Design Debate

Hello :) Life has been rather hectic over at Pickle Design so Design Debate has sat a little dormant recently. Today however I'd like to share a brand that I came across and loved. Carried out by A Work of Substance, Hong Kong's Mother Pearl is a thing of beauty. The vegan bubble tea bar is perfectly packaged, just as precious as any pearl. The colour scheme is alluring and I love the optical illusion of the logo as well. It reminds me a little of an Art Deco cafe I visited in Prague, the curved lines and waxy deep green.  Terracotta bricks line the walls and reflect the light giving a warm glow. The illustrations on the cups too are delightful. A lovely find, see more at SF Girl .   

What a beautiful building, La Fabrica was an abandoned cement works until architect Ricardo Bofill made it home. The structure is giant, Bofill found the place in 1973 and it's been a labour of love to transform the cavernous space over the years into a home and studio.  Located in the outskirts of Barcelona, this structure resides in a city full of architectural wonders. I visited when I was about 18 on a college photography trip, it was pretty wonderful. Gaudi's buildings seem to organically grow from the pavement, in vibrant fairytale hues, shimmering as if covered in dragon-like scales.    The more traditional gothic architecture was captivating, me and my SLR snapped away, wandering down the narrow streets, filled with the sites and smells of Catalonia. A lovely time that has given me an appreciation for the city and its strong ties with design. The concrete works could be a barren and cold place but with arches softening the vertical lines and greenery cov...

Twilight 1871 Autumn Morning Hello, well, we have made it to 2021! There is a glimmer of hope on the horizon, and speaking of light, today I want to show you a Victorian artist that has really caught my eye.  John Atkinson Grimshaw (1836-1893) was famous for his understanding of light.  Late October , 1882 October Gold 1885 A favourite of mine is 'Twilight', the intensely warming yellow glow just exudes from the canvas, full of intrigue and narrative. He had a passion for realism which was complemented by his love of photography, self-taught, the artist would use his camera obscura to project images onto his canvas. This prompted some of his contemporaries to slate his work, however Grimshaw has been celebrated for his mastery of colour, particularly with light and shadow. At The Park Gate A great capturer of mood, he favoured docks and night cityscapes, gas-lit fog-filled streets with silhouetted passers by. Moon light casts an otherworldly atmosphere...

Love this, such a strong identity and so very simple. The Birmingham interior architectural studio Sculpt wanted their brand to reflect these key principles: reshape, redesign, refine.  I like how the 's' adapts perfectly to each application, illustrating the flexible mindset of the studio.  It is always lovely to see a brand that works across the board so effortlessly, from office shelving to architectural plans. That bold, retro confidence shining through.  Originally found at Identity Designed . 

Basmanny Apartment in Moscow has all the charm of a Parisian flat, smartly done by Blockstudio. The owners who once lived in Paris wanted to recreate that feeling in their new apartment block in the Russian capitol.  The designers have cleverly created a feeling of character by adding in rich textures and typical French features such as parquet floors, marble and these gorgeous brass dividing doors. The real hero of this interior is definitely the art. I love it, each piece quite unique and bringing so much to the space. The furniture too adds texture and a touch of warmth. Lovely, originally found at Leibal . 

This is rather lush, Expensify's office in Portland USA feels like it has slipped into this historic building as one would slide on a glove. The stunning First National Bank building remains uncompromised, a four story atrium filled with light and gorgeous original features. The open plan space is flexible. Metal-framed boxes appear to float at different heights dividing up the building and little wooden huts provide secluded hubs away from the buzz of the open plan work space. The choice of materials too brings warmth elegance but with that modern precision.  I do love seeing old buildings given new life and ZGF Architects have given this 1916 building a fresh story to tell. Originally found at The Cool Hunter .   

Armin Mersmann draws immense pictures, the level of detail is mind-blowing. In particular I am fascinated by his trees. I would be overwhelmed by the visual overload in a composition like this but it seems Mersmann looks for the overly complex, the intricate - it's a visual feast. The German born artist emigrated to America with his parents in 1962. Living in a creative household, his father also an artist, Mersmann feels his journey into art was inevitable. Putting aside his lucrative career as a portrait artist Mersmann prefers the naturalistic subject, enjoying having total control over the image.  His drawings use hundreds of reference photos, he captures more than just what he saw, but what he felt too.   He says "The very act of drawing every branch, twig, highlight and shadow, rendering textures from the extreme winter skins to the silkiness of new-fallen snow, transforms the scene into an intimate journey. This undertaking is considerably diff...