Explore Design on Colossal https://www.thisiscolossal.com/category/design/ The best of art, craft, and visual culture since 2010. Tue, 20 May 2025 15:15:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 https://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/icon-crow-150x150.png Explore Design on Colossal https://www.thisiscolossal.com/category/design/ 32 32 Blurring Boundaries’ ‘Maativan’ Farmhouse Embraces Biophilic Design in an Indian Forest https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/05/blurring-boundaries-maativan/ Tue, 20 May 2025 18:00:00 +0000 https://www.thisiscolossal.com/?p=455622 Blurring Boundaries’ ‘Maativan’ Farmhouse Embraces Biophilic Design in an Indian ForestSurrounded by forest, the farmhouse is constructed from mud, lime, recycled objects, and other natural materials.

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In Blurring Boundaries’ newest project, a woodland area in Wada, Maharashtra, India, and a serene architectural oasis converge in a remarkable farmhouse. The Mumbai-based firm (previously) conceived of a sanctuary called “Maativan,” cradled by trees in a feat of biophilic design, which is constructed from natural materials to create a synergy between interior and exterior experiences.

Undulating beamed ceilings, open-air spaces, an organic layout, and plenty of ventilation allow for ample natural light, airflow, and heat control. With sustainability at the forefront of its mission, Blurring Boundaries incorporated mud, lime, bamboo, stone, wood, recycled bottles, wheels, glass, and other repurposed substances into the home’s framework.

the interior of a biophilic residential design, with wood-beamed ceilings, organic walls, and earthy floors

“Maativan’s commitment to sustainability, cultural authenticity, and ecological responsibility is evident in every aspect of its construction and operation, making it a true sanctuary for those seeking a deeper connection with the natural world,” the studio says. Find more on its website.

the interior of a biophilic residential design, with wood-beamed ceilings, organic walls, and earthy floors
the interior of a biophilic residential design, with a wall made of repurposed wagon wheels
the interior of a biophilic residential design, with wood-beamed ceilings, organic walls, and earthy floors
the interior of a biophilic residential design, with wood-beamed ceilings, organic walls, and earthy floors
the interior of a biophilic residential design, with wood-beamed ceilings, organic walls, and earthy floors
the interior of a biophilic residential design, with wood-beamed ceilings, organic walls, and earthy floors
the interior of a biophilic residential design, with wood-beamed ceilings, organic walls, and earthy floors
the interior of a biophilic residential design, with wood-beamed ceilings, organic walls, and earthy floors

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Blurring Boundaries’ ‘Maativan’ Farmhouse Embraces Biophilic Design in an Indian Forest appeared first on Colossal.

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This Lower Manhattan Restaurant Doubles as an Immersive Black-and-White Sketchbook https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/05/shirokuro-sketchbook-restaurant/ Mon, 19 May 2025 14:45:03 +0000 https://www.thisiscolossal.com/?p=455481 This Lower Manhattan Restaurant Doubles as an Immersive Black-and-White SketchbookWith the exception of some colorful ceramic dishes and the open kitchen, the entire restaurant is rendered like a 2D drawing.

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Stepping into Shirokuro, the new Japanese omakase restaurant in New York City, you’d be forgiven for thinking you wandered into a sketchpad or a black-and-white storyboard. With the exception of an eclectic array of globe lights, some colorful ceramic dishes, and the open kitchen, the entire restaurant is rendered like a 2D drawing.

“Shirokuro” translates to “white-black.” The New York Times shares that proprietor James Lim was inspired by an immersive, 2D restaurant he visited ten years ago in Korea, and he envisioned one of his own, now open in the East Village. To make the interior pop, he invited his friend, real estate agent and artist Mirim Yoo, to transform the space into an all-encompassing environment.

a restaurant all in black-and-white with line-drawn details on every surface so that it appears like a living 2D drawing

Vibrant dishes are complemented by hand-drawn floors patterned like wooden planks and Japanese icons on the walls like bonsai, tea pots, cherry blossoms, and ukiyo-e compositions. “Our vision was to offer something unique: a place where art and food intersect in a living, breathing sketchbook,” the restaurant says.

