Architecture in Yugoslavia - MoMA

Toward a Concrete Utopia: Architecture in Yugoslavia, 1948–1980
Through January 13, 2019 Moma - The Museum of Modern Art

The Battle of Sutjeska Monumentdesigned by sculptor Miodrag Živković.
This spomenik at Tjentište, Bosnia commemorates the fallen fighters of the Battle of the Sutjeska, which took place from May 15th to June 16th, 1943.

Situated between the capitalist West and the socialist East, Yugoslavia’s architects responded to contradictory demands and influences, developing a postwar architecture both in line with and distinct from the design approaches seen elsewhere in Europe and beyond. The architecture that emerged—from International Style skyscrapers to Brutalist “social condensers”—is a manifestation of the radical diversity, hybridity, and idealism that characterized the Yugoslav state itself. Toward a Concrete Utopia: Architecture in Yugoslavia, 1948–1980 introduces the exceptional work of socialist Yugoslavia’s leading architects to an international audience for the first time, highlighting a significant yet thus-far understudied body of modernist architecture, whose forward-thinking contributions still resonate today.

Uglješa Bogunović, Slobodan Janjić, and Milan Krstić. Avala TV Tower.
1960–65 (destroyed in 1999 and rebuilt in 2010). Mount Avala, near Belgrade, Serbia. Exterior view.
Photo: Valentin Jeck, commissioned by The Museum of Modern Art, 2016.

The exhibition includes more than 400 drawings, models, photographs, and film reels from an array of municipal archives, family-held collections, and museums across the region, and features work by important architects including Bogdan Bogdanović, Juraj Neidhardt, Svetlana Kana Radević, Edvard Ravnikar, Vjenceslav Richter, and Milica Šterić. From the sculptural interior of the White Mosque in rural Bosnia, to the post-earthquake reconstruction of the city of Skopje based on Kenzo Tange’s Metabolist design, to the new town of New Belgrade, with its expressive large-scale housing blocks and civic buildings, the exhibition examines the unique range of forms and modes of production in Yugoslav architecture and its distinct yet multifaceted character.

More info: moma.org

Berislav Serbetic and Vojin Bakic. Monument to the Uprising of the People of Kordun and Banija. 1979–81. Petrova Gora, Croatia. Exterior view. Photo: Valentin Jeck, commissioned by The Museum of Modern Art, 2016

Kenzo RTW Spring Summer 2017

Kenzo Living Statues Installation 

photo Harry Matenaer

Designers Carol Lim and Humberto Leon are known for their creative and innovative presentations.
For their spring summer 2017 collection show they chose the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine, Paris's architecture museum that houses casts of French architecture and monumental sculptures both new and old. They added a human element to the set, which resulted in the addition of real-life statues posing among—and sometimes even incorporated into—the works of art and architecture.

https://www.kenzo.com/en/summer2017show

Workplace for the New World - Exhibition

Werkplaats voor de nieuwe wereld / Workplace for the New World
1 May – 5 July 2015

What makes work worth the effort? How do our daily actions give meaning to our lives and to our physical environment?

Contemporary urban sentiment indicates a desire for a local, fairer, more sustainable, and more meaningful world: the beer-brewing hipster, the status symbol hand knitted sweater, and the hacker helping to build an open source project.
But what is the relationship between the craft-brewed beer and the self-driving car? Between craft revivals and the rapid development of advanced robotics and artificial intelligence? How aligned are these two developments with each other?

Workshop for the New World explores the past, present, and future of work; how work determines our physical and social environment. By looking at work's future, we investigate possibilities for a sustainable and inclusive world.
The exhibition consists of an installation that explores and stretches work's definition, reinterpreting the history of work and defining a new strategies for work's future, and features a bimonthly program where we test the New World and submit it to contemporary thinkers and doers.

