland)
patrick braouezec (paris, france)
paul andersen and paul preissner (chicago, usa; denver, usa)
pezo von ellrichshausen (concepción, chile)
philipp schaerer (zurich, switzerland)
productora (mexico city, mexico)
real foundation (london, uk)
robert somol (chicago, usa)
sadar+vuga (ljubljana, slovenia)
sam jacob studio (london, uk)
sami-arquitectos (setubal, portugal)
sanaa (tokyo, japan)
sauter von moos (basel, switzerland)
sergison bates (london, uk; zurich, switzerland)
serie architects (london, uk; zurich, switzerland)
shingo masuda+katsuhisa otsubo architects (tokyo, japan)
so-il and ana prvački (los angeles, usa; new york, usa)
stan allen architect (new york, usa)
studio anne holtrop (muharraq, bahrain; amsterdam, the netherlands)
studiomumbai (mumbai, india)
sylvia lavin (los angeles, usa)
t+e+a+m (ann arbor, usa)
tatiana bilbao estudio (mexico city, mexico)
tham & videgård arkitekter (stockholm, sweden)
the empire (verona, italy)
the living (new york, usa)
the los angeles design group (los angeles, usa)
thomas baecker bettina kraus (berlin, germany)
tigerman mccurry architects (chicago, usa)
toshiko mori architect (new york, usa)
urbanlab (chicago, usa; los angeles, usa)
urbanus (shenzhen, china; beijing, china)
veronika kellndorfer (berlin, germany)
welcomeprojects (los angeles, usa)
workac (new york, usa)
zago architecture (los angeles, usa)
zao/standardarchitecture (shanghai, china)

[ biennial statement ]
the act of looking to the past to inform the present has always been central to architecture. while different eras saw the imprint of history more strongly than others, one of the most dramatic ruptures in the evolution of architecture in the last century took place between history and modernity. spawned from a revolutionary and positivist climate, early modernism’s repression of history severed architecture’s future from its past. while measured and moderate attempts to incorporate historical models before and after the apotheosis of modernism brought about movements ranging from novecento, rationalism, neoliberty, postmodernism, and tendenza to various modes of revivalism, the zeal of modernism prevailed, obscuring these short-lived episodes. the insistence on creating works that are unprecedented and unrelated to architectures of the past reached new heights at the beginning of the millennium, as more and more architects became reluctant to view what they do as being part of a larger collective project or architectural history.

today, history represents neither an oppressive past that modernism tried to discard nor a retrograde mind-set against unbridled progress. instead, at a time when there is too much information and not enough attention—when a general collective amnesia perpetuates a state of eternal presentness—understanding the channels through which history moves and is shaped by architecture is more important than ever. a generation of architects has noted a renewed interest in precedents of architecture. committed to progress, but always from within an architectural tradition, these architects are producing innovative and subversive works grounded in the fundamentals of the discipline, and rooted in the fabrics of the cities where they are built, without feeling pressured to keep up with micro-trends or being accused of cultural appropriation.

the chicago architecture biennial 2017 will showcase the diversity of work from around the world to examine the underpinnings of this resurgence of historical interest. titled “make new history,” this second edition of the biennial will focus on the efforts—across registers of building and discursive production—of contemporary architects to align their work with versions of history. through the lens of architecture, the biennial aims to examine the interplay of design and the broadening access to, as well as recall of, historical source material. in the realm of building practice—from new construction to adaptive reuse to conservation—it will investigate the ways in which the architect’s encounter with a site is, in fact, the act of interpreting and responding to a prior accumulation of state and government regulations, social conventions, and markers of personhood. considerations for architecture in the context of history include the regulation and management of power and identity; what prevails and what does not; and how to recognize the significance of untold narratives. now, more than ever, the assumptions embedded in cultural exempla and civic imaginaries require examination and discussion.

with a legacy that is embedded equally in the buildings and fabric of the city and in a lineage of media and cultural production, chicago will provide a backdrop to typify disciplinary concerns around the continued importance and value of history in architecture. a calendar of events, emanating from the chicago cultural center outward to biennial partners, will create comparative encounters with various sites across the city. the biennial will foreground questions and ideas regarding the making of a new history: what political role has history played in the regulation of buildings and the city? how can buildings speak to history without being nostalgic or pastiche? and how might we build connections to the past that are relevant and valuable to our present?

architecture’s entry into the domain of the art biennial, almost 40 years ago in venice, was marked by a reflection on the relationship of history and memory in architecture. during its inaugural edition in 1980, the venice architecture biennale showcased an expanding repertoire of theatrical devices and scenographic modes of display. today, the role of history in the field of architecture has changed, as has the role of the exhibition. on the one hand, the biennial format lies at the core of architecture’s cultural and exhibitionary project: a forum to reach and produce new audiences. on the other, it replicates the enduring question of how to showcase and tell stories about absent buildings. this question has been addressed by a suite of new modes to express and mine architecture’s own traditions. often, these new methods of communication reflect an intensified engagement with media and approaches traditionally seen as art practices. this sort of overlap has served to blur the expertise and responsibilities of distinct disciplines.

the relationship between art and architecture is a historical narrative unto itself. both practices have evolved around the changing nature of public space, in the function of specific sites, and in the expanding definitions of national and civic identities. to continue the unity of architecture and the exhibition format of the biennial is to acknowledge these commingling histories. it also becomes—in its very act and existence—a nod to the past, which stands to strongly influence both the present and future of design depictions. at stake is the furthering of diverse identities and cultural politics, and the way in which these identifiers shape the changing representations of the architectural practice.

at-a-glance examples of the 2015 chicago architecture biennial below…

above> rendering courtesy obama foundation

today barack and michelle obama came (home) to chicago to unveil concepts of the barack obama presidential center, the designated library for the 44th president of the united states. to an invitation-only event for 300 of the city’s and site neighborhood civic leaders. the former president said there is a tendency to see presidential libraries as “a monument to the past, a little bit of ego-tripping.” instead, he wants a building that “looked forward, not backward, and would provide a place to train future leaders to make a change in their communities, countries and the world.”

