Monica, type A personality and chef, generally kept her eclectically decorated Greenwich Village apartment immaculate and ready to host a gathering at a moment’s notice. But, as revealed in “The One with Frank Jr.,” there’s one room that Monica neglected: her bathroom. As Joey Tribbiani points out, “You know, if you move your hamper you can see the color the tile used to be!”

If Monica were a real person, we’d imagine she would have given her bathroom at least a small update by 2021. Now, the folks over at QS Supplies have taken the liberty of giving her bathroom a digital makeover in a range of styles they imagine she might choose, from industrial to Moroccan.

Farmhouse Style

Monica’s real bathroom, like much of the rest of her apartment, was painted a very 90s shade of purple. That loud vibe is pretty much the opposite of contemporary farmhouse style, where predominately black and white palettes are typically accented with beige and gray. Perhaps the most realistic (and likely) makeover on this list, it’s pretty easy to pull off, from the plastered paint and wainscoting to the classic tub filler and checkerboard floor.

Tropical Style

Marrying tropical style with modern sensibilities, this fantasy renovation wows with a lush wall of living vegetation alongside the tub, so you can take a mini-vacation in your very own mini-resort whenever you want. Stone, elaborately carved reliefs on the wooden door and a ceiling fan bring the look together.

Art Deco Style

Everything about this Art Deco style bathroom makeover says “sophistication,” from the gorgeous tray ceiling and bold patterned floor to the capiz sconces and gold accents. Of course, if your bathroom looks like this, one would hope that the rest of your apartment is on the same level.

Moroccan Style

Drama, saturated color, and to-die-for patterns characterize this vibrant conversion, turning Monica’s bathroom from blah to unforgettable. Naturally water-resistant stone flags and mosaic tiling are a great choice for both function and looks. Using a piece of wooden furniture in place of a standard vanity is one designer’s trick more of us should keep in mind for our own renovations, and the arch shapes of the door and bath entry take this look over the top.

Japanese Style

For a personality type that could use a little zen, a Japanese-style bathroom might be a good idea. This redesign feels spacious, open, and relaxing, with an absolutely epic wooden bathtub. Timber slats on the walls bring in some warmth, and who wouldn’t love a gorgeous bonsai growing in their shower?

“Are you familiar with the Japanese concept of unagi?” writes QS Supplies. “According to Ross Geller, it’s a Japanese concept meaning ‘state of total awareness.’ According to the Japanese, unagi means ‘freshwater eel.’ It’s a good lesson in Japanese design style: if you want it for your bathroom, make sure you understand the principles, not just the surface appearance!”

Industrial Style

Perhaps the style that most announces “I’m a successful chef in New York City,” this look reimagines Monica’s apartment as a warehouse conversion with raw concrete walls and flooring, a decorative metal grille ceiling, a sliding door, lots of hard angular shapes, and what looks like a slightly smaller, less comfortable tub than her original clawfoot.

The post How Monica Geller Might Redecorate Her “Friends” Bathroom Today first appeared on Dornob.

Furniture artists from the Tokyo-based Nendo Inc. were one of 18 international creative groups invited by Dior to reinterpret the Medallion chair as part of a special exhibition at this year’s Salone del Mobile in Milan.

Some covered the chair in surprising fabrics, while others deconstructed it and grafted it back together with extra materials. One group even made it look like it was being sucked into the vacuum of space.

Nendo was one at the few studios with a truly novel take on Dior’s famous design. According to the company website, the team decided to reinterpret the chair with “state-of-the-art technology in continuation of the vision of our founding, ‘graceful fusion of modernity and tradition.’” The traditional Medallion chair is a simplified version of the classic Louis XVI dining seat with a signature oval back and square upholstered seat. The artists at Nendo used these shapes to invert the design, effectually creating a stencil of the chair.

The Nendo artists stripped the chair down to its essence, leaving behind only its most recognizable feature. “The oval cutout in the back of each one conveys the impression that the Medallion chair’s most notable characteristic is floating delicately in midair,” they explain.

Since it’s made from a transparent sheet of 3’ x 6’ chemically hardened glass, the Nendo Chaise Medallion 3.0 might be invisible if not for the missing egg-shape where the original’s back support would be. Constructed using a newly developed method, the curved shape that forms the legs, back, and seat piece was submerged in potassium nitrate molten salt at over 800 degrees Fahrenheit before being allowed to cool and solidify. This process creates an incredibly strong material even at just 3 mm thick. The chemical hardening also provides the chair with more flexural strength and scratch resistance.

