36 mètres-carrés

Tadao Ando - Vitra Seminar House / Weil am Rhein

2009-07-10T16:04:00.005+03:00

This seminar house on the site of Vitra in Weil am Rhein / Germany was built in 1993.
It was built around a yard of cherry trees as Mr Ando did not want them to be removed or destroyed. This house has a very calming atmosphere, you feel apeased right when you enter it. Amazing!

More about Tadao Ando here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadao_Ando

Flowers in the City

2009-06-24T16:30:00.001+03:00

Wild flowers on a window sill, simply put into bottles....

Mobilier urbain

2009-06-22T11:40:00.001+03:00

Mobilier urbain
Originally uploaded by 36metres-carres

Sièges installés sur les rochers au bord du lac à Vevey.

Zaha Hadid's Fire Station at Vitra / Weil am Rhein

2009-05-20T22:52:00.005+03:00

Backpart of the firestation.

Part of the front

Kitchen upstairs

Kitchen / refcetory seen from the roof-terrasse

Lockers in the women's changing room.

Zaha Hadid was born in Bagdad (1950). She trained maths at the American University of Beirut (1968 - 1971) and studied architecture at the Architectural Association School (AA) in London, UK (1972 - 1977).

The first of her major projects to be built was the fire station for the Vitra furniture factory at Weil am Rhein, Germany (1993).

http://www.design-museum.de/museum/weil/fuehrung/index.php

Tel Aviv - Architecture

2009-05-10T15:27:00.001+03:00

Weird building at the seashore of Tel Aviv. Don't really know what to think about this kind of architecture, but i tend not to really like it.

Sol au Centre de la Photographie

2009-05-08T15:24:00.001+03:00

Sol au Centre de la Photographie
Originally uploaded by 36metres-carres

This is a beautiful, industrial wooden floor, seen at the Centre de la Photographie in Geneva.

http://www.centrephotogeneve.ch/

Im Hackeschen Hof

2009-03-27T16:12:00.001+02:00

Im Hackeschen Hof
Originally uploaded by 36metres-carres

Hackescher Hof Café in Berlin-Mitte.
I love the Retro-style of the wallpaper as well as the color-combination!

And, sorry for being absent such a long time. I'm back.

Designer's Saturday '08: Akademie der Bildenden Künste München

2008-11-20T16:36:00.002+02:00

This was THE highlight of Designer's Saturday '08:

The entire first floor of the Mühlehaus contained this alien-like installation, imagined by the students of the Akademie der bildenden Künste in Munich.

It was made from plastic strips you normally use to keep together all sorts of cables. Though they used a rather rigid materiel, the whole thing was confortable and the atmosphere very cosy and comforting.

I asked about how much time was necessary for it. The project from planning and designing to the final result took 3 months, from which 6 weeks were necessary to weave the whole structure, employing 52 students full-time !

I loved this installation because it was original, very innovative, using an almost "every-day" materiel, looked utopic but was cosy and confortable despite the rigid appearance. And this could easily be produced, either as outdoor furniture, and even indoors..
Bravo!!

Akademie der Bildenden Künste München 5
Originally uploaded by 36metres-carres

Designer's Saturday '08

2008-11-08T13:30:00.003+02:00

This weekend is taking place the 12th edition of Designer's Saturday in Langenthal.

More info here:
http://www.designerssaturday.ch/

and here:
http://www.espacescontemporains.ch/main.php?page=evenement

I'll be going tomorrow.

See ya' !

More Streetart: In Memoriam Artamis - Geneva

2008-09-15T16:42:00.004+03:00

Some more pics i've taken on the Artamis-site in Geneva, which has been closed down since then....

S P I E G E L R E F L E X

2008-09-02T22:00:00.003+03:00

S P I E G E L R E F L E X
Originally uploaded by gva_jb

Julien Barro, a talented friend, is having his second photo exhibition !
The vernissage is tomorrow, september 3rd starting at 6 pm, at the Cheval Blanc, Place de l'Octroi 15 in Carouge / Geneva.
The exhibition continues until the 22nd of october.

If you live in or near geneva: go and have a look ! His talent is totally worth it.

Streetart

2008-07-05T22:01:00.004+03:00

Alien
Originally uploaded by 36metres-carres

Last week i went on a photoshoot with the Flickr-group of Geneva. This was not the first time, and it is always a great pleasure to meet up, to watch my fellow photographers work. It is always great fun.

So, last sunday we went to take pictures at "Artamis", which used to be some kind of a factory and then has become a place filled with alternative artists, bars and a theater. Now, the site is condemned to disappear. It will be destroyed, cleaned from pollution and then...?

Above photo is just an "appetizer", i'll post more photos soon, once i've made my choice. The place is full of streetart, mostly graffitis, but very beautiful ones. This place is the artist's paradise, as well as for the artists, who are already working there, but also for us, the photographers. With many details to discover. So, please stay tuned, i'll post more during the upcoming week.