You might also enjoy Mr. Doodle’s full house makeover or Anastasia Parmson’s hand-drawn installations.

a restaurant all in black-and-white with line-drawn details on every surface so that it appears like a living 2D drawing
a restaurant all in black-and-white with line-drawn details on every surface so that it appears like a living 2D drawing
a restaurant all in black-and-white with line-drawn details on every surface so that it appears like a living 2D drawing
a restaurant all in black-and-white with line-drawn details on every surface so that it appears like a living 2D drawing
a piece of fish on a plate, on a counter, all in black-and-white to resemble a 2D line drawing
a stairwell in a restaurant all in black-and-white with line-drawn details on every surface so that it appears like a living 2D drawing

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article This Lower Manhattan Restaurant Doubles as an Immersive Black-and-White Sketchbook appeared first on Colossal.

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Fresh Sets: Tembe Denton-Hurst Celebrates 35 Boundary-Pushing Nail Artists https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/05/fresh-sets-nail-art-book/ Fri, 16 May 2025 16:25:00 +0000 https://www.thisiscolossal.com/?p=454638 Fresh Sets: Tembe Denton-Hurst Celebrates 35 Boundary-Pushing Nail ArtistsThere's no doubt that in the 21st century, contemporary aesthetics have flourished in a subversive, powerful way.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Fresh Sets: Tembe Denton-Hurst Celebrates 35 Boundary-Pushing Nail Artists appeared first on Colossal.

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From the birth of the first modern nail parlor in 19th-century Paris to the rise of the Vietnamese nail industry in America after the fall of Saigon, nail beautification has always been connected to the world it adorns.

Author Tembe Denton-Hurst reminds us of this in her new book, Fresh Sets: Contemporary Nail Art from Around the World. Setting the scene with her own experience of falling in love with manicures as a child in Brooklyn and a brief survey of the transformative history of nail embellishment throughout time, the book showcases 35 standout artists thriving today.

two hands hold the stem of a flower, donning a manicure comprised of tufts of moss, a dragonfly, and mushrooms on each nail
Nails by Kumi. Image © Kiel Wode.

While basic sets remain timeless, there’s no doubt that in the 21st century, contemporary aesthetics have flourished in a subversive, powerful way. From birthday candle pedicures and maximalist jeweled acrylics to moss-covered fingertips and sculpted claws channeling cyber sigilism, Fresh Sets features 300 vibrant images highlighting ongoing innovations in the medium.

The democratization of nail art has allowed the creative form to flourish across time and space. Extravagant designs once only seen sauntering down the catwalk, for instance, are now within reach for daily wear. The rise of nail artists has uniquely blurred this line between luxury and everyday accessory, forging paths and connecting worlds.

One such artist featured in Fresh Sets is Lauren Michelle Pires. With a methodical precision, she approaches her practice as a designer, collecting extensive archives of color combinations and references images. Once a fashion student, Pires now works with designer brands such as Loewe, Diesel, Miu Miu, and more.

“I view being a nail artist as a very intricate and pristine job, and I definitely try to capture beauty in my work,” she explains. “But, over time, I’ve really learned how to experiment more and to lean into the awkwardness of beauty.”

a thumb nail with an intricate pink and red birthday cake design being lit with a lighter
Nails by Kumi. Image © Kiel Wode

As the realm of nail design continues to evolve in tremendous fashion, transforming one’s own fingernails as if they were ten tiny canvases—each a site for creating an extension of self, asserting identity, and even signifying resistance—has and always will be a deeply resonant gesture for many. As Denton-Hurst shares in the introduction, “long nails have become part of me, as identifiable as the brown of my skin or my loud laugh.”

You can find your own copy of Fresh Sets on Bookshop. See more from Tembe Denton-Hurst on Instagram.

a pair of feet in chunky green heels sporting long green acrylic nails with lit birthday candles on the ends
Nails by Iksoxo. Image © Alona Sobolevska
a long maximalist manicure consisting of dense clusters of jewels
Nails by Dxpper Acrylics. Image © Black Archives
a detailed manicure with 3 dimensional designs including spirals and protruding stalks with hearts
Nails and image © Tomoya Nakagawa
two hands hold a clam and show off a manicure with realistic lobsters and lobster claw details.
Nails and image © Naomi Yasuda
a pointer finger shows a very long all-white flower design extending upward. the stem is thorny with leaves and the petals are spiky and surround a rhinestoned eye
Nails and image © Juan Alvear
a short manicure with small paintings of fish, eggs, salmon, and roe
Nails by Yeswhat Nails. Image © Violetta Kurilenko
a long manicure with white, green, and pink sculptural elements
Nails and image © Tomoya Nakagawa
bulbous blue nail designs with white details, evoking water
Nails and image © Nikki Panic
the cover of "Fresh Sets: Contemporary Nail Art from Around the World"

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Fresh Sets: Tembe Denton-Hurst Celebrates 35 Boundary-Pushing Nail Artists appeared first on Colossal.

