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Architecture

The Most Spectacular Buildings That Were Never Built

By Claire Cottrell on

From Frank Lloyd Wright’s daring design for a resort high atop the Hollywood Hills to Antonio Gaudi’s grand, unrealized hotel in Manhattan, click through to check out some of the world’s most spectacular buildings that never made it off the drawing board.… Read More

Architecture

15 Essential Films About Famous Architects

By Claire Cottrell on

There’s been a flurry of activity in the world of film and architecture this week. Notable LA filmmaker and film critic Thom Andersen released his unconventional documentary Reconversão about last year’s Pritzker Prize-winning architect Eduardo Souto de Moura and their mutual fascination — one you know we share — with abandoned spaces, contemporary ruins and the societal conflicts that create them. Add to that an intriguing Kickstarter for Great Spaces, a web series by four young design enthusiasts exploring the world one space at a time, showed up in our inbox and persuaded us to champion their worthy cause.

To celebrate the very best of multidisciplinary mash-ups, we thought we’d take a look at some of the fantastic films about architects that have been made over the years. From one of the most inspiring films you will ever see about husband-wife creative powerhouse Charles and Ray Eames (notably narrated by our favorite art house badboy James Franco) to Academy Award-winning director Sydney Pollack’s look at America’s design darling, Frank Gehry, click through to check out our picks for must-see films focused on one of the most enigmatic and conflicted characters in the world: the architect. … Read More

Web

What’s On at Flavorpill: The Links That Made the Rounds in Our Office

By Alison Nastasi on

Today at Flavorpill, we remembered several Nickelodeon toys most people probably forgot about. We found out what Lil Wayne vs. Rent sounds like. We enjoyed The Onion’s 1990s-riffic BuzzFeed ribbing. We practiced a series of bets that are proven winners. We loved seeing all the cute pups… Read More

Architecture

Haunting Photos of Architectural Gems Damaged in Natural Disasters

By Claire Cottrell on

As Frank Lloyd Wright, the greatest American architect of all time, once said: “I believe in God, only I spell it Nature.” Understanding and respecting what can be a very brutal and relentless force is one of the great responsibilities tasked to the creators of our buildings and cities. In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, we’re now facing the overwhelming cleanup of our soggy subways, submerged streets, and damaged tunnels. If you do one thing today, make it a quick trip to the … Read More

Architecture

The Surprisingly Colorful Homes of 10 Famous Architects

By Claire Cottrell on

Architects often get classified as stark minimalists obsessed with the seemingly boring, non-color palette of black and white. We thought we’d dispel this myth with a virtual visit to the vibrant homes of some of our favorite design legends. Verner Panton, enfant terrible of Danish design and creator of fabulous, funky pieces in exotic colors, once said that “choosing colors should not be a gamble. It should be a conscious decision. Colors have a meaning and a function.” Color brings life, meaning, and mood to even the most simple of spaces, and when done well — in our opinion — is the sign of real genius. From Luis Barragán’s vivid pink walls to Charles and Ray Eames’ whimsical use of red, yellow and blue, click through to peek into the surprisingly colorful lives of some of the world’s most famous architects. Which would you want to live… Read More

Architecture

Fascinating Construction Photos of World Famous Buildings and Bridges

By Claire Cottrell on

After spotting these vintage photographs of the construction of the Empire State Building, we got to thinking about one of the reasons why great architecture is so much more than a work of art you can walk through: it’s awfully complicated to create. Explaining the poetic importance of the field, Frank Lloyd Wright, the greatest American architect of all time, made a lofty statement, claiming that “the mother art is architecture. Without an architecture of our own we have no soul of our own civilization.”

