Eyes on an ‘Empty Sky’ this September 11

 
Thousands gathered in New York City this weekend to attend the 10th anniversary ceremonies in honor of those lost in the tragic 9/11 terrorist attacks. But while work continues on the extensive National September 11 Memorial project—composed of the public Memorial Plaza, designed by architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker, and now open to the public; the focal Freedom Tower at One World Trade Center, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (which currently rises just 78 of the total 105 planned stories); the Four World Trade Center building, designed by Fumihiko Maki; and sub-level National September 11 Memorial Museum, designed by Aedas, with entry pavilion designed by Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta (covered in detail by Contract’s Editor in Chief John Czarnecki in our forthcoming September issue)—those in New Jersey were able to participate in the commemoration of a much smaller yet equally powerful memorial on Saturday, September 10.

The New Jersey 9/11 “Empty Sky” Memorial, designed by Frederic Schwartz Architects (FSA) and located across the river from Manhattan at Liberty State Park (shown above and below, www.schwartzarch.com), is meant to remember the lives of 746 people from New Jersey lost in the September 11 attacks. The two 30-foot-high, 210-foot-long (a measurement that equals the width of each side of the World Trade Center) walls parallel each other to create a path between them. Each name is engraved at 3.75 inches tall on either of the memorial’s interior facade.

Placed to frame the now empty skyline view of Ground Zero and create an illusion for onlookers, the concrete structures are surfaced in stainless steel to reflect the varying angles of natural light throughout the day. Architect Frederick Schwartz, the memorial’s designer, notes to The Jersey Journal at the commemoration service that its positioning also allows the light reflected off it’s the memorial’s surface to create a halo between two walls at certain times of the day, which he admits was unintentional. "To me, it's a religious experience," he says. "For me, that is as if god is trying to tell us he is watching over these people."

The memorial itself rests between by slightly sloped hills, which helps to integrate the walls into the park’s landscape. Overall, "Empty Sky" literally and metaphorically encourages locals to find strength and look forward as a community.

The design for “Empty Sky” was selected by the family members of those it commemorates as the National Competition Winner of the 2004 AIA New Jersey Honor Award. Jessica Jamroz, an associate at Frederic Schwartz Architects, designed the New Jersey 9/11 Memorial with Schwartz asthe project manager.

FSA also won the competition for “The Rising,” a memorial at the Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla, New York, that honors the112 Westchester County locals who were lost in the attacks. This design, which was also chosen by the victims’ family members and created by Schwartz and Jamroz, features a structure that resembles an upside-down funnel. The memorial (shown above, photo by Jessica Jamroz/Frederic Schwartz Architects) is made from 112 interlaced stainless steel strands to symbolize strength and unity among the community.

What do you think about the designs? Do you feel that they successfully capture and elicit symbolic power? What other memorial designs have resonated with you on a personal level? Share your thoughts and comments with us below.

 --Stacy Straczynski

Designing Back to the Future: 2011 WT Awards

Design is always evolving, and while the latest Salone Internazionale del Mobile, which ran from April 12 – 17 in Milan, may have come to close this weekend, it’s no question that the designs presented at the 2011 WT Award exhibit at the exhibition’s Well-Tech Observatory pavilion will continue to inspire.

Now in it’s 11th year, the program presented to Salone attendees 60 design innovations that address the values of innovation, accessibility, sustainability, and quality of life. Nine winners in total were chosen across the range of categories, but here are a couple of the designs that directly apply to architecture and interior design:

 
"Masdar City, the Oasis of the Future,” a planned underground city in Abu-Dhabi, designed by LAVA, will rely solely on solar and wind energy. The town will occupy 6 sq. km. (20,000 ft. sq.) of space and offer a system of shuttle stations and tracks, in light of cars, for a zero carbon transportation system, as well as house 50,000 people, 1500 businesses, and the new Masdar Institute of Science and Technology University. http://www.l-a-v-a.net/

