60 Wall Street lobby designed by Kevin Roche and John Dinkeloo in 1989. Photography courtesy of KRJDA…
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One of New York City’s most distinctive subway entrances may soon get remodeled.
“Angular white columns. Dizzying mirrored tile. Lines of palm trees. The atrium at 60 Wall Street, which is also one of New York’s most distinctive subway entrances, feels to some “like stepping back in time.” In a city where the typical subway exit unceremoniously deposits passengers on a grimy sidewalk, to ride the escalator up from the dingy train station and ascend into the luminous white hall is to be truly transported. But now there is a plan to demolish this eye-popping extravaganza, designed in the 1980s, and create a sleeker, more contemporary design.” [H/T The New York Times]
Instagram will reverse some recent changes to the platform after mounting backlash.
“Instagram will walk back some recent changes to the product following a week of mounting criticism, the company said. A test version of the app that opened to full-screen photos and videos will be phased out over the next one to two weeks, and Instagram will also reduce the number of recommended posts in the app as it works to improve its algorithms. The changes come amid growing user frustration over a series of changes to Instagram designed to help it better compete with TikTok and navigate the broader shift in user behavior away from posting static photos toward watching more video.” [H/T Platformer]
Image courtesy of Balenciaga…
Balenciaga drops a T-shirt that will raise money for United24’s Rebuild Ukraine fund.
“Demna, the artistic director of Balenciaga, will serve as an ambassador for United24, the fundraising platform for relief in Ukraine put in place by the country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky. As part of the partnership, Balenciaga will release a T-shirt to raise money and awareness for United24′s Rebuild Ukraine fund, which is dedicated to restoring critical infrastructure in the country, including hospitals, schools and roads. One hundred percent of net profits from sales of the shirt will go to the fund.” [H/T Business of Fashion]
New York’s Battery Park City will undergo a series of resiliency projects in the fall.
“New York’s Battery Park City will soon undergo a series of major resiliency projects that will completely transform the Lower Manhattan coast as the threats of storm surge and sea level rise loom. Starting in September, after Labor Day, the first phase of the multibillion-dollar Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency (LMCR) Project, led by Battery Park City Authority, is set to break ground. Called the South Battery Park City Resiliency Project (SBPCR), the endeavor is expected to last two years and, when complete, will feature expansive lawns and gardens; education, community, dining, and programming spaces; public restrooms; and universal access. The project has an estimated cost of $221 million.” [H/T Archinect]
MetaBirkins. Image courtesy of Mason Rothschild…
An Hermès lawsuit against the creator of MetaBirkins may set legal precedent for NFTs.
“An Hermès lawsuit could soon set a legal precedent for future digital assets like NFTs. After the luxury fashion house sued artist Mason Rothschild in January—alleging he infringed the trademarks of its famous Birkin bag by creating and selling virtual interpretations dubbed “MetaBirkins NFTs”—Rothschild has argued that “MetaBirkins” could be viewed as the title of an art project, not a trademark. His response asks what ownership means in the metaverse and whether NFTs can qualify as artistic expression, two questions that could impact brands eager to protect their intellectual property in web3.” [H/T Input]
The embattled curators of Documenta 15 are facing more anti-Semitism allegations.
“The curators of the contentious Documenta 15, which opened in Kassel, Germany, June 18, are facing the latest in a string of allegations that they have allowed the display of anti-Semitic work. The complaints this time focus on a 1988 brochure by the Archives des Luttes des Femmes en Algérie, an Algerian women’s collective that seeks to situate the struggle for independence in Algeria alongside other battles, including that between Palestine and Israel. The brochure contains a portrayal of an Israeli soldier whose face resembles that of a monkey, with a Star of David on his helmet. The figure, which is similar to others appearing in the pamphlet, is being kneed by a woman.” [H/T Artforum]
Sprite’s new clear bottle. Image courtesy of Sprite…
Today’s attractive distractions:
The James Webb Space Telescope may have found its first supernova.
Sprite retires its signature green bottle for an eco-friendly clear alternative.
This ultra-exclusive private jet tour of the world goes from Seattle to Sicily.
Velveeta’s string of unlikely marketing stunts are reviving a dated brand.
