Yellowtrace Spotlight // February 2014.

Hello possums! Welcome to the February 2014 edition of Yellowtrace Spotlight – the first one for the year. Boom! In this month’s news you can read about Dion Lee’s first stand alone concept store in Sydney by Akin Creative, Neometro’s Heritage Redevelopment in Fitzroy (VIC), Art Wall by Paul Smith for Maharam Digital Projects, new furniture by young designers STUDIOLAV and XYZ Integrated Architecture, The Edge Design Competition and Comic Book Launch by Matt Huynh.

New Projects.

Site 01: Dion Lee’s First Standalone Retail Concept by Akin Creative.

Leading Australian fashion designer Dion Lee has opened his first stand alone retail concept store, Site 01, in Sydney’s iconic Strand Arcade. For the store concept,  Lee chose to create a link between the construction elements of his collections and the environment in which it is displayed.

Designed by Kelvin Ho of Akin Creative, the site contrasts the feeling of something unfinished with elements that are very refined, articulated through mirrored metals, construction villaboard and industrial marine carpet. ‘Suspended lighting and mirrored change rooms, incorporating commissioned custom works by artist Jason Sims, play on light, dimension and reflection, creating a luxurious space with unexpected fabrications.’ — Dion Lee.

See previous post about Dion Lee’s amazing capsule collection

Site 01 // Shop 62–66, The Strand Arcade
412–414 George St, Sydney

Dion Lee
Akin Creative

Neometro Reveals Heritage Redevelopment in Fitzroy, VIC. 

Sitting atop the iconic 110-year-old Edwardian Panama House building, Neometro has unveiled its first heritage redevelopment in the heart of Fitzroy – 231 Smith Street. The $14 million, 500 square metre development is Fitzroy’s first major air space build, and adds three new set-back levels to the building originally constructed in 1903. Its completion at the end of November marks the return of the historic structure to its former glory, a process that started in 2003 when Neometro purchased the site recognising its potential.

The project was a collaboration with MA Architects and Grant Amon Architects – a lesson in subtlety, aimed to meld the historic and new in a thoughtful manner. The building now comprises 15 one and two-bedroom warehouse-style apartments with a distinct New York loft feel, as well as the refurbished commercial spaces, home to dining hotspot the Panama Dining Room and other local businesses.

Developer: Neometro
Design: MA Architects and Grant Amon Architects
Photography: Derek Swalwell

New Products.

Art Wall by Paul Smith for Maharam Digital Projects.

Maharam has released a new Maharam Digital Projects this time by legendary designer Paul Smith. Art Wall combines iconic illustrations plus recent woven and print designs created by the Paul Smith team with Smith’s own photographs and pieces he’s collected from international antique fairs and flea markets. Arranged in the clustered style seen in Paul Smith stores around the world, Art Wall reflects Smith’s eclectic taste and boundless creativity.

Maharam Digital Projects (MDP) are large-scale wall installations created by esteemed artists, designers, illustrators and photographers. Using advanced digital printing techniques to create complex, high-resolution imagery in a full colour spectrum at an extraordinary scale.

See previous post about Maharam Digital Projects
Kvadrat Maharam Australia

OMBRO Tables Collection by STUDIOLAV.

OMBRO is a collection of tables that uses a visual game created by two perpendiculars, perforated metal surfaces forming an illusion of movement. The bottom grill can be also used as storage offering full or partial cover of the objects stored underneath. The collection is derived from studying the relationship between indoors and outdoors. STUDIOLAV is focusing on what is interfering between them. The simple geometry of layers and patterns, created by doors, shutters and railings, are synthesizing a natural and visual boundary between the inside and the outside when overlapping.

STUDIOLAV is a young and passionate, multidisciplinary, design studio founded by Central Saint Martins graduates Loukas Angelou and Vasso Asfi. They highly value the importance of the emotional connection between people and objects and they often use narratives to expose it.

STUDIOLAV

Leaning Furniture by XYZ Integrated Architecture.

Georgia-based XYZ Integrated Architecture present the whimsical and slightly bizarre furniture collection titled “60 Console & Chair“ and “60 Blue Table”. Each piece is unique and made by hand from mahogany, leather and steel. Next time you are designing that leaning room or a set for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, you’ll know where to head for furniture.

Design: XYZ
Photography: NakaniMamasaxlisi

Upcoming Events.

The Edge Design Competition at Decoration & Design, Sydney.

Australia’s next generation of designers will battle it out for the EDGE Excellence in Design being held at the upcoming Decoration & Design in Sydney. (5-7 Feb 2013). The showcase will include products in Commercial, Concept, Student and Green categories.

My personal favourite from the 42 shortlisted products is Crescent Table Lamp by Lewis Yee. The lamp demonstrates parabolic reflection which features adjustable arms and a rotating diffuse reflector dish. Suitable for task and ambient lighting. Yee is a RMIT student under the tutelage of Edward Linacre and Viktor Legin.

The Edge

‘MA’ Comic Book Launch and Exhibition by Matt Huynh.

New York City based comic creator and illustrator, Matt Huynh, is launching his latest comic book, MA, with an exhibition of original artwork for one night only. Following the warm reception to MA at its debut at Comic Arts Brooklyn Festival and sold out first printing, MA has been reprinted in paperback format.

MA tells the story of a young married couple forced to flee their home and families by the escalating Vietnam War. In Malaysia’s Pulau Bidong refugee camps, they treasure pockets of silliness and romance as they learn to raise two boys and await news from home and of their uncertain future. “The quiet moments, where the parents are still with their children, are rendered carefully and it really feels like you’re watching this moment in time, through tears that occasionally blur the scene from view… a real life that was lived and experienced. MA feels like that. I am here now, I was lucky.” – Ulises Farinas, Faesthetic.com

‘MA’ Comic Book Launch and Exhibition
Wednesday, 5th February at 6PM.
The Tate Gallery, 345 Glebe Point Rd, Sydney.

See previous interview with Matt Huynh