Look + Listen: Smokey Robinson + the Miracles: Cruisin'

Just good music.

Icons: Saarinen

A great portrait of Eero Saarinen and his chairs, circa 1958.  From the Aline Saarinen collection.

Via the modern love tumblr, and designobserver.

Spaces: C/Z House: SAMI arquitectos: Pico Island, Portugal

In the midst of a picturesque island retreat, is this bold and graphic retreat by Inês Vieira da Silva and Miguel Vieira of SAMI arquitectos. Tempering the starkness of the home's monochromatic backdrop is an impressive collection of iconic mid-century modernism in warm woods and organic forms. Works include classics by Yngve Ekström, Hans Wegner, Alvar Aalto, and Arne Jacobsen.

This house aims to overlook the various views which can be seen from the highest point of the land.


Starting from a set of separate volumes and following the adaptation of the traditional architecture to the terrain, the resulting area between the four volumes was designed as a living space, the walls of which are a continuation of the exterior façades and where only glass separates the exterior from the interior space of the home.


Depending on the prevailing wind or the desired view, the house can open out on various landscapes and its connection and permeability with the exterior is total.

Photography is by Fernando Guerra, see the full feature at Dezeen.

Look+Listen: Justice: On'n'On

Directed by Alex Courtès
Produced by DIVISION
Editing at Home Digital Pictures
Compositing & SFX by Mathematic
Label: Ed Banger Records

Via Pedestrian.

Watch: Cherry (Trailer)

Intriguing!

By first time director Stephen Elliot. Starring Ashley Hinshaw, James Franco, Dev Patel, Heather Graham, and Lili Taylor.

Via Pedestrian.

NYTimes: The Cult of Tyler Brûlé

The New York Times recently did a great feature on Tyler Brûlé.  From growing up in a Winnipeg home filled with Danish design, to surviving a sniper attack as a journalist in war-torn Afghanistan, to his founding of the iconic design culture magazines Wallpaper* and Monocle, read how Mr. Brûlé became a global tastemaker and media powerhouse.

See the full article here.

Below, the Heritage radio by Revo that was designed for Monocle 24, a radio station founded by Tyler Brûlé.

Alexander Girard: Restless Eye

Featured on Nowness: a selection of Alexander Girard's personal photography:

The late designer Alexander Girard's evocative photographs of his wife Susan on their worldly travels captures the folk-art enthusiast's relentless hunt for inspiration.

See the feature here. Thanks Abi for the link.

Look+Listen: DJ Brace: Synesthasia

Taking it to a whole new level, DJ Brace gives us a sample from his second album, Synesthasia.

Part of the concept for Nostomania was the idea that sound can pull up long neglected memories. Synesthasia is something like a crossed wire in the brain where one sense connects with another;
a color might have a certain smell, or maybe you can taste a sound.

Filmed and edited by Bill Acheson on Vimeo.

Synesthasia available through
iTUNES / itunes.apple.com/ca/album/synesthasia/id397786614
FAT BEATS / fatbeats.com/products/dj-brace-synesthasia-cd
BANDCAMP / nostomania.bandcamp.com/album/synesthasia

and NOSTOMANIARECORDS.com

Farewell: Eva Zeisel + Sori Yanagi

Passing away this past week were two of the Modern Movement's greatest champions of fluidity and grace. Eva Zeisel leaves us at 105, Sori Yanagi at 96.

The beautiful first photo is from Talisman, via ifitshipitshere.

Look+Listen: Zooey Deschanel+Joseph Gordon-Levitt: What Are You Doing New Years Eve?

Zooey and Joseph reunite for a charming duet.

Look+Listen: Ben Howard: Old Pine

A beautiful duet to close out the year.  Enjoy.

Icons: Santa x John + Marilyn Neuhart

Marilyn Newhart recounts the story behind their giant Christmas card:

I had the bright idea to make a giant card for Christmas 1969. John was not noticeably enthusiastic but he went along with the idea, so I drew the Santa, cut some screens and John did the type. It took both of us to pull the squeegee because of the large amount of ink required for a poster of this size. That didn’t work very well, so I got behind John and held on to his belt while he gave a mighty pull. That made him even more unhappy. John rigged a clothesline to hang the wet sheets on. The fumes really built up after a bit so John opened the garage door, causing the sheets to blow into each other and get smudged. By this time he was openly hostile, and kept saying “Why didn’t you think of that?” We started with 150 sheets, a number that rapidly dwindled to our final edition of about 75. We were divorced at least six times during the process, which was normal for this type of project.

Via okgreat.

Have a great holidays everyone!

RB

Icons: Charles-Edouard Jeanneret

a.k.a. Le Corbusier.

"A hundred times have I thought New York is a catastrophe and 50 times: It is a beautiful catastrophe."

Via Black Watch.

Look+Listen: Erik Omen: Payhone (featuring Holiday Sidewinder)

Front to back delight from lo-fi Sydney duo Erik Omen. Buoyed by a haunting vocal assist from Bridezilla's Holiday Sidewinder and available now as a limited 12" via Midnight Juggernauts imprint Siberia Records.

Director - Erik Omen
Motion Graphics / Designer - Mel Pragassen
Producer - Al Morrow

Via pedestrian.

Daily Dose: Wegner x Knoll

The Hans Wegner collection, distributed by Knoll from 1970 to 1978. From the Knoll Archives, via Knoll's facebook.

Look+Listen: Dance like no one is watching

Feeling down? This should cheer you up. Angela Trimbur dances like nobody’s watching to Lykke Li’s “I’m Good, I’m Gone” at a laundromat in Echo Park.

PLACE: Laundromat in Echo Park, CA.
SONG: LYKKE LI- I'm Good, I'm Gone.
WHY I CHOSE THIS SONG: I just went through a bum of a breakup. I've been mega sad/low. This title caught my eye as I scrolled through- it's fitting!"
LYRIC I LOVE: "Yeah, I know I'll get it back. Yeah, I know your hands will clap."