It may have been covered before (i searched, but couldn't find anything), but what do Archinectors think of Starck? Do you see him as a genius? a joker? a whore? all three? Do you think he makes architecture culturally relevant? Or is he just a sellout doing expensive work that fits the budget and tastes of the super wealthy? Over time, has he become increasingly conservative or more experimental? Or is he just getting stale? Is he succeeding where the PoMo architects of 20 years ago failed?
i used to like him when I was at college about 8 years ago, I have gone off him more and more as time goes on. I think it is because I have got tired of his 'style' and in the same way I have become very tired of Gehry.
I liken him to Elton John. He was cool once (Goodbye Yellow Brickroad), but hasn't really changed enough as time has gone on. Now Stark is more of a glittery celebrity than a designer, just as Elton is more of a glittery celebrity than a songwriter.
Design is not about the designer and who he/she is - it only about the work they produce. In my opinion. It isn't about being 'famous' but with Stark i think it is and i don't like it.
I like his stuff. You've got to admit, the work he's done with Ian Schrager has been pretty slick. I don't know if I would consider him a genius, but it's certain that he does know how to design. His stuff is sexy and hip, but it's always fun too, which is a good thing. A lot of designers take things way too seriously. At least he's not spinning out the same contemporary stuff that's been overdone these days. With him you know you're going to get something a little different, a little unfamiliar perhaps, and a lot of personality. Kind of like Koolhaas and the way he works in some fun quirks, no? Just my take. Obviously, he caters to the wealthy, but there are few designers who don't. But since he's so well-known he does have a lot of options (take for example his line of housewares for Target).
"Design is not about the designer and who he/she is - it only about the work they produce. In my opinion. It isn't about being 'famous' but with Stark i think it is and i don't like it." joek
"Kind of like Koolhaas and the way he works in some fun quirks, no?" sano
This about sums it up. I give him a 6 out of 10. Koolhaas, on the other hand, is all about the fame. He gets a 4 out of 10.
I think Karim Rashid falls into this category, but I'd also buy one or two of his products.
the only place starck belongs in my house is in the toilet bowl. therefore the only product i could ever imagining buying of his is his toilt bowl scrubber.
i am no fan or anything, but,
when every major museum selling his creations, he is the darling designer of commodity market, he has produced work targeting global market before many others, his theatrical talent in design, his designs themselves have creative values and span from toilet brushes to major building projects, in his design debut in los angeles in 80's he showed up with real elephants in the cocktail party,
do i like him? almost.. to like him is to invest in him. i almost invested in him by considering to buy his wristwatch.
he has most likely had several people called him today to design their something, already.
i only been in, one of his cafe's in paris, one with a big round wall clock, 3 legged chairs, and, at the time, talk o' the town toilets.
and couple of hotels in los angeles and in new york.
i can see architects dissing him because he is not from the establishment.
I'm not big on corporate anything, and Stark is definitly a corporate designer. I think that good designs should not be reproduced in mass because then they just become mediocre. Maybe if he didn't brand his name on everything, he would be a little more in demand. I like to call him a business designer. His work has become more of a business than an art or practice, because if it were a practice, he'd be getting better.
pasta design is a big part of macaroni industrie. my favorite is bow tie. it is not all spagetti and they all represent different fusion with the souce.
i am all for good design, mass produced. problem with that is somebody jumps on it and mass-mass produce. but nevertheless these things slowly change the design culture, when a minimal ikea plastic becomes a haushold item.
then, there are product designers who cacoon around their thropy that is unaccessible to public.
it is all about what the market can move..
yes i think abra is right...most architects diss him since he is not from the 'inner circle' but still manages to do a lot of sexy work around the planet. Like it or not, his work is always fresh, though very ostentatious. But thats what his clients' profile is, so i guess he is doing a great job at it
as someone else said in this thread before 'we architects need to loosen up'
I agree with (sameolddoctor) I respect his work, if you don’t appreciate his work you need to hang out at the Hudson hotel on a Friday night. A couple of years ago one of my professors told me and some peers that we should go to the HUDSON over the weekend and check it out I’ve been hooked ever since.
HUDSON NEW YORK
356 West 58th Street
New York, New York 10019
Abra has some good ponts. He is a designer who understands the commodification of design. This in itself shouldn't be a negative thing. Architecture, arguably, isn't all about art and ideas, it's real and as such we as architects should make money too and should market ourselves. We do operate in the capitalist world, after all (well, at least the majority of us). Maybe the antagonism stems from his popularity. It's not a bad thing. There is nothing wrong with having mass appeal, but I know that some uptight architects still like to keep the field very inclusive and self-contained.
jeremy, i agree about your newson comments, but i think it's fair to say that a lot of starck's stuff also looks the same. not that there's anything wrong with that. as long as he mixes it up from time to time >>
Sean, I had a similar experience at the Delano Hotel in Miami. Before that, I found his work curious, but I did not consider him a great architect. I think all the attention on his product design detracts from recognition of him as an architect who also designs great spaces. IMHO, it's nice to see someone succeed outside the mainstream and add a bit of humor to our profession.