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A Teeter-Totter Style Bench Invites Sitters to Find Common Ground https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/05/martin-binder-balance-bench/ Tue, 13 May 2025 14:40:10 +0000 https://www.thisiscolossal.com/?p=455172 A Teeter-Totter Style Bench Invites Sitters to Find Common Ground"Balance Bench" rests on a central cylinder rather than four legs, requiring that at least two people sit on either side to level.

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In the Garden of Generations in Einbeck, Germany, a playful new installation asks park goers to find equilibrium with their neighbors.

“Balance Bench” is the latest project of Berlin-based artist Martin Binder. Installed in his hometown, the interactive artwork rests on a central cylinder rather than four legs, requiring that at least two people sit on either side to level. “It cannot be used alone—it demands awareness, consensus, and cooperation between people to become a functional public space,” he says.

a bench shifts to the left as people balance on either side

Binder originally envisioned the piece, which is made of oak and powder-coated steel, to debut at a public art festival in 2021, but that event was unfortunately canceled due to COVID-19. Emerging now four years later, the minimal installation provokes questions about how the ways we gather and partake in outdoor activities have changed.

“The pandemic made us hyper-aware of proximity in public spaces,” he says. “This bench interrogates that awareness through play. It asks how we share space post-pandemic—not just physically but socially.”

In addition to its usefulness for promoting conversation and interaction among park goers, “Balance Bench” is also a less volatile version of the once-ubiquitous equipment that’s less common these days due to eye-opening safety concerns.

For more from Binder, visit his website and Instagram.

a wooden bench with a round base in the center
a bench shifts to the right as four people sit on opposite ends
a white man sits in the middle of a bench to balance the weight
a bench shifts to the left as people balance on either side
a bench sits perfectly flat  as people balance on either side
a bench sits perfectly flat  as people balance on either side

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article A Teeter-Totter Style Bench Invites Sitters to Find Common Ground appeared first on Colossal.

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An Uncanny Postcard Fit for the Era of Climate Catastrophe https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/05/an-uncanny-postcard-fit-for-the-era-of-climate-catastrophe/ Wed, 07 May 2025 22:07:51 +0000 https://www.thisiscolossal.com/?p=454904 An Uncanny Postcard Fit for the Era of Climate CatastropheMist or smog? A postcard helps track the not-so-bright days.

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Depending on the day, you might look to the sky and see a sea of pale blue or a radiant sunset creeping toward the horizon. If you’re in a major metropolitan area, though, you might also be met with the characteristic red-brown haze of smog.

Berlin-based artist Macarena Ruiz-Tagle is behind the vibrant Cyanometer and Sunset postcards we’ve featured on Colossal (and that have sold out in our shop several times). But she also created a third version designed for those not-so-bright days.

a white hand holding up a postcard to the sky
Tiananmen Square, Beijing (November 2013). Photo by Macarena Ruiz-Tagle

The World Health Organization estimates that 99 percent of people on Earth breathe unsafe air, making Ruiz-Tagle’s Air Pollution postcard perhaps the most fitting for our era of climate catastrophe. While a stark contrast to the brilliant blues, yellows, and oranges of the other two, this design is awash in pale pinks and grays to match that of a gloomy, and even soiled, atmosphere. Like the others, the idea is to hold the work up to the sky and mark the corresponding hue before dropping it in the mail.

The interactive card shifts in meaning depending on whether the opening reveals a misty fog or air thick with chemicals, and it’s part of a growing movement to track climate data in a tangible, grassroots manner. “Separating the visual delight of being immersed in a cloud from the intoxicating reality of breathing heavily polluted air, the postcard evokes both the smog that engulfs global cities and the ethereal beauty of fog,” the artist writes. “In its mesmerizing aesthetic ambiguity, the work sustains a space for contemplation within our troubled atmosphere.”

Find all three postcards in the Colossal Shop, and explore more of Ruiz-Tagle’s work on her website.

a postcard with a hole in the middle
Air Pollution postcard

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article An Uncanny Postcard Fit for the Era of Climate Catastrophe appeared first on Colossal.

