MetroMix covers IIDA's Cosmo Couture

Cosmo Couture 2010

Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix

The 2010 Designer Charity Event, Cosmo Couture, was a juried competition and charity benefit in which local design firms partner with industry manufacturers to create high fashion inspired by the international community residing in Washington DC. Several countries—including the U.S., Ghana, Spain, Italy, and Greece—were on display in the over-the-top iconic outfits on the runway.  The work of the participating firms were showcased during a full runway show, which was a benefit for My Sister’s Place, Inc., the largest and oldest non-profit agency exclusively serving battered women and their children in the District of Columbia.

Pictured: The model for Ghana, led by the team at Gensler-3M

Left: U.S.A. (and their American cowboy, led by the team at SMITHGROUP-INSCAPE) Right: Italy, made by the team at Wisnewski Blair & Associates, Ltd-Carnegie

Greece, led by team at Adamstein & Demetriou-National Wallcovering, took top honors at Cosmo Couture 2010

Article Source Here: http://dc.metromix.com/events/essay_photo_gallery/cosmo-couture-2010/2255644/content?ref=nf

PHOTO of the WEEK from Infinity PIX

Check out these beautiful photo's.

For more information, or to see a custom selection of dramatic photography to be consider as Art or Murals for your designed spaces please visit:

www.Infinitypix.com

Mark your Calendar- IIDA HH

Raise a Glass to Benefit Habitat for Humanity

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

Same cause! New location!  Join us for another fun evening as we raise money for the upcoming Habitat for Humanity work day project on November 13th.  This is also a great chance to meet other passionate and dedicated IIDA members.  Feel free to bring friends or non-industry folks.  There is a $5 minimum donation and your bracelet will get you $3-5 drink specials.  All the funds raised from the event will go directly to Habitat for Humanity.

There are still IIDA MAC t-shirts available for a $20 donation to Habitat for Humanity!

DATE:                      Thursday, November 4^th 

TIME:                        5:30 pm - 9:00 pm

LOCATION:              BlackFinn, 1620 I ST NW (Farragut West)  

ADMISSION:             $5 Cover ($3-5 drink specials)

RSVP:                      Send e-mail to iidamacevents@gmail.com; and enter

                        Habitat for Humanity Happy Hour in "Subject" line

https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1000826,  click on the drop down box under Program Designation and select IIDA Team Build Day.

From DCmud

Hines Affirms Spring Construction for City Center DC

Developers of downtown DC's last block of empty land are holding firm on their commitment to start building City Center DC, and confirmed in a statement released yesterday that construction could begin as early as April of next year. Colorado-based Archstone and Texas based Hines development plans for the 10 acre site wereapproved by the DC Council back in 2005, but have since stalled over financing and tenant prospects.

Hines representatives told DCMud in June they would begin redevelopment of the oldConvention Center sitein the "first quarter of 2011," but have yet to announce a major tenant to occupy any of the space. The project should reach "substantial completion between May and September 2013," saidHoward Riker, Vice President at Hines Development. Despite the lack of commitment, The Washington Post reports that Hines issued a statement yesterday saying it still planned to begin construction by next spring. Plans call for several hundred thousand square feet of retail space, more than half a million square feet of office space, 458 rental apartments, 216 condos and a 400-bed “high-end” hotel with its own 100,000 square foot retail plaza, under a 99 year lease from the city.

Hines has already chosen a general contractor team of Clark Constructionand Smoot Construction, and has begun subcontractor bidding. Construction will begin first along H Street, building parking first, then office, saving residential for the last component.

Foster and Partners of London and DC-based Shalom Baranes serve as co-architects on the work. Designed to achieve LEED Gold certification, "the design of the landscape, office and condominium buildings relates to the specific sun and wind patterns and the climate. The site and the buildings will also incorporate solar shading, harness rainwater and water conservation and planting" according to Foster's website.

Article Source: http://dcmud.blogspot.com/

Bar Décor

Hotel Design

The bronze bar at Upstairs at the Kimberly is sheltered by a walnut trellis and English ivy and evokes a feel of the 1940s.

Catering to revelers and romantics alike, the new industrial-cum-opulent Kastel lounge in Trump Soho is putting its mark on the neighborhood with its red-hot design work. Envisioned by Gregory Stanford and Penelope Fischer-White from the Rockwell Group, the bar draws inspiration from the ‘70s and ‘80s art scene (think Warhol andBasquiat).
“We chose materials from the urban streetscape and then combined it with the fashion and style of the people of Soho,” says Fischer-White. “There is a contrast between the large architectural scale of the building and a softer layer that’s really approachable and very intimate.”
Kastel, which opened in May, couples raw, rustic elements like reclaimed wooden walls and a concrete floor with more sultry pieces like copper-clad tables, black velvet banquets and a canopy of sparkling lights. Kastel’s design echoes Soho’s distinctive society of artists and fashionistas—individuals with a keen eye for aesthetics.

