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The Cement Factory Loft in Barcelona by Ricardo Bofill
LoftLife takes a look into The Cement Factory loft, Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill’s legendary and unusual live/work complex in Barcelona. Originally, the space was, in fact, a cement factory but it also resembles a cathedral with its high, narrow windows and gothic-style arches.
Today, the factory serves as Ricardo’s personal home, as well as offices, laboratories, and a venue for exhibitions, lectures, and concerts.
Take a look inside.
©2009 Design Milk | Posted by Jaime in Architectur
Human Canvas: Body Painting Meets Fine Art
Emma Hack has made a name for herself as one of the most creative and visionary Australian artists to come along in years. But she doesn’t work on canvas or clay; her medium is the beautiful form of the human body.
Hack began her career as a makeup artist, hairdresser and children’s face painter. But her talents have continued to grow and evolve over the last two decades into the mature and fascinating form she works in today. Her paintings are applied directly to models’ bodies and match up perfectly with their background, acting as a kind of camouflage. But the bodies are not entirely hidden in the patterns; rather, they become part of the pattern and allow the background to flow even more beautifully.
The wallpapers featured are by the legendary designer Florence Broadhurst, licensed specifically for Hack’s use. The intricate designs can sometimes take up to 19 hours to apply. When finished, the model’s body is at once a continuation of the design and a completely unique work of art on its own. The designs accentuate, rather than hide, the fluid beauty and grace of the human form.
The wallpaper paintings began with Emma doing the painting herself and a photographer making the images. However, as she has continued to grow as an artist, Emma has taken over the photographyas well. She has experimented with adding creatures and other types of designs in to her paintings, adding a new element to the concept of her amazing body art.
Although most of her subjects have been female, Emma has also experimented with painting the male form. The wallpaper designs she uses with the male models are necessarily different; they highlight the strength of the male form and the very different curvatures of the male body. She calls all of her models her “muses,” and her affection for the art and for the human form is apparent in every painting. She manages to make the bodies of her muses look infinitely inviting, fragile and soft without once over-sexualizing them.
Emma’s work has been shown and celebrated all around the world, winning her several awards and establishing a firm following for the budding artist. She has done many series other than the Wallpapers, including “Cowscape” which features stunning paintings on cows. Her inspiration, she says, comes from nature and all of the diverse cultures of the world.
(from weburbanist)
60+ Unusual Business Card Ideas & Designs
Most business cards tend to be forgotten, which is why they are not effective. Business cards can become great interactive elements with the added ability to have custom shapes, different materials and matte finishing along with a great design idea.
In today’s article, we would like to present a collection of 60+ Creative Business Cards ideas that say a lot about a person.
lush
Murillo Design
intersection
Elevator
kinos aarau
BRCKT
vlad soto
CAT BOX
Wanderlust Maps
EDUARD CEHOVIN
cartes de visites
Structural graphics
The Atomic Toy Co.
rubber band
Worth Checking
(from noupe)
The Best Seats in the House
from http://www.weburbanist.com
When asked to list essential, life-enhancing furniture around the home, there are not many people who would include their toilet. However, remove it from their home and they’d be aware of it in a very short time. The humblest seat in the house is also the most vital. For that reason, let us celebrate the ingenuity, creativity and widespread influence of modern toilets – because to build the ideal home, you really should start at the bottom.
(Images via: MSN and Tension Not).
First up, some public toilet designs that you might see moving indoors sometime soon. This design by Monica Bonvicini uses one-way glass to create the unsettling illusion that you’re performing your ablutions in full view of the whole world. If you can fight down the feeling that surely somebody can see you with your pants round your ankles, it’s a fascinating (and deeply weird) way to watch the world go by.
(Images via: Spluch and John Chow).
But if a public convenience in full view is seen as a very public inconvenience, why not hide it away? These two toilets take up the challenge by using the y-axis to hide all sins. The toilet at top is normally stored underground, so all you can see is the scenic sculpture on its roof – but pop a coin (1 yuan, in this case) into the slot and hey presto, one toilet. (We’re presuming that it won’t sink down again while it’s still occupied). The Urilift is designed to meet the needs of boozy gentlemen weaving their way back home after an evening in their cups – during the day it looks like a manhole cover, but at night it twirls into view to present urinals in all directions.
(Image via: Whole Wheat Toast).
