Puerta a la Vida | Ocean Side

Art Basel 2009: Miami

admin — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 06:19:28 +0000

And then there was Basel…. A massive week of art in Miami. Everything one needed to catch up on what is happening in the world of art. Although the massive Art Basel normally takes the spotlight, I truthfully enjoyed PULSE, OHWOW, GGG and other shows much much more. Just walking the streets of Wynwood was a rare experience, watching each block get painted by artists like Futura, Shepard Fairey, and many more. There was something to be said about such a public process that lacks all exclusivity. There is also something to be said when one can witness art in process. Seeing my close friend David Abir put his piece together into the early hours of the morning grinding before PULSE opened doors, and then seeing the reaction on people’s faces when they finally saw it was unforgettable. A girl ran up to David crying and said, “Thank You!” as she gave hive a warm hug. Everyone I’ve shown this piece to has been forever touched. Such moments are hard to describe but you see people connecting with art, that is the artist’s most immense gratification, a true marker of their tremendous efforts.
Walking through the shows some pieces stuck out more than others, others had a certain subtle yet genius quality, and as always there were pieces I couldn’t connect to. But the saturation in this culture, especially when guided by friends in the industry, was an interesting experience as whole, especially learning more about the artist’s purpose/background with each piece. The variety of mediums, materials, and ingenuity was mind blowing. The ability for such an immense display of expression and talent to exist and reach such a broad audience is truly a feat in and of itself. Enjoy the images I snapped while there…

Diseño Responsable @ Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo

admin — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 05:06:14 +0000

When Costa Rica’s brightest young architects, designers, and creatives get together, the results speak for themselves. Such a wide array of talent was exhibited at the show. The variety of installations, mediums, and expression was mind blowing. The beauty of this show was the interaction. The ability to touch, use, enjoy all of this art was amazing. This interactive experience allows one to form a greater bond and truly grasp things we see. Shows like this one need to go on, as the collaboration and the exhibition of young talent is priceless. Its a rare glimpse into the minds of the future, to see what envelopes are being pushed, what crazy ideas are popping up, and what norms are being shattered. Unless people take risks and step out onto the limb, it is hard to get good results. This show was about risks, it was about the cutting edge, and it was about creativity. The ideators, dreamers, and open minds behind this show succeed beyond their imagination, and not just because of the turn-out but rather the reaction their pieces evoked. Fore this is the true award – the look on the faces of those who have been moved and enlightened by these installations. I look forward to seeing further collaborations of this kind!

The Luna 2 by David Wahl and Melanie Hall

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:38:00 +0000

Stunning minimal design – beautiful intersection of perpendiculars and justa well balanced, clean design.

Gorgeous! Look at the details of the stones on the roof, the concrete spine to the home, the glass cubes with light white roofs. Bravisimo! The pool design, the immaculate garden, how everything pieces together! Fantastic execution. Really among my favorite designs in a while. Such great attention to detail and homage to geometry.

Love those stepping stones! Concrete. Raw.

Throw a Warhol on thewall and your done!

The Torres House by GLR Arquitectos

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:25:00 +0000

Gilberto Rodriguiz has incorporated so many incredible elements into this home in Mexico. From the water feature at entrance with the tree as one’s entry sclupture and concrete stepping stones, to the floating roof over the glass wall, the natural brick colored minimal interior and exterior, the landscaping lighting – it just doesn’t stop!

Yep thats a floating chimney – wow.

Well done, and an excellent example of the integration of a modern structure of concrete and glass so well with the natural surroundings.

The Laidley Street Residence by LSarc

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:20:00 +0000

Simple, sleek, and excellent use of space. Just very well done. Window details are great and simplistic white frame provides the accentuation of the spacious interior.

VIlla in Woods by Zecc Architects

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:16:00 +0000

To cut to the point, wow. Material used is incredible. The natural color of the stone creates a very cool exterior. Pay attention to the detail in the bottom two images. This type of thin stone slab exterior won Peter Zumthor the honor of top architect in 2009, and so this style lives on…

Pavgen

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:05:00 +0000

We expend a lot of energy in our every day lives, whether walking or driving, it seems only logical that we recycle that expended energy. Remember, energy can never be destroyed rather only transferred.

Any one point on a busy street can receive up to 50,000 steps a day, so imagine if you could take all that foot traffic and turn it into something useful – like energy! A new product designed by Laurence Kemball-Cook, the director of Pavegen Systems Ltd., can do just that. With a minuscule flex of 5mm, the energy generating pavement is able to absorb the kinetic energy produced by every footstep, creating 2.1 watts of electricity per hour.
Via Inhabitat

Kengo Kuma Water/Glass House

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Love that Frank Gehry threw this up in his blog, even though its a throw back. This house designed by Kuma in 1995 achieved a very specific goal. Kuma tried to frame space with only two horizontal planes – the floor and the ceiling and to generate between the planes, a transparent and fluid time-space.

In the Western architectural tradition, a building is primarily framed by means of walls and windows. That interposes a frame between the subject and the object. The subject is inevitably cut off from the object. The space becomes a painting in a frame (i.e. a static image); it becomes frozen. On the other hand, in traditional Japanese architecture, horizontal planes (i.e. the floor and the ceiling) are the dominant framing devices. This enables the subject and the object to coexist in a continuous space, without being cut off from each other by the frame. In such a case, the main concern of planning is the introduction of a sequence and speed into a continuous space. One cannot help but introduce into the building the parameter of time as well as the parameter of space. As a result, become inextricably entwined.

Art Basel Miami

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:58:00 +0000

Hi friends, I will be documenting Art Basel Miami this year in a search for the ultimate experience. As art steps out of the realm of exclusivity and into our lives, it is the experiential element that allows anyone to appreciate it. As a layman myself, there are few pieces that really touch me and teach me about my sense and my understanding of art. The below installation will be a feature at Pulse in the center of Art Basel. David Abir is an artist, composer, philosopher and has become a dear friend. The below images do not do justice to his work, but it has changed the lives of many of my peers and has opened my eyes. These massive rooms combine a shifting of the most emotionally powerful colors and moving pieces of music David creates. I am not only happy to have experienced this in my lifetime, but excited for others to have this in their lives. I will not bore you with the typical art banter, but David’s work is truly next level. Timeless, moving, and truly valuable in the emotion it evokes and the state of mind it puts one in. This is one of the great artists of our time, and we need not a museum or a gallery or a critic to tell us this, this has been validated by each and every person i’ve taken to his studio.

See Live coverage of David’s work and others at Basel on Dec. 3!

Costa Rican Architect Ricardo Ramirez

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:45:00 +0000

Dear friends, in search for original design, sometimes it is best to rely on the young architects of our time. Ricardo Ramirez has an imagination, a passion, and a drive to create better ways to live. I’ve known him for about a year now, and have always been impressed by his ideas. Part artist, part architect, part young visionary, he has an amazing discipline to build structures that challenge convention yet provide a real living space. There is a tough balance to strike between one’s ideas and what people would like to live in, and Ricardo does this with a graceful ease. His latest design below is being built in Costa Rica as we speak! Well done my friend and thanks for sharing it with the world.

Notice the beautiful angles allowing natural sunlight through the large windows. I love skylights but this is the ultimate sky light. I believe sun is essential for people in their everyday lives. The juxtaposition of wood and concrete, all warm up the living environment – modern yet comfortable and livable. This will be a key direction in modern design, as modernism often suffers the reality of creating a comfortable home. As an artists you want to create beauty but you also want people to live in this beauty so a balance has to be struck. Ricardo achieves this flawlessly and I am excited to see his future design!