There is no more excuse for ugly plastic bar chars: the 3x Eco Chair by Indio da Costa Design is not only chic and modern, but also friendly to the environment. Awarded silver in the ecodesign category of this year’s IDEA/ Brazil, the chair is made from high-resistance recycled raw materials, and boasts a long life cycle. The packaging is also eco-friendly, consisting of a recycled cardboard box that can fit five stacked chairs. Now I need to find in which colors it is going to be available.
The Coolest New Building In São Paulo: Fidalga 727
Out of every single new building being developed in São Paulo right now, the one is by far my favorite. Fidalga 727 is the first residential building in the country designed by the much hyped French-Brazilian design firm Triptyque, and is currently under construction in the neighborhood of Vila Madalena. Its eleven units range from 850 sq. foot apartments to a 3,000 sq. foot penthouse with over 1,150 sq. foot of outdoor space, and each apartment is unique and fully customizable.
For more information about the building, floorplans, and renderings, visit Fidalga 727.
Sustainable Design: Students From Rio Present The Stephouse
One of the finalists at theis year’s International Design Excellence Awards and a bronze winner at IDEA/ Brazil in the students category, the Stephouse was designed by Glória Brandão, Othon de Castro, and students from the UFRJ (or Federal University of Rio de Janeiro) using sustainable materials such as plastic lumber. The 780 sq. foot pre-fab single family home is composed of living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom, and can be built in only three days by a team of 10 people. It uses thermal and photovoltaic solar energy and rainwater harvesting for minimal environment impact, and its cost is estimated at R$ 220K (or approximately US$ 115K).
Click here to watch a video presentation of the project.
Inspired by the northeastern state of Pernambuco, the limited edition Nike Air Max 1 Lanceiro was designed by Fabricio Machado, and developed in partnership with SneakersBR. The blue and white colors are supposed to represent the flag of Pernambuco, and the white midsoles are splattered with beige paint to resemble mud from the state’s mangues (or swamps). Brilliant and very cool.
Copacabana To Step Into The Future With A New Museum
Avenida Atlântica in Copacabana is about to get a much deserved makeover with the new MIS (or Museum Of Image And Sound), a R$57 million project currently in development on the site once occupied by famous nightclub Help. Seven design firms, four Brazilian and three international, have presented their plans for the museum this week. Brazilian architects Bernardes & Jacobsen, Brasil Arquitetura, Isay Weinfeld, and Tacoa Arquitetos, are competing for the project against the likes of Daniel Libeskind, Shigeru Ban, and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, of the recently opened High Line in New York.
From top to bottom, projects by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Daniel Libeskind, Brasil Arquitetura, Bernardes & Jacobsen, Shigeru Ban, Tacoa Arquitetos, and Isay Weinfeld. Which one is your favorite?
For some odd reason (and that odd reason being either my friend Matthew or the sight of Doodah’s Supermodel decks), I have recently developed an obsession with skateboard decks. Lucky me my newfound obsession coincided with the launch of the RE:BOARD project in São Paulo.
Conceived by artist, skater, and musician Alexandre Sesper, the RE:BOARD project involves a documentary about Brazilian skate art, an exhibit with over 200 skateboard decks, renderings, and original artwork, and a retrospective of the work of Billy Argel, one of the most important artists in skate history in the country. The documentary premiered last week, and is currently playing on Wednesdays at 7 pm and on Saturdays at 6 pm at Matilha Cultural in São Paulo. The exhibit is on display at the same venue until August 27.
One of the things I dislike the most about São Paulo’s architecture is the “neoclassic” design which took over residential and commercial buildings over the last decade. Fortunately (for me at least), the architecture of the city is undergoing a recent change with the development of projects like the new 360º Building in the neighborhood of Alto de Pinheiros.
Winner of the Architectural Record’s Future Project Award, the building designed by Isay Weinfeld will feature 62 elevated homes with outdoor space. Seven different apartments are available, ranging in size from 1,350 to 2,700 sq. ft., and selected based on your preference of city view. I went to see a furnished unit on display at the building site, and it completely blew me away. The outdoor space is incredible, and something you just do not get at any other building in São Paulo unless you happen to live on the penthouse. Construction is scheduled to begin soon, with delivery slated for late 2011.
For those of you interested in Brazilian music, I would highly recommend taking the time to watch the trailer above for Beyond Ipanema: Brazilian Waves in Global Music. The film directed and written by Béco Dranoff and Guto Barra explores the Brazilian music experience outside of Brazil through interviews with the likes of M.I.A., Bebel Gilberto, CSS, David Byrne, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Seu Jorge, and many others. The world premiere is scheduled for July 17 at New York’s MoMa, with a second showing scheduled for July 26. There is no word yet on when the film will be released overseas, but I have heard from friend who have already seen it that it is pretty brilliant.
I used to complain that there were no cool bars or lounges in São Paulo, but I take that back after this past weekend. On Saturday night I went to Sonique for a friend’s birthday, and it is everything I have been asking for in São Paulo: a place with impeccable design and great music that I can go to with friends for a drink or two after dinner at 11ish, and be done by 2. If you live in a city like New York, that may seem like the norm, but much of São Paulo’s traditional bar culture revolves around draft beer and appetizers on a sidewalk bar in the late afternoon, and the city’s nightlife is all about big clubs which you should not even attempt to go to before at least 1 am. Sonique may just be the antidote for that.
Opened since February (don’t even ask me why I had not been there yet), Sonique was designed by the much hyped French-Brazilian architects Triptyque, and its decor alone would be worth a trip there. The crowd is mixed, 40% straight 60% gay, and pretty cute. If you happen to be in São Paulo, that is one place I would tell you not to miss.