 
Designed by Tarta, this ergonomic backrest is lightweight, flexible, and elastic but also compact and durable. The modular dish style of the design allows for a custom build and individual fit that can improve the posture of users, from disabled people in wheelchairs to office workers. The system is convenient for application in lounge, sofa, or armchair seating, as well. http://www.tartadesign.it/

But why stop there? View all the 2011 WT Award winners and entrants at the WT Awards Web site. Some of the other entrants you may like to check out include:

 
Combining technology with sleek design, Heimdall presents a new outdoor speaker system. The luminous and wireless design is freestanding and solar-powered, with an operable remote transmitter control that can be synced to Smartphones and laptops. The aesthetic cylinder can be made from an assortment of materials—including resin, marble, wood—and features a touch screen. http://www.heimdall.it/

 
The new Energy-Photovoltaic Walkable Pavement from Onyx Solar is comprised of photovoltaic glass ceramic is integrated into the floor. The innovative product, which stores solar energy to be used inside nearby buildings, is pressure-resistant to weathering and performs like a normal floor tile. http://www.onyxsolar.com/

 
The Revolution Door by Fluxxlab modifies the traditional revolving door. Consisting of three main elements—an central pivot (that can replace each new or already installed port), a mechanical/electrical system to collect the rotary kinetic energy, and an electrical energy device that displays the amount of energy generated. http://www.fluxxlab.com/

What are your favorite design innovations? Share your thought with us in the comments below.

 --Stacy Straczynski

Mocked It for Mockett

 
Sometimes it’s truly the little things that pack the biggest punch, especially when it comes to designs that simplify. Doug Mockett & Company, Inc. recently announced the winners of its 25th annual Doug Mockett & Company Design Contest, which calls upon designers to create unique and innovative ideas for furniture parts, components, accessories, and hardware and compete for an unlimited number of First Place prizes.
 
This year, four winners were chosen (all were from the United States) and each will receive a $1000 cash prize, an engraved achievement trophy, and a royalty based on sales:

 
Rick Poliquin of Henderson, NV, for a unique purse hook design, to hang a purse or computer bag under a desk or restaurant counter.

 

Eric Coursey of Skandia, MI, for “Node”, a wire manager that gathers multiple wires at a central point and gently curves them around the edge of a desk.

 
Saruul Herz of New York, NY, for “Polished Balance,” a new approach to table leg design, where the legs bend inwards.

 
Mark Zack of Hillsborough, NC, for a series of metal wire managers that can easily be placed or moved on a desk or work surface, as needed.

Entries are now open for the 2011 Competition. Designers can send their entries via Registered Return Receipt or FEDEX to: Contest Administrator, Doug Mockett & Company, Inc., P.O. Box 3333, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, or via email to contest@mockett.com. For more information, call (310) 318-2491 and ask for the Contest Administrator. Deadline is September 6, 2011.

--Stacy Straczynski

Products Galore for NeoCon® 2011

NeoCon® 2011 quickly is approaching, which means things are buzzing behind the scenes at Contract. Once again this year, Contract presents to those design product manufacturers exhibiting at NeoCon® a couple opportunities for fame and glory, via our annual Best of NeoCon® competition and our editorial preview issues in May and June.

Best of NeoCon® 2011 Competition

The annual Best of NeoCon® Awards recognize those new and exciting product designs that push the limits of design innovation. The competition anticipates one Gold Award and one Silver Award in each category (Gold Award for the top winner; Silver Award for the next highest-scoring entry), along with Innovation Awards, Editors' Choice Awards, and one Best of Competition Award. Will your new design products rank among the top? Enter at ContractDesign.com. Deadline is April 25.

 

NeoCon® 2011 Product Editorial Preview

Contract magazine once again has released its call to A&D manufacturers to submit for editorial inclusion the latest and greatest new product introductions. Selected products, which are chosen at editor discretion, will be featured in the NeoCon® Product Preview section in our May and June 2011 print issues, as well as digital edition. Additionally, select products will be featured online at ContractDesign.com in our products section. Submission is open to all A&D manufacturers exhibiting at NeoCon® 2011. Read the submission details. Deadline April 1 at 5 p.m. EST.