Workplace for the New World is a project by Monnik, Office for New Romantic Politics, commiossend by Bureau Europa.

http://www.bureau-europa.nl

Who Owns My City? / Studio Stad

Who owns my city?
24 April – 5 June 2015

Residents are often invited to participate in maintaining the quality of life of their city, while our retreating government has made us complicit in the financial burden of progress. At the same time livability has acquired commercial value, which is used as an assurance for the real estate market. While society participates, reorganizes and cuts, the longstanding fundamental right of ownership remains unaffected. Old property relations remain intact and the yield of public livability goes to private owners.

This exhibition questions the capitalization of public space. Urbanity is a product of its residents, but the value that accumulates from this affects mainly the private property of global corporations. However through infiltration, exposure and reclamation a search has begun to redefine the divide between privtate property and public interest.

Who owns my city is a result of the proposal that Studio Stad made for its nomination for the Prix de Rome Architecture 2014 and is accompanied with works by Jeremiah Day, Marine Delgado, Intrastructures, Bernard Mulliez, Martha Rosler and Hans Wilschut.

The exhibition is a collaboration between Studio Stad, Van Eyck and Bureau Europa.

Opening: 24 April - 5 June. The opening will take place 24 April, from 17:00 to 19:00.
The exhibition is open from Monday to Friday, 09: 00-18: 00 until June 5.
Location: Van Eyck, Academieplein 1

http://www.studiostad.eu 
http://www.janvaneyck.nl/home

Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelters

Ikea is producing 10,000 of its flat-pack temporary shelters designed for refugees made homeless by conflict and natural disasters.

The Ikea Foundation will supply the Better Shelter units to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), which will distribute them globally to displaced families and communities later this year.
The prototype design for the shelters was revealed in 2013 and has since been tested by 40 refugee families in Iraq and Ethiopia, and developed further in response to their feedback.
 "Many of the current shelters used in refugee camps have a life span of approximately six months before the impact of sun, rain and wind means it needs to be replaced. Yet long-term refugee situations mean that, on average, refugees stay in camps for 12 years," says Ikea.

Designed to last three years, the prototype shelter from Ikea is a shed-like structure made of lightweight polymer panels, laminated with thermal insulation, which clip onto a steel frame.
The shelters take four hours to assemble and come flat-packed with panels, pipes, connectors and wires in cardboard boxes just like an Ikea bookcase.
There's also a textile sheet with aluminium woven into the material that lays over the roof, reflecting the sun during the day and keeping heat in at night. A solar panel laminated on a thin plastic film powers built-in lights and a USB outlet.
At 17.5 square metres, the shelter is twice as large as a traditional refugee tent and each one accommodates five people. The upright walls mean the structure could be upgraded over time, for example by adding earth walls or a metal roof.

Read more: http://www.ikeafoundation.org/better-shelter/

Cape Town Fringe Festival

'In Performance - Building a Theatre' project on display during Cape Town Fringe Festival.In the meantime the new children's theatre next to Guga S'Thebe is getting its shape.

'In Performance - Building a Theatre'

Architecture students from Germany, South Africa, and the United States join forces with the local community to build a new venue for performing arts in Langa. The new building provides a place for the community to share their vibrant culture and to celebrate the arts. The young dancers of the Happy Feet Youth Project introduce the Guga S’Thebe Theatre to spectators by exploring dimensionality, sound, and atmospheric presence through the art of dancing in the newly built space for the first time.
In Performance – Building Theatre investigates two methods of building space: one through making with physical materials; and the other through movement and rhythm. Performed by Happy Feet Youth Project (Langa)

Costumes: FASHIONCLASH (Maastricht)
Textile Scenery: IXX creates (Amsterdam)
Choreography: Nathi Gigaba (Langa), Siviwe Mbinda (Langa), Saskia Oidtmann (Berlin)
Initiative: Nora Elisabeth Müller (Berlin) Building Design: RWTH Aachen University/ Peter Behrens School of Architecture, University of Applied Sciences/ Georgia Institute Of Technology/ CS Studio, Carin Smuts (Cape Town)
Project supported by: Creative Industries Fund NL, Showtex (Cape Town), Capetown Sewing

http://www.inperformance.net

FASHIONCLASH Cape Town

In Performance - Building a Theater 
Langa - Cape Town 

Since last week I am in Maastricht again after spending three weeks in Cape Town (South Africa). Although I am already back in my regular working routine Cape Town is still fresh in my thoughts. 

