Posted by Harry
Meta MoCo | 28 Nov 06 | Comments (1) | Stumble
Today's MoCo picks.
+ The V&A and PlayStation present Volume a luminous interactive installation created by United Visual Artists and one point six. "Volume responds spectacularly to human movement, creating a series of audio-visual experiences. Step inside and see your actions at play with the energy fields throughout the space, triggering a brilliant display of light and sound.". Via Dexigner.
+ Jean Snow's Japan Times On Design column; "As TDW's 100% Design Tokyo trade show was the place to find the products most likely to be seen in stores in 2007, I chose it as the source of my picks for next year's most promising new Japanese designs.".
+ Wonk's Mod Quad Coffee Table with lift-up storage. Via swissmiss.
+ "Ikea has outlined its plans to build at least 500 identical homes across the UK each year, starting with sites in Gateshead and Scotland. Don't forget your allen key.". Via Archinect. 500 identical homes, why? Ikea can do better than that. They owe it to themselves, and everyone else.
Regarding IKEA's upcoming homogeny hegemony: Haven't we learned that the "tombstone" approach to planning is bad? It doesn't really seem to make sense for them to build identical units, since their stores provide a farily wide style assortment for the expressed purpose of giving people affordable design choice.
In Chicago, identical housing sticks out like a sore thumb. Builders go to not-really-that-great lengths to tweak adjacent projects slightly just to make them
different ENOUGH for people to feel like they're getting something special.
I don't really see the appeal of that plan. Maybe we'll find out if the global IKEA cult can sustain such an endeavor.