MILANO - Fashion Week

New Boutique # 4 – Tearose. The famous florist Tearose has moved to a new location, near The Grand Hotel et du Milan. The owner, Alessandra Rovati Vitali’s philosophy is “to live surrounded by nature and beauty”. She explains “The key is travel and discovery, with a skilful combination of nature, research and imagination. I aim to harmonize the unique emotions conveyed by objects.” The boutique, which is actually a small concept store, is a reference point for customers with international taste and a passion for flowers, interior design, fashion and beauty. Check it out.
www.tearose.it

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Seen backstage at Emilio Pucci. Lucchino Visconti, who like his great uncle, the famous film director, bears the same namesake, is also in the film world. Though, he is a producer and his company is called Enormous Films, they produce commercials. “I love the Pucci collection because it’s fun.” He commented.
www.emiliopucci.com www.enormousfilms.com

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Seen backstage at Emilio Pucci. The two Marchese, Laudomia and Cristina Pucci, look on while TV cameras, press and friends come backstage for interviews, congratulations and a glass of Moet.
www.emiliopucci.com www.moet.com

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Backstage at Emilio Pucci. Happy after his successful collection, Matthew Williamson is sending a goodbye kiss and wave to one of the models.
www.emiliopucci.com www.matthewwilliamson.com

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Seen at Emilio Pucci. Hollywood’s queen of the red carpet, stylist to the stars, Rachel Zoe was sitting in the front row at Emilio Pucci. “I have come to support Matthew, he is the perfect designer. I also have a vintage collection of Pucci’s.” She told me. And, she is wearing a brown chiffon dress by Dolce & Gabbana.
www.emiliopucci.com www.matthewwilliamson.com www.dolcegabbana.it

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Emilio Pucci. The accessories, next season at Emilio Pucci included mirrored silver platforms with curve-cut wedge heels, canvas totes printed with a panorama of Capri and trimmed with white leather.
www.emiliopucci.com

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Emilio Pucci. Into his second collection for Emilio Pucci, Matthrew Williamson is getting the hang of what a Pucci collection should look like. From the archives of the sixties uncomplicated shift dress are re-worked in printed silk jersey. Liquid fabrics coated in silver take the form of belted cape dresses and kaftans. They are embellished with oversized silver sequins, swirling rouleau applique and enamel mosaic that recalls the Pucci prints. As you can see the colors are inspired by the vividness of Gary Hume and David Hockney – jade green, electric blue, fuchsia pink and metallic silver. I loved the show.
www.emiliopucci.com www.matthewwilliamson.com

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Seen at Aspesi. Aspesi will not be bringing out a perfume like many other fashion companies. Alberto Aspesi's philosophy is " Better clean than perfumed." Therefore, in the store you can buy washing soap and fabric softener in "milk" bottles with multi-colored funny faces printed on them.

www.aspesi.it

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

New Boutique # 3 - Aspesi. At last, Aspesi has it's own boutique and the space is just magical. Situated on Via Montenapoleone, the windows display not clothes, but monitors and a sleeping polar bear, they look more like a gallery than a boutique. Aspesi's designer, Laurence Steel poses by a Kounnellis painting, it is one of the important art pieces in the store. The shell of the shop was designed by Antonio Citterio and the tongue in cheek decor is by Dirk Van Dooren of Tomato. The loft space is most unusually decorated with toy collections, a faux log cabin changing rooms and lots of art. There is a Commes des Garcons special section and the men's clothing is at the back in a vaulted room with marble columns and a magnificent Remo Salvadori circular fountain, where the water sprouts from tablespoons. The Aspesi brand is know for it's timeless designer sportwear "Something you can forget about in your closet and bring out time and again." Steel explains.

www.aspesi.it www.tomato.co.uk www.antonio-citterio.it

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Backstage at Max Mara. Interview magazine's owner, Sandy Brandt looks on while Max Mara's worldwide president of pr and communications, Giorgio Guidotti chooses pictures with the editor in chief, Ingrid Sischy for a story they will publish on the Max Mara show in Berlin. The exhibition will be entitled Coats! Max Mara, Fifty-Five Years of Italian Fashion and you can see it at the Kulturforum-Staatliche Museum from November 29th to March 4th, 2007.