Project background

The starting point of the project is the development of a children's theatre in Langa and Cape Town World Design Capital 2014.

In a cooperation of the Department of Arts and Culture of the City of Cape Town, the architectural faculties of RWTH Aachen (DE), PBSA Düsseldorf (DE) Georgia Tech Atlanta (US), the support of UCT (SA) and the local community, a children's theatre is being built in the township of Langa, Cape Town. The building is mainly built by architectural students and local participants with a completion date of October 2014.
During Cape Town's hosting of the World Design Capital 2014, Langa has been chosen as one of the project areas of the city. The focus will be on the theatre as key design project as well as a venue for events during the Design festival.

Therefore the project „In Performance - Building Theater“ links the process of building to the anticipated utilization of the space. Before the official opening of the theatre, a performance developed through an interdisciplinary collaboration between architects, textile as well as fashion designers and performers as representatives for the future users, will thoroughly explore the endless possibilities of the space and structure.

FASHIONCLASH in Langa / Cape Town
Arriving in Cape Town felt like a trip down memory lane, bringing us back to the roots of FASHIONCLASH. As some may know FASHIONCLASH was initiated after a developing project in Palmeiras township in the Brazilian city Fortaleza. 'FASHIONCLASH Brazil' dates back in 2006/2007 but still remains a source of courage and inspiration to connect people, cultures and artistic disciplines.

Ever since Brazil we have been longing to do a project like this again. So there we were in South Africa. 

The project in Cape Town takes place in the Guga 'S Thebe Cultural Centre, located in the heart of Langa township. Langa is the oldest township in South Africa and has a rich historical background. Compared to other townships Langa is rather friendly and safe. 

Shortly after our arrival we went to visit the children of the Happy Feet Youth Project in their own neighbourhood and their tiny dance space. This was truly inspiring and touching to be surrounded with so much energy and positive vibes in a place where dreams seems to be far away. Their living condition are far from ok and Happy Feet project is a huge encouragement and motivation where they can express their childhood and creativity. 

first encounter with Happy Feet

We were very joyfully welcomed and treated with various energetic performances in their too small rehearsal space. Sure they got the moves and the rhythm. Although Cape Town is a marvellous city with many stunning nature attractions visiting Happy Feet was one of the highlights. Two weeks later we went once more to visit them. 

Before we started designing we first had to install our temporary studio in

Guga 'S Thebe. Furthermore we visited various companies who where so generous to contribute in the project. Show Tex will provide us with fabrics, Cape Town Sewing with sewing machines, Aga with sewing yarns and so on. People are friendly and willing to help when they hear about the project. 

Thanks to all the help and materials we were able to start designing and making prototypes for the costumes.

In the weekend of 16 and 17 August, the new 'in the making' theatre at Guga S'Thebe was transformend into a playground for various disciplines. In connection to Open Design Festival various activities were organized including workshops by Saskia Oidtmann, Jolijn Fiddelaers (IXX) and FASHIONCLASH. FASHIONCLASH workshops involved kids of the Happy Feet Youth Project. All kids were given the opportunity to design and create their own 'vest' that carried Happy Feel logo. Although it was an intense experience to take care of a large group of excited kids. However, the result was more than we could hope for and there are now 45 unique vests. It was also great to see the potential of the theatre for the Langa community.  

After the this weekends our focus went on development of the costumes and this went quite well within the short period of time. We very much enjoyed working in our pop-up studio in Guga and all the social encounters that happened along the way. 

Before departure we handed over our work, costumes prototypes and patterns, to a very kind lady Zola. She will take care of production of 43 outfits for boys and girls of Happy Feet. What pleases us in this process is that she will make the costumes in Guga S'Thebe and also include local sewers to assist her. The costumes will be worn by Happy Feet dancers and on display end of September during the Fringe Festival. Saskia Oidtmann will develop a brand new choreography for this presentation.

