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Kensington Welcomes the Latest Outpost of Locke
Known for its stylish aparthotels, Locke is heading to West London for its latest debut. Situated in a historic Victorian mansion that was once home to a private members club, Ember Locke channels Kensington’s decadent heyday with nods to the Art Deco Kensington Roof Gardens and erstwhile Biba department store. Local firms Atelier Ochre and House of Dré reimagined the interiors with bold hues of red, orange, and green, outfitting the 121 boudoir-style apartments with velvet banquettes, small kitchenettes, and custom curtains by London textile company Yarn Collective.
Following in the footsteps of the brand’s other properties scattered across Europe, Ember’s communal spaces are vibrant with a coffee shop, restaurant, and bar replete with a live band stage, co-working space, and tropical garden when it opens in July. Expect the culture crowd to soon embrace the property whose location on Cromwell Road is minutes from the V&A and Natural History Museum. —Nate Storey
Gaia by Toyo Ito. Image courtesy of NTU Singapore…
Toyo Ito completes Asia’s largest mass timber building for a university in Singapore.
Toyo Ito has shared updates on Gaia, an academic building for Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. The completed mass timber building is now the largest of its kind in Asia, featuring six stories and a total area of 468,000 square feet. The environmentally conscious building has received the Green Mark Platinum (Zero Energy) award for its sustainable performance metrics, including carbon dioxide reduction and energy production through PV panels. The building aims to foster a connection between humans and nature, offering ample natural light, open spaces, and a sustainable environment for students and faculty to study, collaborate, and socialize.
A petition to ban the fast fashion giant Shein has been gaining momentum in France.
Shein, the fast fashion giant known for its incredibly cheap clothing and occasional product issues, is facing backlash in France. A petition calling for the ban of the retailer has gained more than 100,000 signatures, citing Shein’s unsustainable business practices and exploitation of factory workers. The petition also highlights a Greenpeace report that discovered hazardous chemicals in some of Shein’s products. Although it is important to scrutinize Shein’s environmental impact and labor practices, it is worth noting that luxury brands may not necessarily be more sustainable or ethical.
Kenneth Anger, the renowned and influential experimental filmmaker, dies at 96.
Kenneth Anger, a renowned experimental filmmaker whose influence can still be seen in popular visual culture, has died at 96. Anger, who had a love-hate relationship with art and mass culture, created films that borrowed from popular iconography and combined sensuous imagery with pop soundtracks. His best-known film, Scorpio Rising, is considered a precursor to music videos and has had a lasting impact on mainstream cinema. While his reputation rested on a relatively small body of work, Anger’s contributions as a filmmaker and his mystical exploration of ancient myths and pop culture continue to be celebrated.
JW Anderson in Milan. Photography by DePasquale+Maffini, courtesy of JW Anderson…
JW Anderson’s newly opened Milan flagship channels the sex shops found in Soho.
JW Anderson has opened its flagship Milan store designed by 6a Architects. The 570-square-foot store draws inspiration from the local atmosphere and London’s Soho sex shops, featuring neon lighting and rainbow-slatted curtains on the windows. The interior showcases handmade terrazzo flooring, bespoke contrasting tones, and metallic curtains, creating a juxtaposition between the underground aesthetic and traditional Italian furnishings. The store exhibits selected furniture and artworks, reflecting creative director Jonathan Anderson’s vision of creating distinct universes within each store.
An overhead highway park seeks to reconnect two divided neighborhoods in Dallas.
Details have emerged about a major urban infrastructure project aiming to reconnect a historically Black neighborhood in South Dallas. The Southern Gateway Public Green project, overseen by firms SWA and HKS, intends to restore the Oak Cliff neighborhood divided by highway construction in the 1950s by building a five-acre park over a highway. The park will be delivered in two phases with ongoing construction to create an overhead landscape. It will feature event spaces, dining and retail areas, lawns, native plants, and educational exhibits. The project, funded through a public-private partnership, is scheduled for completion in 2024.
New research reveals that New York City is sinking under the weight of its skyscrapers.
New research reveals New York City is sinking due to the weight of its skyscrapers, increasing the risk of coastal flooding for its population of 8,000,000 people. The U.S. Geological Survey found the city is sinking at a rate of 1-2 millimeters per year, with certain areas sinking faster. This exacerbates the city’s already-high risk of flooding due to rising sea levels caused by climate change. The study emphasizes the need for an adaptation strategy, cautioning that new buildings constructed in coastal areas could contribute to future flood risks.
Today’s attractive distractions:
A rare “technicolor” sea slug indicates warmer waters due to climate change.
Divers believe they’ve finally found the Atlantic’s most infamous shipwreck.
