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(BAD) Blog About Design

(BAD) Blog About Design

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Featured Post: New York City

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Yesterday I had the honor of being featured on LDV with this post. Here it is in case you missed it...
The Architecture: New York City architecture is very diverse. Walking down one avenue or street you'll see styles ranging from Art Deco to Gothic. I find this diversity to contribute to the city's overall beauty. The best example of Art Deco architecture is the Chrysler Building. The Chrysler building was completed in 1930, by architect William Van Allen. The building is constructed of masonry, with a steel frame, and metal cladding. The Woolworth Building is an example of Gothic architecture. The Woolworth Building was completed in 1913, by architect Cass Gilbert. The building's Gothic detailing is concentrated at the top of the structure, which is massively scaled to be read from the streets below. If you travel downtown, you'll be greeted by brownstones and townhouses. These smaller structures, surrounded by tree-lined streets are popular in SoHo. SoHo boasts the greatest collection of cast-iron architecture.

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Where To Visit: If you have never been to the city before, then stopping by Central Park is a must. (ABOVE 1) Central Park spans from 59th street to 110th street. The park is home to playgrounds, lakes, ponds and ice-skating rinks. I love Central Park as it's a relaxing place, to take in the city. (ABOVE 2) If architecture is what you want to see then going to the Guggenheim Museum is the place for you. Built in 1959, by architect Frank Lloyd Wright this building exemplifies the modern movement of architecture. The museum is home to a renowned collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, early modern, and contemporary work. (ABOVE 3) If the non-tourist part of New York City interests you, then head down to the village. The village is full of small shops, quaint buildings, and great places to eat. (ABOVE 4) The High line is a one-mile park, built on the former elevated New York Central Railroad. I love coming here on a sunny day, as there is usually someone playing the guitar, plus there is a section of grass where you can lay down on. (BELOW 5) Bergdorf Goodman, is a wonderful place to visit if you are strolling down 5th avenue. During the holiday's, the store is beautifully decorated and a popular place. I love walking past their window displays as there is usually something that catches my eye. 

What To Wear: I love both of these New York inspired looks. A great pair of pants is crucial in the city, as long dresses will be stepped on and get dirty. The floral blazer to the left is such a great choice. I love the color, match it with a great pair of jeans and you have the perfect look! A Denim jacket is necessary in the city. Instead of pairing the jacket with a rough pair of pants, pair it with a feminine floral pair to soften the look. 
What To Wear: Matching a simple blazer with a wild pair of pants, creates a great street style look. I love the Manhattan blazer to the left paired with a Denim shirt. The leggings to the right are so much fun, and such a perfect choice for a day in the city. Paring them with a solid blazer and top, are a perfect idea for the spring. 
What To Wear: Shorter dresses, are a great idea in the city as they do not get dirty easily. The dress to the right with its leather trim, paired with a brass necklace is the perfect New York look. I love the leather sleeve jacket to the right paired with a great pair of black trousers. Both of these looks are pretty, but have that rougher touch. 

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Wednesday, April 17, 2013

All The Buildings In New York

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"All The Buildings In New York" is an incredible series drawn and painted by James Hancock. Hancock who came to the USA from Australia, moved to New York City and was inspired by the variation in architectural styles that can be seen on one city block. When Hancock was in Paris, the architecture was much different, Hancock describes that each area of the city had a specific architectural style and building height. In New York, there is an eclecticism to the buildings. Each having its own distinct height and look. The series focuses on popular buildings in the city, but also the buildings that Hancock lived by and was influenced by. (ABOVE) If you're interested in looking at his series in one place, you can purchase the book. (BELOW 1) "The Chrysler Building" I love the patterns and shapes at the bottom. (BELOW 2) "The New Museum" the building is drawn on a white backdrop. Very fitting for New York's only museum dedicated to presenting contemporary art from around the world. (BELOW 3) "767 5th Ave" can you guess which building this is? I love me some Apple! (VIDEO) Check out this great video clip in which Hancock describes his work and the process, quite fascinating! What do you think? 