And for making sure that nobody takes your public toilet for granted? Okay, so this design is a spoof (at the Hunter’s Point Shipyard Studios, SF). But this is guaranteed to make any guy think twice about doing what comes naturally to him. A design that heightens awareness, shall we say.
(Image via: luxurygaze).
And if you want to want your toilet out of sight in your own home, here’s a classy-looking option. This Bench Toilet doubles as an elegant table, thanks to a sliding wood panel. (But there is a catch: it costs over $11,000 – so this is one for when you are really…er, flush).
(Images via: Yanko Design).
For a commode that you’d be proud to display in full view, have a look at Sung Hoon Mun’s Cell toilet. Its polished surface and fashionably curving lines make it look like it was designed within the supercar industry…and under the hood – I mean lid - you would be surprised to find that it doesn’t require a tank, hence the unusually ground-hugging egg shape.
(Images via: Pinny Cohen and Diamond Vues).
So now for toilets that take things a little too far. On the left, the winningly-named Pimped Out John, sporting a frankly ludicrous array of modifications including a laptop, a gaming console, TiVo, a fully-stocked refrigerator and even some exercise pedals to help you lose weight while you…lose weight. This is a one-off item and not available in the stores, and frankly we are glad of it (imagine the effect it would have on kids that already hog the bathroom in the morning). Another distinctly noncommercial example is the Isis toilet, which shimmers because it is studded with $75,000 of crystals. On a practical note, I bet it gets cold in the winter.
(Images via: Propelair and Cooler Solutions Inc.).
The house of tomorrow will hoard its precious water. There are already methods in development to use kitchen sink grey water to flush toilets, but until they’re part of a designer’s standard toolkit, it would be sensible to cap the amount of water available without detracting from the unit’s function. This is what Propelair aims to do – by sealing the bowl and pushing air through it, it uses just 1.5 litres for a full flush (around 80% less than the standard). The Dignity toilet provides a sanitary alternative to a regular water supply in drought conditions – it holds its contents hygienically for a week, and then the top is undocked, augered into the ground in a safe spot, and opened.
(Image via: Collections Etc.).
BAD boy.You know how pets do that really disgusting thing with the drinking of the water in the toilet? This toilet-themes dog water bowl has us in two minds: obviously dogs will love it, and the design makes good sense (automatically refilling as it empties). But isn’t it teaching your dog to drink out the toilet? If you have given up trying to dissuade Fido from his disturbing habits, this is a practical way to concede defeat.
(Image via: Yanko Design).
And while we’re talking about items that give the wrong message – how about a toilet seat that tells you exactly how much weight you’re losing? That is precisely what the Toilet Seat Scale does (precisely). People with a weight micro-management problem form an unhealthy queue here, please.
(Images via: Spluch and Freshome).
So we are agreed – toilets can look great. But would you want to live in one? For South Korean Sim Jae-Duck, chairman of the World Toilet Association, the answer is a firm “Yes” – or at least, a house that looks like one until you go inside and see the luxury on offer. This stunning example of ultra-modern designwork (with a touch of eccentricity) is advertised as “a place of sanctuary” – just like its humbler counterpart.
(Image via: The Register).
But if you think a house-sized toilet is faintly ludicrous – what about this building? Could this be the world’s most monstrous porcelain throne – andwhy?
The Uninvisible Art of Amazing Urban Camouflage
From weburbanist.com
Camouflage isn’t just for hunters and the army anymore – it’s being used to make artistic statements, beautify urban environments, make ugly cars look nicer and for shock value. These examples of unusual use of camouflage show how versatile the concept is, from making homes blend into forest environments to creating eerie optical illusion effects in photography.
Trompe L’Oeil Body Painting
(images via: Emma Hack)
Body artist Emma Hack blends models seamlessly into wallpaper backgrounds in a series of photographs entitled ‘Wallpaper Collection’. In several of the photos, her models hold birds, creating an eerie sort of floating effect.
Nearly-Invisible Utility Boxes
(images via: We Jet Set)
Utility boxes become far less of an eyesore when they’re painted to resemble their surroundings as artfully as these ones seen in Los Angeles. Artist Joshua Callahan employed trompe l’oeil painting techniques to help them practically disappear into the background. It’s quite a fun and beautiful use of art to minimize the ugliness of these big, gray boxes.
