Skip to main content
Read page text
page 10
FORM FOLLOWS PERFECTION Perfection in detail – that is what AXOR stands for. The AXOR shower products underline this demand. They are the ultimate for the shower. A perfect example: AXOR ShowerHeaven 1200⁄300 4jet with gently enveloping, innovative PowderRain. Water taking centre stage. Unique. In every dimension. axor-design.com
page 11
FRONT / SCENE End of the pier After the charity running the 2017 Stirling Prize-winning Hastings Pier went into administration last November, a campaign group raised £477,000 to buy it and ensure free public access, a key aspect of dRMM’s original scheme. The administrators opted instead to offload it onto hotelier Sheikh Abid Gulzar for a reported £50,000. An open letter from dRMM director Alex de Rijke points out that the last time the pier had a commercial owner, it was neglected and eventually burnt down. History must not repeat itself. I J K E / A L E X D E R I WA N B A A N : I M AG E S MUSKY ODOUR Elon Musk has been travelling through the media at Hyperloopspeed lately, but one story threatened to outshadow the rest. The Tesla entrepreneur has come under fire for failing to credit Tom Edwards, a 61-year-old potter whose image of a flatulent unicorn has been adopted by Musk as a branding icon. Musk responded to the allegations by tweeting that Edwards should be thankful for the attention. HYDE AND DRY The reviews are in, and Frida Escobedo’s latticed Serpentine Pavilion in Hyde Park has proved a hit. But a key feature has become a casualty of London’s unexpected sultriness. The shallow paddling pool, designed to reflect the mirrored ceiling, has dried up in the heat wave, revealing the uneven surface beneath. It’s enough to make you pray for rain. → September 2018 11 WOUNDED PRIDE For this year’s Pride, London was awash with designs inspired by Gilbert Baker’s Rainbow Flag; Costa even released a rainbow-coloured cup. Though it is heartening to find companies willing to associate with a symbol of the LGBT community, one wonders just how happy Baker would have been to see his design adopted by brands – and how much of those brands’ motivation is driven by genuine ‘Pride’ or simply corporate gain. FELINE FREIGHT ‘One person’s dream is another’s nightmare.’ Seldom has this adage rung so true as when encountering the news that a Japanese bullet train has been decked out front-to-back in Hello Kitty merchandise, complete with gift shops and the character herself as conductor. Still, two-and-ahalf hours in the mascot’s lair still beats a morning commute on Southern Rail. LOST IN THE FIRE The blaze at the Glasgow School of Art last month provoked an outpouring of grief. Less well-covered was the plight of the residents of 33 nearby households barred from their homes for several months, and the 350 employees of neighbouring businesses made unemployed. Now that Mackintosh’s building is to be rebuilt, thoughts must turn those disrupted by the blaze. MAYORAL REPROOF While unveiling the revised plans for the Olympic Park, mayor of London Sadiq Khan criticised the original scheme commissioned by his predecessor. ‘If you’re going to have a visionary new East Bank,’ he opined, ‘the idea of having these ugly block buildings doesn’t do it for me.’ If only such candour could be applied to the dozens of similar blocks rising all over London. CANDID CANDIDATE The RIBA has sent architect Elsie Owusu a cease-anddesist letter after she called them out on several grounds. Owusu claimed that RIBA chief executive Alan Vallance was paid six times the average architect’s salary; and earlier this year accused the organisation of being ‘institutionally racist’. Owusu is in the running for RIBA president. If she wins, it will be interesting to see what changes she makes to the institution.

Page Text

View plaintext

FRONT / SCENE

End of the pier

After the charity running the 2017 Stirling Prize-winning Hastings Pier went into administration last November, a campaign group raised £477,000 to buy it and ensure free public access, a key aspect of dRMM’s original scheme. The administrators opted instead to offload it onto hotelier Sheikh Abid Gulzar for a reported £50,000. An open letter from dRMM director Alex de Rijke points out that the last time the pier had a commercial owner, it was neglected and eventually burnt down. History must not repeat itself.

I J K E

/ A L E X D E R

I WA N B A A N

:

I M AG E S

MUSKY ODOUR Elon Musk has been travelling through the media at Hyperloopspeed lately, but one story threatened to outshadow the rest. The Tesla entrepreneur has come under fire for failing to credit Tom Edwards, a 61-year-old potter whose image of a flatulent unicorn has been adopted by Musk as a branding icon. Musk responded to the allegations by tweeting that Edwards should be thankful for the attention.

HYDE AND DRY The reviews are in, and Frida Escobedo’s latticed

Serpentine Pavilion in Hyde Park has proved a hit. But a key feature has become a casualty of London’s unexpected sultriness. The shallow paddling pool, designed to reflect the mirrored ceiling,

has dried up in the heat wave, revealing the uneven surface beneath. It’s enough to make you pray for rain.

→

September 2018

11

WOUNDED PRIDE For this year’s Pride, London was awash with designs inspired by Gilbert Baker’s Rainbow Flag; Costa even released a rainbow-coloured cup. Though it is heartening to find companies willing to associate with a symbol of the LGBT community, one wonders just how happy Baker would have been to see his design adopted by brands – and how much of those brands’ motivation is driven by genuine ‘Pride’ or simply corporate gain. FELINE FREIGHT ‘One person’s dream is another’s nightmare.’ Seldom has this adage rung so true as when encountering the news that a Japanese bullet train has been decked out front-to-back in Hello Kitty merchandise, complete with gift shops and the character herself as conductor. Still, two-and-ahalf hours in the mascot’s lair still beats a morning commute on Southern Rail.

LOST IN THE FIRE The blaze at the Glasgow School of Art last month provoked an outpouring of grief. Less well-covered was the plight of the residents of 33 nearby households barred from their homes for several months, and the 350 employees of neighbouring businesses made unemployed. Now that Mackintosh’s building is to be rebuilt, thoughts must turn those disrupted by the blaze. MAYORAL REPROOF While unveiling the revised plans for the Olympic Park, mayor of London Sadiq Khan criticised the original scheme commissioned by his predecessor. ‘If you’re going to have a visionary new East Bank,’ he opined, ‘the idea of having these ugly block buildings doesn’t do it for me.’ If only such candour could be applied to the dozens of similar blocks rising all over London. CANDID CANDIDATE The RIBA has sent architect Elsie Owusu a cease-anddesist letter after she called them out on several grounds. Owusu claimed that RIBA chief executive Alan Vallance was paid six times the average architect’s salary; and earlier this year accused the organisation of being ‘institutionally racist’. Owusu is in the running for RIBA president. If she wins, it will be interesting to see what changes she makes to the institution.

read next page

My Bookmarks

Buy this Book
Skip to main content