Elegant, calm, minimalist, clean and beautiful are among the adjectives that can be used to describe almost all of Marcio Kogan’s much-publicized and much-awarded residential masterpieces.
The magnificent, streamlined residences must serve as an antidote of some sort to the Brazilian architect who has been quoted as saying that he loves his home town of São Paulo and New York because they are similar in their chaotic ugliness, and because he likes “energy, chaos and a multi-cultural population in a city.”
Out of this chaos-, humor- and cinema-loving creative mind, an astonishingly lovely, peaceful balance is projected onto residential projects.
Reviewers of Kogan’s work often mention Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright or their contemporaries, but Kogan has said that he is more inspired by Ingmar Bergman, Federico Fellini and Andy Warhol.
However, the 57-year-old Brazilian-born and educated Kogan does have a modernist approach, and he has described the work of fellow Brazilians of modernist ilk -- Lucio Costa, Oscar Niemeyer, Lina Bo Bardi and Vilanova Artigas – as incredible.
The Paraty House, pictured here, is located on one of the hundreds of islands near the colonial town of Paraty, close to Rio de Janeiro. Before it was completed, Kogan predicted that it was to be his favourite house. Its simple premise is two large drawers pushed into the hill and connected by an internal staircase.
Its elegance comes from the seamless link between indoors and out, from the use of native wood, stone and vegetation, and from the minimalist, sweeping vistas that make so many of Kogan’s houses appear as if they were either taking off or recently landed. And although the stacked-boxes style is starting to wear thin as style-du-jour, this is surely one of its best examples. - Tuija Seipell
PRESENTATION: Extraordinary is the New Ordinary: Marketing and Advertising in the Cool Age by The Cool Hunter
As consumers become savvier, and traditional media becomes more and more cluttered, brands are faced with unprecedented challenges: How do they stand out from the crowd?
How can they engage consumers? How can they re-invent traditional channels and create new ones? How can they incorporate creativity to refresh their brands? How can they imbue their brand with a sense of 'cool'?
Contrary to conventional thinking, the answers are simple. In fact, a single solution applies, and it can be summed up in one word:
Innovate.
Innovation isn't an option anymore. It's mandatory. And to today's hyper-informed and perennially connected consumers, it's a basic expectation.
Extraordinary is the New Ordinary takes your marketing team on an engaging journey through innovation. From guerrilla, viral, ambient and outdoor to the latest unexpected marketing spaces, The Cool Hunter will leave your team refreshed, inspired and, most importantly, motivated to create.
WORKSHOP: The Learned Art of Innovation by The Cool Hunter, an in-house innovation workshop:
To some people innovation and the ability to think creatively come naturally, but for most of us, it's a baffling task. The good news is that, while the Steve Jobs' of this world are born with a ‘sixth innovation sense,’ the rest of us can learn it. Mastering the art of innovation is a revelatory process that involves, among other things, a lot of 'unlearning.'
The Cool Hunter will take your team through an engaging workshop that will leave the team with a fresh perspective on your brand, and armed with a toolbox full of new methods and strategies to innovate in both marketing and product development.
Contact: Laura@thecoolhunter.net or bill@thecoolhunter.net
We all know that Gen Y is the most cynical generation on earth when it comes to marketing and advertising. They hate being 'sold' to and expect so much more from a brand than just the product.
This cynicism has spawned an amusing trend where cool young things - we've dubbed them Brand Whores - are appropriating corporate logos and turning them into ironic fashion symbols. From McDonalds to KFC, Brand Whores are poking fun at brands and our rampant consumerist culture. Not that the brands mind, we presume. Any opportunity to have their logos splashed about - irony, or no irony - is a chance to market. - Laura Demasi
Strangely, airlines and airplanes and air travel continue to still look pretty much the same, no matter which airline you fly. In fact, most of us would say that the in-flight experience is getting worse each day. Premium-class prices warrant a slightly more tolerable experience, but it is still tough to really tell one experience from the other.