Vienna: Architectural Beauty /2 : Integration by Hundertwasser

2008-06-07T17:53:00.002+03:00

Integration by Hundertwasser
Originally uploaded by 36metres-carres

If you visit Vienna, don't miss the house built by Friedensreich Hundertwasser. It has been built out of recycled materials and as you can see, the old has been perfectly integrated into the new.

Vienna: Architectural beauty / 1

2008-06-01T18:46:00.003+03:00

Licht bei Demel
Originally uploaded by 36metres-carres

I've been to Vienna recently for a couple of days. Walking around the city center, visiting the castle Schönbrunn, enjoying austrian kitchen (hmmm...Sacher cake !!).

One of the traditional Cafés is Demel, which exists under this name since 1857 and delivered the royal and imperial court with sweets and bakeries.

Inside the shop, i stumbled upon this beautiful chandelier....

lavomatique

2008-04-27T22:33:00.002+03:00

lavomatique
Originally uploaded by 36metres-carres

I've seen this on recent trip to Strasbourg, France. Reminded of the times in my first apartment where i didn't have a washer and had to go to a launderette in my neighbourhood to wash my laundry...I've rarely seen them in Switzerland, though.

Inspiration: Outdoor sink

2008-03-09T15:50:00.002+02:00

pia externa
Originally uploaded by Caio Estudio Manus

Found this over at Apartment Therapy: A simple, but beautiful outdoor sink. But actually, you could also have one like this in the guest toilet ( given, you have one in your apartment, i haven't, unfortunately...).

Photo credit to Caoi Estudio Manus.

Exhibitions...Plenty !

2008-02-23T18:08:00.003+02:00

Springtime is approaching and this year there are many very interesting exhibitions going on in Switzerland !

Julius Shulman photographe, une vie pour l'architecture

This exhibition about the american photographer Julius Shulman is taking place at archizoom EPFL/Enac at the University of Lausanne from february 21st until the 4th of april.
Lovely photos taking by him of the american modernist architecture during the 1950s and 1960s.

Mon-fri 9am to 6pm, sat 10am to 5pm
Building SG, EPFL Lausanne

La Quinzaine de l'architecture contemporaine

This year again, the SIA is organizing house-tours of contemporary homes and buildings throughout four cantons ( FR,VD,GE,NE). The tours take place from april 19 to 27th.
For the detailed program please refer to http://www.15n.ch/ .

Vitra Design Museum: Living under the Crescent Moon - Domestic Culture in the Arab World

An Exhibition about the arabic architecture and living culture. Taking place at The Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany from february 23rd to august 31st.
More information here.
This is definitely on my list ;-))

Max Bill - in Honor of his 100th anniversary

The city of Winterthur is honoring the 100th anniversary of its citizen Max Bill (1908-1984) with two exhibitions. The Gewerbemuseum is showing his architectural works, and the Kunstmuseum is honoring the artist and painter that he was. Both museums are exhibiting from january 20th to may 12th.

The tourist office of Winterthur is offering an interesting "Max Bill- Package", so have a look here for more information.

(Also on my 'must see' list ).

Mudac Lausanne: Dysfashional

The Mudac in Lausanne will show "Dysfashional" from march 12th to june 8th. Theme is fashion, but you won't see clothes. It is about the approach of designing fashion and creates scenarios around the materials. Seems very interesting ( to me, at least ).

Place de la Cathédrale 6, Lausanne.

Photo exhibition "Utopia" in Carouge

2008-02-14T21:46:00.004+02:00

exposition sur la cité du lignon ...
Originally uploaded by gva_jb

A friend is showing currently his photos at "Le Cheval Blanc" in Carouge, Geneva.

Julien Barro is a young architect and photographer, and is exhibiting a photo series about the Cité du Lignon.

The series shows the suburb neighbourhood Cité du Lignon in Geneva, making the huge , uniform buildings almost beautiful and individual, like for example the photo of the flyer above with hundreds of like windows but actually every window is made unique by its inhabitants.

Other pictures in this series show young people skateboarding, jumping etc. in this architectural context.

I've loved the exhibition for the different view you can get on these suburban neighbourhoods, which mainly consist of huge buildings designed to accommodate a maximum of people, and which normally don't have an attractive appeal.

This fantastic exhibition is taking place ( until end of march ) at Le Cheval Blanc, 15 Place de l'octroi in Carouge / Geneva.
Go, and have a look !

Happy New Year

2008-01-20T18:53:00.000+02:00

A belated HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of you !

It has been very quiet around here lately, my apologies ! I was soo busy and exhausted in december, and january started on a rough way.

I've been to Hamburg, Germany over the holidays, and took some nice architectural pictures.
Hamburg is my hometown, and since a long time i wanted to document the various entry doors in the neighbourhoods i used to live ( Eppendorf, Harvestehude, Eimsbüttel ) and those neighbourhoods which weren't too much damaged during the war. So this time, i mainly took pictures of doors in the neighbourhood of St Pauli near the harbour. After a little research work on my side, i'll post them here.