www.interviewmagazine.com

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Seen at Max Mara. This is what I call creative dressing. The Telegraph's Hilary Alexander is wearing an embroidered tribal skirt from Toast mail order, a little vest from Jigsaw, sequined bolero from Miss Selfridge and jewelry from Rajasthan! Boho lives!!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ www.toast.co.uk www.jigsaw-online.com www.missselfridge.co.uk

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week
Seen at Max Mara. A very early start for the ever punctual Anna Wintour.
www.style.com/vogue Pin It

MILANO - Fashion week

Max Mara. Max Mara was very Max Mara and won't disappoint it's fans. The extremely linear re-interpretation of tribal motifs, graffiti, shadow effects create a patchwork of draped layers. The dresses are like close fitting sarongs held up by beaded straps, couture coats are made of neoprene and the new blazer with the sculptured volumes has a blouson cut. It's very anthropological chic, fresh and wearable.

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

New Boutique #2 - Miu Miu. After the Prada show, we all went for champagne to the opening of the new Miu Miu boutique. It is actually a swap, Prada Sport moved to Corso Venezia and Miu Miu moved to Via San'tAndrea/Spiga. Only Miuccia Prada can mix two such distinct styles like luxurious gold damask silk walls and comfy sofas and in the same space put it next to panels of crystal cut mirrors and create a glamorous, innovative boutique. It works, it's like the merchandise placing the rock climbing gold capped toe boots next to stilettos - it is still Miu Miu.

www.prada.com

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Seen at Prada. Backstage after the Prada show, I-D Magazine's (wink,wink) editor in chief Terry Jones and his wife Trish are always trying to dodge my camera. Trish especially hates to be photographed.

www.prada.com www.i-dmagazine.com

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Seen at Prada. Marlon Brando's seventeen year old grandson Tuki Brando, was on holiday in Milan with his grandmother Tarita. Brando fell in love with Tarita during the filming of Mutiny on the Bounty. All Tuki remembers of his grandfather is that he spoke Tahitian and French and loved to swim with him in the pool. Brando also hated noise. All the handsome teenager, who lives in Tahiti, really wanted to talk about was his passion surfing.

www.prada.com

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Seen at Prada. Saks Fifth Avenue's senior vice president of marketing, Terron Schaefer "I Loved the turbans, satins and colors. Miuccia is always directional. Incredibly deep. She is an intellectual designer and sets the trends." he commented after the Prada show.

www.prada.com www.saksfifthavenue.com Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Seen at Prada. Despite her six feet plus, L'Wren Scott was going around trying to look inconspicuous. Ex model and stylist, L'Wren was on a strictly working visit to Milan without her famous fiancee. Will she soon become Lady Jagger, as the tabloids say?

www.prada.com www.mickjagger.com Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Seen at Prada. Miuccia Prada is talking to Jim Shi from The Fashion Week Daily. Mr. Shi was running around everywhere trying to pick up tidbits of "gossip" for his column. I subscribe to The Daily Fashion online and enjoy reading about all the inside news. Thank you Jim.

www.prada.com www.fashionweekdaily.com Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Prada. Turbans, backpacks, short shorts, minis, satin, suede, stilettos and flats, strong colors and multi-ethnical influences are all part of a beautiful and unpredictable Prada collection. Miuccia Prada explains "I was thinking fashion. Making fashion more important. I am obsessed with proportions and uniforms. I was thinking above the waist and below the waist. I used contemporary decorations with fun and "tacky" ideas. Fashion is fashion."she concludes.

www.prada.com

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion week

Another old favorite shop - Lorenzi. What could be more fitting than for Lorenzi to feature in it's window, during fashion week, this beautiful luxury bamboo, wicker and pigskin sewing kit. Situated on the corner of Via Montenapoleone and Via Verri since 1929, they are specialists in knives and scissors. My compliments to Mr. Lorenzi for keeping hold on this historic landmark and not 'selling out' to fashion.