Kastel at Trump Soho is inspired by industrial artist lofts.

The color palette is surprisingly monochromatic, highlighting black and other muted tones with amber-colored rosewood tables and geometric leather stools with gleaming steel legs. With Kastel, however, the trick is all in the details, which add a definitive decadence and sensuality, offsetting the somber hues. Behind the bar, guests will find a surface of shimmering squares crafted with glass and mirror, hung on undulating cables. “It’s a little kinetic,” says Stanford. “The operator, [Nicola Siervo], wanted a downtown kind of vibe—that really cool sophistication that is not ostentatious. Kastel is loft and gallery-inspired but the art is really the people that are in the space.”
Inspired by the chic style of the ‘40s and ‘50s, emulating iconic New York hotels like the Algonquin and the Carlyle,Farnaz Mansuri of De-Spec created the Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel as a reinterpretation of heritage and “legacy,” coupled with an unexpected dash of punk. “We wanted an aesthetic that had the classic spirit of New York, older hotels which have slowly become landmarks,” says Mansuri. “We wanted to achieve that kind of longevity, but with ‘a twist of resistance.’”

The Red Room at Hotel Gansevoort channels a European bistro.

Offering a retractable glass ceiling for the more-than-balmy months and a fireplace for the less-than-steamy nights, the space continuously offers sweeping views of the East River and the bustling streets below. Upstairs highlights its rooftop and alfresco essence with a secret garden-esque influence. Green walls of English ivy are coupled with suspended carnival lights and glowing street lamps for an added touch of whimsy. Countering these more playful elements is the highly modern furniture sourced mainly from Moooi through B+B Italia. Mansuri utilized neo-wingback chairs and charred wooden tables for seating, while the come-hither bar is crafted from die-cut bronze intricately carved into a lattice pattern. The metal panels on the wall are an additional edgy element with embossed bronze mixed with steel in a gun metal finish and the cabinetries are of dark walnut, oil finished to a high shine.
 Collaborating on the interior work with Mansuri was Sylvia Tosun of Pentasia Designs while Brian Orter was taken on to design the highly theatrical lighting. Orter created an effect which looks as though guests are standing beneath a tree; leaf shadows fall faintly across the floor.

The neo-Gothic Upstairs at the Kimberly offers a panoramic view of the Manhattan skyline.

Though Mansuri says “it took hundreds of hours of meetings to make sure everyone owned the design and everyone liked it,” in the end they used the very first rendering they presented and have been running at full capacity since they opened June 12th.
While Andi Pepper has designed two Gansevoort properties already, one in the sun-drenched sands of Miami Beach and the other in Manhattan’s meatpacking district, her latest design work at the Gansevoort Park Avenue, which opened this past month, could be the most impressive incarnation of the brand to date. The tri-level rooftop bar and lounge, Plunge, is a pivotal element of the new hotel, serving as a testament to one of New York City’s most illustrious streets, celebrating the sophistication, style and savvy of Park Avenue and the people thriving on its streets. “Different styles have to mix together,” says Pepper. “There are finance people but also fashion people—it’s how the uptown and downtown meld together, how the meat market meets Park Avenue.”
While the space is divided into different “rooms,” the three floors can be combined into one lavish space for private parties. The Red Room is decidedly cozy, featuring warm hues and soft fabrics. Offsetting the cool gleam of the marble fireplace are red faux-leather tufted walls, cream leather banquettes and yellow velvet straight-back chairs. “The bistro mirrors in the antique glass frames mimic the fireplace,” says Pepper. “You can also look at people on the other side of the room. It’s a flirting device.”

The main bar at the Gansevoort Park Avenue features the photography of Deborah Anderson on the bar.

The Blue Room is steeped in 1950s Vegas, featuring an amoeba-like cutout style ceiling, leather vinyl on the walls and banquets, a glinting blue glass column, wooden floors and zebra accent pillows for a playful pop of pattern.  Deborah Anderson’s ethereal artwork of lithe floating woman is also featured prominently throughout the property, adding a sliver of sexiness to the décor.
The main space features an impressive backlit bar coupled with a wall of glass offering unobstructed views of the skyline while whimsical chandeliers, evoking delicate twigs, twinkle from the double-height ceiling. “Plunge really creates a scene at night,” says Pepper. “It has an aura of, ‘something is happening here and I need to find out.’