the site is 10 miles south of chicago’s loop and a stones throw west of where the world’s columbian exposition was held, a world’s fair in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of christopher columbus’s arrival in the new world in 1492.

the project eliminates cornell drive a major commuter route that cut through the park and was a contentious option to pull off. however, the result will be to tie together a natural environment of lakes and parks and lake michigan to the east and a built environment to the west. the library promises to strengthen the local economy, create new jobs and revitalize the historic park in the process.
above > courtesy e. jason wambsgans chicago tribune / below> aerial view courtesy chicago tribune and site plan renderings courtesy obama foundation

the presidential center is not a single building but a series of buildings that form a campus, similar to richard meier‘s ‘separate building’ concept of the getty center in los angeles. the structural architectural footprint is reduced by the roofs of the adjacent single-story library and forum with its covered plantings to create new park land. ‘together these buildings will form a campus, a place for doing and making, as well as looking and learning, and will build upon jackson park’s history as a public gathering place on the south side,’ explains the obama foundation.

the museum tower is 180 feet tall and contains an exhibition space along with education and meeting rooms. to it’s south is the forum building with an auditorium, restaurant with a public garden and the library building.

of keen interest, the library will be the first presidential library to fully digitize obama’s unclassified paper records. the paper documents themselves are at separate facilities maintained by the national archives and records administration (nara), which has control over obama’s records, the foundation said. nara can provide access to the obama presidential records virtually. if the library, or another museum, needs a physical copy of a document, it will be made available on loan from the national archives.

the obama foundation selected tod williams billie tsien architects | partners (twbta) to lead the design team and interactive design architects (idea) to be their partner. twbta stood out in their commitment to explore the best ways of creating an innovative center for citizenship. headquartered in new york, the studio focuses on work for institutions including museums, schools, and not-for-profits. their buildings are carefully made from the inside out to be functional in ways that speak to both efficiency and the spirit. idea brings local knowledge and a track record for delivering excellence to large, complex civic projects.

“we’re building a living, working center for good citizenship. right here on the south side of chicago. wherever you call home, whatever your walk of life, we hope you’ll join us.” ~ barack obama [ obama foundation ] [ the finalists ]

lecture > tuesday, 13 june 6pm | museum of contemporary art chicago | 220 east chicago avenue [ RSVP ] /////
exhibition opening reception > tuesday, 13 june 7pm | luminaire chicago | 301 west superior street

[ luminaire ] continues its commitment to viscerally connecting the public with contemporary design by hosting muti-disciplinary italian architect and designer antonio citterio for a lecture and exhibition in chicago. on tuesday, june 13th, citterio will present a lecture at the museum of contemporary art chicago which will be followed by an opening reception for the inauguration of a month-long exhibition of the designer’s work at luminaire chicago showroom. aiming to uncover the connective stories between process, product, and design, the exhibition will feature iconic pieces designed by antonio citterio for renowned brands b&b italia, vitra, and flos.

antonio citterio’s design philosophy has always been focused on a method, not a style. the metamorphosis of an idea or an intention, into a project or a product, takes place by means of the alchemy that is the relationship between him as an architect/designer and the client. his all-encompassing design sensibility is reminiscent of the total environments created by arne jacobsen. a proponent of rational design, citterio has produced truly innovative furniture design while paying homage to influences such as eileen gray, charles and ray eames, and george nelson. winner of the compasso d’oro award in 1987 and 1995, his products are part of the moma permanent collection in new york and the centre pompidou in paris.

the month-long exhibition showcases a curated selection of citterio’s iconic designs for an array of manufacturers. included in the installation is the mart lounge chair (b&b italia, 2003), charles sofa (b&b italia, 1997), ac4 task chairs (vitra, 2008), grand repos armchair (vitra, 2011), kelvin led lighting (flos, 2009), a.b.c. lounge chair (flexform, 1996), citterio e bathroom fixtures (axor, 2014), battista trolley (kartell, 1991), and design-focused gym equipment from technogym. throughout the showroom, additional products by citterio will be on display. the exhibition will also display multi-media presentations that share the stories and methods behind the featured products. these visual aids will additionally showcase the designer’s architectural works from around the globe which compliment and enrich the storytelling experience of the exhibition.

luminaire has shared citterio’s unique insights about architecture and design with audiences in both miami and chicago on several occasions throughout the years. in june 2004, luminaire was the first to present citterio’s stunning new lighting collection for flos. he also discussed his architecture and design projects at the opening of luminaire’s superior street location in chicago in november 1992, and luminaire welcomed antonio citterio and terry dwan as guests of honor at “milan in miami,” an evening gala and exhibit that celebrated luminaire’s 21st anniversary in june 1995.

to help luminaire in the quest for fighting cancer, citterio also participated in puppylove 2006, transforming a 3d white plastic puppy designed by eero aarnio in a fuschia-colored, curly-tailed gift of love that was sold at auction to raise funds for the university of miami’s sylvester comprehensive cancer research center. in 2008, citterio celebrated the magical properties of paper with luminaire, creating in-out,’ a simple yet eye-catching single piece of white paper with four neat columns of pyramids spread across the white page and five rows leading down. a simple concept, but intriguing enough to explore for hours. ‘in-out’ was auctioned to raise funds for cancer research during the exhibition paperlove.

