Innehållsförteckning för Habitus #32 - Explore från Habitus

We know about the stress-relieving benefits of getting out of town, taking the watch off and putting the laptop away but, in fact, relaxed cognition is also a key component of problem solving. An experiment by psychologist Lile Jia at Indiana University demonstrated that you don’t even need to actually travel to inspire creativity – when we just imagine a place far away, it increases our ability to think laterally. So distance, even when it’s only perceived, liberates us. This is great news, no? Which is why, when we invite the feeling of Escape into our homes through design, we can positively influence our lives. The Regional focus of Habitus means we are always exploring, but the beauty of this approach is clearer than ever this issue. Take for example…

One of the great explorations of all time was the first circumnavigation of the globe by Ferdinand Magellan’s fleet in the early 16th Century. Although Magellan was killed in the Philippines, the remains of his fleet eventually made it back to Spain with valuable spices in their holds, which of course was the main objective. More significantly for us now though, they had discovered the Pacific Ocean. Later voyages across the vast ocean brought back stories about the people who lived there. Some of these were tall tales, but true or false, they created a real desire in European societies to know more about these exotic, mythical islands. Many dreamed of escaping to the Islands in Paradise, and some did; Paul Gauguin was one of them. He visited the French…

Passing through the newly gentrified outer suburb of Thao Dien, it is easy to walk past the inconspicuous entrance of this architectural masterpiece and dismiss it as yet another fancy villa for well-heeled expats and affluent local families, looking as though it would not be out of place in London’s Kensington or Chelsea. However, step through its metal gate and in contrast with the unremarkable exterior, you will find yourself in an oasis of calm worlds away from the forest of luxury apartments and mansions that vie for space on Ho Chi Minh City’s skyline. At the helm are Belgian-born Peter Arts and Hedwig Pira, the brains behind Saigon River Factory. Their business started in 2004 as a modestly sized, Vietnam-based, Belgianrun workshop specialising in candle holders and other home…

In 2008, Mimi Daraphet, an Australian architect, and her partner, Dan Foreman, a New Zealand product and interior designer, moved to Singapore to gain experience in the Asian market. That was their first journey. Their second was the acquisition of an apartment in Tiong Bahru in 2011 along with the four years they have since devoted to refurbishing it. Both now work for Arup Singapore – Mimi as an architect specialising in sustainability and facades, and Dan as their Lighting Leader. So, they were the perfect team for this renovation. But, as we all know, designing a place is the easy bit. Then comes the build itself. In Mimi and Dan’s case, as expatriates, just getting to purchase the apartment was a challenge. Noncitizens are restricted in what they can…

BRETT BOARDMAN RENOVATOR’S DELIGHT #179 A photographer with a degree in architecture, Brett Boardman likes people and architecture and spends most of his time photographing them both. Brett brings the feeling of exploration into his home and life “by planting trees and plants from other parts of the world and cooking food from places I’ve travelled to.” CHARLES ZUBER EXPLORING: THE ASIA PACIFIC WAY #34 Originally from the UK, Dr Charles Zuber worked for Sussex University and the University of the South Pacific before relocating to Australia to work for the Queensland College of Art. He holds an Adjunct Senior Lecturer position with Griffith University and continues to write about visual cultures. Charles likes to escape to “the little beach side town of New Brighton, and I spend time at…

It’s 7pm on a Tuesday evening in Perth and the atmosphere at the State Theatre Centre, designed by Kerry Hill Architects, is palpable. In a city that is just now drawing people out of their homes on a ‘school night’ and into a number of new restaurants and bars lining the streets and laneways, a midweek sold-out show as part of Mobilia’s Design Circus is no mean feat. Yet it is here, as Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien take their positions on stage in two Paper Plane chairs that they created for Moroso, where an audience of design professionals, enthusiasts and students hang on every single word. In what was a truly candid discussion about their experiences since boldly quitting their jobs and establishing Doshi Levien in 2000 (and going…

A new environment can really shift the way we look at things – it’s just one of the reasons that getting away from everyday life is so beneficial. We are equally relaxed and exploratory, the perfect mindset to encourage creativity to flow and mindful living to take place. It’s not always possible to go jet-setting to our favourite destinations, however. And when the tent is packed away, and the frequent flyer miles have run out, how can we bring a sense of escapism into our lives? Opportunities to rejuvenate don’t have to be a rarity. They can be enjoyed everyday, if we care to create them. Follow us as we explore ideas to bring that holiday feeling into our homes. With a little consideration, we can encourage those precious, restorative…

