Racy Restrooms and Bathroom Glamour

By Gillian Wong, Editorial Intern

When Las Vegas Weekly gave its opinion on what the top five nightclub restrooms were, they didn’t shirk from the risqué. Two bathrooms became winners because of their excessive affluence, but the rest were satisfying in a completely different manner.

Starting in Flirt Lounge, dark purple alcoves are swathed with matching drapery. The inlets circumvent what many call “the gossip pit,” under a glowing, lavender chandelier. Three television sets in the area feature just-covered Chippendales to get the ladies in the mood.

Meanwhile, in Vanity Nightclub, located in the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, the women’s room serves as a pamper party, a retreat from the sea of men waiting on the other side of the door. With six vanity stations (complete with individual plush settees) in a 2,000 square feet space, ladies can touch up their makeup with ease. And for those ladies who need to attend to their own business, more than a dozen stalls are tucked away behind a white tufting-patterned corridor, safely away from the noise. Waiting females can relax on two larger settees, while Sputnik-design cluster chandeliers finish off the look of glamour.

And for those looking for some playful restrooms, Playboy Club and Moon Nightclub (both present at The Palms Casino & Resort), Mix Lounge, and Déjà Vu Erotic Ultra Lounge hold the key.

Both Mix Lounge and Moon Nightclub play with a little taste of voyeurism. In Mix Lounge, one of the females’ stalls, as well as a separately placed restroom, has floor-to-ceiling windows. The men don’t miss out either, as their row of urinals faces a window that surveys the city below.

In Moon Nightclub, the décor plays with a distinct, modern feel, with a steel and silver color scheme. Every stall has floor-to-ceiling windows, playing with the adrenaline rush that comes with possibly being seen.

Back in the Palms Casino & Resort, the Playboy Club invites its clientele to look closer, particularly at its walls. A glass-bead overlay blurs the Playmates collage underneath, while mirrors, door handles and sinks are colored a chic, subtle black.

Finally, the Déjà Vu Erotic Ultra Lounge draws the club crowd into the restrooms. Although the restrooms are shielded with a semi-transparent waterfall wall, the cover is merely a courtesy. The restrooms are unisex, and LED lights bring the atmosphere into the bathrooms by changing colors inside the stalls. Don’t forget to lock the door of your stall if you go, as that’s the trigger that fogs up the glass doors—or do.

http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2010/mar/11/five-great-nightclub-bathrooms/

Dollars and Design: Rethinking Big Spending

By Adam Figman, with Stacy Straczynski

While overall unemployment rates for February held steady at 9.7 percent (potentially reinforcing that we may finally be looking forward to better times ahead), construction employment continued to fall by 64,000 jobs, 10,000 of which were among non-residential building. With the demand for architecture services and new construction still lagging behind, as clients aim to redesign already existing structures, it’s important for the design industry to keep focus on innovation and remember that big bucks aren’t necessarily needed for big change.

One great example of a budget-friendly revamp is the renovation of the Albany Public Library (April 2009) in Albany, Ore. by Portland, Ore.-based architecture firm Hennebery Eddy Architects. The construction turned a 41,000 sq.-ft. office into a library that is now a central pillar of Albany’s community—for just $80 per sq.-ft!

The interior and exterior designs are modest, and the architects didn’t have to look far for design inspirations. “Inspiration began with the agricultural history of Albany and the city’s current tag line, ‘The Grass Seed Capital of the World’ at the center of the Willamette Valley,” says David Wark, AIA, LEED AP and associate at Hennebery Eddy. “Bands of green, relating to the idea of agriculture and rows of crops and rows of books, became a consistent design concept for the exterior and interior. This connects to our view of libraries as places of growth and renewal.”

On the exterior, Wark mentions, how green paint bands and vertical trellises were used to break up the long horizontal massing of the previous building, all while adding an energy to the façade and integrating the surrounding landscape onto the walls. “Since opening day the library has been embraced by patrons,” he says. “One library patron stated that the library is ‘Bright, well lit, with a voluminous feel. Structurally, it is non-pretentious, all well and good for a city that prides itself on a solid, working class heritage.’”

Additionally, to save funds, the library’s restrooms were updated rather than gutted entirely, and the horizontal boards used on the interior were made of plywood instead of the more expensive lumber. New lighting was installed to update the overall feel of the space, and rather than tear down an unneeded closet, the architects converted it into a reading room for one.

And the GlobalShop Winner Is…Best in Show: Amuneal

By Heather Strang

Hot off the press: Philadelphia-based Amuneal Mfg. has been selected as the Best in Show booth winner for GlobalShop 2010 by the editors of DDI Magazine.