Christian Dior created the original Medallion Chair back in 1946 when he founded his design house and was in need of seating for his first fashion shows. In his memoirs, he said he wanted the observers to sit on something that felt “somber, simple, and above all classic and Parisian.” Naturally, he pared down the Louis XVI model, added his own signature fabrics and prints, and furniture history was made. The Medallion has since been featured in many iterations of Dior boutiques over the years and has inspired several of the company’s cases and perfume bottles.

Perhaps that connection to perfume containers is part of the vision behind Nendo’s glass seating offering. In addition to the fully transparent seat, the group also produced one in frosted glass, one in pink ombré, and one in opaque black. The minimalist chairs almost look like a lineup of fragrance vessels, with their delicate shape and striking hues.

Nendo was founded in 2002 by CEO and chief designer Oki Sato, an architecture graduate from Waseda University. Since then, the company has added an office in Milan and grown to over 50 employees. They have won numerous international awards, including being named “Designer of the Year” by Ell Deco International Design.

The Chaise Medallion 3.0 was on display at Milan Design Week 2021 from September 5th through 10th in the Palazzo Citterio.

The post Nendo Gives Dior’s Iconic Medallion Chair a Transparent Minimalist Makeover first appeared on Dornob.

Enter Stripe Street Studio, a New York City-based interior design firm created by event producer and home stylist Stacey Herman to help dads who aren’t looking for a typical man cave or bachelor pad. It’s for those who still plan to be heavily involved in their children’s care and lives and need a space to fit that dynamic.

“They want family homes. It’s just they happen to not be married anymore,” Herman explains “What’s so important is to save that bond and to build on it, to create a home where your kids feel like there are two homes. It’s not like, ‘Oh, I’m going to Dad’s pad.’”

Creating that seamless shift for dads and their offspring is the whole point of Stripe Street. Herman (aptly naming herself the company’s “Chief Transition Officer”) and her team help newly single dads from start to finish, including the actual moving process. Even better, they promise to leave the entire household unpacked and logically organized so the family can get right into living from day one.

The team kicks things off by analyzing the best of use of space based on the needs of the dad and his kids. The required areas are then identified (“where to sit, eat, and sleep”) and personalized to match the family’s aesthetic. The last step is creating “ambiance and comfort.”

While her services cater to a niche market – the average American dad coming out of divorce doesn’t exactly have a ton of resources to set up a new home – for those who fit the profile, Herman’s studio could make the splitting of households much easier. Her website says they can provide “everything for your home from furniture and rugs, towels and linens…all the way to the vegetable peeler.”

Herman’s background makes her an especially great fit for this new venture. She has over 25 years of design experience working for print institutions like Condé Nast and Hearst Corporation, specifically with roles at Vanity Fair and Elle Décor. During this time, she learned the importance of logistics and functionality in addition to aesthetic as she orchestrated large multi-platform events and marketing programs. In 2015, she launched Fluid Design + Relocation, a company that specializes in outfitting private homes across the U.S. and creating custom pieces for corporate entities. It’s from there that her passion for helping divorced dads find their style truly blossomed.

The Stripe Street website showcases the studio’s work on three different projects so far. “Mid-West Strong” was created for a dad and his energetic boys. The team put together a masculine but tailored decor that would be “indestructible” enough for their life of riding four-wheelers, playing with toys, and fishing.

Another dad and his young girls got the “Manhattan Happy” treatment, an upbeat and fun-loving look that incorporates sunny yellows and playful patterns in the common areas, but mature, more subdued tones in the master bedroom and sitting room.

With “Masculine Refinement,” the father of college-age kids got a calm and sophisticated style, with warm colors and rich textures that “replicate the feel and elegance of a gentleman’s closet.” A variety of wood tones, leathers, and velvets combine to make this home a contemplative space for Dad and his visiting children.

Even if Stripe Street Studio only serves a small segment of divorcees, the fact that it exists shows the growing need for such services. It could even act as a market forerunner to elevate the dated “dad pad” to a place where a father and his kids can truly feel at home.

The post Stacey Herman is Helping Divorced Dads Up Their Interior Design Game first appeared on Dornob.

The U.S. Postal Service recently announced that it would be creating “a new generation of U.S.-built postal delivery vehicles” to replace its current delivery fleet by 2023. Wisconsin-based tactical vehicle manufacturer Oshkosh Defense will assemble 50,000 to 165,000 “Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDV) as part of a 10-year $482 million contract. Among other things, the tall, boxy design gives drivers more visibility on the road, enhanced braking and traction control, a collision avoidance system with audio warnings, more overall comfort, and increased cargo capacity.

As usual, the steering wheel will be on the right so mail carriers can simply lean out the window to access curbside mailboxes. The drivers will also enjoy air conditioning, a sliding side cargo door, a walk-in cargo area with cab access, back-up cameras, a 360-degree camera, blind spot warnings, and bumper sensors. The lower chassis makes it easier for mail carriers to get in and out of the truck all day. Interior photos aren’t yet available, but it looks like drivers might be able to stand full-height inside, which would also be easier on their bodies. The larger cargo area will be more comfortable to navigate, making it easier to organize the many packages Americans order these days.