Will his architecture inspire great social change? No. And I don't think he could ever be successful doing large projects in the public sector. However, I think he is quite good at what he does, and perhaps, more honest with himself about the architect's role in society than most.
i agree that there is more to life than spaghetti.
and the bow ties "farfalle" have a long tradition of development in italy.
i really object to him designing pasta.
i object to idiots buying it and then boiling it to mush and dribbling it down their chins all in the name of "style"
a phillipe stark cannelloni or "lasagna" would cost you about $50 to make, a non phillipe stark one probably $2
i mean how much better/more designed/more efficient/more beautiful can a sheet of lasagna get? in my opinion it cant
Having said that I think his toothbrush from 1995 (ish) was really nice.
the one with a conical handle split in three with a slip ring so y9ou could stand it up as a tripd when its not being used.
however the best toothbrush i ever used was radii (again redesigned by architects) but really really big with a nice thumb grip, like a cross between a wooden spoon and a toothbrush!
He makes a positive contribution to design and he knows how to market and brand his products for the consumer. I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing; he’s just playing the capitalist game. I agree that there is not much that the public sector has to offer him which is why he’s not climbed further as an all-round quality designer / architect – whatever that may be!
I have to say that his ‘signature’ design, the juicer is not the best for juicing.
Starch rocks. The Eames' rock...all of the ID/ design build folks rock in my book...liberation and exploration is a good thing from almost any angle...and Phillipe's work has always shown a spark of ingenuity which I like...like all the hinge furniture...incredibly smart.
Feb 13, 05 10:32 am ·
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what do people here think of Phillippe Starck?
It may have been covered before (i searched, but couldn't find anything), but what do Archinectors think of Starck? Do you see him as a genius? a joker? a whore? all three? Do you think he makes architecture culturally relevant? Or is he just a sellout doing expensive work that fits the budget and tastes of the super wealthy? Over time, has he become increasingly conservative or more experimental? Or is he just getting stale? Is he succeeding where the PoMo architects of 20 years ago failed?
i used to like him when I was at college about 8 years ago, I have gone off him more and more as time goes on. I think it is because I have got tired of his 'style' and in the same way I have become very tired of Gehry.
I liken him to Elton John. He was cool once (Goodbye Yellow Brickroad), but hasn't really changed enough as time has gone on. Now Stark is more of a glittery celebrity than a designer, just as Elton is more of a glittery celebrity than a songwriter.
Design is not about the designer and who he/she is - it only about the work they produce. In my opinion. It isn't about being 'famous' but with Stark i think it is and i don't like it.
I like his stuff. You've got to admit, the work he's done with Ian Schrager has been pretty slick. I don't know if I would consider him a genius, but it's certain that he does know how to design. His stuff is sexy and hip, but it's always fun too, which is a good thing. A lot of designers take things way too seriously. At least he's not spinning out the same contemporary stuff that's been overdone these days. With him you know you're going to get something a little different, a little unfamiliar perhaps, and a lot of personality. Kind of like Koolhaas and the way he works in some fun quirks, no? Just my take. Obviously, he caters to the wealthy, but there are few designers who don't. But since he's so well-known he does have a lot of options (take for example his line of housewares for Target).
I dont think of him.
have you seen these shoes? i mean com'on...
"Design is not about the designer and who he/she is - it only about the work they produce. In my opinion. It isn't about being 'famous' but with Stark i think it is and i don't like it." joek
"Kind of like Koolhaas and the way he works in some fun quirks, no?" sano
This about sums it up. I give him a 6 out of 10. Koolhaas, on the other hand, is all about the fame. He gets a 4 out of 10.
I think Karim Rashid falls into this category, but I'd also buy one or two of his products.
yeah karim rashid totally falls into this category but he is a wannabe celebrity and not even close to being a designer.
the only place starck belongs in my house is in the toilet bowl. therefore the only product i could ever imagining buying of his is his toilt bowl scrubber.
e,
You said it best!!!! I second your comment and this is what i think of him:
...fluuuuusssshhhhhhh (sound of)
oof, now i have to go drop some kids off at the pool.
i am no fan or anything, but,
when every major museum selling his creations, he is the darling designer of commodity market, he has produced work targeting global market before many others, his theatrical talent in design, his designs themselves have creative values and span from toilet brushes to major building projects, in his design debut in los angeles in 80's he showed up with real elephants in the cocktail party,
do i like him? almost.. to like him is to invest in him. i almost invested in him by considering to buy his wristwatch.
he has most likely had several people called him today to design their something, already.
i only been in, one of his cafe's in paris, one with a big round wall clock, 3 legged chairs, and, at the time, talk o' the town toilets.
and couple of hotels in los angeles and in new york.
i can see architects dissing him because he is not from the establishment.