Rooted in vintage fashion yet with modern design in mind, the MOON DISCO sunglasses from Karen Walker are original and effortlessly striking. karenwalker.com Suki’s down-to-earth sophistication is the product of a passionate commitment to quality and easygoing chic. Natural materials and a focus on detail makes each design completely unique. suki.co.id SENER BESIM channels his Turkish heritage and Australian upbringing in his sunglasses. His designs merge two cultures, where youth, freedom and design meet tradition, form and technical excellence. senerbesim.com Brisbane-born and New York-raised, Carla Robertson charms us with her CARLA COLOUR designer sunglasses collection. Equally retro and modernist, the range is summer-style perfect. carlacolour.com Sunday, Somewhere designs its sunglasses with a sense of adventure and love of travel. The ABELLA range will keep you looking good everywhere under the…

Formed from the remnants of two volcanoes, the South Island’s Banks Peninsula forms a striking geographical feature against the smoothness of the Canterbury Plains. Two harbours, formed inside the eroded cones, became the focus for settlements – Lyttelton and Akaroa – while the rest of the peninsula is mostly farmed. The rugged landscape and indented coastline bare the scars of subantarctic storms, while the hot dry summers turn the fields to gold, framed by the turquoise blue of the Pacific Ocean. It’s a remote location and this house site made even more so by four-wheel-drive access across a 1,600-hectare sheep station. One of the north-facing bays of the station – a bay known locally as Scrubby Bay – was chosen as the site for a holiday retreat designed by Patterson…

Living Edge is adding more international flair to its range with the CHANDLO DRESSING TABLE. Designed by Doshi Levien and inspired by the creative duo’s trips to India, the table has been designed as a part of their vision for a perfect modern house. The seemingly abstract nature of the piece’s composition reflects the gestures and daily rituals of dressing and grooming. The table is made from solid ash with tubular steel legs painted in a brilliant green. Designed for BD Barcelona Design, Living Edge exclusively brings this charming table set to Australian design lovers. doshilevien.com/bdbarcelona.com/livingedge.com.au Designed with the goal of modernising the traditional shoe rack, the sleek and contemporary vintage style of the NEW YORK 20 STAND from Sagitine is a modern and artistic way to store any footwear.…

The finest in rug design touches down on Australian shores thanks to Kvadrat Maharam and Hub Furniture. The pair of design brands are bringing DANSKINA rugs to Australian interiors. Danskina rugs are world renowned for their fine detailing and striking designs, the result of skilled makers in the Netherlands, Scotland, Germany, Nepal, New Zealand and India. Every Danskina rug is based on a distinctive and clear tonal concept, with the perception of colour created in different ways through different dyeing techniques and methods. danskina.com/hubfurniture.com.au/kvadratmaharam.com The trend towards compact urban living means adaptable furniture has never been more valuable. The CARAFE TABLE designed by Charles Wilson for Herman Miller is the ideal solution. The elegant design effortlessly transforms from a work desk to a dining table with ease, beautiful in either…

Step into Song for the Mute’s Glebe studio and flagship store and you will most likely be greeted personally by the brand’s founders, Lyna Ty and Melvin Tanaya, who regularly interact with customers in the combined space. “We never really intended for it to be that way, but we love it,” Melvin says. Surrounded by the finished garments, “The customers come in to hang with us and they get to see Lyna designing and [meet] the team,” he continues. Demonstrating the design process from beginning to end, it’s a compelling on-site marketing campaign. When they’re not jet-setting around the world launching collections, sourcing fabrics, or rubbing shoulders with the likes of hip hop music artist Lupe Fiasco and menswear aficionado Nick Wooster, the pair can be found working hard here,…

Bondi architecture is typically a mix of antipodean art deco, California bungalow and red brick faux baronial – a jumble on a good day; a dull, throbbing cacophony when gloomy. The Dangar family home – aka ‘the Bondi Barn’ – comes as welcome relief. With its blackened timber cladding, elegantly pitched roof and low picket fence, it feels like something of a gift to the street. Firstly, there’s the site upon which it is built, a deep triangular plot, nosing the road like the prow of a ship. Irregular, it breaks the monotony of the standard suburban block. Then there’s the fact of its otherness; it’s clearly not from around these parts. In fact, as Will Dangar explains, “I saw some of photographer Murray Fredericks’ icecap images from his Greenland…