Study of New Shape: KIMONO
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Speaking of and working with “NEW SHAPES” with my dear designers these days, this book came across just in right time for me. God, my last Thursday horoscope (Leo) just nailed it by me visiting the Barnes and Noble’s on 5th Avenue, NYC. Quoting from my memory from Horoscope.com on Thursday: An object from a different culture will arouse feeling of getting inspired …then something something… goes on. Then I thought “What are they talking about ..?” but I think now that it meant I would find this book on that night…? Anyway…
My shy and shallow knowledge of Kimono I had was completely challenged by this simple yet down to core of what Kimono means in terms of structure foundation, shape and cultural relationship to where Kimono stood then and stands now. Origami and Kimono completely crosses over I believe after this book and now I have a fun project to share with Gael studying his “Origami airplane book” we always play with in depth. We will be soon making Origami Kimono. A million shapes you can create simply by folding and flipping a piece of paper. A Book, “Kimonos” by Sophie Millenovich. Hopefully You can have a glimpse of what this book contains and is talking about through below photos.
Tokyo Sketch 2: Harajuku
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You all have seen photos of Japanese barbies, fashionistas, shops and whatever that is of Harajuku. And yes they are real and true and you can’t imagine Tokyo without them.
Now I have found the real one.
Kimono Flea across from the Harajuku Gap.
You know what Obi is, right? A Beautiful and very long rectangular textile that functions as a belt and also stylizes the volume and the line of entire Kimono in maximum. I think Obi is the most important part of the Kimono. Like a good coat can define your look, good obi completes the entire look. Did you read the Memoir of the Keisha yet? Such a beautiful book.
An entrance to one Sweet shop.
Harajuku Girls!
Harajuku Subway Station. I always like to take subways of the city if there is one. It’s the best way to see the city. At least once. If you don’t, you are missing it out.
Creative street vendor’s one of kind pieces. I think they are quite great. Love the back detail.
Cool shoes.
More photos of Seoul
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Corso Como in Seoul. It’s a beautiful shop.
Pagoda detailed fence of Residence of Current president and Buk-Ak mountain looking it down.
A coffee shop on the other side of the Buk-Ak mountain, forgot the name of it. Great coffee!
Smart and simple details with small wood blocks, same coffee shop.
Typical breakfast.
6 different floavors of Kimbap( like maki roll)
Koreans love ‘ Sooung-Nyuong”, hot water poured and simmered bit to the little left over rice still inside the pot. It has this wonderful flavor of nutty and soothing taste. People drink the warm rice flavored water. It almost tastes like Barley Tea.
I believe this is a building of Amore Pacific, a high end cosmetic brand. Soho in NY also has a fancy boutique of the brand.
One of the cafes on Garosu gil ( means tree lined street), a trendy area with small boutiques and many restaurants. Somewhat like Nolita of NY.
More Garosu gil
A Beauty: Samchung Dong, Seoul-Part 2
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So, Samchung dong’s real charm is Coexistence of old and new. Modern day living in traditional space. All these business owners show how you do it.
One of many big and small cafes… 2 leveled with multiple entrances and completed with a wooden enclosed deck. I heard this one opened around a year ago and is very popular. By the way, in Seoul, valet parking is a very common thing.
This little box like standing alone building is a Dry Cleaner. Love the sign!
A cute coffee shop. They also carry small line of Vitra product in the cafe. A very common concept in Seoul and similar to ones in Stockholm, Sweden. A space that has it all: clothing, books, coffee, cut hair… You name it!
This coffee shop was covered with many small pieces of whatever paper. Funny place.
This is straight out from my childhood! Sticky rice power dough with sweet syrup inside then fried on a hot griddle. We call it Ho-ttuck. Crispy and Sweet. Delicious!!!!!!!!! And the fun factor is that this is out of Rice shop. Very Korean!
People are lined up to get into a place of this traditional Korean sticky rice cake dish, “Ttuck bokki”: thick strings of rice cake are cut off into pieces and cooked and stir fried on a pan with spicy chili paste, sugar, crushed garlic, soy sauce, veggies and fish cakes. You have to taste it to know what it is like!
This beautiful rustic modern house is a Korean BBQ house, Danpung namu. Doesn’t this house look like one from the Dwell magazine?
Surrounding rock and metal cased fence. Cool, ha?
Mid Century Modern and Antique shop.
This one was the most non Korean one I saw in Samchung dong.