Article Source

TRISH DONNALLY JOINS FORRESTPERKINS WASHINGTON, DC  (October 21, 2010) Trish Donnally, former editor in chief of Washington Spaces magazine, has joined ForrestPerkins as Director of Communications. ForrestPerkins, an international architecture and interior design firm, is renowned for having designed and/or renovated more than 100 luxury hotels in North America, Europe, Hawaii, and Asia, including most recently The Jefferson, a boutique hotel four blocks from the White House. Earlier in her career, Donnally worked in both San Francisco and Dallas for PaperCity, a design and lifestyle magazine, where she was Managing Editor. Before that, she was Fashion Editor of the San Francisco Chronicle for 15 years. Donnally also co-authored The New Traditional, 2008, Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a design book that's currently in its third printing. "Trish received more than two dozen national awards during her career as a journalist, and will draw upon her experience covering design in Washington, D.C., Dallas, and San Francisco, all cities where ForrestPerkins maintains offices. Deborah Forrest and I are confident that Trish will help us expand our global reach," said architect and principal Stephen Perkins.    "The exceptional thought, care, and attention to detail that goes into every ForrestPerkins design project drew me to this talented firm," Donnally said. "I'm thrilled to join the team." CONTACT: Trish Donnally Director of Communications ForrestPerkins 202.478.8810, ext. 150 tdonnally@forrestperkins.com www.forrestperkins.com

PHOTO of the WEEK from Infinity PIX

Check out these beautiful sepia photo's.

For more information, or to see a custom selection of dramatic photography to be consider as Art or Murals for your designed spaces please visit:

www.Infinitypix.com

Cool French DORMS made out of Shipping Crates

Ingenious Project : 100 Student Dorm Rooms Made From Shipping Containers

If you lived in a students’ dorm, you know the hassle that comes with the lack of privacy, crowdedness, noise, sometimes the lack of cooking space and so on. Here is a project that manages to overcome some of these draw backs. Cité A Docks is a creative student housing project, located in Le Havre, France from Cattani Architects. The amazing thing about it is that 100 new student dorm rooms were created by transforming old shipping containers into a four-story building. Each apartment has 24 square meters and includes a bathroom and a kitchen, which is just about everything a student could need. We have to say we were a bit skeptical at fist when seeing the exterior of this building, as it looks too “metallic” and industrial for our tastes while the overall gray certainly doesn’t go with the exuberance and energy of students. Here is what the architects had to say about this: “The metal structure allows a better identification of the different rooms, and enhances them through the external extensions that become terraces and balconies. The sequences of the transverse corridors giving access to the apartments on the façade creates a succession of full and empty spaces that gives the structure a more visual transparency.”

Article Source: http://freshome.com/2010/10/01/ingenious-project-100-student-dorm-rooms-made-from-shipping-containers/

AIA Get's a NEW home in DC from Washington POST

A new home for architects

The Washington, D.C., chapter of American Institute of Architects will move to 7th Street, NW. (Courtesy of AIA | DC)

By Philip Kennicott

After years of working out of a small row house in Dupont Circle, the Washington, D.C., chapter of the American Institute of Architects has leased space in the heart of one of the city's most active neighborhoods. Mary Fitch, executive director of the Washington AIA, says her group has found an 11,000 square foot storefront home on 7th Street, NW that will allow it to play a much more public role in the city's architectural life, mounting exhibitions, offering lectures and serving people who gather for its frequent architectural tours of the District.

The new AIA facility will be on the ground floor of 419 Seventh St. NW, currently a souvenir shop. The building is known as the Odd Fellows Temple, for its owners, a philanthropic fraternal organization that has owned the space since 1917. The group still uses the top of the building for its meetings.

The move to the 7th Street corridor (now "mosquito" free), will allow theAIA chapter to show the flag near some of the city's most consistently popular cultural attractions, including the International Spy Museum, the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum and the Shakespeare Theatre's two venues.

"This has been a long process of 'what's our role in the city?'," says Fitch. "There is a sense that the AIA is bunch of old guys in a well-paneled club setting. We don't fit that definition any more. We are much more out in the city."

Along with a foundation that supports its outreach activities, the AIA chapter is engaged in educational efforts in local schools, an annual "architecture week," and an active schedule of tours. The exhibition space will allow it not only to showcase the work of local architects, but to present traveling exhibitions that are seen at other national chapters of the AIA, and to introduce the work of international architects to a D.C. audience.

Fitch says the space will be designed by the winner of a competition, which began yesterday. Applicants have until 4 p.m. on October 12 to submit their ideas. It's a fast track, but Fitch says the chapter is committed to the process.

"We are very serious that whatever wins we'll build," she says.

For more information, go to http://aiadc.com/DACMaterials.html.