The “Golden Ratio Musical Show” presented by Jaeger-LeCoultre. Image courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre …
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Jaeger-LeCoultre Orchestrates a Golden Ratio Symphony
Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrated the magic of the golden ratio—and the Swiss brand’s signature Reverso timepiece—through a captivating traveling sound and light concert in the outdoor central courtyard at Westfield Century City mall in Los Angeles. The event highlighted the profound influence of the mathematical concept that resonates in art, architecture, and balance, featuring the renowned British pianist, composer, and music producer, Tokio Myers, who took center stage against a backdrop of mesmerizing digital projections. His 10-minute symphony, titled Timeless, served as a musical embodiment of the ratio, weaving together elements representing nature, science, art, and design, in harmony with the Reverso’s elegant lines—a symbol of classic design inspired by the Art Deco movement.
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s collaboration with Tokio Myers is part of the brand’s Made of Makers program, which invites world-class artists to collaborate with the brand’s expert artisans to explore the intersection between the creative industries and horology. The performance not only accentuated this connection, but marked the first time the program involved a musical artist. “This was the objective,” says Catherine Rénier, the brand’s chief executive. “To embark on a totally different experience, to showcase the golden ratio from another angle, maybe less expected than architecture and design.” The show debuted in Shanghai earlier this summer, but will be presented again in London’s Battersea Power Station in September before traveling to Dubai in mid-December. —Ryan Waddoups
Image courtesy of the University of California, Santa Barbara…
The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) is initiating a studio application process for designing student housing on its campus, indicating a shift from the controversial Munger Hall dormitory plan announced in 2021. The university is currently accepting applications through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to find suitable candidates for its UCSB Student Housing Infill and Redevelopment Project. The project aims to provide around 3,500 beds for undergraduate students, with 3,000 beds in new residential community housing and an additional 500 beds as part of an East Campus Infill and Redevelopment endeavor. The RFQ suggests a move away from the previously planned Munger Hall, a large windowless dormitory that faced criticism for its design and impact on student well-being.
A 1967 office building at 55 Broad Street designed by Emery Roth & Sons in Manhattan’s Financial District has been acquired by Silverstein Properties and Metro Loft Management for $172.5 million. The building, formerly housing Goldman Sachs, will undergo a residential conversion led by CetraRuddy. The Rudin Family, the previous owners, had partially renovated the building in 2019, but now the entire layout will be transformed, accommodating 571 housing units and amenities like a private club, fitness rooms, and coworking spaces. The conversion, slated to begin next month, will reduce energy consumption by 22 percent.
Leica Camera has spent years crafting its watch roadmap, unveiling its first in-house watch collection in 2018. Comprising the L1 and L2 models, the line later evolved into the ZM1 and ZM2, with a black ZM Monochrom Edition coinciding with the launch of the M11 Monochrom camera. Developed by Leica’s campus-based division, Ernst Leitz Werkstätten, the watches are guided by the German concept of “Das Wesentliche” or “the essential,” focusing on core elements. The new collection, slated for release by year-end, will feature seven timepieces and emphasize Leica’s distinctive design approach.
Los Angeles city officials have started building 12 acres of new park areas beneath the Sixth Street Viaduct replacement, just over a year since its opening. The Sixth Street Park, Arts, and River Connectivity project kicked off with a groundbreaking ceremony, encompassing seven acres of open space in Boyle Heights and five acres in the Arts District. Designed by Hargreaves Jones, the park will feature grass fields, sports courts, picnic areas, an Arts Plaza, and other amenities to enrich the urban environment, with funding from various sources including Proposition 68 grants. Construction is projected to last about two-and-a-half years and is set to complement new transportation developments in the area.
Melbourne artist Jaq Grantford has received the $5,000 people’s choice award for the 2023 Archibald prize with a realist portrait of television personality and actor Noni Hazlehurst. Titled Through the Window, the winning artwork captures Hazlehurst’s enduring contribution to Play School as she gazes with an impish smile through a rain-streaked window adorned with symbols representing safety and protection. This marks Grantford’s first Archibald win and the second portrait she has created of Hazlehurst, with the latter titled The Story Teller displayed at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.
The Ring Nebula captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. Image courtesy of NASA, ESA, CSA, JWST Ring Nebula Team; image processing by Roger Wesson …