As Curbed notes, pedestrian fatalities have increased in the U.S. over the last decade even as overall traffic deaths have declined, and safety experts say that’s largely due to the growing popularity of SUVs and trucks. These tall, heavy vehicles have a larger “strike zone,” which leads to more serious injuries and big front-end blindspots that make it hard to see pedestrians.

Many new vehicles completely rely on features like sensors and backup cameras to get around these issues, but — as much as you might cringe at the idea of more cars on the road looking like this duck truck — the larger wraparound windshield is a simpler, more practical choice. Plus, the low height of the hood and bumper makes the strike zone smaller and more likely to hit you in the legs, throwing you up and then off toward the side instead of under the wheels.

The trucks will also be more environmentally friendly, featuring either fuel-efficient internal combustion engines or battery electric powertrains that can be retrofitted to keep up with future advancements in electric vehicle technologies.

“As the American institution that binds our country together, the U.S. Postal Service can have a bright and modern future if we make investments today that position us for excellence tomorrow,” says Postmaster General and USPS Chief Executive Officer Louis DeJoy. “The NGDV program expands our capacity for handling more package volume and supports our carriers with cleaner and more efficient technologies, more amenities, and greater comfort and security as they deliver every day on behalf of the American people.”

So laugh all you want, but the new USPS mail truck is actually a pretty smart design, especially for slow-moving electric vehicles operating in both urban and suburban areas.

The post The New USPS Mail Truck Might Look Like a Duck, But it’s a Better Design first appeared on Dornob.

Originally launched in 1998 in a multitude of spunky colors, the iMac has been the go-to model for graphic designers ever since, thanks largely in part to its speed and cutting-edge graphics capabilities.

The 2020 upgrade of the desktop touted under-the-hood improvements like a more powerful processor, more memory and storage possibilities, and a True Tone display. It also featured a better camera and microphone for the new pandemic-inspired work-at-home lifestyle. But the iMac has not had a significant aesthetic redesign since 2012. If the rumors are true, 2021 could be the year Apple’s personal computer finally gets the facelift everyone has been waiting for.

According to the Bloomberg piece, sources “familiar with the plans” say the 2021 iMac is getting an entirely new shape. More specifically, the new computer is expected to have a flat back rather than the current curved style. Another sign that the Silicon Valley-based company is serious about redesigning the iMac is the fact that it filed a patent a year ago for an iMac body constructed of one continuous piece of curved glass. Even if that particular blueprint doesn’t turn out to be the final design, the Bloomberg sources stress that the computer is getting “one of the biggest visual updates” of any Apple product this year.

The iMac’s screen is also getting a makeover, with a reduced chin and slimmer bezels (the borders around the monitor that could potentially increase the viewing area without having to expand the total size). The current model boasts a 21.5-inch and 27-inch version, but Apple’s two new iterations – codenamed J456 and J457 – could have 23-inch and 30-inch screens, respectively, bringing them back on par with current competitor sizes.

The overall design could have resemblances to the iMac Pro Display XDR monitor, sources add. In terms of color, it’s currently only available in “Space Grey,” but seeing as newer Mac laptops are offered in silver and gold as well, it wouldn’t be so far-fetched to assume the company’s new desktops will likely offer similar color options.

On the inside, sources say the desktop computer will be getting the commanding new Apple Silicon processors (many of the company’s 2020 products have already had their previous Intel Corp. chips replaced with the brand’s own new tech, which has tested to outperform other market alternatives). In a December 2020 report, Bloomberg claimed that “for its next-generation chip targeting MacBook Pro and iMac models, Apple is working on designs with as many as 16 power cores and four efficiency cores.”

And to go along with the larger screens, the company might also incorporate HDR into the new iMac so it can support all the 4K HDR content offered on its TV+ streaming service.

One thing that won’t be included in the anticipated redesign: Face ID recognition. Although it was originally alleged to be in the works, an unnamed Bloomberg source says it’s more likely to show up in the following edition.

So, when can we expect to see the overhauled iMac? Back in October 2020, The China Times whispered that it would be released in spring 2021. While there are rumors of a special Apple event coming in March, many believe it’s most likely the company will present its updated desktop at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June.

The post Apple iMac to Get First Major Redesign in Almost a Decade first appeared on Dornob.

Lowe’s recently commissioned a study to explore how the connection between people and their homes changed last year, and to find out what Americans were most excited to tackle in the year ahead. Nearly two-thirds of respondents (64 percent) said their home meant more to them than it did a year ago, and 84 percent said that they’d continue to spend more money on home improvement than they did before the pandemic.