www.lorenzi.it Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Seen at Pollini by Rifat Ozbek. Larger than life, American Vogue editor and style guru, Andre Leon Talley congratulates his friend, Rifat Ozbek after the beautiful Pollini collection. Andre is wearing a very electric blue oilskin and he commented on the show "It's a lovely, tropical heatwave collection. Total refinement."

www.pollini.com www.style.com/vogue

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Pollini by Rifat Ozbek. The Pollini by Rifat Ozbek collection was inspired by Polynesian style with references from the 40's and 80's. Geometric themes, abstract graphics and tiki prints on short shapes, hot pants, body dresses and cropped volume sports jackets. Anna Piaggi, a long time friend of Rifat's describes his style " Rifat is very thematic and translates what he feels into clothes, you see it in the details. He is inventive, coherent and modern but flattering as well."

www.pollini.com

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Seen at Etro. Stylish editor at large for American Vogue, Hamish Bowles, told me that he is working on a a new magazine called Vogue Living that will hit the newsstands on October 25th, in the U.S.A. It won't be like any other magazine. It will tell the story of the Vogue woman through interiors, gardens, architecture, entertaining and lifestyle. As his articles are always divine, I'm sure that Vogue Living will be an instant success. Hamish, who is always impeccably dressed is wearing a shirt and tie by Duchamp, London and a custom made Brooks Brothers suit.

www.style.com/vogue www.BrooksBrothers.com www.duchamp.co.uk

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Seen at Etro. Etro is a family business and the kids have taken over and extended the brand where their father Gimmo left off. Inspired by his travels, Gimmo Etro started his textile house in 1968, producing superb home fabrics in intricate prints, making the paisley shawl design his trademark. Today, all four children play key roles in the business. Ipollito takes care of marketing, Jacopo designs the homewear collection, Kean the men's and Veronica, photographed above, the women's collection. This season her inspirations were taken from the likes of Roy Batty in Blade Runner, Bowie-Ziggy in Stardust, Princess Leyla in Star Wars, and also from the beat generation, psychedelic-couture and flower power creating a mix of the past and the future all re-interpreted together. The show was befittingly entitled Cosmic Normads, The Time travelers.

www.etro.it

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Etro. The Etro show was called Cosmic Normads -The Time Travelers, it tele-transports us to a world of aesthetics where utopia rules, the world of flower power, optimism, color and the desire for freedom towards a Blade Runner "nostaglia for the future". The Etro woman considers clothes a possible and pleasant escape from the rhetoric of codified predictable style. Simple sleek silhouettes are long and flowing in silks printed according to Etro tradition, or short and sharp in double cottons or patent leather.

www.etro.it

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

At La Triennale. After the Belstaff dinner, at midnight there was a private screening of the cult film Downtown 81 directed by Swiss photographer and film maker, Edo Bertoglio seen here with the films' producer, the legendary Maripol. Maripol was an image maker and stylist for Madonna and other artists, as well as, a jewelry designer and art director for Fiorucci in the 80's in NYC. Downtown 81 depicts the art and club scene of New York, staring Jean Michel Basquiat. The film is part of The Jean Michel Basquiat Show at the Triennale museum (until January 28th, 2007). This is the first big European exhibition of the graffitti artist who was also know as "The Black Picasso" and died in 1988 of a drug overdose. Superb, it should not be missed.

www.triennale.it www.belstaff.com

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Seen at Belstaff. The Telegraph's, Hilary Alexander was looking over her notebook before the start of the Belstaff show at the Triennale museum. I asked her who her favorite designers were, she replied "Antonio Marras and John Galliano together and then Dries Van Noten, Alexander McQueen, Yoji Yamamoto and last, every ethnic market in the world." Belstaff treated us not only to a sportswear collection made with innovative and technologically advanced fabrics but also to a gala dinner, a private view of The Jean-Michel Basquiat Show, and last but not least, the cult film about Basquiat directed by Edo Bertoglio.

www.belstaff.com www.driesvannoten.be www.antoniomarras.it www.johngalliano.com www.alexandermcqueen.com www.yohjiyamamoto.co.jp www.triennale.it

