veer iphone wallpapers

I’m a big fan of Veer’s catalogues and mailings, their graphic design and fonts are always so well meshed and on-target.

more at http://ideas.veer.com/wallpaper

koolhaas houselife

a new film about architecture!

this is a film about the house in bordeaux designed by OMA/Rem Koolhaas, as experienced by the housekeeper who cleans it. koolhaas houselife is a decidedly contemporary take on a contemporary building, how fitting.

Rem Koolhaas’ Maison a Bordeaux, photo courtesy of ‘A company’

the home, named ‘best design of 1998′ by time magazine, was designed for a man bound to a wheelchair following a traffic accident. there are three levels to the building, all connected by a central elevator/room. the bottom floor is carved into the ground, the middle level is a 3×3.5m glass room which rises and lowers to the other levels of the home, and the top level has bedrooms for the family. the glass elevator-room is lined on one side with bookshelves!

Rem Koolhaas’ Maison a Bordeaux model, courtesy of MoMA.org

check out the trailer at bekablog.

Sala Rosa Concert

Photos by Andrew Chau & Welland Sin

The One and Only, Kweku and the Movement, and First U Get the Sugar at Sala Rosa, Montreal. April 5.

introducing le book

it’s spot on.

a wrapped courtyard

Posters by Evelyne Bouchard

A video of the Tunisia installation at the McGill School of Architecture. The exhibit explores the notion of private space in the traditional Islamic medina. The wrapped cloth restricts access to the interior courtyard but allows for liminal views to the sights and sounds of the country.

Video by Andrew Chau

yes we can

barack obama’s just too convincing for his own good.

i’m not even american and i feel patriotic when i hear him speak.

i think he’s finally convinced me with his talk about mixed race.

a designed parking lot

Hotel Puerta de America parking lot, Madrid. Photo courtesy of teresasapey.com

Even the most successful designers have to get their big break somewhere. It was Tobias Wong who made his own big breaks by self-financing his projects like the Money Pad and Philippe Starck Chair-Lamp. I truly believe you have to be willing to bet on yourself with your own money before you can expect others to invest in your projects.

Tobias Wong went to a number of print shops, including Kinkos, before he finally found a printer willing to bind his stack of 100 one dollar bills. Photo courtesy of Theme Magazine.

Teresa Sapey got her break designing the Hotel Puerta de America parking lot in Madrid. Instead of going the traditional route of designing hotels, store interiors, and restaurants, Teresa decided she coud do something different. It’s a spectacular space and the novelty of it has brought her into the world of celebrity: Madonna has held a party in the space, Frank Gehry has contacted her about doing a joint project, and she has become well-known by artists and other architects alike.

Hotel Puerta de America parking lot, Madrid. Photos courtesy of teresasapey.com

‘tokyo in a box’

i got the most pleasant surprise in the mail today. a pop-up card of tokyo, tokyo in a box, as my friend calls it!

1. laid flat

2. pop-up card.

i must admit, mesmerizing is the perfect word to describe it. thanks, don!

freight train graffiti

Some photos from the decommissioned CN freight yards in the north end of Montreal.

A talk with Sandra Ainsley

Peter Bremers’ Icebergs and Paraphenalia, photo courtesy of sandraainsleygallery.com

“Sandra Ainsley established her first gallery in Hazelton Lanes in Toronto in 1984, and has since established herself as a leading dealer on the global market. In early 2002, Sandra was approached by developers interested in reconstructing the old Gooderham and Wort’s Whiskey Distillery. This 10,000 square foot space is now home to one of the finest collections of glass art in the world. 1

Susan Rankin’s Garden Columns (stacked), photo courtesy of sandraainsleygallery.com

In January, I had the opportunity to speak with Sandra Ainsley as a part of my Entrepreneurial Leadership course at McGill University, a course where prominent Canadian leaders from diverse fields are invited to share their life experiences. Below are my thoughts on her visit.

Dale Chihuly’s Red Chandelier, photo courtesy of sandraainsleygallery.com

Sandra Ainsley is many things. Owner of an internationally renowned glass gallery, mother to three children, recognized entrepreneur, friend of Dale Chihuley. Even so, describing Sandra Ainsley in one word is easy.

I would choose genuine.