2017 marks the 20th anniversary of antonio citterio’s iconic creation for b&b italia, the charles sofa. 20 years on from its debut, charles remains a reference model in the world of design worldwide.

charles | b&b italia | 1997

during neocon week, luminaire will also unveil the newest lighting installation by the creative director of bocci, omer arbel. a cluster of sculptural lighting consisting of 61 pendants of bocci 87 series creating a matrix of stretched and folded glass and trapped air that give the piece a pearlescent optical quality. the bocci 87 was recently debuted at euroluce during milan design week. luminaire believes that design is a language, and as such has the power to transform lives. part of our fundamental value is to spread our passion for design through education, and we are honored to strengthen design awareness through Antonio Citterio’s creative process.

a.b.c. divano | flexform | 1996

flat | b&b italia | 2008

frank | b&b italia | 2012

mirto | b&b italia | 2014

belvedere clove | flos

kelvin edge | flos | 2009

grand sofà | vitra | 2017

[ neocon’s 49th edition ] since 1969 neocon continues to serve as the world’s premier platform and most important event of the year for the commercial design industry. below are events with the merchandise mart as well as off-site satellite offerings.

neocon at the merchandise mart | 222 west merchandise mart plaza chicago [ directions ] /
[ show info ] /
monday 12 june 9am > 5pm
tuesday 13 june 9am > 5pm
wednesday 14 june 9am > 3pm

Find Events

Event Views Navigation

View As List Month Week Day Map

Date

Search

Near

upcoming events › neocon 2017

Events List Navigation

$10

loop architectural walking tour with chicago design museum.

10 June @ 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm UTC-5

Chicago Design Museum, 108 N State Street, 3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60602 United States

savor two of chicago’s greatest assets—architecture and beer—on a walking tour of loop architecture led by dr. jonathan mekinda, assistant professor in the department of art history and the school of design at the university of illinois at chicago.

Find out more »

neocon 2017.

12 June @ 9:00 am - 14 June @ 3:00 pm UTC-5

The Mart, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza IL 60654 United States

north america's most important commercial design show taking place at the mart in chicago since 1969.

Find out more »

vitra at neocon 2017.

12 June @ 9:00 am - 14 June @ 6:00 pm UTC-5

merchandise mart, 222 west merchandise mart plaza
Chicago, IL 60654 United States

visit vitra at our showroom / 11th floor suite 1192 / the mart chicago

Find out more »

specsimple virtual library presentation.

12 June @ 10:00 am - 14 June @ 10:30 am UTC-5

|Recurring Event (See all)

An event every day that begins at 10:00am, repeating until 14 June 2017

merchandise mart, 222 west merchandise mart plaza
Chicago, IL 60654 United States

specsimple joins eisysinc daily at 10am in booth 7-2106 during #neocon2017 for a presentation of their virtual library program; how to use it and what is can do for today's designer. @eisysInc

Find out more »

skyline design reception.

12 June @ 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm UTC-5

merchandise mart, 222 west merchandise mart plaza
Chicago, IL 60654 United States

you are invited to a reception honoring designer suzanne tick and the launch of transcend- her new glass collection for skyline design.

Find out more »

wilkhahn neocon booth event.

12 June @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm UTC-5

The Mart, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza IL 60654 United States

please join victor ramos and the team at wilkhahn for an afternoon event in their booth to view the latest neocon introductions.

Find out more »

wolf-gordon + vescom cocktail party.

12 June @ 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm UTC-5

Merchandise Mart, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza
Chicago, IL 60654 United States

join wolf-gordon and vescom for their annual celebration at neocon on monday, june 12th 4-6pm.

Find out more »

andreu world fiesta neocon.

12 June @ 4:30 pm - 8:00 pm UTC-5

merchandise mart, 222 west merchandise mart plaza
Chicago, IL 60654 United States

andreu world showroom / 10th floor / suite 10-132 / merchandise mart

Find out more »

orange skin neocon party.

12 June @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm UTC-5

Orange Skin Showroom, 223 west erie street
chicago, IL 60654 United States

orange skin's annual event during neocon. the primary mission at orange skin is to enrich the physical, cultural, emotional and spiritual lives of our customers/clients by providing them with good design. orange skin functions as arbiter, advocate, presenter, as well as gallery, showroom and a salone del mobile.

Find out more »

work place: a film by gary huswit special screening.

12 June @ 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm UTC-5

stagg court – chicago athletic association, 12 south michigan
chicago, IL 60603 United States

the architecture & design film festival and vitra invite you to a film screening.

Find out more »

iida presents love good color with laura guido-clark.

13 June @ 9:00 am - 10:30 am UTC-5

iida, 111 east wacker suite 222
chicago, IL 60601 United States

join laura guido-clark, founder lg-c design, as she unveils her revolutionary color tool, love good color - the first color system to fuse science with the senses.

Find out more »

specsimple virtual library presentation.

13 June @ 10:00 am - 15 June @ 10:30 am UTC-5

|Recurring Event (See all)

An event every day that begins at 10:00am, repeating until 14 June 2017

merchandise mart, 222 west merchandise mart plaza
Chicago, IL 60654 United States

specsimple joins eisysinc daily at 10am in booth 7-2106 during #neocon2017 for a presentation of their virtual library program; how to use it and what is can do for today's designer. @eisysInc

Find out more »

contract interview lauren rottet.

13 June @ 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm UTC-5

Ligne Roset Chicago, 440 North Wells Street
Chicago, IL 60654 United States

editor in chief, john czarnecki and lauren rottet talk about design, where it is today and where it's going, at ligne roset chicago. @ligneroset #neocon2017

Find out more »

free

[think. create. connect. recharge] inside the box.

13 June @ 3:00 pm - 20 June @ 5:00 pm CDT

Merchandise Mart, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza
Chicago, IL 60654 United States

please join us during the official neocon booth hospitality afternoon.

Find out more »

antonio citterio at luminaire chicago during neocon 2017.

13 June @ 6:00 pm - 9:30 pm UTC-5

luminaire chicago, 301 west superior
chicago, IL 60654 United States

luminaire continues its commitment to viscerally connecting the public with contemporary design by hosting muti-disciplinary italian architect and designer antonio citterio for a lecture and exhibition in chicago.

Find out more »

john ronan keynote neocon 2017.