Here are the top home improvement projects Lowe’s customers said they’re looking forward to in 2021. How do they match up with your plans?

Reorganize the Closet

Remember the KonMari craze of 2019? It kind of feels like a lifetime ago. Between the reshuffling of our homes to fit new functions and the closure of many Goodwill donation facilities in the midst of the pandemic, many of us have accumulated too many items that don’t “spark joy.” It’s time to throw open the doors of our darkened closets and face the mess inside. 64 percent of Lowe’s survey respondents plan to reorganize their closets this year, and indeed, it would do us all good to take a page from Marie Kondo’s book and minimize our stuff while storing it in a much more aesthetically pleasing manner.

Paint a Room

Over half (52 percent) of survey respondents plan to paint at least one room in their homes in the coming months. Popular choices include jewel tones, seafoam green, chalk white, and Pantone’s dual Colors of the Year, “Illuminating” yellow and “Ultimate Gray.”

Organize the Garage or Storage Area

51 percent of respondents say they’ll focus on organizing their garages or storage areas this year, making these spaces more streamlined and functional. Lowe’s has lots of suggestions for getting this done, including sorting and cleaning the contents, creating a storage plan, deciding on a shelving or bin system and finding a place for every last item.

Update Your Decor

53 percent of those surveyed are ready to tear out tired trends and freshen things up. If you’re on board and could use some ideas, check out our assessment of up-and-coming interior design trends and styles, including “Scandi Style,” “cottagecore,” statement walls, and “mermaid tiles.” And if you long to overhaul your decor on a shoestring budget, here are six ways to redecorate without spending a penny.

Plant Something

Spring will be here before we know it, and now is the time to make plans for new gardens and landscaping. 65 percent of Lowe’s consumers surveyed say they’re planning to “plant something” this year, whether it be in the form of fruit, vegetables and herbs, or ornamental greenery for a boost in curb appeal.

The post 5 Ways We’ll Be Transforming Our Homes in 2021, According to Lowe’s first appeared on Dornob.

Currently all eyes are on the airport’s main terminal, which is set to receive a major facelift at a tab of around $1.5 billion. Architecture firm ZGF recently unveiled plans for the redesign, which celebrates the surrounding landscape in both its external facade and interior spaces.

“We’re taking the airport that has served the region well for the past 80 years and updating and upgrading it,” explains PDXNext Chief Projects Officer Vince Granato. “While the space will look and feel different, we are keeping the heart and soul of the airport that Portlanders know and love – easy to navigate; bright, open spaces; and local shops and restaurants – it will still feel like home.”

Portland sits in the northern part of a state that features mountain ranges, a full coastline, and forests in every direction. In honoring the region’s varied topographies, designers will install a wood roof made entirely from local, sustainably-sourced materials. Skylights incorporated into the wood layout will also help create an aesthetic geometry in the space.

“The roof design was inspired by the forests of the Pacific Northwest and the feeling you get while walking through the woods, the experience of light filtering through the trees, and the protection of the tree canopy,” ZGF partner and lead interior designer for the PDX project Sharron van der Meulen said in an official statement.

Further bringing the outdoors inside, a slew of plants will line the new terminal’s corridors. In addition, the interior will feature ample space for public art — another trademark of the famously “weird” city. Similarly, the shops and restaurants one would expect to find in a traditional airport will here be made to resemble a street in downtown Portland, complete with a space that replicates the sidewalks where café tables and customers overflow businesses.

With an eye on the future, the airport will also feature earthquake-proof construction and provide plenty of room to grow and adapt along with technology and travel needs. And of course, planning a project this scale in a state known for environmental initiatives means that although the terminal will be doubling in size, it will actually be using half of the energy per-square-foot compared to now.

The new roof will “break ground” in 2022, with the entire project expected to reach completion during the spring of 2025.

The post Portland International Airport’s $1.5 Billion Redesign Takes Flight first appeared on Dornob.

Olivia Kim, Nordstrom’s VP of Creative Projects, has partnered with Nike to create the latest Nordstrom-Nike collaboration: No Cover. The collection is inspired by the streetwear and high energy of New York City during the 1990s. The companies explain that their collaboration “taps into the attitude of 90s underground NYC, where self-celebration means openly being yourself.”

Naturally, this means the collection features a lot of bold colors, fashion-forward silhouettes, and exciting styles. Since Nike is first and foremost a footwear company, we’ll start by talking sneakers. Kim has reimagined five of Nike’s most popular designs for the collection — Air Force 1, Air Max 98, Air Footscape, Air Mowabb, and Air Jordan IV — each one of them drastically different from the rest.

