We love the concept behind this uncommon senior grammar school located in Melbourne, Australia. The creative team at McBride Charles Ryan was commissioned by Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School (PEGS) to develop a space for 11th and 12th year students and you can see the result below: a project shaped like an infinity symbol. This allowed the architects to place two protected courtyards within the composition, offering healthy outdoor learning and relaxation spaces.

Tthe library and student learning center were both located at “the heart of the infinity“.  The architects further explain that each wing has its own qualities, different from each other and yet seamlessly connected to the next: “This way the building acts as an embodiment of the journey of education, with less distinction of any prescribed boundaries between disciplines“. I never really saw the power of design as a motivational factor when it comes to studying. But I do believe some students here enjoy learning grammar a bit more than if taught in a common-looking school.

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The interior is elegant and airy. The living room opens up to the terrace while one of the bedrooms offers a wonderful view over the swimming pool. Transparence is one of the defining elements that enhance the feeling of freedom. The environments playfully connect, creating a unitary living space. The sophisticated interior meets the relaxing “green scape” that surrounds the house, unveiling a place full of peacefulness. Everything is gorgeously arranged and every element of décor seems built the house’s character.

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Cloudy is Fabbian Illuminazione’s new blown-glass lamp created by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur. Normally, when we look at clouds, we seek organic shapes, similar to objects of living beings. In this case, the creative process has been reversed: this is a special object which, during its creation, revealed all its potential. “Cloudy is a paradox! This lamp has been created using extremely complex steel molds, which have given it an almost magical lightness, a glass cloud floating in the air”, explains young designer, Mathieu Lehanneur.

An object-lamp therefore which, from the pencil of the designer to its engineering and manufacture, has taken on the shape of a light and evanescent cloud. “By mixing together clear white glass with high-luminosity LEDs, Cloudy is a ray of sun after the rain!” When switched on, Cloudy reveals all its luminosity and evokes sunlight after the rain. A design lamp containing in itself a positive sign of hope and optimism. Cloudy, available as a suspension lamp or light fitting, features gradient white blown glass and die-cast aluminum structure. It is lit by high-power LED lamps. [Photos and information provided via e-mail by Mathieu Lehanneur]

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A gorgeous place to eat when in Barcelona. A powerful mix of exuberance and minimalism, the union between two great cultures, one minimalist and quiet and the other, loud and abundant, both strong and influential meet and create this great fusion of tastes and flavours. Ikibana restaurant is the expression of two cultures that are both very passionate about nature. On one hand, there’s Japan, where the dialogue between the man and the natural ambient is very important and on the other, there’s Brazil, a country that exhales lushness through its landscape. Ikibana is the work of El Equipo Creativo, that managed to design a great place for people who like exploring antagonistic cuisines.

The artificial environment created is overwhelming: imagine wooden stripes reminding of Brazil’s richness spread all over the ceiling and walls, while Japanese decorations embellish the already crowded atmosphere. Despite the fact that is might seem “too much”, the place looks really good and it definitely creates and impact upon who ends up dining here. For certain, you can call Ikibana an unforgettable place and eventually, if it ends up being memorable, it’s all that matters. The name of the restaurant is borrowed from Ikebana, the art of arranging flowers, deeply rooted in the Japanese culture and born out of respect for nature. The restaurant’s design is based on these core principles, seeking to create a space composed of materials, both living and dried.

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Next off, there is the body of the building itself, containing the living spaces. The slot is the third element of the design (you can see the entire layout in the house plans attached at the end of the post). It is here that the architects envisioned a narrow atrium allowing light and air inside the residence and ensuring natural ventilation. The interior approach is minimalist, with arrangements playing a strong practical role. What do you think are the pros and cons of living in this particular home?

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