14 June @ 8:30 am - 9:30 am UTC-5

merchandise mart, 222 west merchandise mart plaza
Chicago, IL 60654 United States

john ronan faia is founding principal of john ronan architects in chicago, founded in 1999. his firm has been the recipient of two aia institute national honor awards—for the poetry foundation and the gary comer youth center, both in chicago, and is a finalist firm for the obama presidential center.

Find out more »

specsimple virtual library presentation.

14 June @ 10:00 am - 16 June @ 10:30 am UTC-5

|Recurring Event (See all)

An event every day that begins at 10:00am, repeating until 14 June 2017

merchandise mart, 222 west merchandise mart plaza
Chicago, IL 60654 United States

specsimple joins eisysinc daily at 10am in booth 7-2106 during #neocon2017 for a presentation of their virtual library program; how to use it and what is can do for today's designer. @eisysInc

Find out more »

Events List Navigation

+ Export Events

above> transcend by suzanne tick for skyline design

a neocon 2017 runs from 12 to 14 june at the mart in chicago. at-a-glance preview…

3form / 10 – 142
a collaboration between 3form and brooklyn-based designer louis lim of makingworks has resulted in the creation of mobius, exclusively on view at wanted design in new york city in may 2017. now check out the latest at neocon.

andreu world / 10 – 132
invites you to discover our new collections at neocon 2017. we look forward to welcoming you.
save the date: please join us for the andreu world fiesta. this year’s event will feature traditional spanish tapas and wine along with a very special live music performance.



arper / 339
arper presents their 2017 collections at neocon. stop by for a coffee and explore the new products at their chicago showroom.

buzzispace / 10 – 111
at neocon 2017 on both the first and the 10th floor of the merchandise mart, buzzispace will realize its comprehensive approach to design for happy, healthy living, incorporating a range of furniture options, and serious acoustic solutions.

carnegie / 10 – 112
life is colorful with the roy g biv collection! the energetic collection spans the full spectrum with high performance upholstery and digitally printed wide width sheers that celebrate color at its very best.

designtex / 1032A
in business, collaboration is everything—but creating the right balance between openness and privacy is a challenge. casper™ cloaking technology by designtex is an architectural film for glass walls that obscures digital screens to outside view. it acts as a smart shield to ensure data privacy, while providing the peace of mind to collaborate freely in any working environment. this is a breakthrough that will unleash space design in the networked modern world. casper is the only cloaking technology of its kind anywhere. you have to see it to believe it.

hbf / 387
studio gorm has collaborated with hbf to create the studio table series.

haworth / 312
come see bluescape and global commercial furnishings leader haworth an innovative new collaboration space at neocon 2017.

humanscale / 351
humanscale and the living product challenge. talking about sustainability is easy. what’s more challenging is creating a net positive impact. especially when it’s being audited and validated by the international living future institute.

herman miller / 321
when bill stumpf and don chadwick designed the original aeron, they combined a deep knowledge of human-centered design with innovative, never-before-seen technology to deliver a chair unlike any other. just as iconic films and albums are updated for new mediums, standards, and audiences, aeron has now been remastered to meet the needs of today’s work, workers, and work environments. by coupling co-designer don chadwick’s vision with herman miller’s latest research around the science of sitting, the new aeron works better than ever before—so you can too.

ki / 1181
join the ruckus at neocon 2017! get a first-hand look at how ki‘s ruckus collection is disrupting the design paradigm. in addition, we’ll be showcasing innovative product solutions developed using the principles of human-centered design.

keilhauer / 373
luno is for reflecting. a visually striking lounge chair that allows you to move, sit and communicate in your own style. design by eoos.

maharam / 1188
maharam design studio decided to develop a substrate: apt introduces a new polymer that combines a silicone face with a polyurethane-and-silicone mid-layer to maharam’s offering of nonwoven upholstery textiles. using a proprietary formulation. apt is the result of five years of research and development.

mohawk / 377
go behind-the-scenes with mohawk group for a sneak preview of the bold and stylish floorcoverings they’ll be showcasing this year. take a peek at our entire lineup.

okamura / 11 – 124
alt piazza is an office furniture of the future that turns office shared space into a place where you can work comfortably.

skyline design / 1060
transcend by suzanne tick

steelcase / 300
steelcase workplace advisor empowers organizations to measure the effectiveness of the workplace, and improve it based on easy-to-understand, actionable data accessible through an online dashboard.

teknion / 10 -48
around is fully featured, yet clever new new task chair. hidden innovations facilitate a simple chair design with a light, minimalist form. designed by justus kolberg, around is remarkably comfortable, versatile and easy to use.

vitra / 1192
vitra has been developing and producing office chairs for over 40 years. its first model, the vitramat, set new industry standards, and many of its successors have continued to revolutionize workplace seating. to accompany the market launch of the pacific chair, am chair and id chair update, we are introducing the task chair campaign: a new digital tool that provides existing and prospective customers with an inspiring presentation of these chairs.

wilkhahn / 7 – 7072

wilkhahn’s new metrik cantilever chair stands apart for its sculptural shape and contours which bring modern automotive design to mind. polygonal shapes and rounded edges are part of a distinctive body which is defined by form-fit assembly of the tubular steel frame and seat component. design by whiteID.

above > antoine roset / jose rodriguez

designapplause is in the ligne roset chicago showroom located two short blocks from the mart, chatting with antoine roset, executive vice president and fifth generation roset.

[designapplause] we’re told that ligne roset is getting into the contract/commercial business space because of the company’s manufacturing capabilities. do you wish to tell us that story?

[antoine roset] actually, the funny part is that we started with the contract business. we’ve always been doing it in europe, back when the roset company started in 1860. with my grandfather in charge the first thing we did as a manufacturer was contract, working with universities, dorms, both institutional as well as hospitality projects. contract and hospitality was in fact our first business category.

we then moved to residential in the 1960s believing we could better control our own distribution and grow our business. during the 1980s, in the u.s., we developed our brand in residential much more than the contract business. we did this furnishing apartments, giving americans access to our design. for the past four years i see an opportunity to reintroduce our contract expertise in the u.s. and in latin america as well. i feel confident in knowing our past experience and manufacturing could again position our company as major player in contract and hospitality.

with our design, engineering and manufacturing capabilities we again have in the u.s. both residential and contract offerings.

