Best of CH 2013: Instagram
From all over the globe, dazzling moments, design objects, art and automobiles caught on camera
As we enter 2014, a glance back at our Instagram truly reflects the number of miles the CH team clocked last year. Various cities across dozens of countries, art fairs and auto shows, captivating design, sweet treats and even alcohol inspired us on a milestone year. Although it was difficult to choose, here are some of our favorites from the CH Instagram, as part of our 2013 year in review.
While on a Nikon press trip to Bannerman Island, we snapped a photo of a photo being taken. Not only did it set the mystical scene, it was also a nice demonstration of the Nikon AW1 waterproof camera, in the rain.
Over in Amsterdam, we scoped out the Conservatorium Hotel. We were smitten with the entire experience at the Piero Lissoni-designed establishment. Details like a staircase surrounded by stained glass caught our eye and our appreciation for meticulous design.
Of the countless press kits we received by mail this year, the incredibly life-like Oreo thumb drive was by far the most clever—though many were tempted to bite it. It’s a familiar image; nostalgic, iconic and cheery. We also put it to good use.
During Milan Design Week, District 6’s trunk-turned-sofa caught our attention—as did the serendipitous dog in the scene. The furniture’s colorful pattern was inviting and the repurposing was a stroke of genius.
Among the various treasures housed within London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, Omer Arbel’s site-specific installation for Bocci mesmerized us most. The work features stunning pendant lights, tangled and dangling from the ceiling. We snapped the photo from the balcony, allowing for wisps of pedestrian traffic underneath.
Sculptor Jaume Plensa tantalized at the Galerie Lelong booth at Art Basel in Switzerland. His Lilliput Series of skeletal forms, swirled mid-air, almost as if they were floating. It was just as powerful in real life.
At this year’s inaugural Art Basel Hong Kong launch, it seemed that everyone was drawn to Ichwan Noor’s “Beetlespehere” (2013). The aluminum and polyester sculpture, featured at Mondecor Gallery’s booth, contains real parts from a 1953 Volkswagen Beetle, molded into a 5’9″ sphere.
Only a few blocks from CH HQ, we popped into the David Zwirner Gallery for Yayoi Kusama’s “Infinity Mirrored Room – The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away” (2013). Though we weren’t the only ones. Thousands of people would flock to the gallery for a similar, magical moment amidst the glass and LED lights.
The new Mercedes AMG Vision Grand Turismo concept car is nothing short of magnificent. We caught a glimpse at the Mercedes Benz design facility right outside San Jose, California. It’s shiny, it’s silver, it’s got Batmobile vibes and we definitely wanted to take it home.
We spied a beautiful window detail on the Lincoln Motor Company’s 1938 K Twelve Judkins Touring Coupe. One of our highlights from this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance automotive fair; from the elegant swooping curve to the pristine running board, the entire vehicle impressed.
A stop atop Colorado’s California Pass, with an elevation of 12,960 feet, presented a superb mountainous photo opportunity. We were exploring the Trans-America Trail in Land Rover’s LR4, having crossed some severely rugged terrain—dirt, rock, mud, rain and even snow at one point.
Land Rover took us deep into the Empty Quarter, the largest sand desert in the world, which shares borders with Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates. Within Saudi Arabia, testing out the newest Range Rover Sport as a part of their “Driven Challenges” series, we found an image that reflects the vast 250,000 square miles of epic desert terrain.
Stopping in front of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, designed by Frank Gehry, just off the strip in Las Vegas, our road test of the 553-hp Audi RS7 provided an opportunity to catch the beauty of the automobile and the wonder of the star architect’s work.
During a cross country motorcycle trek, we stopped to capture the obligatory photo of “Prada Marfa” (2005), the permanent “pop architectural land art project” by artists Elmgreen and Dragset in Valentine, Texas—about 20 minutes down the road from Donald Judd’s famed Marfa. The empty area and blanketing clouds provided a quiet respite from the whirlwind trip.
Hopping the ferry to one of NYC’s favorite island escapes granted us our first look at the gorgeous HWKN Architecture designed and Blesso developed Fire Island Pines Pavillion. The project had been in development since the previous pavilion was destroyed in 2011 by fire. The first floor is a welcome bar, designed to greet the 800,000 visitors arriving every summer.
As we were driving from Havana to Trinidad, we stopped in Cien Fuegos for lunch and captured a photo from the rooftop bar. This “club” also has a marina and pool, equally appealing.
