All were built after World War II to cheaply house the masses in a way that jived with communist ideology. Near-identical two- and three-bedroom apartments included amenities like central heat, private bathrooms, and elevators. Standardization and mass production were paramount, though idiosyncrasies—a pop of color here, a geometric motif there—inevitably crept in. — Wired
David Navarro and Martyna Sobecka, the dynamic duo that make up the independent publisher/design studio Zupagrafika have trekked the Eastern Bloc in an effort to capture its hidden treasures. Their adventure has been published in a book called Eastern Blocks. "Eastern Blocks is a... View full entry
The head of the Vatican’s extensive gardens has announced an initiative, already underway, to totally eliminate the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. — Aleteia
The use of chemical substances at the 37-acre Vatican Gardens has fallen by 96-percent since an effort to reduce the use of these toxic substances was started back in 2017. "Under the initiative, the Vatican Gardens has adopted the use of organic products to eliminate destructive insects... View full entry
The group of neighbors has explored the ways it could fight to get the paint job removed, including how it could be seen as graffiti under city code, how it could violate signage laws and how it fails to fit in with the character of the neighborhood. Doll also argues that it is a public safety issue and an obvious public nuisance because of the waves of news vans and curious onlookers who have visited the narrow road to catch a glimpse of the house. — LA Times
This week, media headlines were littered with coverage of the trending "Pink Emoji House" in Manhattan Beach, California, an eye-catching home painted with a pair of hilarious emoji characters. The murals may appear like any other "Instagramable" site, except this specific "beautification project"... View full entry
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum is proud to present "The World of da Vinci", featuring 2 rare folios of the authentic, 500-year-old Codex Atlanticus. This remarkable exhibition also features over three-dozen reconstructions of Leonardo da Vinci’s fantastic machines, including over a dozen that are built life-size including his Mechanical Lion, Mechanical Bat and Great Kite. — Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute
The World of da Vinci, an exhibit at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, celebrates the work of the renowned Renaissance-era polymath. The exhibition is open to the public until September 8, 2019. View full entry
The series served as an introduction to Universal Design, described the social model versus the medical model of Disability, and shared the specific needs and design strategies to accommodate both the Deaf/HoH as well as the Autistic and Neurodivergent communities. This series initiated a conversation reaching across Disabled communities, and demonstrates that while different Disabled communities’ needs may be different, the design solutions are often incredibly similar. — OLIN Labs
With the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disability Act approaching, discussions that examine where design and accessibility intersect have increased in frequency. In June 2019, for example, OLIN Labs' hosted a lecture series covering a range of topics relating to the interconnected... View full entry
During the 1970s and ’80s, the sophisticated shopping experience was not branded in efficiency or self-denial or schemes devised in investment banks. Dean & DeLuca was itself a work of art. This was also true of Barneys, another institution born of the ethos that shopping was an act of self-actualization. Now both institutions find themselves in financial free-fall. — The New York Times
Ginia Bellafante of The New York Times pens a sombre remembrance for the gold old days of shopping, when "demand was not so obviously engineered," and purchasing life's necessities constituted a social act. The missive is inspired by the recent financial collapse of high-end grocer... View full entry
Architecture firm Morphosis has unveiled its sleek and verdant designs for the new Korean American National Museum in Los Angeles. The two-story building is topped by a "displaced landscape" made up of plants native to the Korean peninsula and California, including maple and pine trees... View full entry
Last week, we received news of Kanye's plans to "build a new type of home" that he believes will separate barriers between the rich, middle-class, and the poor. Built on his 300 acres of land in Calabasas, CA, the ambitious egalitarian now seems to have left out one crucial step in the building... View full entry
In 2019, inclusive spaces that are comprised of voices from the neurodiverse and disabled community are still extremely rare. Despite the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 29 years ago, neurodiverse and disabled communities continue to face collective discrimination from failures to accommodate in access, transportation, employment, education, and many other arenas. Unfortunately, the art world is no exception. — Hyperallergic
Emily Sara, a disabled, interdisciplinary artist and designer, penned an open letter calling on the art world for stronger support of the neurodiverse and disabled communities, whose everyday needs are often overlooked in American society. She names a few examples of how the art world... View full entry
Can architects design wallpaper as arresting as their building facades? In 1955, celebrated architect Frank Lloyd Wright, whose buildings received UNESCO protected status last month, launched a range of affordable home products for the general public which included a line of fabrics, wallpapers, furniture and paint. An exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York showcases these creations. — Frieze
Black architects are underrepresented yet have made considerable contributions to the Chicago cityscape. Join the Dean of the College of Architecture at Illinois Institute of Technology and tour notable projects by black architects on the south side of Chicago beginning with the Johnson Publishing building, the first and only downtown high rise project designed by a black architect. We will visit Ping Tom Memorial Park, First Church of Deliverance, 31st Street Harbor Building, and more — Illinois Institute of Technology
The Brooklyn Academy of Music plans to add four new works of public art to its downtown campus, and has commissioned site-specific installations from three Brooklyn-based artists. — The New York Times
The Brooklyn based venue has enlisted renowned artists Teresita Fernandez, Hank Willis Thomas, and Leo Villareal, to create site-focused installations "as a part of BAM's Robert W. Wilson Public Art Initiative." The initiative was made possible back in 2015 when a $3.5 million gift was received... View full entry
Chain retailers have their eyes on a new type of mall — your university. While higher education may once have been associated with the ivory tower — a secluded place of rigorous study — now companies like Target, Trader Joe’s, Urban Outfitters, and Publix are opening stores on or near college campuses, chasing students who are setting up shopping habits that could last a lifetime. — Buzzfeed News
In an insightful Buzzfeed News article, Leticia Miranda explains why a large number of college campuses are becoming the new rulers of chain retailers. Although college is typically a time for young adults to pursue a higher level of academia, another type of "skill" may be unraveling, the need to... View full entry
Kala Academy, Goa’s cultural centre, which was designed by the renowned architect Charles Correa in the late 1970s, is threatened with demolition by the State Government in the near future. It is an exceedingly important building, not just among Correa’s international repertoire, but also in the State of Goa. — change.org
A petition has been started to save Goa, India's Kala Academy. It has served as a true cultural hub for its local community, being "the only government-run arts institution in the country with separate faculties for both Western and Indian classical music, and also offers courses in theatre and... View full entry
Post-Meier, the AIA has centered its efforts to stop sexual harassment by affirming good behavior in the profession. It’s using positive reinforcement to address sexual harassment and discrimination by saying the best work emerges from firms that embody equitable practices, and using that as the foundation of its strategy to incentivize better behavior. — Curbed
Curbed's Diana Budds takes a deep dive into the efforts being undertaken within the architecture community to eradicate sexual harassment in the workplace in the wake of the #MeToo movement. According to the report, although the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has worked to update its... View full entry