Cornwall

Wild and angry sea, entering the gates of Eden, finding a giant seed and enjoying cream tea equal a weekend in Cornwall.

Big thank you to the brave driver :)

The Stone Thermal Baths by Peter Zumthor

“I believe that human effort can bring the work, a novel, a poem or string quartet to life. When it succeeds, this creates a specific world, a cosmos and this gives rise to a particular understanding, an emotion that forms whole.

I enter it when I feel like it. As wonderful film, I enter a specific world that bears the imprint of someone who invented it, fought and felt it for me.

That’s fine definition of architecture, it provides freedom.”

Peter Zumthor

Spa in Vals, Switzerland designed by Peter Zumthor has been known for 12 years now. I must say I have never visited this amazing building but I have known it from a lot of publications and stories told by friends architects that have been there. Here is yet another story about this mystical place created by the Swiss architect where bathing occurs as mythological ritual in the “world of stone, skin and water” .

This beautiful documentary is part of the Architects series published by Illuminations Media.

Definitely worth watching (here in 3 parts)!

D.O.M.E.K.

Here is the first Polish architectural book for children! D.O.M.E.K. is a colorful introduction to really good architecture with vivid illustrations that kids (by age or by heart) will really enjoy. I already bought it (with my dad’s help), have you? :)

NYU Department of Philosophy by Steven Holl

Here are few photographs of the interior renovation for NY University Department of Philosophy I took during my visit in New York. It was my first Steven Holl’s building/design I saw in real life and I was amazed by how he really “moves architecture towards poetry”. The experience of light and shadow and his very sensual choice of different textures and materials make the space of the stair shaft very special.

It was also a treat to find his lecture on the Architectural League web site. It took place in February this year at the Great Hall of Cooper Union in New York. Holl talks about the 11 points that frame his new book, Urbanisms: Working with Doubt and discusses his design of the Linked Hybrid complex in Beijing. Worth watching!

Minä Perhonen

Here is my latest discovery. Minä Perhonen is a Japanese fashion house founded by Akira Minagawa. Beautiful, very feminine style with embroidered details, quilting and very nice patterns. Just a shame that to get any of those lovely clothes you’d have to go to Japan!

Hello

Thank you for visiting my blog. It took me a while to get convinced to the idea of having one as you are so exposed in a way. You open up with your thoughts to the whole wide world ;) But then again, we – me, friends and family – are spread all over. Let’s then treat this as a virtual room where we meet and talk about our recent exploits and discoveries. So don’t hesitate to visit me on my blue blog and comment on the stuff I want to share.

By the way, the name comes from one of the early songs by Joni Mitchell. Her music has always been so important to me. Driven by extreme emotion, so honest and poetic conveys true feelings with sounds and her beautiful lyrics of course.

Anyway hope you’ll enjoy my posts and there is a lot to come :)