A Beauty: Samchung Dong, Seoul, Korea-Part 1
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I don’t know “Why” I never made an effort to see more of Seoul whenever I was on a business trip. Sometimes, Seoul would be sandwiched with other cities to be visited, but from now on, I have to really make some time to see my home city better.
Samchung Dong is a area where old fashioned traditional Korean homes, Han-Ok, with humble and beautiful pagoda roofs are still protected and standing firmly very closely located to Cheongwadae (the Office of the president of Korea). I hear the development of this town has been strictly banned until very recent days. It is also the heart of old Seoul. You’ll find people who proudly say their grand father’s father was also born in this town. Coming from the metropolitan area, you might think the time in this area stopped in the 70s yet the old isn’t just what Samchung dong stands for…! ( wait to see the part 2!)
There are ton of tiny traditional tea houses, cafes, restaurants, galleries, shops and street food vendors wrapped around hilly residential homes and off the beaten path small streets. It’s adorned by both the young and the old. Definitely charming. Definitely bohemian.
One of formal presidents, Yoon Posun’s residence is also located in Samchung dong. It’s beautiful…
Heyri Art Vally: Paju, Korea
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I had read about Heyri Art valley in South Korea in the Wallpaper magazine a couple years ago here in NY. In 1997, the Village, 1 hour car ride from Seoul, has started as The Book village linked with Paju Publishing town. Paju is southern border of DMZ , a military stand off between North and South Korea, and in the mean time one of the most serene and well protected nature preserves in Asia.
Heyri is one of possible future uses for the expansive DMZ. Over the years, the Book village has beautifully grown into a Art Vally which houses over 350 mixed and selected artist members’ homes, work studios, galleries, theaters and cafes built upon free yet harmonized aesthetic approach to build each building and the space consisting of concrete, wood, metal and glass. Each property is required to leave good percentage of the lot as a free range garden and any pointy roofs are prohibited in this valley.
It’s not gated by actual fences but the village is protected by many rules and the respect for each artist’s need and mind the first. Simply numbered 9 entrances to the Valley open to whole new mind set of how to create a community. A creative community. Fine artists, writers, film makers, actors, composers, sound artist, and any other creative people in art world can only apply to get into this wonderful Art Valley. Each home will also be a place of cultural exchange of some form, with the goal that the entire community will contribute to and participate in the cultural dialogue. It’s a whole new concept. The artist will need to provide enough of documents to prove that he/she’s the one to be the one of growing members. You will need to buy the land and also build your space. And my aunt, Je-Soon Kang, a well known fine artist, is one of the proud member to live and work in the Village and I had visited her last week with my parents.
http://www.heyri.net/eng/heyri_info.asp?depth1=1&depth2=1&InfoTab=Info
Below are a few houses/ gallery spaces of the Valley.
Many of buildings have a multiple use permit as home, gallery and a cafe all combined. It’s a heavenly concept for any artist.
Now below is the home, indoor and outdoor garden, work studio, gallery and a future cafe of my aunt.
Aunt working…
There is also little area in the village for some nice restaurants, book shops, small boutiques and a vintage museum. And they all consistently carry the similar aesthetic.
Robert Bruno: STEEL HOUSE
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First then I literally took a few I-phone pictures of “Steel House” in Twill magazine in one of those small deli/magazine shop in SoHo today. I have seen this house published in other books or magazines, but today, I got on his website www.robertbruno.com ( please check out his quick time video! and everything else!)
The Architect and sculptor, Robert Bruno has been working on and building this rather bigger scaled steel sculpture than a house as a home to himself for over 28 years now. As his Website opens up and you can see a line , ‘think out of the box’ is the perfect caption of Mr. Bruno’s approach to his “STEEL HOUSE”.
As my side note, I do like this editorial spread with architecture this time in Twill magazine. It was done quite tastefully rather than slap some fashion on whatever that is. Regardless the special connection and relationship between the fashion and architectural world just to mention proportions, lines, tailoring/sculpturing, I do think using or applying “fashion=dressed women in good or bad way” to everything like car commercial, selling bottled water, is such a cliche and desperate and boring approach to the product. Boring.
The magazine cover.
And below are a few photos from Robert Bruno’s website ( with permission).
How beautiful all of these are. Especially now I know that this is meant rather a gigantic sculpture than a reeeeeeaaly a residential house. There’s something more ” Pure” about what all of these are. It’s there just to be.