Features revealing the design and development of the world’s most innovative building-products.
Italian lighting manufacturer Karman has served up a number of new luminaires with — true to the bra nd — a twist. The Domenica Large Pendant, for instance, recalls the traditional church bell but renders the form in white plaster, adorned with an intricate pattern, that gives way to gold or white wire netting. It measures…
Everyone loves a good slatted design, whether in the form of a brise soleil, sunscreen, ceiling plan e, or even furniture. While wood is the obvious choice for such applications, the material might not lend itself well to some designs due to factors of weight, installation, and performance or maintenance mandates. Here are five alternatives to…
Residents of California are feeling firsthand what life is like with a limited water supply as they face the current drought. But the resource crisis extends far beyond one state: according to water.org, a child dies every minute due to a water-related disease and a staggering 750 million people (or the equivalent of two and…
Designers seeking to move away from speccing tile classics, such as the subway and penny-round, rejo ice: these shapely and illusory finds are cures for the common wall (or floor). Shaking things up further, two of these are fashioned from concrete. Fireclay Tile’s Chaine Femme Fireclay Tile: Chaine Femme Reminiscent of chain links, these ceramic tiles…
Koreatown in Los Angeles offers a lot more than most traditional ethnic enclaves: it’s one of the bi ggest, densest, and most diverse areas in a city often criticized for sprawl and segregation. Challenging this popular conception of L.A., high rises and eclectic businesses line Koreatown’s walkable main corridors. Meanwhile, historic Art Deco apartments pack side…
Quick! Name three ways to improve a building’s energy efficiency. While the most obvious solutions a re often expensive and highly visible — upgrading windows, replacing old kitchen appliances, and installing a building automation system — the biggest gains often run just below the surface. Closed-cell spray foam insulation products, like Icynene’s ProSeal, are just that:…
Designing with streaks of light that seemingly cut through a space or define edges is becoming more sophisticated as luminaires and the technologies behind them do. The effects can be anything from ethereal to edgy and futuristic (regarding the latter, think “Tron,” the original 1982 film). Whatever the ambiance or energy you’re trying to imbue…
Some of the most memorable graphic works by midcentury architect and designer Alexander Girard live on in upholstery textiles, etched glass, and art panels. Starting today, they’re also being offered in a customizable stationery line, both printed and digitized, through Paperless Post. The popular etailer of invitations, greeting and holiday cards, and notecards has launched…
Recognizing that one can’t compare apples to oranges, Marvin Windows and Doors expanded the scope of its annual Architects Challenge, now in its seventh year: six distinct categories were formed to include both residential and commercial as well as traditional and contemporary projects. “Marvin’s products complement diverse design styles, given their flexibility,” says Christine Marvin,…