The costumes we designed are resulting in two outfits. For the girls a fabric with a african print and for the boys and smaller kids an overall (Zola and some others call it a 'Wanzi'). These overalls are in blue or yellow. In the process we have carefully tried to include wishes of Happy Feet in the costumes as well maintain their signature look worker overalls. For the girls we where looking for a more feminine look and they where in love with the african fabric so that explains the choice.

For the boys overalls we where inspired by Langa street styles where we noticed that hoodies where popular so we created an overall with a hoodies.

Past three weeks where truly empowering and inspiring due to many encounters. The beauty of this project is that many goals and ideas cross each other in the process, just as it is in the name 'In Performance – Building a theatre'. For now our work was done although we would have liked to stay longer. We just have to make sure we come back. This project has already cleared new pathways and showed potential for new projects and perhaps continuation of this current one.

Saying goodbye to all the lovely people we met was not that easy but somehow it really feels as we will come back.

For more information about the project: http://www.inperformance.net

Also worth taking a look is this website where you can follow the development of the new children's theatre: http://designdevelopbuild.com

Take a look at my visual report below, including the children's theatre. 

Encounter with Vienna

This week I was Vienna for the very first time. Allthough I was there for the Austrian Fashion Awards I had some time to walk around. Vienna breaths art and cultural heritage, there are great museums, even a whole Museums Quartier (MQ). Vienna is the city of some of my favorite artists such as Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt and also the Wiener Werkstätte movement, Secession and many Art Nouveau classics.
Thanks to Emre Tamer, fashion designer and artist, I got a insider city tour. I met Emre at FASHIONCLASH Maastricht 2013 and he took time to show me some Vienna hotspots around Neubaugasse  such as the Europa cafe and Park concept store.
We also went to Naschmarkt for a tea, and this is really a nice and cosy multicultural place where you can eat and drink.
Another great place to have a have a drink, dinner or another typical Viennese treat is Café Prückel (at Stubenring 24)
Café Prückel is 100 years old and the interior features an intact 1950s design.

Emre Tamer 

Emre Tamer 

Fashion Rio - winter 2014 part II

Fashion Rio - winter 2014 report 
text by Katharina Simone Milz

At day 3 of Fashion Rio, I had the chance to visit two incredible fashion shows: Coven and TNG. Again, I was impressed by the beautiful location at the pier, where rough industrial buildings met amazing light art and bright decoration.

TNG

Brazilian fashion label TNG presented a collection that focused on punk and rock, showing black leather pieces with studs, spikes and chains. It was visible how the contemporary London rock scene influenced the current TNG collection. The show was opened by famous Brazilian actors Danielle Winits, Marcello Antony and Thiago Fragoso, showing the trend factor of the label. Textures and materials were varied from shorts, skirts with leggings, large coats, and leather pants that are completely covered with spikes. Designer Tito Bessa Jr. also used wool, jeans and tweed to give the collection an 80ies spin. The color spectrum included military green, maroon, navy, red, and deep black - especially for dresses, jackets and other leather pieces. Accessories included black leather purses with studs and fringe. In conclusion, a balanced collection that showed once again how punk and rock still influence current collections, although the concept is not brand new.
http://www.tng.com.br

Coven
Liliane Rebehy, creative director of the Brazilian fashion label “Coven,” presented a winter collection that is inspired by school uniforms and life on a farm. Rebehy explains in an interview the connection between the collection and her childhood: “It started with my desire to do something that referred to the farm, my childhood. The memory that came first to my mind was cow skin.” This is why the latest “Cohen” collection is about the combination of rough fabrics, such as cow skin and jeans, and softer materials. Striped suits and skirts, tweed jackets and loose pants in colors such as nude and navy blue underlined the designers desire to show a look that is sexy and comfortable. Hooded jackets and bomber jackets show the inspirational influence of the college theme. Loose pants in varied lengths are combined with belts made out of cow leather. Pencil skirts and tube dresses complete the collection.
http://www.coven.com.br

Coven store by Marcelo Alvarenga
read more on Dezeen

After another wonderful day at Fashion Rio, I already became a big fan of the Brazilian fashion scene and I’m curious about what the event brings next.