If there’s one thing that these photos of grand buildings and bridges under construction confirms, it’s that being defined as the soul of humanity is well deserved. From the seemingly magical emergence of the Eiffel Tower to the eerie drama of an incomplete Brooklyn Bridge, click through to see the fascinating documentation of some of the world’s most famous designs as they’re being built. … Read More

Architecture

Spectacular Hotels Designed by Famous Architects

By Claire Cottrell on

When Frank Lloyd Wright said that “a great architect is not made by way of a brain nearly so much as he is made by way of a cultivated, enriched heart,” surely he was alluding to the fact that travel and exploration are important aspects of any designer’s process. Seriously, what better way to feed your soul and get the creative juices flowing than a fabulous get-away in an inspiring and culturally significant hotel?

A testament to the splendor of heart-driven design, we’ve married two of our favorite things – extraordinary hotels and stunning architecture – to bring you our guide to the most architecturally significant hotels in the world. From Frank Gehry’s iridescent design set against a medieval backdrop in Spain’s Rioja wine region to a recently renovated mid-century icon by John Lautner to Renzo Piano’s whimsical update of an old Fiat factory in Italy, click through to check out these visionary and inspiring designs. Let us know in the comments which one you’ll be booking for your next creative crusade! … Read More

Pop Culture

10 Fascinating Interviews with Legendary Journalist Mike Wallace

By Alison Nastasi on

Just five months ago, the journalistic community lost 60 Minutes media personality Andy Rooney, and sadly Mike Wallace now joins him. The esteemed CBC reporter had an impressive career that spanned over sixty years, comprised of fascinating interviews with notable headliners. He spent decades asking tough questions, brazenly steering his interviews directly to the heart of the matter and getting answers audiences were dying to know. To share screen time with the legendary journalist could either signify your career’s high points, or it’s absolute lows. We’ve taken a look back at some of Wallace’s most memorable chats with famous faces. Whether on 60 Minutes, or one of the media giant’s earlier programs like The Mike Wallace Interview, these intriguing one-on-ones recall another era of journalism — with figures many of us would grapple at the chance to talk to — and Wallace was one of the best. Hit the jump to find out what the intrepid reporter asked of Malcolm X, Salvador Dalí, Ayn Rand, and others. … Read More

Design

10 Foods Impersonating Design Classics

By Claire Cottrell on

We all know and adore The Secret Life of Food, a quirky kids recipe book that explores food “masquerading as ordinary objects found in and around your home.” We never get tired of anthropomorphizing – well – anything, and imagining that the most common grocery store item can have another, better, more creative life is endlessly entertaining.

With that, here’s our roundup of food’s best attempts at being design important. From gummy bears pretending to be our favorite ubiquitous bearskin rug to cocktail sausages playing at Zanotta’s blow chair to Jell-O taking on the tough task of impersonating Wendell Castle’s awfully solid Castle Chair, consider this an edible masquerade ball celebrating modern design classics. Call us crazy, but we see a successful meme series in the making. Let us know in the comments: what edible personalities would you most like to see “dress up” as a modern masterpiece? … Read More

Architecture

The Most Fabulous and Funky Architecture to Rent On Airbnb

By Claire Cottrell on

Fiona Apple passionately advised us that we don’t sleep to dream. Well, we don’t. We peruse Airbnb. A self-proclaimed “community marketplace for unique spaces,” Airbnb is to globetrotting adventure seekers what Etsy is to diehard vintage treasure hunters.

Founded by three Rhode Island School of Design alumns, Airbnb’s story began in a San Francisco living room. Knowing that a prominent design conference was coming to town, but that all the nearby hotels had been booked solid, the design school grads decided to put their alma matter’s creed into action. “Living the belief that ‘creativity can solve problems’, they decided to offer up their place, along with a tasty breakfast and local hospitality, to a few friendly strangers attending the event.”

What began with three guys and airbeds has now evolved to become a unique collection of crash pads in over 16,000 cities and 186 countries around the world. From Frank Lloyd Wright’s LIFE Magazine Dream House to a mushroom cabin in a Redwood grove to your very own apartment-cum-art-gallery, click through to check out our picks of the best architecturally significant living experiences to try on for size. … Read More