Cool Hunting
| 29 February 2008view entries from: this week | this month | view previous day | view next day |
Rocio Romero: LV Series
by Doug Black
It's an all-too-common complaint that modern prefabricated homes don't fit the utilitarian or economical requirements of the average Joe. Fortunately, these Joes have a sympathetic ear with Rocio Romero. The Missouri-based architect built her first prototype in 2000 as a Chilean vacation home for her parents, and in the last few years has seen a boom in construction of her efficient, inexpensive kit homes, with projects popping up across America.
Her latest design is the LV Series, which employs a number of environmentally-friendly design elements and aims to foster a connection to natural surroundings. The result is full of clean lines, mammoth windows and minimalist details.
Houses are also infinitely customizable and each project begins with an individual consultation. Even better, the price is attainable, with the most humble designs starting around 25 grand and sizes ranging from 625 to 1453 square feet.
Rocio Romero begins the National LV Open House Tour tomorrow (1 March 2008) in upstate New York and is planning three more events in other American locations. The New York tour is $40 and will be conducted by Romero, her staff, homeowners and contractors. Check the website for more information or purchase details.
The Future Network: The Magazine
by Josh Rubin
There's something refreshingly compelling about The Future Laboratory's latest publication, simply titled The. A "younger sibling" to their house publication Viewpoints, the quarterly is a straightforward look (read: no cheesy color-themed layouts) at current products, people, ideas and events, serving as a cultural thermometer aimed at an audience of marketers, creative directors, designers and the like.
While the unfussy approach of The is part of its appeal, there's still plenty of creativity in the way they present the quality content. The fold-out cover of the second issue reveals a Pantone hue (3145 C) and explains why the color is one we're likely to see more of in coming months (see Temperley's latest runway show for proof).
We also like the recurring section called "The City Boxes," (all the sections riff off the title), which uses a photo of a neatly-laid out objects to explore cities (pictured below). Other sections explore topics like contemporary church architecture, friends who dress like twins and how to reinvent a "flailing or forgotten brand," but are never longer than a few pages.
Visit the site for more info and to download pdf versions of The.
Cover image via Citizen:Citizen
Fentix Cube
by Josh Rubin
Combining the brain-teasing appeal of a Rubik's cube with a multi-touch interface, British electronic engineer Andrew Fentem's Fentix Cube might be the ultimate geek toy. The full-color screens are bright enough to see in daylight and the lights can be programmed to simulate any number of multi-dimensional puzzles, including Rubik's classic (watch the video to see it in action), games or ambient lighting themes. No word on pricing or availability yet, but email info [at] andrefentem [dot] com for more info.
via Fresh Creation
Brecho Luxo
by Phuong-Cac Nguyen
Only a little more than six months old, Brecho Luxo is causing somewhat of a sensation with the fashion cult here in São Paulo. Founded by Paula Reboredo and Gil Franca, who run the São Paulo street fashion blog Freakstyle with journalist Maira Goldschmidt (that we told you about last year), opened the vintage store with a fabulously edited selection of clothes and accessories that focuses on styles that have come back into vogue. It's been the golden key to their success.
They hit second-hand stores in São Paulo and Curitiba (plus the occasional thrift store when traveling to foreign cities, like Buenos Aires) to bring sunglasses, high-waisted skirts, belts, '80s tees, vests and even children's clothes to the masses. Prices are super affordable, too — an aspect their customers appreciate because good vintage stores in São Paulo are as rare as fresh air here.
Brecho Luxo began when Reboredo's friends relied on her discerning taste to find them clothes, and after growing into a stint in Surface to Air (which still currently stocks their more valuable discoveries), Reboredo and Franca knew they had to open a store at least to get rid of all the clothes that had been collecting in their apartment.
Brecho Luxo's second line of business is in renting and loaning clothes to the wardrobe departments of commercial campaigns and stylists for fashion editorials in Vogue and Elle, but they're already moving on to the next project at a fast pace: a signature line of clothes, very much based on retro fashion. The store's site lists current stock with prices and if you see something you have to have, drop them a line.
