http://www.wsdarchitecture.com/
Can't wait to see other projects of this quite interesting duo.
(in the picture, the new cafè for the Royal College of Art in London)

She's now in my head. The colours, the tones, the personal obsessions and the plastic clothes.
Despite the exaggerate lifestyle and tremendous success, she embodies one of the stereotypes of new women. Like cats or children, they move, play and observe the world. And grow too fast.

like in a tropical forest.

but it's a park.

or not?

GEMMA CORRELL

Generally speaking, I am not a big fan of cats, nor I won't ever be. Truly, as a ten years-old girl I desperately wanted a kitten, as probably almost all pre-teenagers do. My mum, after ages of praying and begging on my knees, decided it was the time to please my desires. Unfortunately, the poor kitty-cat died few months after becoming part of the family, so I've never had the right time to get affectionated nor passionated about coddling a little fury one.

At the same time, while I letterarily spend tons of hours in front of fashion and design websites, I am not especially keen on comics or stripes or ironic and satirical writers who publish their products online.

BUT.

Tonight, while I am pausing in front of my laptop instead of going to bed, Gemma Cottrell is in my heart.

I've been watching her creations for quite a long time, but I've never had the urge to comment it here.

However, this delay was a mistake. So now I dedicate a few lines to her committment and great results.

In short, Gemma is a young, brilliant and remarkable british illustrator who devoted her flourishing pop artworks to cats and funny comments on their humble yet interesting lives.

After posting drawn and painted notes about her daily routine in her blog, she's decided to grow up and make the jump. 

Indeed, she has just turned all her opinions, remarks, tips, episodes with these fluffy and sometimes presumptuous creatures into a book I would like to order straight away.

I do not dare to add a word more, because the outstanding images speak per se.

I am laughing sincerely, frankly, at levels I rarely reach with well-known and accomplished authors.

Check out her and , please, have fun, too. Please. 

And all the best to Gemma.

FAMILY TREES

These great compositions are made by Maissa Toulet, Paris-based artist. 

Naive and touching. 

From here

LIVING IN PARIS

From Ensuite Blog, run by Clarisse Demory

David Bornscheuer by Freunde von Freunden

Leslie David by Freunde von Freunden

Céline Saby by Freunde von Freunden

These last four from here.

La Methode, Paris 1960 by Christer Stromholm

Young & Old. Dilemmas around the issue of private dwellings

Houses or homes. Architects and urbanists are constantly thrived by the issue of living spaces, in terms of dwellings - at building level - and public, open spaces – at city level.

Obviously, my professional category (urbanists, especially, and especially over the past decades) have been more or less intensively debating  about the RIGHT for living. For living decently, living for all, with a clear reference to what has been the early discussion about the “Existenz Minimum”. Indeed, a large part of administrators and theorists tend to stigmatize or – at least- be critical about “gentrification”. The sociologist Ruth Glass first used the word to define a peculiar kind of reuse of the inner city: "One by one, many of the working class quarters of London have been invaded by the middle-classes—upper and lower. Shabby, modest mews and cottages—two rooms up and two down—have been taken over, when their leases have expired, and have become elegant, expensive residences [...] Once this process of 'gentrification' starts in a district it goes on rapidly until all or most of the original working-class occupiers are displaced and the whole social character of the district is changed." (Glass, 1964).

From that moment on, all the metropolitan areas worldwide, but also medium sized contexts have been place for this particular evolution of  the urban fabric, often leading to economic growth of the city and an improvement of its image and attractiveness at global level, yet provoking at the same time social problems generally defined as “social exclusion”: bohemians and creatives coming in coupled to residential, poorer, working class population moving out.

However, the fascination induced by old factories transformed into private castles, cafes and atelier blossoming at floor levels of multi-storey blocks, deprived buildings turned into classy and clean romantic apartments is never-ending and attracts people of all ages.

Today, I have tried to focus on this aspect: on the polyvalence of refurbished homes, for young hipsters or elderly dreamers who pretend to be ever-lasting human beings. Living in mysterious interiors, updated with few, minimalist touches or in light-spread white open-spaces attracts people of all age and capture the attention of those envious voyeurs who –unfortunately – have little wages and reduced geographical opportunities to buy large, stimulating homes in the cores of the modern times (Paris, New York, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, ...).

Is it for a common cultural background, similar social rank, or for the buildings themselves offering inspiration to their dwellers, it is possible to notice many resemblances between apartments set in totally separated places and owned by two women who probably won’t ever the occasion – or the time – to meet. Any time soon but on the internet.

#1

> Daphne Javitch /

> Designer of "TEN Undies"

> New York City / 

> by Lianna Tarantin

#2

> Gisèle d’Ailly van Waterschoot van der Gracht /
> Publisher and Artist /
> Amsterdam /
> by Freunde von Freunden

#1

#2

#1 / paper cuts

#2 / painting

#1 / filer

#2 / filers

#1 / relax

#2 / relax

#1 / close up

#2 / close up

 # 1 / simplicity and cleaniness

 # 2 / practical minimalism

#1 / no bed head

#1 / bed head as everyday miracle

#1 / girls file clothes

#2 / wise women file books

#1 / kitchen

#2 / kitchen

pot holders? yes

I've always hated crotchet pot-holders and, indeed, crotchet in general. They remind me about dusty smelly kitchens with an elderly person at the window waiting for the onion soup to be ready (smell smell smell). 

BUT - the trends change and I have to admit I am soooo out of fashion, by delving into some of the most interesting designers' work. Oh, my!

So. Ursina Gusy is a sort of feverish trend right now. All street-style bloggers shoot her with her bald (or bold) mate in the most fashionable events around Europe and US. And with a reason. She's beautiful. She's talented (speaking about matching cheap bargain clothes and expensive gear). She's brave. 

Actually, how would another trend setter dare to stick his/her grandma's pot holders to a sweat shirt and simply go around Paris?

Whatever, she's still so fresh-looking...

The picture is from Jak&Jil.

Well, about pot-holders, how not to mention Hermine's work? She's just arrived in Paris, right from Antwerp - Belgium and she appears to be one of the talents of her generation, as far as knitting and waving and pot-holders making are concerned. 

She produces lovely and unusual neon-coloured pot holders, carpets, pillow covers and fragments of fluffy material to keep you warm deep in your heart. 

I especially love this selection, from her nice blog. And, apparently, the whole blogosphere is just waiting for her to open up a real shop with juicy items. 

Some of her work was also photographed by the great Eefie and you can check out the entire shooting here.

The pictures are really pure magnificence and are all about white, bright wide spaces with flashes here and there.