otto » Art Institute of Chicago

Building: Inside Studio Gang Architects at Art Institute of Chicago

Jean Lin — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 14:19:18 +0000

Building: Inside Studio Gang Architects, on view at the Art Institute of Chicago through February 24, 2013, features a workshop-like environment that includes models, sketchbooks, photos, plans, a worktable, pin-up boards, and material samples.

This presentation of the work of Studio Gang Architects allows visitors to see how buildings and projects are created, what issues they resolve, and how solutions are shaped.

Studio Gang’s innovative working process is shown in the “Rope Rooms,” structures that were specially commissioned by the museum for the exhibition.

Artek at Art Institute of Chicago

xhtmlized — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 17:00:19 +0000

Artek announces the inclusion of the Table Lamp TW001, M510 and A808 lights in the exhibition, Rethinking Typologies: Architecture and Design from the Permanent Collection at the Art Institute of Chicago from March 3 – July 29, 2012. Table Lamp TW001, designed by Tapio Wirkkala, the M510, designed by Maire Gullichsen, and the A808, designed by Alvar Aalto, were donated to the Art Institute’s permanent collection as a gift from Artek.

The Table Lamp TW001 was designed by Wirkkala in the 1960’s and features a white HD polyethylene shade and a white or black painted birch base. The M510, designed in the 1950’s, is made up of a white paper shade perched on a clear, hand blown glass base. The A808 floor lamp, designed in the 1950’s by Aalto, includes a shade in polished brass or white painted steel and a base and stand covered in black or white leather with a white painted or polished brass neck.

From the development of the modern house to the emergence of information design, each era faces the challenge of adapting conventional ideas to new technology, social needs, and cultural ideals. “Rethinking Typologies” takes a broad historical view of the innovations that have shaped contemporary life and the built environment through suites of work devoted to historical and emerging typologies in architecture and design. Spanning the 20th and 21st centuries, these thematic suites highlight important recent acquisitions and areas of strength in the permanent collection of the Department of Architecture and Design at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Flos at the Art Institute of Chicago

xhtmlized — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:00:14 +0000

Flos announces the inclusion of the Wallpiercing installation by New York-based artist and designer Ron Gilad in the upcoming exhibition, Rethinking Typologies: Architecture and Design from the Permanent Collection at the Art Institute of Chicago from March 3 – July 29, 2012. Wallpiercing, designed by Gilad in 2010, was acquired last year as part of the Art Institute’s permanent collection as a gift from Flos.

Part of Flos’ Soft Architecture collection, Wallpiercing is described as an adaptive lighting system for vertical surfaces. The ring-shaped light offers a range of graphic and lighting effects when grouped in multiple units; by linking these units together the user is able to create a customizable collage that spans any desired length or height. LED light sources produce a diffused, luminous effect in a range of colors and intensities, altering the appearance and mood of any environment. The lamps, which are seamlessly submerged into the wall using a one-of-a-kind installation method unique to Flos, are housed within a cast-aluminum and polycarbonate shell.

Behind The Scenes: Konstantin Grcic’s Monza Chair

xhtmlized — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:00:58 +0000

Industrial designer Konstantin Grcic’s Monza chair for Plank in production.

Grcic currently has an exhibition of his work on show at the Art Institute of Chicago. Decisive Design is the first comprehensive showcase of his work in the U.S. and runs through January 24, 2010.