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Old favorite tiny store. Off the beaten track, in a side street in Brera, L'Erbavoglio (you can't get everything that you want) is a charming little store that sells decorative pots of flowers, vegetable and insects made out of painted metal or to use the proper term tole teint. The owners are both medical doctors though they have never practiced. Betty Sonzini took a fine arts course before studying medicine and Laura Goffi, was making jewelry back in 1988 when they opened their first store. The idea came from scouting the flea markets in France, where they fell in love with the hard to find original tole pieces from the 18th century. Both Betty and Laura love the manual labor involved in making these delightful objects. "We are inspired by nature." Betty told me. And, it not surprising that you can find their beautiful and delicate crafts at selected antique dealers in Paris, as well as, in New York City at John Derian. They are the ideal gifts for people who have everything.

L'Erbavoglio - Via Marco Formentini 5 - Tel: +39 0272002757 www.johnderian.com

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Seen at Armani. Radiant beauty, Giorgio Armani's niece and international P.R., Roberta Armani sits next to heartthrob, Leonardo Di Caprio. Di Caprio is being very low key and pretending not to notice the twenty or more "paparazzi" who are desperately trying to take a decent photograph of him. Whilst, outside teenagers stand in the pouring rain, screaming Leo, Leo, Leo...

www.armani.com

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Seen at Armani. Comic actor, Teo Teocoli and actress, Anna Kanakis fool around for the "paparazzi". Teocoli's theatre show Non ero in Palinsesto (I wasn't in Palimpsest) was the most important show of the season, and completely sold out. Kanakis's latest film L'Inchiesta (The Inquiry), directed by Giulio Base will be out next year.

www.armani.com Pin It

photograph courtesy Armani press
MILANO - Fashion Week

Seen at Armani. Who is the most handsome? Leonardo Di Caprio poses with a very fit and tanned, and yes 24 years after Time Magazine called him gorgeous, Giorgio Armani. Leonardo was also in town to accompany his new model girlfriend, Bar Refaeli. Though, I'm not sure they had much fun. Due to Di Caprio's popularity the couple were seen dining in the hotel restaurant where they munched on tempura and pasta. Leo, has just finished shooting Blood Diamond directed by Edward Zwick and his latest film has just hit the U.S.A. called The Departed, directed by Martin Scorsese, also staring Jack Nicholson and Matt Damon.

www.armani.com www.time.com www.dicaprio.com

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Giorgio Armani. This is true Giorgio Armani. This is the quintessence of taste. The collection explores opposites and contrasts and has a more relaxed approach to elegance with a slightly androgynous slant on femininity. It will be very difficult for movie stars to choose their Academy Awards dress from the collection of beautiful embroidered evening dresses.

www.armani.com www.oscar.com

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

The Armani Theatre. Even the pouring rain couldn't keep away buyers, press and vips from the Armani show. Luckily, it only rained one day during the whole week, but it was impossible to circulate. There were 50,000 requests for radio taxis! Above is a view of the "overflowing" pool in the center of the Armani complex designed in liaison with Japanese architect Tadao Ando.

www.armani.com www.andotadao.org

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Save the date - Marta and Marta #2. The exhibition, Come Eravamo (as we were) at the Monte-Carlo Art Gallery (October 26 to November 8) is a retrospective photographic exhibition dedicated to the life of one the most remarkable Italian women of our times, Marta Marzotto. The black and white photographs, from the fifties to the nineties, come from the private collection of the Contessa. Emotional, full of curiosity, with anecdotes that show the woman in love, the mother, the grandmother, the ironic and happy friend, they tell the story of her life. Always volcanic at parties organized by friends and famous vips; Robert Kennedy, Francisco Franco, Giovanni Paolo II, Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Eugenij Evtuscenko, Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, Renato Guttuso and many more. It's a photographic la dolce vita. Gallery owner, film director and artist, Ottavio Fabbri has put together an intriguing video of film clips from Marta's life, and Marta Brivio Sforza's PR work for the Monte-Carlo Gallery guarantee instant success. The Marchesa has been doing PR for museums for years. She opened La Permanente museum to the fashion industry in Milan, for their events to be able to finance big art exhibitions. The proceeds of the sale of the Marzotto catalogue will go to the Fondazione per la Lotta alla Fibrosi Cistica.
www.mc-artgallery.it www.lapermanente-milano.it www.fibrosicisticaricerca.it