I'm not big on corporate anything, and Stark is definitly a corporate designer. I think that good designs should not be reproduced in mass because then they just become mediocre. Maybe if he didn't brand his name on everything, he would be a little more in demand. I like to call him a business designer. His work has become more of a business than an art or practice, because if it were a practice, he'd be getting better.
redesigning pasta: truly unneccessary!
pasta design is a big part of macaroni industrie. my favorite is bow tie. it is not all spagetti and they all represent different fusion with the souce.
i am all for good design, mass produced. problem with that is somebody jumps on it and mass-mass produce. but nevertheless these things slowly change the design culture, when a minimal ikea plastic becomes a haushold item.
then, there are product designers who cacoon around their thropy that is unaccessible to public.
it is all about what the market can move..
yes i think abra is right...most architects diss him since he is not from the 'inner circle' but still manages to do a lot of sexy work around the planet. Like it or not, his work is always fresh, though very ostentatious. But thats what his clients' profile is, so i guess he is doing a great job at it
as someone else said in this thread before 'we architects need to loosen up'
sorry, but i personally find marc newson to be a much better designer.
that ^ or this >>
the Ghost chair, or course.
Starck rocks my little red wagon. even when he gets tacky. its good to not be tooo serious sometimes.
newson is a bit too, something. his stuff starts to look all the same after a short time, and too much of it is no good at all.
that car though, if they could only get it built, i'd buy three.
I agree with (sameolddoctor) I respect his work, if you don’t appreciate his work you need to hang out at the Hudson hotel on a Friday night. A couple of years ago one of my professors told me and some peers that we should go to the HUDSON over the weekend and check it out I’ve been hooked ever since.
HUDSON NEW YORK
356 West 58th Street
New York, New York 10019
"good times"
Abra has some good ponts. He is a designer who understands the commodification of design. This in itself shouldn't be a negative thing. Architecture, arguably, isn't all about art and ideas, it's real and as such we as architects should make money too and should market ourselves. We do operate in the capitalist world, after all (well, at least the majority of us). Maybe the antagonism stems from his popularity. It's not a bad thing. There is nothing wrong with having mass appeal, but I know that some uptight architects still like to keep the field very inclusive and self-contained.
jeremy, i agree about your newson comments, but i think it's fair to say that a lot of starck's stuff also looks the same. not that there's anything wrong with that. as long as he mixes it up from time to time >>
Sean, I had a similar experience at the Delano Hotel in Miami. Before that, I found his work curious, but I did not consider him a great architect. I think all the attention on his product design detracts from recognition of him as an architect who also designs great spaces. IMHO, it's nice to see someone succeed outside the mainstream and add a bit of humor to our profession.
Will his architecture inspire great social change? No. And I don't think he could ever be successful doing large projects in the public sector. However, I think he is quite good at what he does, and perhaps, more honest with himself about the architect's role in society than most.
abra,
i agree that there is more to life than spaghetti.
and the bow ties "farfalle" have a long tradition of development in italy.
i really object to him designing pasta.
i object to idiots buying it and then boiling it to mush and dribbling it down their chins all in the name of "style"
a phillipe stark cannelloni or "lasagna" would cost you about $50 to make, a non phillipe stark one probably $2
i mean how much better/more designed/more efficient/more beautiful can a sheet of lasagna get? in my opinion it cant
Having said that I think his toothbrush from 1995 (ish) was really nice.
the one with a conical handle split in three with a slip ring so y9ou could stand it up as a tripd when its not being used.
however the best toothbrush i ever used was radii (again redesigned by architects) but really really big with a nice thumb grip, like a cross between a wooden spoon and a toothbrush!
if you have never used one you have to try them!
http://www.radiustoothbrush.com
He makes a positive contribution to design and he knows how to market and brand his products for the consumer. I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing; he’s just playing the capitalist game. I agree that there is not much that the public sector has to offer him which is why he’s not climbed further as an all-round quality designer / architect – whatever that may be!
I have to say that his ‘signature’ design, the juicer is not the best for juicing.
Give me one of these old skool ones any day
if i had a sex toy company i would get phil to do some designs for me.
really vado, phil seems to like the sharp, pointy aesthetic. ouch.
Marc Newson, Tom Dixon and Mari-Ruth Oda designed some toys for Mila
after you follow the link above think again... stark's would be a spiky one. double ouch.
i dont know that rabbit vibrator is kind a spiky looking and the girls seem to love it. by the way, ludwig was my great grandfathers name.
yeah yeah is an old fashioned name...I know.
Starch rocks. The Eames' rock...all of the ID/ design build folks rock in my book...liberation and exploration is a good thing from almost any angle...and Phillipe's work has always shown a spark of ingenuity which I like...like all the hinge furniture...incredibly smart.
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