Located in the Store Fixturing Show pavilion (Booth 3219), the booth is constructed of 1,000 hand-made flowers, whose petals were individually laser-cut from steel and then powder-coated and welded together on a 14-ft.-tall structure. Talk about some serious work for a display booth.

But, it was worth it. The Amuneal booth is clearly Oscar worthy. It’s elegant, breathtaking and absolutely stunning. I realize that’s a lot of adjectives for a booth – but trust me, its true. And it’s not a booth you simply walk by. It’s a booth you walk around, your mouth wide open in awe. The precision and beauty of it is simply overwhelming.

Describing the booth concept, Adam Kamens, CEO, Amuneal, says: “We wanted to create something that people would respond to emotionally, to get people in a good mood after coming out of 2009.”

Well, Adam and his team could not have done a more outstanding job. Everyone is already feeling better about making it through 2009 (so glad we’re done with that!). But, you’ll feel this booth for a lot of other reasons – if for nothing more than because it’s beauty demands you do.

You don’t want to miss it. It’s certainly GlobalShop 2010’s Best in Show.

-- Display & Design Ideas

Ronis Showcases Chic Creativity at GlobalShop

By Heather Strang

GlobalShop is filled to the brim with creativity. From booth display designs to products to just amazingly talented people – GlobalShop has it covered. But, of course there are always a few items that stand out above the rest.

I fell in love immediately with Ronis’s booth display (check out the cool dog), and upon closer inspection found a plethora of creative gems. There’s the desk with a comic book painted cover, the mannequin with a ridiculously long arm (perfect for hanging clothes!) and the eye glass holders carved out to represent Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson and one of my idols, John Lennon.

Upon further investigative research, I fell even more in love with the owners of Ronis - Paul  Zylberberg and his wife of 30 years, Monica. The two started the company in 1981 doing paper mache dress forms for the garment industry. Slowly, an evolution occurred and now they produce furniture, mannequins and a wide variety of props for major retailers like Victoria’s Secret, Urban Outfitters, Tommy Hilfiger and the like.

Today, it’s a family run business with Paul serving as the creative mind who quite literally wakes up with visions of a product (or a booth display as the case was for GlobalShop), and puts it into action.

To me, the Ronis style is urban chic. I love the use of pink, the clever design, including its functionality and the overall energy of their work. And, I’m not alone. Their goods will also be part of the new Pink store opening up in Soho this weekend, and I can’t wait to see all the creativity involved in that project.Stay tuned!

All in all, Paul says they aren’t afraid to do anything – he’ll say “yes” to pretty much any request! And he loves thinking outside the box; in fact, he says he won’t do the same thing as everyone else because it just isn’t his style. As I left the booth, more visitors came by to snap photos of the eye-catching display. I had to stop to confer with one attendee as we marveled on the pure genius of the designs.

Thanks GlobalShop!

-- Display & Design Ideas

Spec by Spec: New Seating Design Software

By Adam Figman, Editorial Intern

Michigan-based seating leader American Seating has designed two programs, both available at www.americanseating.com, to save the time of busy designers and architects who don’t have all day to deal with product catalogs and the like.

The first, Specification “Spec” Builder, is better for those who think textually. Essentially, the builder lets users roll through a set of seating options – which model, what kind of wood, what kind of cushion, what color, etc. – to arrive at a customized product. After hitting “download specification” at the end of the options, a wordy, but organized, detailed PDF pops up with all of the specifics: quality assurance, description, operation, construction, parts, options, etc.

The seating available through the Spec Builder is ideal for lecture halls, auditoriums and computer laboratories. 

The Focus Configurator, meanwhile, designs table/chair combinations for higher education use, such as the average university classroom. The variety of selections includes two tables, three swing-away chair, 10 edge moldings, 36 metal or wood modesty panels, nine metal or wood privacy screens, power/data modules, and plenty of finish options. It’d be hard to ask for much more customization than that.

After selecting which of each you’d like, a very simple picture pops up, showing exactly what you’ve selected. It’s a lot more straightforward than the Spec Builder, showing you exactly what you’re final customized product will resemble with a small amount of text accompanying it. Users can save the PDF given at the end to help facilitate the ordering process. 

The moral of the story? The easier to use, the better. And the companies that are the quickest to adapt to this, and incorporate the Web in doing so, will put themselves in the best position moving forward.

