Stuff we like
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Green Fingers
I was walking back from Columbia Road flower market at the weekend (in itself a charming place – full of character), when I couldn’t help be drawn to a number of lovingly nurtured little oases scattered about the streets between the market and Bethnal Green Road.
The buildings themselves are pretty unassuming pieces of architecture, but the gardens are so striking people were literally stopping in the street to appreciate them. Unfortunately, I only photographed one (I wish I’d snapped some of the others).
That also reminded me of a ‘green wall’ I’d seen in a shop in Regent Street (below). I’m no horticulturalist by any means – my tomato plant is wilting severely – but felt these were worth a post.
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Ping Pong in the Square
What a brilliant idea: Ping Pong London have distributed 100 free ping pong tables around the captial. Rob and Tom have been knocking up in Hoxton Square right outside the studio. Sometimes great initiatives come along that just make you smile. Awesome…
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Le Corbusier’s Radiant City
On my rather wonderful honeymoon in the south of France, my wife(!) and I spent a day living the Le Corbusier vision at his seminal Unité d’Habitation development, Marseille. Dubbed “the city in the sky”, this was a revolutionary experiment in urban living when it was built between 1947 and 1952.
Set amongst the many residents of this imposing block (337 apartments), 2 floors function as a hotel and restaurant (part of Le Corbusier’s original plans) with each guest studio preserved exactly as it was in the 1950s, bar a flat screen tv and a new shower!
The experience is unlike any other hotel I’ve stayed in, sharing the corridors (referred to by residents as “streets” due to their immense width) and lifts with its residents enforces the experience of living in a building such as this.
It was fantastic to be a part of a vision that has remained truly intact over half a century later. Every light fixing, every wooden panel, every inch of space had been considered and designed and it’s not often one can witness such a complete piece of work from a designer.
Much information can be found on the web but here are two starters for you, one on Le Corbusier and the other “Cité Radieuse”
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Bella Rock
Since sharing a house with me whilst at Brighton University, the wonderful Bella Rock has now settled, via the Royal College of Art and exhibitions in India, France and Greece, near Twyford, west London. Choosing a Portakabin in the middle of a field as the place to run her International Art Career, Bella seems very at home.
It’s this kind of space that Bella needs, enough room for her huge imagination and large scale paintings. Bella has no time for high brow musings or discussions, she simply loves to spend time making up stories and thinking about magical things that could happen. We then get to witness the results of those thoughts.
It’s difficult to fully appreciate Bella’s work on screen, so may we recommend you walk your eyes to Deptford High Street at the end of June to see new work with her brother Casper. In the mean time, if you’re eager to see more of Bella’s work, head on over to her website and sign up to Colouring-In Club, where each month Bella sends out a drawing for you to print off and colour-in, in the comfort of your home.
‘Eye Pain’ opens at the Bearspace gallery on June 25th for 4 weeks, details of which you’ll find here.
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Ilya Repin
Saw a thing on the idiot box last night about a late 19th century Russian painter called Ilya Repin. I think it’s amazing stuff.
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In Search of Tintin
This week’s Broadcast reveals Channel 4 have commissioned “Dom Joly: In Search of Tintin”, a 60 minute documentary to mark the 80th anniversary of Hergé’s most famous character. I do love Tintin.
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At This Rate
This booklet and poster was designed by our friend and colleague Matt Willey at Studio8 Design, with photography from Giles Revell. Produced to raise awareness of the destruction of the Amazon rainforest, all proceeds go to the Rainforest Action Network (RAN). Both items are available from Magma’s website.
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We Are What We Do
We’ve recently been introduced to We Are What We Do, a movement that inspires people to use their everyday actions to change the world. They’ve published two books, the bestselling ‘Change the World for a Fiver’ and the just-released ‘Change the World 9 to 5’. They’re lovely books and enormously worthwhile to boot. They can be purchased at a wide range of bookstores and online at www.wearewhatwedo.org