[da] i just met the new owner of the chicago showroom, jose rodriguez. is there a new story regarding the chicago showroom?

[ar] i think the story to tell about jose and this showroom is a human story. we like to say when you become an owner, you get to be part of the family. jose has been in this business with us forever. the first time i met him was like 10-11 years ago and we had promoted him as a manager in miami. he became the owner of the atlanta store 5 years ago. and now, he’s here in the chicago store. to show that it’s a human story it’s about jose being a natural as a new owner. and he also possesses an ability to showcase a new service and a different experience. and as such, something much closer to what we have in mind, namely a new store. a new display. very much like what you can see all around the world with the new stores we are doing and renovating. in chicago, you’re going to see the best of what we do right now.

[da] alright, that’s cool. anything else you want to talk about?

[ar] i can talk about everything you want as long as it’s about furniture. i’ve always been very interested in markets and we can talk about the chicago market a little bit more. we’ve been at this location for 10 years and have learned that chicago’s a very interesting and important market. why? chicago is a very modern city with depth as you can see by its architecture. it’s always been very turned towards the future and not to the past. that’s what makes it very attractive to me. for me, it’s probably the nicest city in the u.s. you can quote me on that. (maybe after new york where i live. let’s put it that way.) chicago is green. it’s a beautiful city. there are two rivers, the lake. i don’t care about cold weather, so it’s not a problem for me. when you’re here you can feel that people really like to talk about the architecture here. i mean look, neocon is here and not in las vegas.

[da] right, neocon. and a new contract message and what appears to be a new store in what is a tremendously convenient offsite location.

[ar] yes. we’re definitely going to use this location more and more. we made mention last year, slowly but surely. the idea is to communicate with the contact world and the hospitality world, sharing with them. we are not the big, big player and we don’t want to be either. we don’t want to compete with them. we want to be the small player that can bring something different. that can give different options. that can give what we do the most: our quality, our knowledge. we are happy to share this with everyone. we have no intention of ignoring our residential business, make no mistake. but more and more, we are going to develop things around the contract and the hospitality business. it’s only the second year. this year has been a bit crazy because we are reopening the store and doing neocon at the same time. so it’s been quite challenging, but next year…

strong>[da] then next year will be boring. (laughs)

[ar] hah! next year won’t be boring. next year will be even more interesting. we’ll have more time to prepare for neocon which is even better. we’re going to look forward to next year.

above/below > chicago showroom

above > ruché / inga sempé – below > cover 1 / marie christine dorner

in keeping with the theme of this year’s isda international design conference: design IS business, we asked conference speakers three questions.

>> name a business book that you feel every industrial designer should read and why?

max burton idsa / ceo and chief designer / matter / 18august 2:00-4:00 rapid fire sessions

i don’t think industrial designers should read books on business, it distracts them from what they need to focus on – being creative. as a successful business owner, i empower my very experienced managing director, who has an mba and 25 years running businesses to advise me.

ti chang idsa / co-founder and vp of design / crave / 18august 2:00-4:00 rapid fire sessions (8 min talks)

i do not read business books. only use it as a reference when you come across problems that you need to solve, otherwise they will just overwhelm you with problems you do not yet have.

david dombrowski idsa / director, industrial design & innovation / pfizer consumer healthcare /
17aug 5-6pm panel / business of corporate design studios

life is good: the book by bert jacobs and john jacobs. in this entrepreneurial and start up world we live in, industrial designers are poised to want a piece of designing it. we must all stay optimistic as life throws challenge after challenge at us. i found this book to keep me grounded with its beautifully crafted whit around 10 superpowers. the book is the autobiography of the company life is good as told by the two brothers that started the company. as they put it “how to live with purpose and enjoy the ride”.

liam hawry / director of industrial design–packaging / studio one eleven / 17august 2:00-4:00pm rapid fire sessions

creativity, inc. describes the story of and methodology at pixar. it’s filled with messages about how to prioritize and champion and manage the creative process, of course with amazing results to prove it.

chris kaye idsa / vp of research & technical innovation / us endoscopy / 17august 9:00-9:30am the dichotomy of design and business

i don’t know if it qualifies as a business book, per se, but one i recommend is thinking fast and slow by daniel kahneman. it is an excellent insight into our perceptions and what influences our decision making processes. improving both our self-awareness and the thought processes of others can assist greatly as we try and determine needs and their optimal solutions. another more traditional business book is dealing with darwin by geoffrey moore. i like the way it deals with types of innovation and markets opportunities and how they are judged and prioritized from a business perspective which can be a significant assistance to designers.

tsai lu liu, idsa / department head, graphic and industrial design / north carolina state university / 17august 2:00-4:00pm rapid fire sessions

designing for people by henry dreyfuss, one of the founders of american industrial design and the first president of idsa. the human/customer-centered design/business philosophy established in this book is as relevant and refreshing today as 60 years ago when the book was written.

evan macdonald / branding and design / freefly systems / 17august 2:00-4:00pm rapid fire sessions

creativity inc by ed catmull. he’s the president of pixar and disney animation studios and talks about how creativity should function in business. pixar is a nearly flawless example of how creativity and business should work together.

lisa marks idsa / assistant professor of technology and applied design / berea college / 17august 2:00-4:00pm rapid fire sessions 

it may be cliche, but i love how to win friends and influence people by dale carnegie. at its root, it talks about how external stimuli effects human behavior, something that is great to know as a designer. i’m also a bit of an introvert, so advice on networking and meeting people effectively is always welcome.

john suh /
 vice president
 / hyundai ventures / 17aug 5-6pm panel business of corporate design studios

creativity, inc. by ed catmull. great stories about pixar and how they grew from a small group to a major animation studio. of the many stories, tells of the need for leaders to be surrounded by a group of trusted peers whose role is to be a truth teller. ed calls this group “the brain trust.”

nate young / svp of design and ideation / newell brands / 17aug 11:30-12:00 the best way for design to become a brand is not to force it

the fountainhead by ayn rand. why: on one hand, it challenged common orthodoxy surrounding design and creativity at the time. it is a timeless struggle. on the other hand, it demonstrated the stupidity of a philosophy taken too far.