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Marta and Marta # 1. Or the Contessa and the Marchesa. We are talking about Marta Marzotto and Marta Brivio Sforza who attended a cocktail party in the Banner Boutique, hosted by Alberto Moretti for the relaunching of the Arfango fashion brand. Arfango was famous in the 1960s and 1970s for its men's and women's shoes and accessories. Today, the Arfango collection aims to satisfy the demands of a national and international market with it's vintage style and modern elegance.

www.arfango.com

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Hotel and Restaurant - The Bulgari Hotel. No, I did not go away to the country for the weekend...I am having Sunday brunch in the restaurant of the Bulgari Hotel, right bang in the center of Milan. It is the hot spot to eat and to stay. The locals at lunch included, Contessa Marta Marzotto and her beautiful grand-daughter, Contessa Beatrice Borromeo, gossip editor, Silvana Giacobini and socialite, Katherine Mondadori. The hotel, a tribute from the Italian jeweler to the world of luxury, is the epitome of Milanese chic. It was designed by Antonio Citterio who created both the building, with its elegant high ceilings, granite columns and original 1700s facade, and all of the contemporary furniture within. It is divine, a real haven in hectic Milan. During fashion week, hotels guests included; royal photographer, Mario Testino, ex model and stylist, L'Wren Scott, without Sir Mick, Nicky Hilton and Kylie Minogue, who was a guest of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana.

www.bulgarihotels.com www.antonio-citterio.it www.dolcegabbana.it Pin It

MILANO - Fashion week

"Live" Press conference - Seduzioni Diamonds by Valeria Marini. It is now the trend for a designer to call a press conference before the show! Here, the voluptuous, showgirl/actress and designer, Valeria Marini is explaining to the daily press her second collection called Seduzioni Diamonds. While this is going on, behind me there is a TV camera recording every word and move. The press conference, as well as the fashion show later on were being filmed for the reality show Circus, an off shoot of Big Brother. Dressed casually in T shirt and jeans, the Italian sexpot had at least 20 K's on her wrists compliments of Damiani. Valeria told the press, "I design for beautiful and avantgarde women. I like hyper feminine women and just like I have done for my own image I put everything I like into the collection. I'm very happy that this is being recorded so the public can see how much hard work goes into designing and presenting a fashion collection."

advguitar@guitar.it www.damiani.it

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion week

New Boutique # 1 - Luisa Beccaria. Pale lilac, mother of pearl, mirrors, crystals and Venetian chandeliers are the dominant features of Luisa Beccaria's restructured atelier salon in the trendy Brera area of town. For the first time, the refined designer displays, besides her romantic, feminine and timeless collection, homewear, accessories, bijoux, lingerie, children's clothes and the bridal gowns atelier. The feeling is of complete luxe and glamour. A place were the celebrities who wear her clothes, the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Angelina Jolie, Catherine Zeta Jones and Uma Thurman, would feel at home in.

www.luisabeccaria.com

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Fratelli Rossetti celebrate half a century. I was very surprised to see Italian comic and master of ceremonies for the evening, Piero Chiambretti so impeccably groomed. His suit fitted like a glove. It was made by his Neapolitan tailor, Andrea Donadio. Mr. Donadio is also the president of Italian tailors and works out of Turin. I asked him why he was wearing a tie with the Italian flag, right in the center "I am wearing the tricolore because the Fratelli Rossetti represent made in Italy." The evening ended on the high note, with a concert by Patty Pravo.