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After More Than Half a Century, a One-of-a-Kind Chinese Typewriter Emerges from Obscurity https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/05/mingkwai-typewriter-found/ Wed, 07 May 2025 14:21:57 +0000 https://www.thisiscolossal.com/?p=454877 After More Than Half a Century, a One-of-a-Kind Chinese Typewriter Emerges from ObscurityOnly one known prototype of the MingKwai typewriter was ever produced, and no one knew where it was.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article After More Than Half a Century, a One-of-a-Kind Chinese Typewriter Emerges from Obscurity appeared first on Colossal.

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A quote widely attributed to Tom Robbins says, “At the typewriter you find out who you are.” Or in the case of one unique machine that’s been missing for decades, the same could be said for finding one, too.

In January, Jennifer Felix and her husband Nelson were sorting through items in Jennifer’s grandfather’s basement in New York. They stumbled upon a typewriter like they’d never seen, with Chinese keys. Nelson posted a few photos in a Facebook group called What’s My Typewriter Worth? “From my internet search it looks to be a Chinese-made MingKwai,” he wrote. “I just can’t find any ever sold here in the States. Is it even worth anything? It weighs a ton!”

a unique typewriter with Chinese characters
Photo by Elisabeth von Boch

Resounding enthusiasm rippled through the comments, as it turned out the machine was indeed a MingKwai — named for being “clear and fast” — the only one of its kind in the world.

Missing for more than half a century, the discovery prompted a multitude of messages from people around the world wanting to purchase the machine or place it into museums. It is now in the collection of Stanford Libraries.

Invented in 1947 by writer, translator, and linguist Lin Yutang, the typewriter was the first compact concept to feature a keyboard that could produce the Chinese language’s 80,000-plus characters. He accomplished this by creating a kind of sort-and-search method.

“Lin broke down Chinese ideographs into more fundamental components of strokes and shapes and arranged the characters in a linear order, like an English dictionary does with alphabetic words,” researcher Yangyang Chen describes in Made in China Journal.

a typewriter is shown as its protective wooden case is lifted off of it
Photo by Elisabeth von Boch

The keyboard consists of 72 options, which can be combined to create one’s desired characters. Chen continues:

By pressing one of the 36 top character component keys and one of the 28 bottom component keys simultaneously, the machine would find up to eight corresponding characters. The user could see the candidates through a special viewing window on the device, which Lin called his “magic eye,” and select the correct one by pushing the respective numerical key.

The Carl E. Krum Company built the only known prototype of the MingKwai, says Stanford Report. Lin was unable to drum up enough commercial interest to produce the expensive machine, so he sold the prototype and rights to Mergenthaler Linotype Company, where Jennifer Felix’s grandfather was employed as a machinist. The typewriter never entered production, and it eventually disappeared—until now.

Stanford plans to use the unique machine for research, exhibits, and academic programs. Regan Murphy-Kao, director of the East Asia Library, says, “I couldn’t be happier to have the opportunity to steward, preserve, and make this extraordinary prototype accessible for scholarship.”

a wooden box holds unique Chinese character components for a typewriter, displayed along with a flier
Components and flier for the MingKwai. Photo by Nelson Felix
a hand points to a viewfinder on a unique Chinese typewriter
The “magic eye” used to select characters. Photo by Elisabeth von Boch
the inner workings of a rare Chinese character typewriter, showing metal bars with numerous keys
Photo by Nelson Felix

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article After More Than Half a Century, a One-of-a-Kind Chinese Typewriter Emerges from Obscurity appeared first on Colossal.

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Unwind with the Ancient Japanese Art of Kumiko, a Wood Joinery Technique https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/04/ancient-japanese-art-kumiko/ Fri, 25 Apr 2025 17:22:38 +0000 https://www.thisiscolossal.com/?p=454250 Unwind with the Ancient Japanese Art of Kumiko, a Wood Joinery TechniqueIf you're familiar with the Japanese art of wood joinery, you'll likely find kumiko equally intriguing.

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If you’re familiar with the Japanese art of wood joinery, you’ll likely find kumiko equally intriguing. The traditional craft emerged in the Asuka era between about 600 and 700 C.E. and similarly eschews nails in favor of perfectly cut pieces that notch into place. Intricate fields of florals and geometric shapes emerge, creating a decorative panel that typically covers windows or divides a room.

