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In the News: Redefining an Architect's Legacy

CasaSugar — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:00:44 -0700

Many of us have seen architect John Lautner's modern, unusual work - we just didn't realize it. The bachelor pad that Charlie's Angels's villain Eric Knox inhabits is based on the design for the Chemosphere. This eight-sided home was built in the Hollywood Hills in 1960, and sits atop a 30-foot-tall concrete poll, which was Lautner's solution to building on the steeply pitched site.

A recent New York Times article, "Bonding Humanity and Landscape in a Perfect Circle," reviews a current exhibit on Lautner at LA's Hammer Museum. The exhibit attempts to remedy misunderstandings about Lautner's body of work, which some people interpret as space age-y and removed from the landscape. Instead, we discover through the exhibit an architect who possesses, according to the article, "a keen structural knowledge wedded to an environmental sensitivity - a seamless bond of nature, space and humankind."

While the Chemosphere may not be your cup of tea, it's undeniable that the building solution for this piece of property reflects Lautner's understanding of site-specific construction. My favorite Lautner home is probably the Mar Brisas House, which was built in 1973 in Acapulco, Mexico, and whose lines echo the beach and water below (seen in this photo).

To see some gorgeous images of Lautner's homes, and to find out how to visit one yourself, read more.

Lautner, who trained with Frank Lloyd Wright, went on to influence numerous architects, including Frank Gehry. While the New York Times's review of the exhibit says that it errs on the serious side, and notes that "the curators have toned down the fantasy and sensuality that make his houses so intoxicating," I think that this show would be fascinating for architecture or mid-century design buffs. The exhibit is open through Oct. 12 at the Hammer Museum in LA, and you can also take a house tour of one of Lautner's LA-area homes.

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Remembering and a Musical? "South Pacific" on Memorial Day

CitizenSugar — Sun, 25 May 2008 08:22:32 -0700

the musical

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In the News: Ralph Rapson Dies at 93

CasaSugar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 07:00:59 -0700

Ralph Rapson, one of the most prolific and oldest practicing architects, died of a heart attack on Saturday at 93. Modernist in style, he was best known for his design of the former Guthrie Theater, which included "a thrusting stage and asymmetrical seating that made the audience seem like part of the dramatic action." In the 1940s, he designed his own line of furniture for Knoll, including a popular rocking chair, the Rapson Rapid Rocker. From 1954 to 1984, Rapson led the architecture
school at the University of Minnesota as dean. Other visible projects of his include US embassies in Stockholm and Copenhagen, as well as several buildings throughout Minnesota. Rapson also took part in the legendary experimental program, the Case Study Houses, which ran from 1945 until 1966, with his Greenbelt House design. The design was never built, but he recently developed a line of prefab modern houses called the Rapson Greenbelt based on the original design. The day prior to his death, Rapson had been in the office, "working on design projects and writing." His son, Toby Rapson said, "He always joked that he would be carried out on his drafting board." Check out some of his designs below, then read the whole story at the New York Times.

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Wee Are The World: Irish Dancing in the Bronx

babysugar — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:01:12 -0700

Keltic Dreams in the Bronx

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Food Has Never Looked So Fashionable

partysugar — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 09:58:30 -0700

I consider myself an ok food photographer, one whose photos get better with every shot, but one who still has much to learn. Looks like I shouldn't just be taking tips from other food photographers, but from fashion photographers as well! Yesterday FabSugar introduced me to my new favorite fashion photographer, Miles Aldridge, who took these lush, delicious snapshots for a recent edition of the New York Times Magazine. Colorful, vibrant, and lux, I love how the photos feature luscious foods juxtaposed by the bored, trancelike model. It's almost as if he wanted the food to stand out more than the clothing, and it's interesting how he combines two normally distinct and separate subjects - food and fashion - to create art.

Clearly a foodie, Aldridge is spot on with the food trends in his images - many of which we have discussed here on YumSugar - ice cream sandwiches, non-plastic bags, sodas for adults, etc. I think one of these images would look amazing in a sleek kitchen and I will definitely keep my eyes peeled for his pics in upcoming issues of Vogue.

What do you guys think? Do these pictures highlight the food or the fashion or both?

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To check out more of his fashionable food images browse his online gallery.

Source: Live Journal