>> name an industrial design book that every business executive should read and why?

ti chang idsa / co-founder and vp of design / crave / 18august 2:00-4:00 rapid fire sessions

art of innovation by tom kelley / the user experience is key. this book helps people of the design industry view innovation from high level user experience perspective.

max burton idsa / ceo and chief designer / matter / 18august 2:00-4:00 rapid fire sessions

the nature and art of workmanship by david pye / this book was required reading for students for my undergraduate degree in england. the book communicates that good design requires an understanding of making, materials and craftsmanship. this is important not only for the quality of the end result , but also for the process of getting there. throughout my career i have made sure that i involve making and prototyping as an intrinsic part of my design process. executives need to value creative exploration and understand that with most great products, the early stages are fuzzy… introducing physical prototypes early on in the creative process turns abstract ideas and thinking into something tangible and actionable. it also allows all key contributors including executives to influence the creative process.

tsai lu liu, idsa / department head, graphic and industrial design / north carolina state university / 17august 2:00-4:00pm rapid fire sessions

designing for people by henry dreyfuss / one of the founders of american industrial design and the first idsa president. the human/customer-centered design/ business philosophy established in this book is as relevant and refreshing today as it was 60 years ago.

chris kaye idsa / vp of research & technical innovation / us endoscopy / 17august 9:00-9:30am the dichotomy of design and business

designing for people by henry dreyfuss is a little dated, but remains a classic. it covers a multitude of markets and helps drive home the design thinking, problem solving approach, and focus. there are numerous examples of project successes, challenges and even some ironic twists and mistakes along the way.

liam hawry / director of industrial design–packaging / studio one eleven / 17august 2:00-4:00pm rapid fire sessions

the design of everyday things by donald norman / classic little book that exposes how much impact the interactions we have with man-made objects have on our overall experience of the world and perceptions about them.

nate young / svp of design and ideation / newell brands / 17aug 11:30-12:00 the best way for design to become a brand is not to force it

beautiful thing by robert clay / why: perfect design primer.

evan macdonald / branding and design / freefly systems / 17august 2:00-4:00pm rapid fire sessions

my previous answer – creativity inc by ed catmull. that book would be a big help to opening business execs to the power of creativity in business. in the interest of not recycling my previous answer, lets go with the design entrepreneur by steven heller. or the classic from don norman: the design of everyday things. is that a cop out?

david dombrowski idsa / director, industrial design & innovation / pfizer consumer healthcare / 17aug 5-6pm panel / business of corporate design studios

let my people go surfing by yvon couinard and naomi klein. a brilliant book about the growth of the privately held company patagonia. the growth of culture within a company in which design played a major role in the development of its products. the book is complete from all aspects of how patagonia became the company it is today.

lisa marks idsa / assistant professor of technology and applied design / berea college / 17august 2:00-4:00pm rapid fire sessions

lightness: the inevitable renaissance of minimum energy structures by adriaan beukers and ed van hinte. while at first glance this book is primarily for giant design nerds like myself, it also speaks to how material and design decision can influence the way the world works, from transportation to business decisions.

john suh /
 vice president
 / hyundai ventures / 17aug 5-6pm panel business of corporate design studios

the physics of life by adrian bejan. while this may not be a traditional industrial design book, it does deal with design in nature. it deals with a law of nature, called the constructal-law, which states that for a finite-sized (not infinitely large and not infinitesimally small) to live (to persist in time), it must change its design (configuration) to allow greater access to the things moving through it.

>> steve jobs was influenced by calligraphy. what surprising class or practice has influenced your work?

ti chang, idsa / co-founder and vp of design / crave / 18august 2:00-4:00 rapid fire sessions (8 min talks)

furniture design was incredibly helpful in honing my aesthetic sensitivities and my design values. a chair is just a chair until you have to figure out what makes that chair your chair that defines you as a designer. talk about soul-searching and personal design life crisis!

max burton, idsa / ceo and chief designer / matter / 18august 2:00-4:00 rapid fire sessions (8 min talks)

many industrial designers i know also play instruments and i play the classical guitar. i find the physical interaction with a physical instrument a visceral experience that refreshes my enjoyment with the tangible world in a digital era. the act of playing well requires skill, artfulness and interpretation, similar skills to being an industrial designer. a good guitar itself is a piece of fine craftsmanship. there is a symbiotic relationship between the guitar maker, the guitar and the player. great guitars can cost a small fortune and perhaps ironically the best ones are still made completely by hand by one person.

[ idsa ] [ #idsa17atlanta ]

above > image courtesy of chicago architecture biennial

the second edition of the chicago architecture biennial (cab) is the largest architecture and design exhibition in north america, showcasing the transformative global impact of creativity and innovation in these fields. this year’s biennial features over 141 practitioners from more than 20 countries addressing the 2017 theme “make new history.” artistic directors sharon johnston and mark lee have selected architects and artists whose eye-opening creations will invite the public to explore how the latest architecture can and will make new history in places around the world. the main exhibition is free and open to the public from september 16, 2017 through january 7, 2018.

the make new history exhibition extends to off-site locations and is amplified through six community anchor exhibitions in the neighborhoods and two special project sites – plus installations, performances, talks, films, and more hosted by over 100 local and global cultural partners.

chicago architecture biennial | chicago cultural center 78 east washington street chicago 312.854.8200

neocon at the merchandise mart | 222 west merchandise mart plaza chicago [ directions ] /

Find Events

Event Views Navigation

View As List Month Week Day Map

Date

Search

Near

upcoming events › CAB

Events List Navigation

past forward: architecture and design at the art institute.

