DESIGN DISPATCH

A Monument of Maya Angelou Heads to San Francisco, and Other News

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A rendering of “Portrait of a Phenomenal Woman” by Lava Thomas at the San Francisco Main Library

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A monument to Maya Angelou by artist Lava Thomas will be unveiled in San Francisco.

After years of setbacks and delays, a monument to Maya Angelou titled Portrait of a Phenomenal Woman by artist Lava Thomas will be unveiled outside the San Francisco Public Library on September 19. The nine-foot-tall bronze sculpture honors Angelou’s legacy and represents ideals like courage, justice, and perseverance. Despite initial setbacks, including the revocation of Thomas’s selection, the project was eventually approved, and the monument now serves as a symbol of community and the power of poetry in San Francisco.

A mystery $300 million Malibu mansion might become America’s most expensive home. 

Luxury real estate agent Kurt Rappaport, known for brokering record-setting deals, is set to list a $300 million home that could become the most expensive property ever sold in the United States. His previous sales include a $210 million Malibu estate and Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s $200 million home, both of which set California price records. Despite challenges in the luxury market, Rappaport remains confident in high demand for prime locations, stating “there are only so many seats in the front row.”

The sprinkle pool at the Museum of Ice Cream. Image courtesy of the Museum of Ice Cream

The Museum of Ice Cream gets sued after a botched jump into its infamous sprinkle pool.

Jeremy Shorr has filed a lawsuit against the Museum of Ice Cream, claiming he fractured his ankle after jumping into the sprinkle pool at its New York City location. The lawsuit alleges the museum was negligent in creating a false expectation that the pool was safe for jumping, citing previous injuries and the museum’s promotional materials. Shorr is seeking damages for his injuries, which have required surgery and may necessitate further medical treatment.

A star-studded shortlist has been revealed for the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. 

A shortlist of architecture firms, including Tatiana Bilbao ESTUDIO, SO – IL, Johnston Marklee, Sasaki, and Fernanda Canales Arquitectura, has been announced for the North Boulder Creative Campus project. The selected firm will design a new Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA) facility and a 100,000-square-foot campus with mixed-use spaces. The project, with an anticipated budget of $40 million, is scheduled for completion in 2029, with the winning firm to be announced in winter 2024–25.

Despite plummeting sales, new reports indicate that Allbirds is narrowing its losses.

Allbirds reported a 27 percent drop in second-quarter sales to $52 million, attributing the decline to fewer units sold and planned store closures, despite higher prices. New CEO Joe Vernacchio narrowed the company’s net loss to $19 million, down from $29 million a year earlier, by reducing operating costs and securing international distribution deals. While Allbirds expects full-year sales to fall between $190 million and $210 million, its stock price remains under $1, risking delisting by October despite a 12 percent surge after the earnings release.

Google’s AI-powered robotic table tennis player. Image courtesy of Benj Edwards/Google DeepMind

Today’s attractive distractions:

This book about a disgraced art dealer is more than a gossipy exposé

A yacht co-designed by Steve Jobs gets into a fender bender in Naples.

Have you stopped to selfie at the Stonehenge of American car culture? 

Google’s latest AI experiment can play ping pong at an amateur level.

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