Art Nouveau Art + Architecture

I was so happy when apartment therapy posted a Quick History of Art Nouveau today. http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/retrospect/quick-history-art-nouveau-142976

I'm a HUGE fan of the Art Nouveau movement. What's even cooler is that I'm going on a trip to Central Europe with my husband and two of our friends. Among the many Art Nouveau attractions, we'll hit the Mucha Museum in Prague, and architect, Josef Hoffman's buildings in Vienna.

I am drooling over this interior by Victor Horta in the Hotel Tassel in Brussels ...too bad Belgium is not on the itinerary! Caption: It's alliiivveee!!

Live Laugh Love Glass Studio - Gallery Development

Here are a few more conceptual drawings that Stephanie and I have been working on for Live Laugh Love Glass Studio. We are excited to be working with Chris Walker from CIDA Architecture who will help turn our designs into reality. In this set of drawings, we were aiming to tackle the front gallery space. Here are just a few questions we addressed in our design process:

• How do you create displays that are an extension of the design?
• How can you make display space unique and engaging? 
• How do you introduce color in a gallery space without detracting from the art?

We addressed each of these issues and came up with the following solutions. 

• We created a partition wall with stair-shaped recessed display space. Not only will this provide a variety of display space for art glass, it also is suggestive of the concealed staircase that lies behind it. 
• An interactive display was designed to house the glass floats, baubles and other small art glass pieces. We designed a display box with a recessed area that will be lined with sand and piled with art glass. We felt that this would create an engaging display for customers, inviting them to interact with the art. 
• A sculptural metal installation will wrap around 2 walls will provide numerous opportunities to display platters and other wall mounted pieces. This visually dynamic installation transforms into an abstracted cherry branch, glittering with glass blossoms.  
• To introduce color without overwhelming the space,  we chose to use ribbons of color. By wrapping a ribbon of bright color around recessed shelving and on the edges of other materials, pops of color are introduced without detracting from the art. 

We are continuing to develop our ideas, so stay tuned for more process updates. Thanks for reading!

Glass Art Studio Design

While browsing on craigslist as I often do, and I stumbled onto a happy surprise. A design competition of sorts for an art glass studio. Interior Design jobs aren't listed everyday (I'm sure my fellow IARCH graduates can back me up on that), so when you find one, you have to pounce. And in this case, compete.

Designers were asked to create a conceptual vision and schematic design for Live Laugh Love Glass, a glass blowing studio. The design combines mixed use occupancies including a retail/display space, a restaurant, an observation deck and a hot shop (where the glass is blown).

I've dabbled in commercial and hospitality design but it's been a while since I've taken on a large project like this. So, who better to collaborate with, then my fellow classmate and friend, the wonderfully talented Stephanie Woods. We spent last week working until all hours of the night...reminiscent of our beloved studio days. Take a look!

Eye Candy - The Fall

I often watch movies,  never for the purpose of being inspired, but I love when a movie visually knocks me on my ass. The Fall, directed by Tarsem Singh (The Cell), starring Lee Pace and Catinca Untaru, is one such movie. I stumbled across this movie at Blockbuster back in 2007 (I know, Block-who?) and I was rendered speechless. I recently re-watched it I am pleased to say that I had the same reaction the second (and third, and fourth) time around.

The Fall follows the story of a young girl in the 20s who is staying at a Los Angeles infirmary with a broken arm. She befriends another patient, an injured stuntman, who begins to tell her a mythical story about a group of heroes. The lines of fantasy and reality blur when her vivid imagination and his altered state of mind converge.

Tarsem Singh (The Cell) is a visual genius. His creative use of costuming, color and set design (along with a proverbial middle finger to the likes of CGI) make this movie a visually stunning masterpiece. Today, I thought I'd share some inspiring images from this incredible movie.