BMW 7-Series with Trippy Camo Paint Job
(images via: World of Cars)
This BMW E65 7-Series was spotted out and about in Munich with a psychedelic camouflage paint job. BMW is reportedly testing out new ‘camouflage systems’ for future prototypes. It’s certainly a creative interpretation of camo print, but we doubt that it’ll help the car blend in.
Coke Machine Camouflage Suit
(images via: WebUrbanist)
Trying to avoid a stalker? Perhaps this Coke machine suit is just what you’re looking for to get around on the street without being spotted. Made by designer Aya Tsukioka, it unfolds from a red skirt into a full-sized replica of a vending machine. It may not be terribly convincing – especially when your shoes are poking out of the bottom – but it’s certainly a creative idea.
Quirky Urban Camouflage Photography
(images via: Desiree Palmen)
They really only work if you stay completely still, but these camouflage outfits – created and photographed by Desiree Palmen – are definitely trippy to look at. Palmen’s subjects are painted to blend into their environments, from park benches to bus seats.
Camouflaged House
(images via: The Cool Hunter)
Camo print has been applied to many objects, but this modern home covered in images of trees certainly seems to be a first. The exterior is designed to fit in among the greenery that surrounds it, and will seemingly disappear into the forest once the budding fir trees on all sides of it grow to their full height.
More Urban Camouflage Photography
(images via: Galerie Bertin)
Chinese artist Liu Bolin stresses the use of camouflage as a survival technique, mimicking nature. Of his camouflage photography, Liu says “Chameleon has the unique property of changing hues to match the color of the surroundings for self-protection. Rattlesnake can bury most of the body in sand soil. This can not only protect itself but also have a better access to food. There are also many animals, such as gecko, beetle etc., which have learnt to deal with the environment and the enemy in the longtime fight of life and death. In order to survive, good concealment has become the most critical factor.”
Camouflage Wedding Cakes
(images via: Sugar n Spice Bakery, PattyCakes TN)
For people truly obsessed with all things camo, a traditional white wedding cake will never do. Why stop at camouflage-printed bridesmaid dresses, ties and tablecloths when you can have a camouflage cake too, complete with fake dead deer head toppers?
Luxury Camo for Beater Cars
(images via: Nerd Approved)
Got an ugly, worn-out beater sitting in your driveway? Transform it into a luxury car instantly with a car cover that looks like a high-end automobile. This product doesn’t really exist, but the mock-up above (with a corner lifted up to illustrate the effect) shows that at least from a distance, it kind of works. Theoretically, you could even cut out the windows and drive around like that.
Urban Camouflage Hoodie & Graffiti Boiler Suit
(images via: Aaron Larney)
Artist Aaron Larney created this camouflage hoodie to blend into a real urban setting – specifically, a notice board. The hoodie itself is made from paper, covered in signs offering things like office equipment and lost dog rewards. For the graffiti photo, Larney enlisted the help of graffiti artists Matt Child and Dosah to help his subject blend into the wall by way of a painted boiler suit.
Kamo Kilts
(images via: Pittsburgh Kilts, GeekTimes)
For the Scotsman dedicated to wearing a kilt at all times – or the hunter who’d like to experience a cool breeze in the hot summer months – kilts are available in all types of camouflage print, including ‘Hunter Orange’.
Woman in Window Optical Illusion
(image via: Sudokuz)
It’d be hard not to look twice at this woman painted to blend into the wall and window frame behind her. It’s a pretty effective optical illusion, with the chipped paint of the window frame painstakingly recreated on her skin.
Urban Camouflage Art Installations
(images via: Laurent LaGamba)
Laurent LaGamba’s photographic installations deal with the juxtaposition of humans, nature, technology and urban space using camouflage techniques. The photos show people blending into store shelves, cars, appliances, airplanes and grocery store check-out counters.
Andy Warhol Last Supper Camo Jacket
(image via: HypeBeast)
Andy Warhol’s iconic combination of Leonardo da Vinci and camouflage print has been memorialized on a Burton jacket. ‘Camouflage Last Supper’ was one of Warhol’s final paintings from a Last Supper series that also included a black light Last Supper and several prints of the famous painting that also included corporate logos.
Matching Wallpaper and Gaudy Shirts
(image via: JPG Magazine)
Inspired by a scene in the film ‘Garden State’ where Zach Braff begrudgingly tries on a shirt made to match the wallpaper in his parents’ bathroom (top photo), this photo series by JPG magazine pairs ugly wallpaper with matching gaudy tops.
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