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Thursday, September 12, 2013

Architecture Around The World: NYC

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With so many people in New York for fashion week I think it's the perfect time to do an "Architecture Around The World" post about the big apple. New York city is the epicenter of art, fashion, design, and much more, but you already knew that! It's a city with over 8,000,000 people, making it the largest in the USA. NYC's architecture is extremely diverse. From classically designed buildings like Saint Patrick's cathedral to modern buildings like the Frank Gehry building in Chelsea. What draws me to this city is that on each street and on every avenue I can experience something different and incredible. Even though the city was settled in the late 1600s, the oldest architecture in the city dates back to the 1830s. This is a result of the Great Fire of 1835, that destroyed most of the buildings on the South East tip. The Great Fire caused architects and designers to rethink using wood framed structure an instead design with stone, and other more durable materials. (ABOVE) This photograph shows the incredible size of both the city and Central Park. The park occupies the center of the city. Isn't this photograph just beautiful?

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(1) The Frank Gehry building in Chelsea is one of the most beautiful modern buildings in the city. The design sort of resembles a cloud. The unique waves, and shapes are extremely Gehry. Vanity Fair named it one of the most attractive office buildings. 
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(2) The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a classic building. It's located on 5th Ave, adjacent Central Park. The building was designed in 1874 in the Beaux Arts architectural style. The museum houses classic European artists as well as Islamic and Classic Antiquity, Egyptian and more. Just to let you know: admission is pay as you wish, so stop by!
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(3) This is the pavilion at the Met. Here you can enjoy lunch, as well as snacks. The facade of the classic building directly in front is part of the original museum from what I understand. The building houses the American wing. I love the classic design of the facade contrasted with the modern design of the all glass pavilion.  
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(4) The Woolworth building is in the Gothic Revival architectural style. It was completed in 1913 and designed by architect Cass Gilbert. I simply love the design of the building. The details here are incredible. How beautiful is the top of this building? 
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(5) The Apple building is one of the most impressive modern structures in the city. It's located on 5th Ave, close to Central Park. The actual store is located underground, the glass structure is sculptural if anything. It was designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. FYI: The store is open 24/7, 365 days.  
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(6) Saint Patrick's Cathedral is also located on 5th Ave (I guess most of my favorite buildings are located on 5th). The cathedral was designed by architect James Renwick Jr. and completed in 1878. I love the details of the structure, Gothic architecture is one of my favorites! 
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(7) The Hearst building located on 8th is NYC's architecture in a nutshell. The base of the building was completed in 1928, however, the main structure was completed in 2006 by architect Norman Foster. This marriage of classic and modern architecture is exactly what the city is about. 

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Monday, November 5, 2012

The City And The Storm

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Living in the New York area I felt in full force the power of Hurricane Sandy, and all I can say is what a pain! Sunday evening was quite the adventure at my house, at around 9 o'clock in the evening I lost power, after a large oak tree fell on a power line by my house. The remainder of the evening I heard one tree fall after another. In the morning I woke up to five or so oak trees laying on neighbor's lawns and streets. Hurricane Sandy is probably one of the worst storms I've seen in the Northeast. What Hurricane Sandy did do was bring us together. It was so nice to see camaraderie between neighbors and strangers. On Friday morning I got my power back and am so happy to have a warm home and Wifi, to be able to get back to blogging! I'm blessed that my family and neighbors are safe and that we worked together! If you're interested in donating to the Hurricane Sandy relief effort, click here. (ABOVE) This is the newest New York Magazine cover. It shows the large power outage that downtown New York City faced as a result of the storm. It's amazing how mother nature can put a pause on the city that never sleeps. 