www.rossetti.it

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Fratelli Rossetti celebrate half a century. The first party was the Fratelli Rossetti's 50th birthday party at the Palazzo dei Tessuti. Standing by a gigantic shopping bag the new generation of Rossetti brothers greet their illustrious guests. Luca is C.F.O, Diego is the marketing and sales manager and Dario is the artistic and style director. Their father Renzo started out making cycling shoes, which were soon followed by football boots and athletic shoes "We worked in a 4x20 meter shed." he recalls. In the '60's he was joined by his brother Renato and the really big market hit was the "yacht" moccasin, for a more informal audience who wore shoes without socks. Today their shoes are synonymous worldwide with fashion, quality and style.

www.rossetti.it

Pin It

MILANO - Fashion Week

Back in Milan for the Spring/Summer 2007 fashion shows. The billboard above, I Lav Milan! (lav is short for lavare, to wash), is an invitation for volunteers to help wash away the graffiti from three hundred buildings. Giorgio Armani told the Corriere della Sera "The graffiti artists that dirty the walls should be arrested. In Milan there is too much neglect, we have to re-establish an international dimension." Whilst, Elio Fiorucci is on Armani's side, veteran international superstar designer, Ettore Sottsass said "The graffitis' are a reaction of the young. They don't care about culture today and they probably can't even afford to buy themselves an Armani suit."

www.armani.com www.fiorucci.it www.sottsass.it www.corriere.it

Pin It

photograph by Manfredi Bellati
VENICE

The Mercatino dei Miracoli, flea market. Just behind the early-Renaissance church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli, which was built to house a miracle-working image of the Virgin and Child in the Campo Santa Maria Nova, there is the Mercatino dei Miracoli, flea market. This is the only flea and antique market held by non professionals in Venice. It is so much fun to rummage through the bric a brac, old books, prints, vintage clothes and lots of Murano glass. The next two markets are on 7/8th October and 9/10th December from 10 am to 6pm.

For more information call: Consiglio di Quartiere di San Marco tel. 0412710022

Pin It

VENICE

Cocktail party for Patrick Bouchain on the Grand Canal. Vive la France, say the red, white and blue hand blown Murano glasses designed by Marie Bradolini for her company Laguna B. Contessa Brandolini gave a very chic and exclusive cocktail party on her roof terrace over looking the Grand Canal, in honor of her fellow Frenchman, architect, Patrick Bouchain. Bouchain's controversial, French Pavilion at the 10th Biennale of Architecture this year was the topic of conversation, "It is about the joy of occupation." he told, Nicolai Ouroussoff of The New York Times.

www.lagunab.com www.labiennale.org www.nytimes.com

Pin It

VENICE - Giardini

10th Biennale of Architecture - French Pavilion. Outside the French Pavilion, whose installation is called Metacite Metavilla, Patrick Bouchain is being interviewed. His manifesto is entitled Le Pur Plaiser d'Exister (the pure pleasure of existing); involve as many people as possible, ensure that the various desires converge, allow yourself to be carried along, lead the overall project leaving no one aside, combine knowledge and materials, bring in the user before construction is completed, allow him to finish, transform, maintain and, in turn, pass things on. And, that is just what happened in the pavilion. It is occupied for the whole duration of the Biennale by the EXYZT group, it is not a staged performance but an architectural act aimed at establishing an unaccustomed type of operation. This system is not 'exhibited', though it does have a certain demonstrative, even educational component. The occupied pavilion is intended to be used. Participants are invited to stay there, not as mere visitors to an exhibition, but as users encouraged to use the site. The aim is for the French Pavilion to be an area where people can rest, have meals, work and exchange.

www.labiennale.org www.exyzt.org

Pin It

VENICE - Giardini

10th Biennale of Architecture - British Pavilion. After a fun concert of the the Sheffield based rock-pop band, The Long Blondes and lots of beer, The British Pavilion was declared open. The exhibition called Echo City was developed under the leadership of Jeremy Till, it is an "urban register" describing Sheffield. There are four side rooms in the pavilion and they are designed so that each room reflects urban experience at a particular architectural and social scale; 1:1 Everything is more than a detail-1:100 A hundred everyday lives to one iconic architect-1:10,000 These are stories not streets-1:10,000,000 Here there and north of nowhere. Above is theTrish O'Shea and Ruth Ben-Tovim (Encounters) 1:1 room, it reflects the intimate scale of the three shop projects that they have been working on. "We didn't want to literally re create the shops or create an exhibition that was too far away from them either. Our exhibition contains traces, echos of the inner-city neighbuorhood of Sharrow shops; the stories, objects, journeys, animals that we collected, as well as, a new invitation to visitors to participate to leave their own trace. It was important for us that this invitation was at the heart of the exhibition and it will be interesting to see the response." They explain.