An airplane is of course transportation, and not a hotel, spa or restaurant, but we have been waiting for a long time for the first airline that is willing to embark on true differentiation. Taking cues from cool architecture, leading-edge design and the vibes we see ahead of, and outside of, trends, The Coolhunter is now working on creating truly cool airline experiences, giving premium-class passengers a real reason to select one airline over another.
Absolutely everything— from the on-board entertainment, furnishings and decor, to exclusive on-board shopping — will be curated by TCH. Rather than being mundane, boring and almost same as all other airlines, the TCH-curated in-flight experience will be really something worth talking about. Each flight will be different, each experience more surprising and exquisite. Airliners who want to ad value to their inflight experience, can contact catherine@thecoolhunter.net or bill@thecoolhunter.net
Sometimes you come across an environment that really lets the merchandise or content (such as people, merchandise or furnishings) stand out. This 2,000 square-meter jewelry-case – the head office of the venerable fashion house Escada in Munich, Germany – is a luxurious example of this.
Completed in late 2008, the location hosts the international fashion media and buyers who gather here to view the latest Escada collection each season. The three dominant areas – entry court, lobby and interior courtyard – are separated by transparent facades. This creates a visually stunning, 75 meter-long runway that flows right through the center of the entire building.
Escada commissioned the Parisian architecture studio Carbondale of Michigan-born Eric Carlson to design the architectural public face of its head office, including the entry façade, entry court, interior courtyard, lobby and furniture.
Carlson graduated from Kansas State University School of Architecture in 1986. Before co-founding the Louis Vuitton Architecture Department in 1997, he worked in the offices of Mark Mack, Oscar Tusquets and Rem Koolhaas, He established Carbondale in Paris in 2004. Carlson is known for his work with luxury brands including the Louis Vuitton buildings in Roppongi, Tokyo, the LV Maison in Paris, the 360° Watch Museum and the corporate headquarters of Tag Heuer in Switzerland. - Tuija Seipell
“Someone has finally understood how the ultimate suite should look and feel,” was our chief globetrotter’s seldom-heard endorsement, when he encountered the recently opened four top suites and spa at Zürich’s Dolder Grand Hotel.
Designed in 1899 by Jacques Gros, the famed health spa/hotel has a perfect city location overlooking Lake Zürich and the Alps. The grand old hotel has been re-imagined as a modern luxury hotel by a star team of professionals - architecture by London’s Foster and Partners, interior design by United Designers, also of London, and the spa concept by spa-industry visionary, Arizona-based Sylvia Sepielli .
The star power continues in the four top-level suites inspired by four famed guests. The top-most, 4,300 square-foot (400 square-meter) Maestro Suite channels the style of Herbert von Karajan. The sweeping two-level suite with dashing classical undertones features red leather chairs, dark timbers, a circular tower dining room, pale-marble bathrooms with whirlpools and steam showers (and one with a sauna), massive windows and a lounge-style terrace.
The late Swiss surrealist painter and sculptor Alberto Giacometti inspired the Carezza Suite on the top floor of the spa wing. Sculpturally inspired furnishings and organic shapes create a peaceful lounge feel, enhanced by the neutral colors and the modern fireplace. The two-bedroom suite has a separate living room, TV lounge and marble bathrooms.
Also on the top floor of the spa wing, the Masina Suite gets its dramatic inspiration from Giulietta Masina, actress and wife of Federico Fellini. Night-blue and soft white evoke a feel of elegance and smoky glamour. A large Fendi sofa and a flat-screen TV are perfect for film noir nights. Floor-to-ceiling windows add further drama. Orange sofas, dark wood panels and pink furniture adorn Suite 101 created to reflect the legacy of the Rolling Stones. The decor has a retro vibe and an edge with distinctive, casual luxury. The suite includes a bedroom, living room, dining room, an ensuite kitchen and meeting room for 10. - Tuija Seipell