The Air Force 1 design features fresh colors and patterns. The sneaker itself is royal blue corduroy adorned with a yellow snakeskin swoosh. If that’s not electrifying enough for you, you’ll be happy to hear that it also boasts a glow-in-the-dark sole. Kim’s Air Max 98 goes a completely different route, offering a gradient of red, green, and yellow. Its details are inspired by the Air Max 120, originally released in 1998. In her redesign of the Air Footscape, Kim references the punk attitude of the East Village with an energetic zebra pattern and a touch of pink.

The Air Mowabb’s design plays on its original function: to transition from running to hiking. With a mix of colors, textures, and patterns, this sneaker dares to be worn any way anywhere. Lastly, the Jordan IV, inspired by an earlier version nicknamed “Black Cat,” keeps color and details simple but expresses creativity via its fashion-forward materials.

In addition to the redesigns of these classic sneakers, the collection also features 16 other pieces. There is truly an impressive variety here, with everything from wrist sweatbands to a puffer coat and fanny pack. In a clever act of self love, Kim’s also included a graphic tee decorated with one of her own sneaker designs, the Air Max 98. The clothing includes a mix of contrasting colors, including lime green, royal blue, stark black, and cherry red. And whether you’re looking to work out in an attention-grabbing sports bra or throw on a Betty Boop hat for lunch with a friend, you’re sure to find something here you like.

Nike News provides insight on the intention of Kim’s work, explaining: “she loves New York streetwear from the 90s, a time when a majority of the fashion-forward styles and fresh colors were made for men and she could never find anything in her size.” For that reason, the collaboration stresses inclusivity. Just take the name for example. “No Cover” serves as a reference to the fee to enter a nightclub. Unlike those nightclubs, Kim strips away the exclusivity, allowing people any age and gender to express themselves through their stlye and taste.

The post Nike Partners with Nordstrom To Create 90s-Inspired “No Cover” Collection first appeared on Dornob.

A recent renovation of the St. Moritz Church in Augsburg, Germany illustrates the contemporary development of a religious institution in a particularly poignant form. The structure’s history is remarkable—one of the oldest parishes in the town, it was founded in 1019 in honor of the patron saint of St. Moritz, survived a fire in 1084 and a partial collapse in 1299.

Over the next four centuries, it was rebuilt several times, gaining a bell tower, Gothic details, a square tower and a dome. In 1715, the church was entirely reconstructed in magnificent Baroque style, but most of its newly embellished interior was destroyed by bombs on February 24 and 25, 1944. The tower and external walls remained intact, and the interiors underwent a series of changes and expansions throughout the 1950s and 1960s.

Eventually, the parish decided they wanted St. Moritz to be reborn once again, this time with the needs of the future in mind. London-based architect and designer John Pawson was commissioned to redesign it with “clarity” and “minimalism” as primary goals.

Completed between 2008 and 2013, the result is nothing less than stunning. With cleaner lines, brilliant natural light and a studied contrast of dark and light, the new interiors offer an updated perspective on what a church can look like, drawing a line between past, present and future.

“The church of St Moritz has been through many changes since its foundation nearly a thousand years ago,” says Pawson. “Devastating fires, changes in liturgical practice, aesthetic evolution and wartime bombing have each left their mark on the fabric of the building. The purpose of this latest intervention has been to retune the existing architecture, from aesthetic, functional and liturgical perspectives, with considerations of sacred atmosphere always at the heart of the project.”

“The work has involved the meticulous paring away of selected elements of the church’s complex fabric and the relocation of certain artifacts, to achieve a clearer visual field. Drawing on existing forms and elements of vocabulary, an architectural language has evolved that is recognizable in subtle ways as something new, yet has no jarring foreign elements.”

Callbacks to the church’s storied past are all around, from the grand proportions to the elegant statuary. They’ve been pared back just enough to allow them to shine against the gallery-like backdrop of white, giving them an even greater sense of importance.

Dark-stained pews anchor the space, and the Portuguese limestone that makes up the floors and pulpit is echoed in the frame of each window, where thin slices diffuse the sunlight to produce an ethereal effect.

Outside, the church retains its Baroque appearance—tower, buttresses and all. Inside, it’s a whole new world of simple lines and dazzling light. Balancing respect for the past with hope for the future, this modern renovation feels like a testament to the resilience of history in an ever-changing world.

The post Minimalist St. Mauritz: German Church Gets a Modern Makeover first appeared on Dornob.

Color and playfulness define this interior intervention in a children’s space located within Kalorias Health Club in Portugal. The space is meant to provide a place for children to play, learn, and simply be kids. Ultimately, the deisigners, Estudio Amatam, wanted to give kids a space in which to use their imaginations and make the place their own.

