Contemporary Temporary in Huntington

This temporary exhibit structure for Nike 6.0 was erected in the middle of SWAG alley at the U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington: an elegant and effective shade structure that included, among other features, the first Augmented Reality Slot Machine (seen in photo at right) designed by Total Immershion in conjunction with ad agency Wieden+Kennedy.

Hollywood Madame

The Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum at the corner of appears to be somewhat successful in its attempt "to complete the western end of Hollywood Boulevard ... and to make the space deferential to the existing landmark [Chinese Theater]." I attended a private event there recently in advance of the official public opening. Interestingly enough, though, the material presence of the building appears strongest on Orange Street where the flowing brick facade seems to suggest the notion of scultpting in wax.

"Green" Building

Memphis At The Beach Cafe and Bar opened in Manhattan Beach at the end of last month. The new restaurant/bar is addition to the family of Memphis restaurants that begain in 1995 in Costa Mesa with the original Memphis Cafe, created in the shell of a comdemned dive bar next to the Lab Anti Mall. I used to take refuge there on trips to the OC from the Bay Area. The Manhattan Beach addition designed by Poon Architects (the downtown CHAYA) belongs much more to LA and proudly advertises its 'green' aspirations.

Under the Pier

I found this amazing light effect under the Santa Monica Pier this weekend. A reminder of the power of light and shadow.

Soy Systems Samples

I just received samples from Greneker Solutions showing wall components mocked up at half scale. One of the samples is in their raw soy plastic (kind of yellow), the other is in their standard matte white finish, and the third in a glossy red. The forms are very crisp and solid.

Chair Apparent

I attended the launch of the new Knoll Generation chair at the Knoll showroom in Santa Monica last week. Knoll CEO Andrew Cogan was in attendance along with about 2-300 members of the LA design community. There's an overabundance of mesh chairs on the market aimed at the Aeron, originally designed for Herman Miller in 1994 by Don Chadwick and Bill Stumpf, but the high performance elastomer net back, surprising multidirectional flexibility, dynamic suspension control of the Generation makes it unique. The Aeron is unique and adjustable but generally prescribes a single way of sitting. The Generation challenges the notion of correct work posture and posits that there are multiple ways of sitting that we all use. Still the presence of dated looking padded seat cushion seems disappointing and its questionnable whether the Generation has the same iconic quality of the Aeron. Will Malcolm Gladwell choose to write about the Generation in his follow-up to Blink? We may have to keep looking.