Above, you see beautiful old mailboxes, which i found in the entrance of an old, transformed soap-factury building in Hamburg-Winterhude. I love the simple design, and the workmanship which is paying a lot of attention to details.

Also coming up soon, is a report of one of my very favourite architects, Hadi Teherani.

VIELFACH Zürich - the smallest design shopping center

2007-11-25T15:33:00.000+02:00

Yesterday i went to Zurich to visit the Design exposition "Blickfang" with some friends. Before though, we went to the Seefeld neighbourhood, and had a look at the smallest design shopping center, "Vielfach". It is located in the Froehlichstrassse 41 and the shop really is small.

The interior is kept simple, all in white with two walls of showcases. The particularity is that each case is rented to independent designers and creators who wish to sell their (handmade) products and creations. All kinds of products can be found here, knitted and sewn items as well as painted or photographed mini-series, books in small editions, crazy, useful, beautiful ...everything is possible.

Each case has its own lighting, and is filled up by the artist who rents it.
There are so many different types of articles, i have bought some small magnetique bookmarkers to give as a christmas gift, i've seen baby t-shirts with funny prints on them, lovely felt-bags, ceramics and hand-made jewellery.

The principle of the shop is explained by a very nice salesgirl, and though the shop itself is small, there is much to see and discover ! And if you can't make it to the shop, they also offer the possiblility to buy on-line.

So, if you go to Zurich, have a stop in the Froehlichstrasse 41, it really is worth it !

Self-Promotion

2007-11-13T19:59:00.000+02:00

Back in July, the editor in chief from an italian magazine contacted me via Flickr and asked if i wanted to publish my kitchen remodel. Of course !!

So, here it is, in the november edition of Casa Facile.

I'm sooo proud of this ! Why ?
Because it is my first "real" project, after two years of evening school in interior design.
The first project which i did all by myself, from drawing the floorplans, researching suppliers, materials and companies for the big works, over to organizing and supervising the whole thing.
This article is a reward to the result of my work !

Thank you so much at Casa Facile, especially Giusi Silighini ( editor in chief ) and Claudio Malaguti ( text ) for the wonderful article, thank you so much !

New feature on the sidebar !

2007-11-04T17:13:00.000+02:00

I've added a new feature on the sidebar ( below the ads ):
From now on, i'll put all the adresses of the manufacturers, suppliers, shops and designers in a seperate rubric, so it will be easier to search for specific items.

Neue Räume 07: arte diffusione

2007-11-04T16:44:00.000+02:00

A wonderful chandelier seen at the booth of "arte diffusione", a shop which represents various international light and lamp manufacturers.

Neue Räume 07: Eternit

2007-11-04T15:58:00.000+02:00

Eternit (Schweiz) AG is mostly known for its planter collection, which you can find about anywhere in Switzerland in public places as well as on balconies. Eternit is in fact a construction material, to be more excat it can be described as fibre-cement, made of cement, lime-stone, fibre, air and water.
At "Neue Räume", Eternit presented less known though astonishing designs, such as the "Strandstuhl" which was designed in 1954 already by Willy Guhl. This chair has been re-edited in 1997.

In 1951 Anton Bee and Willy Guhl created "Spindel", to be seen in above picture in the front. It is one of the planters which made Eternits reputation.

Eternit AG has always asked designers to create new designs, either for the planter collection or other garden accessories. After the asbestos crisis, the composition has been reworked and since 25 years Eternit products are asbestos free. But the image had suffered serious damage at that time.
The past years, Eternit AG has also worked with various design schools. The bird houses have been designed in 2006/2007 by Vladimir Jaccard from ECAL. I think they are lovely, and would love to have one pending in a tree if i had a garden...

Also above "Mold Lamp" was designed by a ECAL student, Michel Charlot. The lamp walls are not thicker than handmade paper. This would fit perfectly in a loft or industrial-inspired working / living environment !

In my opinion, the Eternit (Schweiz) AG booth was one of the most surprising at the exposition, showing how to use an industrial construction material for different purposes. Not to forget that each piece is hand-made in Switzerland !

Neue Räume 07: Veuve Cliquot "My Yellow Dream"

2007-10-16T21:33:00.000+03:00

Veuve Cliquot asked five swiss designers to live their creative "yellow dream". The result has been shown for the first time at Neue Räume before the exhibition will travel through Switzerland.
The Yellow Dream is to be understood as a tribut to the typical Veuve Cliquot-yellow. The project has been supervised by Mr Peter Keller, director of the design-school ECAL in Lausanne.

Above is a quite special design, a mix between carpet and cushions, perfect for relaxing on it...with a glass of champagne ? It's called "Gnom" and has been designed by Nina Eigenmann.

This wonderful chandelier is composed of champaign-glasses, beautiful !

The lamp "Champagnion" by Jörg Boner is my favourite: it is made of cardboard that has been stuck together. It has a circular "lightbulb".