Previously a space used to host corporate events, the Kalorias Children’s Space needed to be updated with children’s needs in mind. A bright but soothing shade of blue leads into the space, accompanied by playful alphabet wallpaper. Each arch in the corridor leads to a different room, each with its own defined function.

The colorful Play Room is defined by its grass carpet which continues onto a wall. The glossy bright stripes above contrast with the grass-like floor and enhance the room’s visual stimulation.

The reading room gives kids a slightly calmer environment in which to read, study, and watch movies. The black walls are actually blackboards that children can write and draw on, and the walls can become a screen for movies or cartoons.

The visual arts room features bright lights against a soft blue ceiling, resembling a starry night. The various portals, cubby holes and hiding spots inspire creative play and allow kids to explore and simply be kids.

The Open Play room is the most versatile space of all, giving kids a space to play sports, socialize, and explore. A mountain of Tetris-like blocks against one wall can be used as seating or as a fun climbing playground for kids. A small stage in the room also allows for fun theatrics.

“Designing this space for children led us to a journey through time and space in search of that restlessness that exists in the background of all beings , the imagery that makes us dream and we always seek whenever we need our most childish and creative essence.”

The post Creativity Defines a Play Space for Kids first appeared on Dornob.

Talks of this $2 billion redesign began back in 2012, but it wasn’t until this year that it was actually given the go-ahead by the National Capital Planning Commission. Even so, it’ll still probably be another 20 or 30 years before the 17-acre South Mall campus begins its redevelopment. The aim of the overhaul is to unify the museums and research centers by eradicating inefficient building systems and introducing modern spaces to create a natural flow — as opposed to the current layout, which is said to “plague the area” and make each building seem isolated from the rest.

The site in question includes some of the Smithsonian’s oldest buildings, including a “castle” that was built in 1855, which itself will soon be restored to serve as the centerpiece of the entire redesign. BIG hopes that by rejuvenating the Castle, they will take away its cold, practical feel (it’s currently being used as an administrative center) and use it to enhance the visitor experience by focusing its development on public access.

Located in front of the Castle is the Enid A. Haupt Garden and underground Ripley Center. The new masterplan calls for part of the garden to be “peeled up” in order to showcase the Sackler Gallery and National Museum of African Art below it, similar to the style of Paris’ Louvre Museum. The BIG team is also planning to demolish the large and isolating concrete wall situated in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, opening things up to allow fluid access to the National Mall and creating an outdoor area perfect for larger art installations.

Who is BIG?

The Bjarke Ingels Group is a London, New York, and Copenhagen-based firm that was formed in 2005, consisting of designers, architects, urbanists, inventors, researchers, and landscape professionals. The firm is well known for its involvement in international projects that combine technological achievements, economic systems, and global communications.

Their website reads: “Like a form of programmatic alchemy we create architecture by mixing conventional ingredients such as living, leisure, working, parking, and shopping. By hitting the fertile overlap between pragmatic and utopia, we architects once again find the freedom to change the surface of our planet, to better fit contemporary life forms.”

BIG is determined to preserve the historical elements of the Smithsonian campus, having been extremely selective of the architects they’ve brought on board to help with the transformation. Ultimately, their goal is simply to bring modern accessibility to an authentic build, allowing more people to enjoy the things that history has gifted us. The institution’s old buildings are going to be enhanced in terms of strength and utility, but they will still retain their original characters.

The project is expected to be completed in 2034 and will span an area of 123,703 square meters. We can’t wait to see how it all comes to fruition!

The post D.C.’s Smithsonian Institution Gets a BIG Overhaul first appeared on Dornob.

Passing On with Panache

Dutch architectural design company HofmanDujardin decided to radically change the image of these so-called funeral homes, not only to put attendants more at ease but also to honor the deceased in a more elegant and upbeat atmosphere. They believe their funeral center, located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, uplifts the human spirit, inspires the most sincere feelings of love, and honors the dearly departed in a truly special way.

The HofmanDujardin Philosophy

Since their start in 1999, HofmanDujardin has been dedicated to making people feel good in environments that promote contentment and self-fulfillment. Willem Wopereis, one of the assistant architects at the firm, says: “In general, all designs we make are human-centered. Our design philosophy — which we call ‘shaping intuition’ — is based on intuitive, natural feelings of human beings.”

Inspiration Through Loss

When firm founders Michiel Hofman and Barbara Dujardin lost a dear friend, they were inspired to develop a building that would properly honor the dead and encourage survivors to say goodbye and heal at the same time.

