Boutique Design - March/April 2010 - (Page 40)

I N S P I R A T I O N Virtual Design Goes Vis-à-Vis New Meetup Group Draws Famed Designers usiness is all about who you know and the design industry is no different. Luckily for NYC design enthusiasts (and deviants) IDNY Meetups was launched six months ago by high school cronies Jacob Slevin and Avi Flombaum as a monthly event which couples veteran and fledgling designers to speak about upcoming projects and innovative new products. Despite its newfound presence in the design community, Meetups has already garnered noted architects and designers like Todd Schliemann who discussed pretty-people party spot, The Standard, as well as Andre Kikoski who outlined his new restaurant at the Guggenheim. “All we have is time, a little bit of money and a love of design.” — DANIEL MOYER IDNY Meetups is a social offshoot of Designer Pages, (launched in 2007 by the same dynamic duo) a user-generated, online product catalogue where manufactures can post freely, members can collaborate in virtual Photo courtesy of Paul Warchol work spaces, and clients can view virtual project folders to see a project’s progress. A recent Meetup at the B&B Italia showroom featured talks by senior associate at Gwathmey Siegel, Greg Karn, new-to-the-field furniture designer Daniel Moyer, and Benan Ozakbas, showroom manager for B&B Italia. Karn, who meticulously described his design process for the W Hoboken, (which has contributed to the burgeoning riverfront in New Jersey considerably) revealed that despite the relatively recent preference for photo-realistic renderings, much of the project was presented with hand-drawn visions. “We used white pencil on black paper,” he said. Karn’s upcoming 400 Fifth Avenue project will be a 60-story tower with 214 guestrooms and 190 residential condos. Set back from the street atop a 10-story, limestone-clad podium, the new tower echoes the surrounding landmarked buildings such as Tiffany and Gorham. Perhaps the most iconic element is the petal-like splays of steel that when illuminated, form a glowing crown around the top of the structure. Moyer, the East meets West furniture designer, addressed the nature of being a newcomer, explaining the importance of social networking to establish an identity and presence within the community. “All we have is time, a little bit of money and a love of design,” he said. “People are beginning to have a reaction to the digital world and they want handmade, artisanal work. But you have to let them know you’re out there.” A PowerPoint presentation illustrated the myriad ways to connect and someDaniel Moyer Moyer’s wood sedan armoire times barrage the public sphere, humorously self-promoting his “Asian Modern” furniture with its off-patterned stacking and slender layers. Moyer’s newest work is based on a woman’s boudoir, featuring seven sensual creations that will be soon be for sale. Ozakbus traced Naoto Fukasawa’s design trajectory for B&B Italia, beginning with pieces for the Object Collection in 2005. Highlighting the evolution of his Papilio chair, Ozakbus explained that Fukasawa’s designs are based on his intense study of human behavior, from what buttons people press most on their cell phones, to how people sit in an armchair. The most recent incarnation of the piece is the Grande Papilio, launched in 2009, which was used in collaboration with Wallpaper* Magazine as an art installation for the London Design Festival. “For the space we had, there were really too many people at this last event,” said Slevin. “But that’s one problem we like to have.” IDNY Meetups’ next event will take place at Herman Miller’s showroom with presentations by Laurene Boym of Boym Partners and Francois Chambard of Um Project. BD Greg Karn Jacob Slevin The lofty lobby of W Hoboken 40 • boutique DESIGN march/april 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Boutique Design - March/April 2010

Boutique Design - March/April 2010
Table Of Contents
Hyatt Opens First Andaz Hotel On Wall Street In NYC
Brintons Announces Second Collection With Scottish Duo
AB Concept In Hong Kong Creates The French Window, Overlooking The Harbor
Washington D.C. Celebrates Revamped Design Center
Q&A With Kit Kemp, On How She Successfully Brought Firmdale Hotels To The U.S. With The Crosby Street
Adam Tihany Delivers Las Vegas’ First Mandarin Oriental After A Collective Deep Breath, CityCenter Opens And Adam Tihany Delivers Las Vegas’ First Mandarin Oriental
Designology
World By Design
Fathom Creative Turns A Dilapidated Brake Shop Into New Multi-Use Space For Art, Business, Life And Inspiration
German Theorist And Author, Boris Groys, Discusses His Book, Art Power And The Idea Of Tourists As Architects As Part Of This Month’s Inspiration
Designer Meetups Hosts Big Wigs In Design To Share Inspiration And Discuss Trends In Informal, Open Environments
Dreambook:
Brian Orter Weighs In On The Popular Debate In The Design Community About Hand Drawings Versus Realistic Computer Renderings
EnVogue: BD Brings You Snapshots
Bath And Spa:
Calender/Advertisers Index

Boutique Design - March/April 2010