Video: Architecture Defined

By Gillian Wong, Editorial Intern

Actions may speak louder than words, but sometimes it is necessary to sit down and think about what messages you’re trying to send through your work. In a recent YouTube video, Santiago Calatrava does just that.

As designer of the Chicago Spire and Puente del Alamillo, Calatrava is known for bridging the gap between structural engineering and architecture. In his interview, Calatrava speaks firmly, establishing with conviction what he thought to be the essential aspects of architecture, what it aims to do, and the meaning behind it. “It’s a time capsule,” he claims. Revealing a far more personal opinion about the field of architecture than is typically heard, Calatrava ignores all of the details architects are usually concerned with—room dimensions, energy-efficiency, etc.—and elaborated instead on the essence of architecture: beauty, utility, and solidity, or permanence in time.

Currently working on designing the future World Trade Center Transportation Hub, Calatrava says, about the 9/11 attack, “If we think of these buildings as containers, which were attacked by other containers, filled with other people—that shows a great contempt for humanity.” He goes on to say that the only solution to such violence is love and conviction.

If his theory is right, New York may have gotten the perfect architect for the job after all.

Chute Gerdeman Retail Inspires at GlobalShop2010

By Jenny Rebholz

I think the paparazzi might have been present during the inspirational session presented by Joanna Felder and Bess Anderson of Chute Gerdeman Retail. Flashes were popping as attendees tried to capture the images of unique visual merchandising and branding concepts from retail spaces around the world.

The imagery helped the pair illustrate their “story” of “Visual Merchandising - The Return of Storytelling to Refresh Tired Stores.” The audience was captivated by the images and the information, and I am sure each person walked away with at least a dozen ideas.

Some of the trends they shared include: “What’s Old is New Again.” Heritage and nostalgia are replacing the overly slick, ultra-modern stark retail stores of recent years. Retro-inspired interiors now offer a décor full of textural elements that express a sense of authenticity and individuality.

“The Return of Words” is another trend where retailers can use words to evoke emotion and offer another opportunity to engage customers in humorous and thought-provoking ways.  And taking words one step further, books provide an easy to implement idea that they referred to as “Hot Off the Presses.” The book titles can communicate powerful brand subtext while doubling as product displays. When they’re open, they make a well-read resting place for small items like jewelry or eyeglasses.

Anderson and Felder took the audience on a journey around the globe telling the story of successful brands and interesting spaces. They inspired the audience to think of curated art, coat hangars, used tea bags, stuffed animals, ladders… and the list goes on and on…in ways that speak to customers and transform the retail experience.

-- Display & Design Ideas

Skyscrapers Double as Giant Brita Filters

By Adam Figman, Editorial Intern

As far as most people are concerned, skyscrapers serve two purposes: to hold offices and to make city skylines look nice. Well, we might be able to add sustainable design to that list. The latest emerging innovation encompasses skyscrapers being used to fix water problems to create sustainable environments around the world.

One concept is the Ciliwung Recovery Project (CRP), designed by Rezza Rahdian, Erwin Setiawan, Ayu Diah Shanti, and Leonardus Chrisnantyo for Jakarta, Indonesia, a city built on the intersection of 13 rivers. The Ciliwung River, the largest of the 13, cuts right across the center of the city, but it has unfortunately become a bit of a disaster, as surges of the river’s water flood the city, and the slums alongside the riverbanks have created terrible pollution—which is where the skyscraper comes into play.

The CRP hopes to purify the river and its surrounding environment back to its original state. It will do so by both purifying the water, and housing the people who occupy the area’s slums. Here’s how:

The purification process will take place through three lines. The first line will flow the polluted river water via pipes into the building’s filtration section. There the garage will be sorted out of the water and used as raw materials to fertilize the soil in the river basin.

Next, dangerous contaminants will be eliminated from the water, and good minerals will be added, making the water safe for CRP building residents (those who previously resided in the slums). Keeping these people safe in the building, and not alongside the river, will pen new space for green areas and keep the flood plane protected.

Household waste products – those that are safe, of course – will then be distributed back into the river. This may be done in two ways: through underground capillary pipes, and by spraying the processed water through the “skin” of the building. Doing this increases the humidity in the building’s lower section, which will pioneer plant growth and help construct a new ecosystem.

And, as if the entire project wasn’t sustainable enogh, the building is capable of creating its own energy, completely independently. The outer layer of the building’s skin will be used as a wind power generator. There is also a solar reactor on top of the structure, which will generate solar power. Even the elevator uses Archimedes’ Principle, moving up and down based on its specific gravity.

