Prada for Architecture

Prada and the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) have a strong and extensive history of collaborating on all levels of designs. Over the years, Miuccia Prada and Rem Koolhaas, the founder of OMA, have teamed up to design everything from worldwide retail stores to runway sets. The architecture firm has even designed the Prada webpage. Nothing is more exciting than the marriage between two art forms, and it is particularly endearing between fashion and architecture - two worlds that appear to be on opposite ends of the spectrum - fashion delicate, architecture rigid. Prada + OMA offer the perfect compromise. Here is a small sampling of their teamwork - so impressive.

OMA Prada Catwalk Designs

In his work on The Art of Building in Ten Books, Leon Battista Alberti asks the following question: "If the city is like some large house and the house in turn like some small city, cannot the varied parts of the house.. be considered miniature buildings?"

Fondazione Prada

It is often said that Miuccia Prada makes clothes not for women's bodies, but for their brains. I applaud this notion and her investigation into other facets of art and inserting them into her collections. Along with architecture, Mrs. Prada has a deep-rooted love for the contemporary arts. The Fondazione Prada is an intervention on and transformation of an early 20th century industrial site just south of Milan that creates new experimental spaces for the Prada Art Foundation.

Prada JWP Epicenter Collection

The souvenir t-shirt collection literally merges fashion with architecture by featuring floor plans, sections and facades of the brand's flagship stores around the world.

The Prada Transformer

The Prada Transformer is nestled beside the 16th-century Gyeonghui Palace in Seoul, South Korea. The pavillion consists of four basic geometric shapes - a circle, a cross, a hexagon and a rectangle - all leaning together and wrapped in a translucent membrane. OMA has pioneered a temporary structure that is picked up by cranes and rotated to accommodate a variety of cultural events. Each has a designated shape that is the potential floor plan for that event.

New York's Prada Epicenter

The Soho store is a revolutionary concept in retail space and what they are most famous for in the fashion world. The epicenter - an exclusive boutique, a public space, a gallery, a performance space, a laboratory - is part of OMA*AMO's ongoing research into shopping and a strategy to counteract and destabilize any received notion of what Prada is, does, or will become.

images: oma, tfs

"All about Sequins and Heels"

(Topshop sequins jacket, FCUK tank, Express stockings, H&M miniskirt, Steve Madden heels)

I once heard Heidi Klum ask Christian Sirano in an Oprah interview why he always calls her "Tranny Klum." He then replied, "Tranny Klum? It's a compliment, because you are fabulous all the time, and it is all about sequins and heels for you." My roommate shakes his head at me and says, "Sounds like you, Ms. Tranny Hall."

I live in heels, like most girls, and absolutely die for over anything over-embellished in sequins or beading. Stopped in my tracks when I saw this Topshop jacket - such a great addition to the closet + super versatile to wear with a mini or a pair of jeans.

The very nature of sequins overlaying each other translates into architecture as the idea of shingles. One of the most innovative and recent interpretations of the shingle can be seen in the Galleria Department store in Seoul, South Korea. UNStudio, one of my absolutely favorite architecture firms, was commissioned to design a new facade for the already existing department store. The result was a lively, ever-changing surface made of 4330 glass discs which include a special dicroic foil generating a mother-of pearl effect during the day, while at night is lit by LED lights that are programmed to create a multitude of effects. Brilliant.

images: UNStudio, GlassSteelandStone.com

I'll Cheers to That

(Club Monaco boyfriend blazer, Zara jeans + clutch, F21 v-neck, Topshop boots, Ring is oddly from the Tower of London)

My midterms wrapped up and I had the most fantastic weekend planned out. Not only did my boyfriend fly in to visit but one of my older brothers flew in for a Harvard school trip (yes..he goes to Harvard..puke..yes..I'm jealous). I come from a family of 10 - so it's great whenever we are able to get together. My oldest brother lives in DC as well, so it was time to have a Hall throw-down at Poste for drinks + then Marvin for dinner. Cheers!

A HUGE thank you for all the kind comments!!

I am so grateful that anyone is even reading my blog, let alone taking the time to leave me comments - They absolutely make my day!

Please leave a comment because my favorite thing is to read your blog too.

...you can also follow me on Bloglovin'

Slave to the Project

Today, I wrapped up my Midterm Review. In architecture studio, you slave over your project for the entire semester - constantly tweaking, adjusting and reworking your design. In mid semester, a panel of critics, assigned studio critics + a guest critic, review all your work thus far. My project was really well received + the review went smoothly. I was particularly excited that the director of my school who said "the scheme was solid" and "it is an overall good project".

Whew! Long hours pay off!

Here's a sneak peak at what I do with most of my time:

Each architect has his or her own preferred method of design process - mine happens to be model building. Most students model in rendering software but I like to keep it old school. There's something about the physicality that helps me understand the space better - like how you feel when you read from a book versus online literature - something about the touch of material sparks imagination

Can you see the transition in the models?

My project is an urban winery. I am investigating the "in-between" condition of spaces. The space between my winery + it's adjacent building, the space within program between production + retail, and the space between the winery + the street condition. The "in-betweens" becomes joints or thresholds that have inhabitable qualities - for instance, a garden or seating area seen below. The separation of program generates two buildings, however they are conceived as one due to the roof structure that contains the two. It's zig-zag shape is designed to catch northern light to evenly distribute into the spaces below.

Since I am only half-way through my project, this building will have evolved into something entirely different, and I can't wait to see what that is...

HOW YOU DOIN'?

(Rezrekshn leather jacket, UO dress, Meridian cashmere scarf, Aldo pumps, House of Harlow necklace)

The coolest store front

THE best museum - the garden is my favorite place to be in NY

Gasp - Just Beatufiul

Cosmos before 12? Why not.

The beautiful ceiling of the NY Public Library's reading room

The Chrysler Building makes me smile

Serendipity's Frrrozen Hot Chocolate - yum yum

Simple + brilliant public seating design

At the legendary Lombardi's in Little Italy

This past trip to New York was very short and sweet. There were only three objectives for this trip: shopping, shopping and The Wendy Williams Show. "How you doin'?" I actually had never heard of her before Joel McHale started making fun of her on The Soup, which I religiously watch. My roommate, Kelby, adores her and scored tickets to the show. She was sold out solid for 2 months, but luckily the only day available fell on our Spring Break. It was all just a joke for me at first, but now I'm officially hooked. She is an absolute riot and being in the audience was a total blast! Definitely will do again! Here are some stills from the show:

Kelby got the money shot! Isn't he just adorable?? (Btw, if not me, he is the main photographer for this blog.)

Glad they got a shot of the best part of the dress - the cutout in the back!