Inspiration Awaits in this Office Space

In a landslide victory, Finnish designer Pekka Salokannel wowed the judges of interior solutions company Martela’s Inspiring Spaces Design Award to take home first prize and 12,000 euros (that’s over $16,000 dollars!), with his “2x2” office design concept.

 
“2x2” features a clever, minimalist design that offers an all-around solution, giving a full range of flexibility and configurations to fit any office environment. “The solution is bold and clear, and its use of color is especially innovative,” comment the judges.

Beyond the vibrant color (which I think unfortunately might be a bit daring and thereby unsuitable for many offices), I love Salokannel's spin on systems furniture. He incorporates the low panels to maintain boundaries in a more open space while also thinking about the need for storage, movability, and (as I tend to need in my case) a large work surface to spread out piles of papers and other knick-knacks. The attached lighting option brings down the light source for a brighter space and would adapt well for use in temporary spaces or adaptive reuse projects.

 
The 2011 competition, which is part of the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 program and being organized by Martela for the first time, challenged designers to create a new, inspiring office that would pay special attention to general aesthetic standards and innovative material use while still being functional.

The jury was made up of five members: James Irvine, industrial designer; Pekka Toivanen, industrial designer; Ilkka Suppanen, designer; Xiao Yong, graphic designer; and chairman of the jury, Petteri Kolinen, Martela design director and an industrial designer.

--Stacy Straczysnki

The 'Write' Design to Enlighten Your Life

We all know that recycling is the right thing to do for our environment, but it's also the "write" thing to help you lighten up, thanks to a giveaway hosted by Inhabitat and EcoFirstArt. Inhabitat's visitors can enter for a chance to win a conversation-provoking, $1,200 Volivik chandelier, made from 347 recycled Bic pens.

You can enter the giveaway in two easy steps:

1. Signing up for Inhabitat's weekly newsletter. (Winner will be announced in a future mailing, so you'll need to receive it to claim your prize)

2. Leaving a comment on the blog entry page at Inhabitat. 

Deadline is Monday, February 21. Inhabitat staff will pick their favorite comment then announce the winner in the newsletter. Click here to enter the giveaway.

Gunlocke's Good Deeds Meet Office Needs

 
Furniture manufacturer Gunlocke hosted once again its annual Office Needs for Good Deeds competition, awarding the $75,000 Grand Prize office makeover to a non-profit in need of a design upgrade. Crisis Nursury, an Urbana, Ill-based organization that helps to prevent child abuse by providing emergency intervention and support services to families in crisis, was named as the 2011 winner.

Crisis Nursery was chosen from a total of 116 non-profits that submitted pictures of their offices and a description of how an office makeover would enhance their capability to serve their respective communities. Entrants were judged on their devotion to execute the non-profit’s mission, their positive influence on the communitym and the need for a more efficient workspace.

Gunlocke provided Crisis Nursery with products from its Silea™ casegood line, which features technology intergration capabilities, wire management, and storage solutions in a simple, aesthetic, and functional design. Other products from competition sponsors used in the redesign include Johnsonite Space™ modular resilient flooring and wall base, Luxo Terea™ task lighting and Loft™ uplighting, and Pratt & Lambert Accolade® acrylic latex interior coatings.

Stephanie Record, executive director of Crisis Nursery, says in a statement, “Since all of our funding goes to support children and families, our mismatched furniture of desks, chairs, tables and filing cabinets were not items that we could afford to replace. The makeover has been a tremendous morale booster for staff members who have become accustomed to working in less than ideal conditions, and it has enhanced the professionalism of the office space for donors who enter our doors on a daily basis to support our mission."