The pair concluded that a typical funeral is comprised of three main components, designing a unique room for each part of the process. In the first room, friends and family draw together to remember the dead and support one another. The remains of the deceased are then showcased in the second room, which itself is large, peaceful, and full of flowing angles and panoramic views of nature. The third room is reserved for toasts to the honoree and lively conversation about the person’s life, loves, and influences. The firm made a point of providing ample space for each event in order to imbue beauty, tranquility, and comfort into the ceremony.

Hofman explains, “The lack of places for worthy send-offs results in uneasy feelings during crucial moments in our lives. Naturally following our design philosophy, Shaping Intuition®, focusing on the intuitive values of human beings, we designed a funeral center which tries to break this discomfort. The design combines timeless qualities with elements of our modern ways of life.”

A “memory wall” is central to the ambiance of the first room. Filled with snapshots and videos, this huge multimedia screen celebrates the life of the departed. Memories beget memories, and soon everyone is atwitter with years of stories and recollections, with laughter serving to lighten the pall of loss.

Next stop is the room for the guest of honor. Whether it’s a coffin, urn, or some other token of remembrance, the memorial can be visited by groups of guests or singularly to share a few personal parting words.

By the time the guests reach the beverages and snacks in the third room, they’ve hopefully been reminded to enjoy life to its fullest, all of them newly aware of just how fleeting and precious it really is.

The post Dearly Departed Get the Best Possible Goodbye in HofmanDujardin’s Upscale Funeral Home first appeared on Dornob.

This recently announced redesign will adjust the site’s web-based interface in small but crucial ways. Gmail has not had an update in quite a while, so it’s safe to assume that some of the people who have stuck by its side have not been entirely happy with existing interface. It even appears as if Google has been aware of some criticism, as they created another email interface, Inbox by Gmail, a few years back. Unfortunately, that app did not take off as expected, and some people are now saying that Gmail’s redesign could mean the end of Inbox altogether. Still, the company maintains that Inbox is an innovative and popular product among its intended demographic.

Though Google has stood by Inbox in the past, this redesign shows that they both hear and understand their users’ concerns about their email service. Popular complaints about Gmail center around its troubling verification process, outdated design, and the fact that if offers too few choices when it comes to sorting emails. While there are some ways to adjust your settings and work around these kinks, the update is expected to permanently resolve them and throw in a few additional perks.

These updates are specifically being applied to Gmail’s web display, since the mobile app has continually been modernized throughout the years. Those who dislike the current order and display of incoming emails will be happy to hear about the new “snooze” feature, which will allow you to push specific email threads out of your inbox for a certain amount of time so you don’t have to see them until you’re ready to reply. The redeisgn will also allow users to send smart replies: quick responses that are supplied by Google for convenience. Notably, the inbox will also boast an improved sidebar that provides instant access to your calendar and notes, making it much easier to schedule appointments via email. These new features will save everyone time on more menial tasks, and with any luck, they’ll also save people some stress.

In addition to these highlights, Google will also be addressing the concern of Gmail’s outdated display. The updated site will allow its users to choose one of three different layouts (default, comfortable, and compact) depneding on their personal preference. “Default” view shows any attachments included in each message, while “comfortable” view does not. “Compact” view looks very similar to the current layout, making it a good option for anyone who’s not looking for much of a change.

So far, opinions on the redesign have been mixed. Some were expecting a massive overhaul and are slightly disappointed. Others feel that the changes are small but critical, and that they will greatly improve the user experience. This update will be available for all users soon enough, but it’ll be a bit sooner if you happen to be a G Suite customer. These users are expected to be given access to the company’s “Early Adopter Program” within the next few weeks.

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Jaguar is setting out to build 25 new D-type cars to fulfill the quota that was originally meant to be produced in 1956. Back then, Jaguar was planning to build 100 D-type models. Unfortunately, they only completed 75. Far from being “rebooted” versions in name only, these new D-types will be loyal to the original model’s design and employ all of its timeless details and period features. The redesign boasts an elongated hood with oval openings for the headlights and front grill and a raised fin on the driver’s side. These two defining features give the D-type a distinctive silhouette and a greater overall aerodynamic ability. The 2018 model will also be equipped with a six-cylinder XK engine.

Anyone who’s interested in buying one of these limited edition vehicles will have to choose between one of two redesigns: that of the 1955 Shortnose or that of the 1956 Longnose. Production will take place in Coventry, England at the Jaguar Land Rover Classic Works factory. Until recently, a few new models were also being exhibited at the Salon Retromobile in Paris’ Parc des Expositions.

Tim Hannig, Director of Jaguar Land Rover’s Classic division, had this to say of the venture: “The Jaguar D-type is one of the most iconic and beautiful competition cars of all time, with an outstanding record in the world’s toughest motor races. And it’s just as spectacular today. The opportunity to continue the D-type’s success story by completing its planned production run in Coventry is one of those once-in-a-lifetime projects that our world-class experts at Jaguar Land Rover Classic are proud to fulfil.”