12 September 2017 - 12 January 2018

art institute of chicago, 111 south michigan avenue
chicago, IL 60603 United States

showcasing the art institute of chicago's seminal twentieth and twenty-first century holdings of visionary architectural drawings, inventive furniture design, and powerful graphic and industrial designs, past forward: architecture and design at the art institute marks the grand opening of the museum's newly reinstalled permanent collection.

Find out more »

Events List Navigation

+ Export Events

above > wiel arets is a dutch architect, architectural theorist, urbanist, industrial designer and the dean of the college of architecture at the illinois institute of technology in chicago. during an exclusive interview with designapplause 15 september, arets points to key elements of an iit + sanaa installation.

lake 33rd, bronzeville / iit college of architecture + sanaa ( chicago / toyko )

for the 2017 chicago biennial, sanaa teamed up with the illlinois institute of technology, college of architecture to explore scenarios for the development of the iit campus and how it might impact the surrounding neighborhoods. the iit campus and its relation to current and future neighborhoods was part of a conversation between phyllis lambertof the candian centre for architecture and kazuyo sejima (sanaa).

[ cab calendar ]#chicagobiennial @iitarchitecture

not a plethora of design galleries at the sixth edition of expo chicago but those who showed up are gems.

above & below > r and company creates and delivers superdesign with a film: superdesign: when design wanted to change the world. in addition there are two series of talks, one of on radical italian design 1965-1975.

above> half dollar chair | johnny swing | 2003 | r & company | 231

r & company represents a distinguished group of historical and contemporary designers whose goal is promoting a closer study, appreciation and preservation of 20th and 21st century design. gallery owner zesty meyers is a founding member of design miami.

johnny swing artist’s statement: art making is a social responsibility. to honor the privilege of being an artist, there are expectations i have for my work. first, it needs to be entertaining; second, it needs to spark curiosity, so that it creates a dialogue with the viewer; and third, it should have a formal quality, so that when the work is or approximates furniture, it must be comfortable.

above > laguna (lagoon) glass collection | michela cattai | 2017 | casati gallery 615

the gallery focuses on furniture, lighting, objects and art from post-war italian to global contemporary. gallery owner ugo alfano casati is a founding member of design miami.

cattai’s interest in the glass, coupled with her appreciation for italian design, led her to experiment with and eventually reinterpret centuries old murano glass crafting traditions.

above > boardroom crockery from slave city 2005-2009 | joep van lieshout | carpenter’s workshop gallery 443

sculpture, visionary, and enfant terrible sculpter joep van lieshout produces work that breaks the boundries of art, design, and architecture.

carpenters workshop gallery proposal of functional sculptures stands just at the intersection of two universes: reaching precisely a symbiosis of art and design.

above > horse cabinet | gaetano pesce | 2006 | salon 94 435

pesce, a playful italian architect, product designer, film-maker, and artist. a founding member of group n and an important figure in the radical design group. pesce notice ! offsite at the peninsula hotel see pesce’s introspective installation what it is to be human. thru 8 october 2017

above> serpentine sofa | vladimir kagan | c. 1950
petalas coffee table | jorge zalszupin | 1962
fried egg chair | hans olsen | c. 1956comfort’ armchair | antoine philippon & jacqueline lecoq | c. 1950
peter blake gallery 558

the gallery’s program is focused on monochrome, concrete, and reductive abstraction, with an emphasis on california minimalism and light and space.

above & below > church of valley | junya ishigami architects | construction started 2017

the second edition of the chicago architecture biennial opened 16 september 2017. the event is billed the largest architecture and design exhibition in north america. this year features 150 practitioners from more than 20 countries. artistic directors sharon johnston and mark lee invite us to explore how architecture and design can and will make new history around the world.

curatorial statement (edited…) > making new history is a form of contemporary practice. although architecture has almost always learned from what came before, today we see an increased awareness in practices that cross the institutional strictures of style, period, and generations to move beyond the traditional linear historical narrative. despite this seemingly smooth horizon of information, there is great diversity in the ways and means architects approach and redefine the past: from increasingly visible practices of referencing and resampling in image making, to reassembly of as-found and original materials, to the site-specific practices that engage with existing buildings in unexpected ways. these paths all foreground historical narratives of forms, and objects – yet their reconstitution is utterly contemporary.

topics presented are: building history > where a single building stands alone as a marker of time; material history > that explore the contemporary ways makers approach finish, decoration, and language in matter today; image history > that reflect the ways that technological tools have influenced the maker’s toolbox; civic history > that pose questions of collectivity, in settings from the individual room and the workshop in the city.

above > church of valley | junya ishigami architects (tokyo) | construction started 2017

the structure is still in progress – a church, 1.35 meters/4.4 feet wide and towering 45 meters/145 feet high, tucked within a ravine of a mountain in china’s shandong province. the concept is to create a new environment which expands the space of the terrain and emphasizes the tranquility of the original environment.

two closely spaced curving walls move further apart to enclose the altar space. the entrance and ceiling remain open to the elements, so wind and rain can pass through as in the valley. on a clear day sunlight seeps in reflecting downwards. on a rainy day, water droplets blowing in the wind trickle down the walls though in the altar area raindrops fill the space with a hazy light.

editor’s note > a most remarkable concept. one of the best of show.

above > robotic craftmanship: making new history with traditional materials | archi-union architects (shanghai) | pictured phiip yuan

above > ghostbox | t + e + a + m | pictured ellie abrons & meredith miller

t + e + a + m is looking for a patron to make it happen.

above & below > homage to édouard manet’s a bar at the folies bergere | june14 meyer-grohbrügge & chermayeff (berlin and new york) | pictured from left simon ertl, marta fernandez, sam chermayeff

manet’s last major work. the barmaid’s face is the most unreadable ever painted – and just one mystery of this exquisite enigma. the venue opened in 1869 and its atmosphere was described as “unmixed joy”. in contrast, the barmaid in manet’s representation is detached and marooned behind the bar. she is the only person in this painting who is not reflected in glass. everyone else in the painting is seen in the big bar mirror: the quickly painted, harshly reflected faces and bodies, a woman in gloves with her lover or client, someone else looking at the scene with binoculars.

