On July 27, 2010, In architecture, By Wes
On July 8, 2010, In art, By Wes
Howard Finster is my favorite American artist. I was introduced to him by my Dad when I was younger; at first I just loved that he wrote all over his “canvases” and seemed a bit nuts. That he lived and worked in my homestate of Georgia only grew my affection. But, as I’ve grown up, the paintings, carvings and sculptures have come to mean more.
Finster was a deeply religious man convinced in a vision from the lord that he should paint. He created thousands of folk art pieces over his life, including his home, Paradise Gardens, which became an ever-changing permanent exhibit of carving, painting, paint-penning, chalk-drawing, sculpture, agriculture, and architecture. When he died the place fell into disrepair, but it has since been put under the protection of the state, and volunteers are working now to restore it to it’s former glory.
Finster’s un-precious, un-precocious, un-pretentious works of art are the mad, wonderful scatterings of a brilliantly fractured mind and talent. They’re so much fun, they look so good, they’re so honest and American. See them in the Smithsonian or in Northwest Georgia; they’re folk art at it’s purest and least complicated.
On May 25, 2010, In architecture, By Wes
Here’s some pics of the soon-to-be-famous Brent Knoll House, built in Melbourne Australia. Cool Hunter featured the house, and the pictures are from them:
On April 23, 2010, In architecture, By Wes
Nicknamed the Bird’s Nest, and host of the 2008 Olympic Games.
On April 21, 2010, In architecture, By Wes
One of the world’s most sought after, championed, highly paid and densely sculptural architects, Renzo Piano, has a wealth of breathtaking building, but one of our favorites here at Basis is the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. Built underground for the most part, featuring and living roof and a”flooded” basement, fully integrated into the ecological world of San Fran, and flatly stunning to look at, it’s a real treat.
On April 20, 2010, In architecture, By Wes
One of the outdoor spaces gracing the newest and slickest in condo-living; 40 Bond in New York City.
The ultimate in design and art living luxury, and a living space with a possible destiny as one of the defining buildings in New York living space architecture.
On April 19, 2010, In architecture, By Wes
On April 6, 2010, In architecture, By Wes
Built in 1923, this is the hotel that withstood that years 8.3 magnitude earthquake, taking only cosmetic damage. The hotel stood for nearly 50 years before constant earthquakes, alluvial mud and advanced, safer, earthquake-resistant technology mandated it be rebuilt. The facade and pond were re-located, and stand as monuments to the magnificent original building. It was this earthquake and this building that inspired one of architecture’s most famous telegrams. Baron Kihachiro Okura sent it after the massive earthquake, and Wright was quick to let it slip into the hands of American journalists:
Hotel stands as monument to your genius. Congratulations.
On March 22, 2010, In architecture, By Wes
In the wake of Sunday night’s historic health care vote in the House of Representatives, here’s one of the finest (and finest-designed) hospitals in the UK’s NHS system: Evelina Children’s Hospital in London.
Here we see the lobby. The facility re-opened with this re-design in 1999, and doubles as a teaching hospital for nearby King’s College. Here’s a view of some of the teaching facilities:
Wouldn’t we all like to study in a room like that? Now, this is a childrens hospital first and foremost, and the design for the beautiful building extended to hospital rooms and play areas for the children who’ll be using it:
This futuristic slide is called a helter skelter. Here’s a hospital room:
The abundance of light available in the room is healthful as well as mood altering; and the room is just gorgeous on it’s own.
The current American bill doesn’t come close to creating a government-run not-for-profit system, but, as you can see from our allies’ NHS hospital, there’s nothing to be afraid of (unless you fear children and architecture, and in that case, run screaming).
On March 16, 2010, In architecture, furniture, By Wes
Hat Tip to The Cool Hunters for featuring this magnificent store (VitraHaus) on their blog. Check out the very cool stacked-house style of architects Pierre de Meuron and Jacques Herzog, and reflect on how much more fun it must be to shop in Europe.
Come on in, stay a while, buy some stuff…