gradients don't fade.

When designer Ramy Fischler's firm RF Studio
was given the project of refurbishing ad duplex apartment 

in Paris' 16th arrondissement, Place de Colombie.

This space already has enough going for it,
it's own garden and street entrance. 
Coming from the 1930's Art Deco residential
complex known as the "Walter Buildings"

They took on a whole new take to
"melding the old with the new"

This artful transformation highlights the apartments historical past

and unique aesthetic traits while pressing down on its current spot in time.

 

 

 

 The intentions of layering were the most evident from the space.
From the whimsical gradient (of which was applied by hand)
to the layering of curtains throughout the space
the contrasts provided by texture and colour
were as dramatic as the art deco elements itself.

 

 Ramy Fischler takes each project as a chance to explore
creativity, craftsmanship & the science of experiementation

'The Place de Colombie apartment,'' he says,
''is the result of a group of ideas and talents coming together as one. 
For me, designing an apartment or house is like running a research laboratory,
during which different expertise comes together in order
to produce a singular piece that is the result of a collaborative process.'

Furniture in photo were all custom pieces design by Fischler.  Bespoke leather, cotton sofas, & lacquered coffee table.

the Master Bedroom

Calacatta marble through the master bathroom

Strategic cut lines to distort perspective

Parquet flooring carefully integrating the preserved material with a new application

White lacquer curtains drawn by hand by Ramy Fischler and molded by artisans

Apartment in the
'Walter Buildings'- Place de Colombie, Paris

by: RF Studios

Adult Swim Singles.

An installation for each single by

Adult Swim.

I personally know nothing about the music 

but these installations by

Branden Collins, Brian Smith, 

Candice House & Jacob Escobedo

are BOSS.

Killer Mike

Mykki Blanco

Metz

Autre Ne Veut

Lightning Bolt

Pig Destroyer

Marnie Stern

For the music:

http://video.adultswim.com/music/singles-2013/

 

taste your sounds.

 Where exploding foods and spices blow away more than your taste buds.

'The Sound of Taste'

 by: DJ MJ Cole, Chris Cairns, Machine Shop  X  Schawartz Flavor Shots

frozen Toronto.

Well, I for one am glad to say that Toronto 

is not so frozen anymore.

Considering the numerous falls and bumps I have 

received due to tundra sidewalks and ice death hazards,

I cannot wait until Spring rolls around and punches 

Winter right in the balls.

Toronto photographer Tom Ryaboi

on the other hand seems to be more enthusiatic

about our city's recent weather adventures.

The daredevil photographer isn't afraid to get all Spiderman 

on the edge of a skyscraper in order to snap a jaw dropping shot.

(Want proof? Check this picture out)

"The problem didn't lie in getting into the high rise construction site,
but with how one properly dresses for a rigorous climb (all 60 flights of stairs)
and be prepared to shoot atop the skyscraper at -20 degrees C with windy conditions,"

"Of course, we ended up overdressing for the occasion.
The climb was tough - I thought I almost suffered a heat stroke,
having to carry all that camera gear, and wearing a heavy parka,
two layers of sweaters, and very tight long johns.

In the end, the incredible towering views were well worth the effort.
Everything on the top 3 or 4 floors was exposed to the elements.
And, due to the ice storm our city suffered through several day ago,
it seemed like every object on these floors was covered with a thick layer of ice.
We had to abandon our initial plan of climbing the scaffolding at the rooftop,
which was too dangerously slippery.
That hardly mattered, the views we experienced from
inside the top floors were enough to make any grown man weep.
The frigid air started pounding my body after several hours of shooting,
and soon after, I recall telling myself that I really should
have been more warmly dressed for this ungodly climate."

 

by: Tom Ryaboi

tokyo bokeh.

My recent acquisition of a Canon 700D 

has drawn me to watching numerous Youtube

tutorials on the basics of photography. 

Now that I know how to do sort of cool things with

this cam, I've also picked up some new lingo including 

the word Bokeh.

