Dwell Sep-11

Breeze from the East There are elements of the two trips to Japan my family made in the early 1980s that I remember particularly well. I developed a fervent affinity for the ever-present noodles, the perfectly manicured gardens with picturesque water features, the state-of-the-art gadgetry, and all the nifty, if unrecognizable, toys. Unlike any other travels, these trips to Japan sparked what became a lifelong interest in the island’s culture. By the time I was in fifth grade my favorite food was sushi; in college my bookshelves were lined with volumes of Tanizaki, Kawabata, and Murakami; and even today—much to the chagrin of my wife, I’m sure—our Netflix queue is loaded with obscure yakuza noir and samurai titles. I’ve never given too much thought to exactly why Japan, and not…

The May 2011 photo issue made me swell with pride as an architect. It was one of the most sentient and carefully wrought expressions of architecture and design in one publication that I have seen in my nearly 60 years in this profession. All of this was carried through the advertising—-in themselves works of art. Each page required its own personal attention. Architecture does not have to be Gehry-mandered to be exciting and imaginative. I am reluctant to give up my copy, but I must send it to my great-niece who is a New York University graduate in commercial art and is considering study in architecture. This issue is an excellent summary of design vocations for pursuit in art. Harold Seckinger Homosassa, Florida I strongly suggest that you adopt the…

Peter Belanger Peter Belanger is a San Francisco–based photographer and regular Dwell contributor who shoots products of all shapes, sizes, and materials. For this month’s Dwell Reports (p. 60), Belanger and his team both assembled and photographed the desks for the shoot, which gave them interesting insights into the design and fabrication of each one in the roundup. Daniel Hennessy Daniel Hennessy is a Los Angeles–based photographer who had the pleasure of shooting a Japanese-inspired, minimalist home nestled in the suburban community of Carlsbad, California (“The Hidden Fortress,” p. 94). “From the outside it looked like a black fortress, but once I stepped in the door it was so tranquil and calming,” he says. “It was such a perfect example of keeping things raw and simple and making your home…

In 1946, architect Eliot Noyes described Charles Eames’s furniture as “a compound of aesthetic brilliance and technical inventiveness,” and we’re inclined to agree with his assessment. But was Eames so brilliant and so inventive that some sixty years later we’re still hung up on his singular approach to form-making? The answer, for now, seems to be a resounding yes. Lama Chaise by Ludovica & Roberto Palomba for Zanotta As this new design in tubular steel and woven PVC proves, Eames’s La Chaise set the gold standard for asymmetrical modern lounge furniture. zanotta.it Piao Paper Chair By Lei + Christoph + Jovana for Innovo Piao may be crafted with the same materials and techniques as traditional Yuhang paper umbrellas, but its scooped shell sings the same tune as the La Fonda…

In 2010, Konstantin Grcic scored both Design Miami’s Designer of the Year and Wallpaper’s Furniture Designer of the Year awards, so it was no surprise to find his stock riding high at this year’s Salone del Mobile. Also unsurprising was his refusal to play things safely. If anything, Grcic has used his increased notoriety to push even further afield, offering designs without formal or material precedents, and an unapologetically unordinary approach to aesthetics. “The great thing about contemporary design,” he wrote in his 2005 monograph, “is that it can be interpreted in many different ways —-as many ways as there are individual designers. Some design projects give us the opportunity to go one step beyond the tried and true.” It now seems that Grcic has reached the point in his…

Here’s what’s new in 2011. Bebek Shelf for Marsotto Edizioni This Carrara marble hanging wall shelf consists of two slabs: one square, one round. The “invisible double wedge locking” mount employs a trick from Grcic’s days as a cabinet maker. marsotto-edizioni.com Waver Chair for Vitra Grcic set out to “deliberately use nonconventional armchair typology,” turning to high-performance sporting equipment like that used in windsurfing for inspiration instead. vitra.com Cape Chair (and Sofa) for Established & Sons Cape’s informal dropcloth vibe is as cheeky as it comes. We’re inclined to forgo the expense, and re-create this piece with a nice new blanket and that old sofa from Goodwill. establishedandsons.com Tom & Jerry Stools for Magis For all his intellectual headiness, Grcic here offers a simple solution for a simple problem. “Self…