Home Festival

it's an understatement to say that brisbane is forming a new cultural identity! 'walking the walk' is the Home Festival - get along and support the event on Saturday 9th April...

Asia-Pacific Design Library

Ever developing and evolving as a place of exchange for ideas, thought and cultural activities is the State Library of Queensland (SLQ)! Living up to expectations is the announcement for the opening of the Asia Pacific Design Library - set to be a dynamic and flexible place for those thirsty for all facets of design...

"...The State Library of Queensland, through the Asia Pacific Design Library, aims to develop the best publicly accessible collection of design resources in the Asia Pacific, promoting contemporary thought and analysis on design in the region.

With lectures, exhibitions, research support, studios, publications, events and a strengthened focus on design collections, the State Library will be a hub for design resources and design activity as well as a trusted archive for records of historical and contemporary Queensland design and designers.

Through strengthened investment in design collections, a bespoke Design Lounge, Design On-line and a rich program of design activity the Asia Pacific Design Library will bring a new focus for partnerships amongst leading designers and institutions. Collection development, research support, publications, exhibitions and events will concentrate especially on design of the public realm, digital design, fashion, design of books and products for better living and design – led business and practice."
- about APDL SLQ

TEDx (brisbane)

Who is TED?

Admittedly, I recently thought TED was a guy that did cool presentations and posted them somewhere on the web! Hmmm, not quite, TED is an acronym for 'Technology Entertainment Design', a platform for "Ideas worth spreading". Sounds simple, and it is, but don't underestimate the impact TED is having around the world and the people that are engaging with this platform!

Last night was my first TEDx event. It began at 12.15am with (free and amazing) coffee by the DiBella crew - a great way to start a new relationship - in the home of Pecha Kucha, the Brisbane Powerhouse

This TEDxChange x=independently organised TED event was a live webcast from the Paley Center (pretty sure Batman lives there!) for Media, New York where world leaders are meeting at a summit to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) and accelerate progress toward the 2015 goals.

As everyone, strangers and friends, mingled like an adult sleep over, and just as the caffeine began to fade, like the after affect of a party cake 'sugar come down', brisbane's local hosts Carl Lindgren and Paul Fairweather briefly appeared to introduce the 'webstream' host and curator Chris Anderson - for 90 minutes we were enriched with a succession of incredible (world leading) speakers... Hans Rosling... Melinda French Gates... The Revolutionary Optimists... Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew... Mechi Viravaidya and Grac Machel.

I can't really say much more - put aside 95.48 minutes and watch it here... TEDxCHANGE Webcast

Like a bright moon in the late night sky, lay empty coffee cups after a long day passes by...

ANOTHER WHITE GEM!

Happy Haus
WHITE SERIES

Owen+Vokes

You could glance at this first image and briefly mistake it for a house in a 'suburban setting' - oh how nice it would be to have no fences? - anyway on closer review you'll notice it's a/the White Series Happy Haus by architects Owen and Vokes, located in southbank, corner grey and tribune streets.

So what's a Happy Haus?? Here is some recent press that best describes what it's all about... GREEN MAGAZINE article

Gardens and water storage have also been considered (pineapples in the garden look tasty, give them a few weeks and they be ready for picking)

it's great to see an example of (prefab) sustainable architecture pop up in the flesh - a positive step towards educating the general public!

BCEC is underway!

It's underway, earth is moving and the cranes are working!

The new Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre expansion at Grey Street has begun - set to be a dynamic addition to the Southbank Precicnt, BCEC is 'due' to open in 2011, read more about it here... MEDIA LINK

good media!

Article source; State Library of Queensland Magazine, Spring 2009, page 02

I remember visiting the State Library during high school, in the late 90's, honestly it wasa pretty drab and daunting experience, both times.

I found this article both relevant and important in that it is from the 'buildings users' perspective, purely on a level that is concerned about innovation and people, backed up with real facts and ideas about the buildings usage and success.

SAP Exhibition.... Michael Philips

Another great evening at SAP in the Fortitude Valley, which is seemingly and arguably becoming the new heart of Brisbane!

Consistency in 'design' is crucial! SAP is continually providing a great space for local designer's to exhibtion new and exciting works whilst bringing together a range of brisbonites in a simple way... I particularly like that the bar was shoved out the back!

Michael Philips presented the 'Bean Prints' in a range of mediums... my favourite was the large format in the canvas version...

Michael (Philips) and Peter (Harding) collaborated on the night, adding another layer to the exhibtion and presentation of the space!

Campos Coffee - Adaptive Reuse!

What used to be an electrical storage warehouse is now a great place to enjoy quality coffee / food and hang out on some astro turf and crates (I am pretty sure the crates are 'borrowed' from the neighbouring fish market, they have cushions on them now so it's hard to notice, top marks for innovation!!)

Campos coffee sits in a laneway behind the busy James St markeplace, Fortitude Valley. I have only recently become aware of the ideas around adaptively reusing buildings - to me this is a pretty damn good example, especially considering that the existing building was relatively plain and insignificant.

Before shots  {sourced from Campos}

Now shots {sourced from Studio Plus }