BOKEH
(Originally /ˈboʊkɛ/, /ˈboʊkeɪ/ BOH-kay  Japanese: [boke]) i
s the blur, or the aesthetic quality of the blur,in out-of-focus areas of an image.
Bokeh has been defined as
"the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light"

 

 Photographer Takashi Kitajima takes the word

and brings it back to it's roots, photographing 

Tokyo in all its light polluting glory (which I have no issue with)

 

Each composition creates abstract landscapes

that are as whimsical and dreamy and photography can get.

by:  Takashi Kitajima

love you forever.

no names attached.

Love You Forever @ New York City, 2011

"I have always been captured by 'A Story'. Both photographs and literature are transporters.  They access a space where you become the witness, and are able to examine life at a new perspective other than your own" 

- Erin Rachel Hudak

Love You Forever @ Sun Valley, 2012

Meeting, 2013

What We Don't See, 2012

Everything is Fine @ New York City, 2010

You Are My Reflection, 2014

by: Erin Rachel Hudak

don't hug me I'm scared II

Dear Nano, 

This is the moment you've been waiting for 

Part Two of the most amazing and messed up

animated/muppet-like thing.

(Whoever wants to live Part One all over
again ---> here)

'Don't Hug Me Part II'

the next quintillion years.

So just FYI quintillion is

100,000,000,000,000,000,00. 

 

BBC created the "Timeline of the Far Future" from

one thousand to one quintillion years from now.

...How's THAT for thinking far ahead? 

by: BBC

squid ink on my face.

New to the already impressive Aesop interiors catalog 

comes:

Aesop- Kawarmachi, Kyoto

The brand is famous for their distinctive interiors,

none of which are similar in any way.
Aesop founder Dennis Paphitis is
"horrified at the thought of a soulless chain"
and so due to his fear these Aesop store are born.

From the book worm inspired location in Chelsea, New York

to the Cornice inspired Newbury St, Boston joint

to the topsy turvy 'where's my chair?' spot in Midtown Tokyo.

This location make me feel minutely violated. 
Mainly due to how in line it is with my affinity of this pastel teal and gold taps....
& topped off with a 'too-cool-to-care' concrete walls

(with tastefully sprinkled with graffiti may I add)

is now a new addition to the already impressive

array of Aesop store internationally.

Majorly reappropriated, the metal pipes and lightbulbs
were sourced from Squid Fishing boats (yum.)

These lights were originally used in sea to attract the attention 

of squid.  This is the fourth location of which the Torafu Architects
have gotten to work in collaboration with Aesop in Japan.

The narrow space of

3.2 m width, 19.7m deep and a height of 6.2m
is exploited by keeping much of the original
structure and infusing functionality back into the space.

'Aesop' , Kyoto

by: Torafu Architects

guard donkeys.

An ad for Norwegian Association of the Blind

depicting how easy it really is to make space 

and accommodate guard dogs in public.

'Norwegian Associationg of the Blind'

messy origami.

New collection 'Lodonite'
by Stephanie Baechler is inspired by all things coarse & uncomfortable.

Rocks, gems and ore.

 

Materials include woolen loden fabric which are durable 

and I suppose relatively supple although resembling

the look of minerals & concrete.

The layering in the pieces are made to foil the clusters

and points often found in quarts and the lines in agate

...and of course the model with back moles
REALLY top of the photo above.

'Lodonite'

by: Stephanie Baechler (...)
photography by: Severafrahm (...)

& for the folks that aren't so fobby...

So for those that find the post below a 

little too Asian saturated for their liking, 

here's a nice jam to ease your ears to:

'Picasso'

by: MYK & Shirosky

soothing soundwaves.

HAPPY 2014 WORLD!

I am still looking for time to unload my fat kid adventures to my computer 

and finally once that is done I'll be able to share some of the must-do and must-eats 

of my Asia 2013 adventure.

In the meanwhile, I bring back some tunes from a lady

I've adored since I was 11, Joey Yung.  

I had just got the chance to explore her 16th album

release last August,  'Little Day'.

Cantopop famous for their sad melodies and ballads 

seem to have opened just a few more doors here.

Just listen :)