A video from The Process, a YouTube channel exploring various manufacturing sectors and hand-crafted techniques, visits the workshop of Kinoshita Mokuge. Viewers are welcomed into the meticulous, labor-intensive process of producing elaborate, interlocked motifs. Japanese Arts also offered a glimpse into this art form a few years back during an equally calming visit to Kurozu Tetsuo’s studio.

an in progress wooden motif

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Through a Love of Note-Taking, José Naranja Documents His Travels One Tiny Detail at a Time https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/04/jose-naranja-travel-notebooks/ Wed, 23 Apr 2025 16:30:00 +0000 https://www.thisiscolossal.com/?p=454082 Through a Love of Note-Taking, José Naranja Documents His Travels One Tiny Detail at a Time"I'm lost in the intricate details, as always," Naranja says.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Through a Love of Note-Taking, José Naranja Documents His Travels One Tiny Detail at a Time appeared first on Colossal.

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From postage stamps to jetliner specifications to items he packed for the journey, José Naranja’s sketchbooks (previously) capture minute details of numerous international trips. “I’m lost in the intricate details, as always,” he tells Colossal. Everything from currency to noodle varieties to film references make their way into small books brimming with travel ephemera and observations.

Naranja is currently working on a thicker book than he has in the past, which is taking more time to fill, along with an illustrated card project called 2050, which merges science, tech events, and his signature “beauty of note-taking” aesthetic. The artist has also reproduced some of his sketches in The Nautilus Manuscript, a small batch-printed, hand-bound edition available for sale in his shop. Follow updates on the artist’s Instagram.

a small sketchbook with elaborately designed travel notes and drawings, on a table with artmaking tools like pens and ink
a small sketchbook with elaborately designed travel notes and drawings, on a table with artmaking tools like pens and ink
a small sketchbook with elaborately designed travel notes and drawings
a small sketchbook with elaborately designed travel notes and drawings, on a table with artmaking tools like a stencil and stamps
a small sketchbook with elaborately designed travel notes and drawings, on a table with artmaking tools like pens and ink
a series of small sketchbooks with elaborately designed travel notes and drawings
a small sketchbook with elaborately designed travel notes and drawings
a small sketchbook with elaborately designed travel notes and drawings, on a table with artmaking tools like pens and ink
a small sketchbook with elaborately designed travel notes and drawings, on a table with artmaking tools like pens and ink
the tops of a series of closed, small sketchbooks showing how full they have become, with color and details on the edges

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Through a Love of Note-Taking, José Naranja Documents His Travels One Tiny Detail at a Time appeared first on Colossal.

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Monumental Murals by Agostino Iacurci Vibrantly Reimagine Urban Facades https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/04/agostino-iacurci-murals/ Mon, 21 Apr 2025 14:35:09 +0000 https://www.thisiscolossal.com/?p=453915 Monumental Murals by Agostino Iacurci Vibrantly Reimagine Urban FacadesIacurci brings drab buildings to life in bold jewel tones, patterns, and symmetry.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Monumental Murals by Agostino Iacurci Vibrantly Reimagine Urban Facades appeared first on Colossal.

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Murals by Agostino Iacurci bring drab buildings to life in bold jewel tones, playful patterns, color blocks, and symmetry. Whether painting directly onto bricks and plaster or designing immense fabric sheaths to cover construction scaffolding, the artist’s vibrant compositions enliven street corners and urban thoroughfares.

Iacurci often emphasizes geometric patterns, flora, classical vases, and niches that hold symbolic objects or figures. You might enjoy checking out Gingko Press’s Mural Masters, a survey of the next generation of street artists, and see more on Iacurci’s website and Instagram.

