Rare chance to see Red House
The Lodzia or Red House as it is affectionately known to Tel-Aviv residents had its doors open to the public in a rare opportunity before it is renovated. I included it as part of my Houses From Within tours a few weeks back.
House of Worship in the middle of downtown
Dwarfed by Tel-Aviv’s downtown skyscrapers this little house of worship still manages to thrive.
The Ohel Moed synagogue was part of the Houses from Within tours that I was at the beginning of May.
In 1925 Joseph Berlin was commissioned to design a synagogue for the Yemenite Jewish community. Founded and funded with the help of Adeni Jews, it became the largest Sephardi synagogue of Tel Aviv.
Today the building is used for daily prayers by employees of the Electrical Company who work nearby and some 15 regular worshipers who come on the Sabbath. The place is kept alive thanks to an entrepreneur who operates it as a trendy family occasion hall.
ICFF 2010: Everything’s Illuminated
The 22nd annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair has come and gone, and it was a complete overload of spectacular color and innovative design. While there were a few things my cohort and I deemed “same thing, different colors,” the majority of the show offered a uniquely original perspective on the modern home. And one thing that particularly caught my eye was the fantastic lighting that was showcased. So while I finish processing everything that’s bouncing around in my head, here are a few pieces that were, for me, love at first light.
Salvadoran designer Eugenio Menjivar’s breathtaking Loto lamp series—organically inspired by the lotus flower and crafted from recycled plastics—is best described by his statement on the collection: “An eco-experimental body of work that transforms discarded household materials into precious objects, allowing plastic to be reborn to educate consumers about sustainable design.” Be sure to check out his website, a whimsical work of art in itself.
Office Tour: An Innovative Renovation
It’s that time of year! Tel-Avivans (or is it Tel-Avivians?) open their homes, studios and offices to the public as part of the Houses from Within weekend tours. Last Friday (May 7th) I managed to see a few of the more than a hundred locations! This is the first of a series of posts.
It’s Almost Time: ICFF 2010
By this time next week, my friend Mandy and I…
Apartment Becomes Art Space
I spent most of my free time in the last month cleaning up a long-neglected apartment in south Tel Aviv with a group of fellow artists. We patched the many craters in the crumbling walls, hauled away mountains of trash left by past tenants, painted everything white, and built a dividing wall in the kitchen.
Indigenous Influence on Olympic Designs – Part II
Last week I wrote about the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler Village.
This week I would like to focus on an extraordinary Olympic structure: the Olympic Oval in Richmond, B.C. hosting the 2010 Olympics speed skating.
The building is a unique structure incorporating native design and some very unusual building materials.
Indigenous influence on Olympic Designs
We are in the midst of the 2010 winter Olympics in my former hometown of Vancouver, Canada. So while watching the games from halfway round the world I thought I’d look at some of the buildings that were built in association with this world event.
Four Designs for Valentines’
I don’t know about you but when I think of Valentine’s Day more often than not four general things come to mind: flowers, chocolate, perfume or a romantic meal. Here are four ideas that are non-fattening, non-scented and last longer than a few days.
If in doubt, swap it out
A challenging economy routinely brings creativity to the forefront, new ideas on how to save money are popping up everywhere. Home themed swap parties are a smart way to purge the old and welcome the new without spending a dime. I recently got my feet wet hosting a cookie swap over the holidays and now I am considering a home themed swap.