Benjamin Bertram SS14 Logans Run‏

London Menswear designer Benjamin Bertram’s Spring/Summer 2014 collection is a futuristic vision inspired by the film adaptation of the novel Logan’s Run, released in 1976.
The film starring Michael York depicts a vision into how the world might look in 2116, a dystrophic ageist future society in which both population and the consumption of resources are maintained in equilibrium by requiring the death of everyone reaching a particular age and the world dictated by a computer system.
Logan’s purpose in life is to track down and kill citizens who “run” from society’s lethal demand—only to end up “running” himself. Using this as a starting point for research, key text such as; ‘There is no sanctuary’, ‘Your Surrogates are engaged’ and ‘Identity affirmed’ were used to define key imagery within the research.
From this a visit to Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias in Valencia, Spain, provided key visual references for design through architectural lines, a collection of awe inspiring buildings inspired by their purpose. The result is a collection formed around clean lines and structured silhouettes, with layers working together to create the overall look. Cut out details, shaped hem lines and wrap over’s mixed with stark woven fabrics create a modernistic menswear collection.
http://www.benjaminbertram.com

Check out his shop on NJAL:
http://www.notjustalabel.com/benjamin_bertram

PARKers at Frontenpark Maastricht

Lukas Kramer

From 31st of August until 8th of September you can (re)discover Frontenpark thanks to PARKers exhibition.

It is located so close to the historic city of Maastricht, however for many people including me a forgotten and unknown territory with a diverse scenery, cultural-historical, and nature. A lush ‘wild’ nature with traces of the industrial past and the remains of seventeenth-century fortifications.
In the near future, this area will be developed as the Frontenpark: a new city park on the north side of the city centre.
In the last forty years this place was quite neglected and forgotten and now it is in the starting point of transition to become a new urban landscape.
This is so exciting, it feels like Maastricht is growing up, literally growing.

Since this summer an extensive program of activities has started to take place in the Frontenpark. My first encounter with the Frontenpark happend last weekend at the opening of PARKers, curated by the Bart van den Boom and Ilona van den Brekel.
This is such a wonderful opportunity to get to know this new place and get inspired by nine temporary art installations.

PARKers presents nine temporary artworks/installations in public space by these artists: Jeroen van Bergen, Charbel-Joseph H. Boutros, Jens Brouwers, Stefan Cools, Paul Devens, Lucas Kramer, La Bolleur, Han Rameckers and Oscar Santillan.

PARKers is initiated by Huis voor de Kunsten Limburg, in collaboration with Bureau Europa and Van Eyck Academy.
www.frontenpark.nl

opening Saturday 31st August

Marga Weimans - Body Archive collection

Marga Weimans had the honour to close down the 18th edition of Amsterdam Fashion Week in style with her new couture collection called Body Archive. The collection is a mixture of fashion, art and technology.

"DNA is how you really are, what you truly believe and what your unique shape is." 

Marga Weimans uses these words in the intro film that is projected before the show.
On the background screen of the catwalk we see flickering computer DNA a la The Matrix. In this conceptual collection models are wearing huge cubes, leggings, short dresses and we see colorful graphic prints which were based on her own DNA code.
Hate it or love it, Marga Weimans is pushing the boundaries of fashion. I have always been intrigued by her work.

http://www.margaweimans.com/

Martin Visser: collector, designer, free spirit at Bonnefantenmuseum Maastricht

Last week Bonnefantenmuseum opened a new exhibition 'Martin Visser: collector, designer, free spirit'.  I was very honored with a guided sneak preview of the exhibition by the museums curator Paula van den Bosch a week before the official opening.
I visited the exhibition again during the annual Tefaf Afterparty that was help at Bonnefantenmuseum 15th of March.
The exhibition shows a very diverse, rich and fascinating life of Martin Visser and guides us through half a century of intense involvement with the avant-garde in the fields of art, furniture design and architecture.

Here is an overview of the exhibition, but it;s best if you go and see it yourself!
The exhibition is open until 17th of June 2012.
http://www.bonnefanten.nl/en