This isn’t the first time that Jaguar has re-released one of its iconic cars, either. In 2014, six new editions of the E-type car were rolled out in a similar manner. The company had originally intended to manufacture 18 Special GT E-type cars back in 1963, but (echoing the production situation of the D-type) only 12 of them were ever actually completed. In 2014, the Classic division oversaw the production of the remaining six vehicles so that that original quota would be fulfilled. Better late than never though, right?

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Held over the course of three days in Berlin, the festival hosted a jury made up of James Timberlake of KieranTimberlake, OMA partner Ellen van Loon, WOHA founder Mun Summ Wong, Ian Ritchie of Ian Ritchie Architects, and Christoph Ingenhoven of Ingenhoven Architects. Together, they chose the Sydney Fish Markets scheme from a shortlist of 13 category winners, which were themselves chosen over the first two days of the festival. The winner was announced on the final day.

The winning project was designed by Australian firms Allen Jack+Cottier and NH Architecture (who are based in Sydney and Melbourne, respectively) and proposes replacing the existing “dangerous, odorous, and dilapidated” markets in Pyrmont with modern structures under a mirrored, undulating canopy, which itself would cover an entire boardwalk in the markets’ new location of Blackwattle Bay. The Pyrmont site would then be transformed into a mixed-use development — one that would be completely reinvigorated with a civic character and encourage frequent public usage.

“Our approach for the reference scheme recasts the whole idea as not a building in Blackwattle Bay, but rather a large publicly occupied wharf with a filigree canopy floating over it that happens to have a market in it,” said Michael Heenan of AJ+C. The architects were adamant that the resultant project should not be thought of as a building, but rather as a promenade and an extension of Wentworth Park.

According to the jury, the proposal by AJ+C and NH Architecture was the obvious choice because of the way it interpreted and challenged the original brief. They explain: “The jury took the view that in this category we must award the project that opens up the greatest transformation of the future in all its forms. It addresses matters of real life, visceral life, food, and transport. The architects executed their role in an exemplary and inspiring fashion.”

While the Australian firms won the award, they will unfortunately not be realizing its construction. Instead, that task will be overseen by the Danish firm 3XN Architects. 3XN will lead a design team that includes GXN heading up sustainability, BVN from Sydney as Executive Architect, landscape architects Aspect Studios, and public art specialists WallnerWeiss. The project is an intelligent solution to the question of dockland regeneration, which too often ends up competing with the existing industrial infrastructure by creating residential and commercial typologies that don’t fit in with the urban character of the surrounding area. Creating a free-flowing public space with commercial amenities allows this pier to be interpreted and used in a more flexible manner by the local population.

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Sometimes, these buildings are in good enough condition to have their characteristic period features highlighted and combined with new elements, resulting in incarnations that are altogether new. These are often the most successful conservation and preservation projects, when old and new come together to embody both the times gone by and the now under a single roof.

This recent project by David Connor Design and Kate Darby Architects has done exactly that by preserving an old cottage within a new construction in England’s West Midlands. The collaborative team is responsible for conserving the cottage’s 18th-century timbers, which were in a severe state of decay. Instead of restoring the rotting structure, the concept behind the build was to keep everything exactly as it was and to incorporate it into a new construction.

The designers said, “The strategy was not to renovate or repair the 300-year-old listed building, but to preserve it perfectly. This would include the rotten timbers, the dead ivy, the old birds nests, the cobwebs, and the existing dust. The ruin would be protected from the elements within a new high-performance outer envelope. This means that in most places there would be two walls, two windows and two roofs, old and new.”

The new scheme sees the cottage enveloped in a gabled structure with feature fenestration (including a generous vertical window in one of the walls) and a black corrugated metal skin. The cottage now forms part of a house that also incorporated an existing stable on the land into itself, which now functions as a studio for the architects and designers.

The effect of the old cottage’s subsumption into the new home is startling in its juxtaposition of old and new. Certain period features are retained in several projects, but it’s rare to see centuries-old growth and decay worked into a brand new design. There is a beauty in the coupling of the ancient rafters and warped beams with fresh, whitewashed walls and a new steel frame, which has been carefully inserted into the cottage to support the existing one. The furnishings are minimal and straddle the boundary between antique and contemporary themselves, with wood burning stoves, simple metal framed couches and armchairs, and stainless steel kitchen units bringing flashes of modernity into the space.

This preservation project has been a personal and industry success for its designers, who have won a number of awards throughout 2017, including the RIBA West Midlands Regional Award, the West Midlands Small Project of the Year, and the Architect’s Journal Small Projects Award.

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