Neri&Hu’s warehouse transformation for Lao Ding Feng’s new headquarters in Beijing. Photography by Zhu Runzi…
The Design Dispatch offers expertly written and essential news from the design world crafted by our dedicated team. Think of it as your cheat sheet for the day in design delivered to your inbox before you’ve had your coffee. Subscribe now.
Have a news story our readers need to see? Submit it here
Neri&Hu inserts a concrete volume into a Beijing warehouse to create an office and store.
“Chinese architecture studio Neri&Hu has inserted a concrete volume into an old brick warehouse to create a head office and retail store for pastry brand Lao Ding Feng in Beijing, China. Located near the Northeast 5th Ring Road in Beijing, Neri&Hu converted the former textile production factory into Lao Ding Feng’s headquarters as well as a retail concept store. The factory’s original brick structure consists of a main warehouse and three annex buildings, as well as a courtyard garden. Neri&Hu maintained most of the old structure while inserting new concrete volumes to create a contrast between the past and present.” [H/T Dezeen]
The Beirut Museum of Art’s new WORKac-designed building is slated to open in 2026.
“Officials connected with the Beirut Museum of Art (BeMA) detailed their vision for the yet-to-be-built institution at a talk taking place this week at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, as reported by Artnews. Present at the discussion were BeMA codirectors Taline Boladian and Juliana Khalaf, and architects Amale Andraos and Dan Wood, of the firm WORKac, which has been tasked with designing the museum. Slated to open in 2026, the hotly anticipated institution will gather together some 2,000 works created since Lebanon’s establishment as an independent nation in 1943, with special attention paid to paintings, sculptures, and works on paper made between 1950 and 1975.” [H/T Artforum]
Bill Stout Architectural Books in Jackson Square, San Francisco. Photography by Leslie Williamson, courtesy of the Eames Institute…
The Eames Institute acquires San Francisco’s beloved William Stout Architectural Books.
“A relatively new Bay Area nonprofit has acquired an enduring San Francisco institution that has served as a mecca for architecture- and-design-minded bibliophiles for just shy of 50 years: William Stout Architectural Books. The news comes following a year of talks between the Petaluma-based Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity, which formally launched just this April, and the beloved bookstore’s namesake sole proprietor. Coming out of the turbulence of the COVID crisis in 2021, Stout, like many longtime small business owners battered by the pandemic, began to contemplate his retirement. This is when the fledgling Eames Institute, helmed by Charles and Ray’s granddaughter Lisa Demetrios in the role of chief curator with backing from Airbnb cofounder Joe Gebbia, stepped in discuss how the legacy of Stout Books could best be preserved.” [H/T The Architect’s Newspaper]
RIOS will oversee a major $1 billion renovation of The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.
“When Apollo Funds acquired The Venetian Resort Las Vegas earlier this year, they made a promise to continue to invest in the iconic all-suite property. The resort’s newly installed CEO Patrick Nichols shared he will be making good on that commitment by ‘investing north of $1 billion touching every area of the guest experience.’ To realize Nichols’ goals, the property has engaged Los Angeles-based design collective RIOS to master plan the redevelopment. And to answer your first question, no, the iconic Italian theme The Venetian is synonymous with is not going away.” [H/T Travel + Leisure]
Bulgari, Hermès, and Van Cleef & Arpels win at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.
“Bulgari, Hermès and Van Cleef & Arpels were among the winners at this year’s Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, the annual prize-giving of the watch industry. Amongst the models honored: the 10th Anniversary edition of the Bulgari Octo Finissimo, Hermès’ world-time Arceau Le Temps Voyageur, and Van Cleef & Arpels’ Fontaine Aux Oiseaux Automaton, a one-of-a-kind mechanical clock that triumphed in a competitive field.” [H/T Wallpaper]
Volvo EX90. Image courtesy of Volvo…
Volvo’s plans to sell all-electric vehicles kicks off with the reveal of the new EX90 SUV.
“Volvo’s plans to exclusively sell all-electric vehicles by 2030 kicked off Wednesday with the reveal of its EX90—the first in a new lineup of EVs for the Swedish automaker. The carmaker is calling the seven-seat SUV its new flagship vehicle, starting at just under $80,000. Production of the car is expected to begin in the U.S. next year in South Carolina. The EX90 resembles Volvo Cars’ current lineup of vehicles. On a full charge, the car is expected to achieve up to 300 miles of range, according to the company. The interior is modern, minimalistic—a trend made popular by Tesla—with a large center control screen and small driver information cluster behind the steering wheel.” [H/T CNBC]
Faena Art awards Paula de Solminihac with this year’s Faena Prize for the Arts.
“During Faena Art’s Annual Gala, the organization announced Paula de Solminihac as the winner of the 2022 Faena Prize for the Arts. De Solminihac will be awarded with the presentation of her large-scale, site-responsive topographic installation Morning Glory at Faena Beach during Miami Art Week 2022. Using the sands of Miami Beach as its primary material, de Solminihac’s site-sensitive work and largest work to date invites endless interactions with Faena Beach and its occupants, nurturing a deep connection between the human and natural worlds. Morning Glory will be unveiled Tuesday, Nov. 29 and will be on view through Sunday, Dec. 4. Considered one of the most prestigious art prizes in the Americas, Faena Prize for the Arts is offered to artists at all stages in their careers to engage in the critical reflection of the present moment and its ever-changing nature, with Faena Art awarding the winner a total of $100,000.” [Press Release]
Image via @beeple/Twitter…
Today’s attractive distractions:
The New Yorker’s latest comic needs to talk about your Nirvana shirt.