 

Winning Holiday Window Designs and Showrooms in Manhattan

DDI Magazine, sister publication of Contract, has named Anthropologie's Rockefeller Center store as the Platinum Award winner in the annual Winning Windows Manhattan holiday retail window competition, held last week at the A.R.E. exposition in New York City.  

This year, Anthropologie’s windows were inspired by trees. A window of stacked pastel boxes features hundreds of trinkets and baubles, some adorned with vintage gift tags, beckoning visitors to peruse the goods inside.

 
At Rockefeller Center, one Anthropologie window features pinecones—real and handmade—cascading from a wintry bench decorated with colorful yarn. Other windows showcase various interpretations of pinecones, trees and branches, playing with scale and offering passersby a glimpse into a hidden world. View the other winning window displays at DDImagazine.com.

Additionally, the magazine also announced its selections for the top three Outstanding Showroom winners: B&N Industries (pop-up showroom space located within the 7W New York building), Circle Visual (located at 225 W. 37th St., 16th Floor) and Adel Rootstein Mannequins (located at 205 W. 19th St.). Read more at DDImagazine.com.

On the Catwalk

 
“I’m a Barbie Girl in a Barbie World. Wrapped in plastic, it’s fantatic…” Apologies to all for drawing up memories of the annoyingly catchy late-90s pop culture song (which is now once again stuck in my head), but I can’t think of a more fitting song that should have been playing on Oct. 28 when employees from office furniture manufacturer KI and textile manufacturer Pallas Textiles strutted down the runway at the IIDA New England Fashion Show. In tune with their original “Plastic to Fantastic" theme,  a collaboration with Tandus Flooring and architectural firm Dyer Brown, the staffers donned fashions created from various Pallas and Tandus collections to take home the Best Interpretation of Theme award.

Over 800 design professionals attended the charity (R) Evolution event, which challenged teams of designers and vendors to turn specific products into wearable fashions. All proceeds were donated to Dress for Success, a non-profit organization that aims to support the career development of underprivileged women.

--Stacy Straczynski

Only YOU Can Prevent Workplace Waste

 
Thirty-nine percent of Chicago’s greenhouse gas emissions come from commercial buildings.
As an extension of Chicago’s Climate Action Plan, the Chicago Green Office Challenge attempts to reduce that number by daring office tenants and property managers to “go green.” The aim is to establish businesses in Chicago’s Central Business District as leaders moving toward a more sustainable future. As a reward for their participation, competitors are recognized in the media and through Mayoral honors.

The competition requires companies to rate their environmental performance in five categories: outreach, energy conservation, waste reduction, cleaner transportation, and property management. The companies are then offered training and strategic planning to help improve their score over the next year.

My hesitation sets in when I start to think about some of the “strategies” the Challenge offers up, which range from instructing participants to use power saving mode on printers and copiers, to using both sides of paper, to eliminating subsidized parking as an employee benefit. I simply can’t tell if this is moving the city’s work force in a more sustainable direction, or a massive greenwash campaign honoring businesses for using what should be common sense.

My skepticism aside, I’ll try to focus on what could truly be the positive outcomes of this competition: workers being more mindful of the environment in both their personal and professional lives, business asking for more sustainable design practices when the time does come for renovations, and, most importantly, a reduction in greenhouse emissions from Chicago’s built environment.

What I would truly appreciate is some feedback! The Challenge asks participants to set a goal of reducing their energy usage by 10percent, but is that enough? Do you think purchasing CO2 offsets or renewable energy credits is an effective strategy? If your company were to hold in-office sustainability educational sessions what would you find most interesting?

And lastly, as a young design professional, I don’t feel entirely equipped to make the most informed evaluation of a campaign like this. What should be my approach in forming an opinion when the trend appears to be one of criticism and negativity? Where should I place my focus?

-- Brittany Hahn

Brittany Hahn, along with La Keisha Leek and Lisa Backus, is a design student who will regularly blog to share her design experiences at TalkContract.com for the next year. Check back often to see what's the buzz among the next generation of designers, and be sure to share with them your feedback and design advice by commenting below.