conceptualizing

Our studio project for the remainder of the semester is to design an independent film studio, which is really exciting. We will be designing a facility that celebrates the creation and viewing of motion pictures, and I decided to begin the process by focusing on the studio modules themselves.

dior homme's projected runway

In the vein of our current studio focus, I wanted to point out the lighting and projection involved in Dior Homme's Fall 2009 runway show. As an offset to Van Assche's entirely black and white collection, the spectators to the show are bathed in the reddish glow of overhead radiant heaters. The show begins, and the floor is lit from above to form the runway boundaries. First one catwalk, then another parallel to it, and then a bridging piece between the two. As the show progresses, the tiny bridging element disappears and reappears, as well as the catwalks themselves. At one point, the runways disappear completely, save the portions of runway the model is currently walking on. For the show's finale, the room fills with fog, and vertical shafts are light are projected onto the models, almost as if scanning a human barcode.

The lighting elements are subtle, and never over-power the clothes. However, the amount of effort placed into such details doesn't go unnoticed. You can view the entire show here.

around the studio

fashion week

New York Fashion Week has officially ended, and though quite a few collections hit all the right notes with me, I thought I'd share a small sampling of my favorite looks, from both New York and Paris. From left to right, first row: Chado Ralph Rucci, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Armani Prive Couture. Second row: Dennis Basso, Davidelfin, G-Star. The Davidelfin is reminiscent of Miyake's staircase pleats, which I love. Third row: Givenchy Couture, Dior Couture, Catherine Malandrino.

smart cookie

compression

The logic behind the installation “Compression” initially began as an interest in exaggerating the lack of natural light in typical interior rooms and hallways, and to awaken the intrinsic desire for such lighting. The message is communicated by projecting a window—the portal to the sun’s illumination—through artificial means, thereby creating a dialogue with the obvious materiality and solidity of the space.

The imagery of “Compression” is derived from the given conditions of the space. The lengthy, narrow hallway is comprised of blank walls, comparatively low ceilings, and fluorescent lighting. As a comprehensive element, the space feels sterile and constricted, transmitting the sensation of compression and uneasiness commensurable with an airplane cabin. The projected image, therefore, is to act as a transformative medium, allowing the viewer to make a connection between the nature of two spaces typically conceived as disparate.

By accentuating the constriction of this corridor, “Compression” attempts to make viewers more aware of the inherent, subconscious perception of space. Likewise, because of the installation’s proximity to the atrium, the viewer should become more aware of the decompression felt by leaving the space.