the only solid realities are the marble bar top and the bottles – crème de menthe, champagne, beer – a bowl of oranges, two flowers delicately placed in a vase.

editor’s note > kudos to this refreshing interpretation amongst quite a few architectural solutions. oh, the door in the bar contains a functional fridge.

above > make new hutong metabolism, beijing | zao/standartarchitecture (beijing) | pictured from left amy kim and stefano di daniel

the subtle complexity of the hutongs as authentic contemporary urban spaces has been overlooked by both advocates of tabula rasa development and by the defenders of historical restoration respectively. the architects suggest that historical cities might be considered as living organisms whereby when one household leaves it is reborn and assimilates among the existing homes. this very successful concept is currently on-going.

above> the float | yuchen cai | winner of the renault and central saint martins ual competition / see below for winning details

it’s good to see car companies support design with their incredible technologies, vision, and a little sex appeal here and there. this year, another example of this support: groupe renault became the designjunction london headline sponsor. renault has been making cars since 1898. today it’s an international multi-brand group, selling more than 3.18 million vehicles in 125 countries in 2016. to meet the major technological challenges of the future the group is harnessing its three brands, renault, dacia and renault samsung motors, together with electric vehicles and the unique alliance with nissan. with a new team in formula 1 and a strong commitment to formula e, renault sees motorsport as a vector of innovation and brand awareness.

since 2010, anthony lo, vice-president, exterior design, has been at the forefront of the global design-led reinvention of the groupe renault brands. in 2017, for the second year, group renault partners and challenges with central saint martins master candidates in industrial design to a competition to design cars for a changing transport landscape. the winner to spend two weeks with senior designers at renault’s design studios in paris. lo returns to lead the judging panel. central saint martins, located in king’s cross, is internationally renowned for the creative energy of it’s students. alumni include: alexander mcqueen, stella mccartney, terrance conran, lee broom, bill moggridge/ideo, danielle de luliis/apple, antony joseph/joseph joseph, and antony gormley.

the competition was judged by two of renault’s senior design team – anthony lo, and françois leboine, chief exterior designer – as well as nick rhodes, central saint martins programme director, product ceramic & industrial design and nick clinton, creative director of fusion 2k ltd. the competition was whittled down from 15 students to three semi-finalists over the summer – stephanie chang liu for her flo design, which included three different sized vehicles for three different uses, tuna yenici for his emotive vehicle named vue and yuchen cai for her vision of vehicles moving around using maglev technology, called the float.

yuchen cai was announced as the winning student by anthony lo during designjunction 2017’s opening evening. cai created the float, a vision of a car that will provide a new way of connecting with people, a new form of mobility and portrays an idea of how drivers can be more open and social to the outside world as autonomy becomes ever popular. a model of this vision will be on display at designjunction between 21st and 24th september in granary square, in kings cross, london.

rhodes, said: “it’s a very great pleasure to work an important design-led partner such as renault. for the second year, renault has presented ma industrial design students with a major challenge to address. from a technological viewpoint, the prospect of vehicle autonomy is fascinating, but it’s also critical to hold in mind that such opportunities also present significant challenges to how people interact and their experience of future cities. recognition of the success of the projects here lies in their ability to describe broader conceptions of what driverless vehicles might become and how we may come to live with them.”

[the float – winning entry] due to its form and function, cai’s vision of the vehicle of the future looks like a bubble when in transit. rather than moving on wheels, the vehicle uses magnetic levitation (maglev) technology. made with transparent glass on the exterior and with silver seats, it has a futuristic design aesthetic.

the concept of the design is based around the car becoming more of a social space. in cai’s design, the car of the future provides a new way of connecting with people through tessellation, connecting with the outside world more thanks to the application of large swathes of glass and will also be ‘non-directional’ with the ability to move in any direction at any time without the need to turn around.

such is the design of cai’s autonomous vehicle concept, it allows pods for either one or two people to be made. through the geometry of these designs, numerous pods can be attached via a magnetic belt that runs around the exterior so more than two people can travel together. ingress and egress is easy thanks to swivelling bucket seats coupled with sliding doors, akin to those found on the london underground. a control on the seats enables the passenger to rotate their seat, open up a sound system to speak with passengers in pods connected to theirs and change the opacity of the glass – providing exclusivity or inclusivity according to the passenger’s requirements.

cai’s winning idea also included a smartphone app with which users would be able to rent a float at the touch of a button. similar to how one would hail an uber or other taxis in the present day, pods would be available to rent for one journey or for numerous days.

[flo] below > stephanie chang liu’s flo design incorporated three separate vehicles – one for freight transport, one for personal transport and a third for shared transport – a direction for the bus or taxi of the future. the initial concept behind flo came from the notion of a ‘seamless journey’. for stephanie, a seamless journey meant ‘a constant flow of goods and people across a city’.

[vue] below > tuna yenici created vue, a unique take on establishing an emotional bond between the users and vehicles of the future. inspired by the relationship between humans and their pets, vue will be sad to see the owner go after its job is done for the day or greet the owner when they first get into it for the day, like a pet.

[renault at designjunction 2017] below > renault’s stand space allows a rare glimpse inside the minds of their car designers with an immersive installation entitled life designed. the bespoke two-storey temporary edifice houses two feature projects. the winning model as well as the designs of all three finalists from the competition will be on display with interactive information on each. upstairs, the multi-award-winning renault trezor concept car will be shown in the uk for the first time and displays the expansion of renault’s design strategy. the trezor, with its welcoming style and being geared towards driving pleasure, complements the csm finalists design display downstairs, by embodying future mobility and automotive passion.

above > life design pavilion below > trezor