www.labiennale.org www.britishcouncil.org www.sharrowencounters.org.uk www.thelongblondes.co.uk

Pin It

VENICE - Giardini

10th Biennale of Architecture - Japanese Pavilion. Please take off your shoes and enter the Japanese Pavilion for the exhibition, Architecture of Terunobu Fujimori and ROJO: Unkown Japanese Architecture and Cities. Two unique art movements are attracting attention in Japan recently. One is the architecture of Terunobu Fujimori and the other is the ROJO (railway observation). Fujimori's unusual architecture appeared suddenly in the midst of ordinary contemporary Japanese architecture, fifteen years ago. Fujimori's desire was to get as close as possible to the time when human beings first built the artificial structures called architecture. He did so by using natural materials and plants and rethinking the basic relationship between architecture and nature. This avant-gard looks to the past rather than the future. In the present, the age of science and technology, it might be considered a reckless venture with no hope of success. However, a bit of hope is being placed on the method of Claude-Nicolas Ledoux, The Method of Ledoux for Giving Reality to Images Through Illusion. Rojo Kansatssu means " roadway observation", walking the streets, noticing objects that people do not ordinarily notice, and recording them with a camera. In general members of the ROJO are interested in things that are diverted from their original purpose. You must not miss this poetic Pavilion.

www.labiennale.org Pin It

VENICE - Giardini
10th Biennale of Architecture - German Pavilion. The commissioners of the German Pavilion are Armand Gruentuch and Almut Ernst and the theme is Convertible City. On entering the German pavilion, visitors experience through large-scale images the scene of urban vitality and architectural variety. The city is staged as an inspiring field of possibilities. In contrast to the bustling main hall, the side wings offer a calm and inviting atmosphere for a more in-depth contemplation of the individual projects on display. These projects examine stimulating conversions in existing urban space situations, that enrich the dynamics and creativity of city life. They illustrate the exiting tensions that densification and transformation exert on architecture and the urban fabric, as well as, the sustainable use of the available potential of a vertically open periphery for new working and living environments.
www.labiennale.org www.convertiblecity.de

Pin It

VENICE - Giardini

10th Biennale of Architecture - Austrian Pavilion. The commissioner of the Austrian Pavilion is Wolf D. Prix and the theme of the exhibitions is, The City shape, Is Space And Net. Gregor Eichinger calls his installation, in a temporary hut, Urbar (Primal Bar). Urbar is a space for a multitude of individual stories, here people experience freedom of the modern city, in consciously brief encounters. As Baudelaire said " The idler finds enjoyment in the fleeting and therefore in the infinite." The large table comprises the center of the room. Projected onto the table's surface are images illustrating relationships on varying scales. The table is an invitation extended to visitors to form a network.

www.labiennale.org

Pin It

VENICE - Giardini

10th Biennale of Architecture - U.S. Pavilion. After The Flood: Building on Higher Ground is the name of the exhibition in the American Pavilion. It offers a range of architectural responses to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans last year. The show focuses on proposals for both multi-family and single-family housing, drawing from an international competition that the magazine, Architectural Record organized with Tulane University School of Architecture. Shown above and conceived by Anderson Anderson Architecture, The Alluvial Sponge Comb, is a simpatico installation which offers an experimental solution for flood protection. Made of flexible, superasbsorbent material, the multifinger sponge captures water to become a temporary flood barrier. This design is meant to harmonize with the natural ebb and flow of water, rather than resist it.

www.labiennale.org http://archrecord.construction.com www.andersonanderson.com www.tulane.edu Pin It