a long, wide building with colorful murals of palm trees and geometric patterns, photographed with a person riding a scooter in front of it
“Landscape n.1” (2021), wall painting, 27.7 x 7.1 meters. Las Vegas, Nevada. Commissioned by Life is Beautiful
an aerial view of a building covered entirely in a colorful, geometric mural with a light yellow background and green, blue, and red patterns
“Disegno d’esame” (2021), enamel on wall, dimensions variable. Pascucci Elementary School, Santarcangelo di Romagna. Photo by Francesco Marini
a colorfully designed fabric mural with abstract flower shapes, draped over the side of a building to mask scaffolding
“Grüne Oase” (2024). Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Photo by Ivan Murzin
the end of a long block of apartments with a tall mural of a Greek-style vase filled with abstract color blocks and patterns
“COINCIDENCES.” Ensorinstituut, Oostende, Belgium. Produced by The Crystal Ship
a detail of a large-scale mural on a brick surface with abstract color blocks
Detail of “COINCIDENCES”
a large-scale printed covering for scaffolding with geometric shapes of amphorae and other patterns
“Landscape n.2” (2021), print on PVC scaffold sheet, 17 x 14 meters. Pastificio Cerere, Rome. Photo by Carlo Romano
a colorful, geometric mural on the side of a wide building
“Landscape n.3” (2021). Pinacoteca Civica, Foggia. Photo by Domenico d’Alessandro
a large mural on a building with a curved facade, featuring geometric shapes and a series of Viking ships
“L’antiporta” (2021), paint on wall, dimensions variable. Biblioteca Ugo Tognazzi, Pomezia. Curated by Marcello Smarrelli and Pastificio Cerere for Sol Indiges. Photo by Lorenzo Palmieri
a detail of a large-scale mural on a building comprising geometric patterns and a figure in a green dress
Detail of “L’antiporta”
part of a mural on a two-story building in Italy, with a red background and geometric thistle designs
Detail of “Cardi (1571-2021).” Photo by Domenico d’Alessandro
a detail of a building covered entirely in a colorful, geometric mural with a light yellow background and green, blue, and red patterns
Detail of “Disegno d’esame.” Photo by Domenico d’Alessandro

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Monumental Murals by Agostino Iacurci Vibrantly Reimagine Urban Facades appeared first on Colossal.

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Land, Sea, and Wiry Trees Converge in 100architects’ Imaginative New Playground https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/04/100architects-wired-scape/ Wed, 16 Apr 2025 14:07:56 +0000 https://www.thisiscolossal.com/?p=453758 Land, Sea, and Wiry Trees Converge in 100architects’ Imaginative New PlaygroundA new public park in Guangzhou re-envisions the possibilities of play.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Land, Sea, and Wiry Trees Converge in 100architects’ Imaginative New Playground appeared first on Colossal.

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Through colorful squiggles embedded with games, trampolines, and sculptural trees, a new public park in Guangzhou, China, re-envisions the possibilities of play.

“Wired Scape,” which design firm 100architects bills as an “an entangling forest of imagination and fun,” takes inspiration from the natural landscape to create a one-of-a-kind playground in a residential area. Trees resembling balls of colorful wire appear to spin out of the ground, and curvaceous green and blue forms reflect the interaction of land and water.

Lively trees made from pipes spiraling around central cores serve a triple purpose as climbable structures, shade-providing canopies, and supports for a series of interconnected bridges throughout the park. The overall aesthetic recalls computer-generated imagery in video games or animation.

100architects aimed to break away from traditional playground design and instead focus on the layout as a multigenerational space. Children’s imaginations are stimulated by myriad ways to jump, climb, slide, and run, while caregivers and parents have ample options for shaded seating with clear sight lines.

Explore 100architects’ exuberant public installations on the studio’s website and Instagram, and check out more incredible playgrounds.

an aerial view of part of an elaborately designed playground with blue and green designs on the ground and wire-like sculptural trees holding up bridges and play equipment
an aerial view of an elaborately designed playground with blue and green designs on the ground and wire-like sculptural trees holding up bridges and play equipment
an aerial view of an elaborately designed playground with blue and green designs on the ground and wire-like sculptural trees holding up bridges and play equipment
an aerial view of an elaborately designed playground with blue and green designs on the ground and wire-like sculptural trees holding up bridges and play equipment
an evening view of an elaborately designed playground with blue and green designs on the ground and wire-like sculptural trees holding up bridges and play equipment
an aerial view at dusk of an elaborately designed playground with blue and green designs on the ground and wire-like sculptural trees holding up bridges and play equipment
a nighttime view of an elaborately designed playground with blue and green designs on the ground and wire-like sculptural trees holding up bridges and play equipment
part of an elaborately designed playground with blue and green designs on the ground and wire-like sculptural trees holding up bridges and play equipment

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Land, Sea, and Wiry Trees Converge in 100architects’ Imaginative New Playground appeared first on Colossal.

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