Next we look several thousand miles west of Indonesia to Almeria, Spain, where plans for another water-filtering skyscraper have been drawn up. Designed by French-based group Design Crew for Architecture (partners: Nicolas Chausson, Gael Desveaux, Jiso Yang Huang, Thomas Julien), the Freshwater Factory Skyscraper will function as its name insists. Although it might look like something out of a sci-fi flick (think District 9 or Independence Day), the Freshwater Factory may revolutionize farming’s relationship with freshwater.

The structure is composed of several round tanks, which are filled with brackish water (water with more salinity than freshwater but less than seawater). Located inside spherical greenhouses, the tanks bring in the water via tidal-powered pumps. Inside the tanks are mangroves, which feed on the brackish water and sweat out freshwater, which then evaporates in the greenhouse and condensates into dew on the plastic walls. The dew is collected and distributed through gravitational flow.

And it’s no small amount, either; one 10,000 sq.-ft tower can produce 30,000 liters of freshwater in a single day (enough water to irrigate, say, 10,000 sq.-ft. of land). 

The project, if successful in Spain, could be applied anywhere.

Maybe skyscrapers have more than two purposes, after all.  

Wallpaper for Well-Dressed Walls

(Courtesy of the Repeat. No Repeat blog)

Depending on the type of interior design you engage in, wallcovering can be a designer's best friend or worst enemy.Having worked with architects for many years, most are not in favor of decorative effects like patterned wallcovering, for they believe it somehow dilutes the purity of a building's design. However, there are many designers and architects who love the viusal impact that wallcovering can provide, especially for a feature wall in a prominent area.  Nowadays, the trend seems to be moving away from small scale textures that ruled the last decade to overscaled graphic patterns, no doubt to align with client's goals of marketing and branding. And with the desire to move away from vinyl as a substrate, this leaves lots of room for wallpaper houses big and small to make a name for themselves in the contract market.

Here we showcase several of our favorites making waves these days, offering unique wallpaper products that could fit in any type of project or setting, depending of course on how you use it (and paying attention to location for durabilty and maintenance). Having said that, here's what tickles our fancy:

 
Changing Guards at Buckingham Palace by Lizzie Allen

The lifesize Telephone Box by Lizzie Allen 

Lizzie Allen is a young British printed textile designer, who having already worked for Paul Smith and Osborne & Little, was then awarded the opportunity by the Crafts Council in the UK to start her own company. Since 2005 Lizzie has been screening both her line of British themed patterns and custom work (bespoke, as the Brits say) in her own studio. She uses paper substrates that are sourced from managed forests and recycles the minimal paper waste.

 
Scribble by Beyond the Valley, printed by Cole and Son

detail by Beyond the Valley, Stampede 

Another British design, Stampede, comes from design collective/shop/gallery Beyond the Valley.Sold by the roll on their online shop, this small but hip line features just three patterns of hand illustrated designs and done in collaboration with the esteemed house of Cole and Son. Also from Cole and Son are some more contemporary patterns, from fashion designer Vivienne Westwood - based on her established prints - and large scale natural graphics such as "Woods". And while neither of these are brand new (Woods has been out for a couple of years), the time seems right to introduce these large scale graphics into your projects as needed.

Squiggle by Vivienne Westwood for Cole and Son

by Cole and Son - shown in black and white

Another Brit we like is Deborah Bowness, who we discovered at ICFF a few years ago. Her wallcovering consists of narrow panels that have photographic images of common household objects, among other things. Pieced together you can get quite a striking wall mural. Check out her page of commissioned projects - very impressive!

 
Flowerie Coolie, Semi Drum x2, Semi Drum, Round Drum, and Tassley One by Deborah Bowness

Vancouver based Rollout, like many of the smaller wallpaper houses, has both a standard running line of patterns as well as offers custom products. One of their more dramatic, eye-catching patterns is Sultry Hair, designed by Andrio Abero. They use premium water-based inks with latex-based paper and print the rolls per your project's square footage in order to minimize waste. Because of the flexibility of the digital process, colors or repeats can be changed easily. These are also suitable for commercial projects, as the papers are Class A fire rated.

 

Sultry Hair by Rollout

 For more inspiring wall coverings, visit Repeat. No Repeat.

Empire State Building: Retrofitting for Future Sustainability

By Stacy Straczynski, Associate Editor

Johnson Controls may have just announced its selection of Serious Materials to super-insulate the Empire State Building's over 6,500 dual-pane windows, but the building's retrofitting initiative, started last April, goes way beyond energy-efficient windows. Here's a video with more info, for those of you who have been touched by the green fairy (courtesy of YouTube).