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Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Architecture Around The World: Dublin

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I'm so excited about today's "Architecture Around The World" post. It's been a while since I've last posted one of these, and Dublin is the perfect place to get us back and running! The city's architecture is this wonderful combination of old and new. The most popular architectural style in the city is Georgian architecture. During the 18th century, much of the city was being designed in this style, which shares many similarities to the style of Palladio. (ABOVE) What I love about this photograph is the medieval architectural influence to the right and the more contemporary architectural influence to the left. Just like in downtown New York City (holla at ya city) each building has its own unique look. (BELOW 1) The Samuel Beckett Bridge was designed in 2007 by architect Santiago Calatrava. The structure's design is meant to look like a harp laying on its edge, the harp is a secular item icon for Ireland. The bridge crosses the River Liffey and is named after an Irish writer. (BELOW 2) The Georgian House Museum is the perfect building to get a good sense of the architectural style. I absolutely love the door way. That blue door is such a statement. (BELOW 3) If you've been to Europe before, you know that the streets are very narrow. In the distance is an old church. Again, you can see the combination of new and old. (BELOW 4) Trinity College was established in 1522. The school was design by architect Thomas Burgh. You can really see the Georgian architecture here. (BELOW 5) An aerial view of the city. Have you been to Dublin? How beautiful is River Liffey? 
   
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Monday, June 24, 2013

Weekly Start Off: No 21

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Happy Monday, June 24, 2013, readers! I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. I was able to take some to time this weekend to head down to the Flower District of New York. Walking down the streets and seeing long stretches of shrubs, trees, and flowers is the coolest thing in a city. I'm sort of going crazy over Hydrangeas at the moment. Having them in my home makes me think of the beach, the Hampton's! I need another beach trip (hehe)! Menswear has been gracing the covers of many publications as well as the streets recently. There's something about a well cut pair of pants, and a solid shoe, that looks hot. This men's inspired look has just the right balance of masculine and feminine. 

1. I found these J.Crew pants that have a similar look to the ones above. A classic fit pant is an essential ladies! If you're going for that full out Menswear inspired look than pair the pants with this equipment shirt. It's soft and delicate, yet still has that structure.  

2. Going to the top of a building in New York and looking out is one of the most relaxing things for me. I love this post by Katie Hosmer in which she photographs people looking out at New York. When you look out over New York, you find yourself dreaming, and reflecting.   

3. SSense.com has possibly the best sales for designer clothing, and accessories. I'd definitely take a peak at some of the amazing things they have. I love these Surface to Air silk shorts, and the best part is they're 70% off!   

--Brendan

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Thursday, February 21, 2013

Windows Of New York

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When I come across creative ideas like this series, "Windows of New York", by Josè Guizar I get so excited by what people can create. Guizar's ability to think outside of the box and illustrate something so different has grabbed the attention of people all over. The best part about the series is you can actually visit each window! The series is not only a tribute to the beauty of graphic design, but also to architecture. (ABOVE) Walking down streets in the West Village, you'll always see windows with flower boxes. I just love how these flower boxes freshen up the facade of the buildings. (BELOW 1) The small arched window must be for a bathroom. I love a thick cornice above and below the window, makes the windows pop! (BELOW 2) A little ivy in front of a New York window will make you feel like your looking into the country! (BELOW 3) Broome Street is one of my favorite streets in New York. The area feels a little like a European city. (BELOW 4) Sometimes a window looks better without a cornice. The arch at the top of the window keeps it elegant and classic. (BELOW 5) I wonder if the actual window has stripes of orange on the cornices? I guess I'm going to have to go the window and find out! (BELOW 6) This window sort of looks like the windows you'll find in Washington D.C. I wonder who had the idea first? (BELOW 7) When you're in the village, the buildings are not as tall and therefore, you'll find air conditioners in the windows. Is it weird that I sometimes get scared one will fall on my head? What do you think of the series? 

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Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Painting The City

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Artist Jeremy Mann's cityscape oil paintings are absolutely incredible. The San-Francisco based artist plays with light and shadow phenomenally well, that each painting looks realistic yet artistic. (ABOVE) "Down the Montgomery", is breathtaking. It looks as though its raining in the city as you can see the reflection of the cars, buildings, etc., on the street. (BELOW 1) "Evening Over San Francisco", highlights the vibrancy and peace of a city on the west coast. The streets are busy, and bright while the rest of the city is darker. (BELOW 2) "Time Square Lights", doesn't Time Square look exciting? The bright lights, people, and energy are so well captured in this painting. (BELOW 3) "New York Night in Blue", this has to be my favorite cityscape painting. New York looks so mysterious in blue! What do you think of Mann's work? 

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