this week, architect and designboom reader svetozar andreev proposed to transform malta's collapsed 'azure window' into a steel exhibition space. tieqa żerqa (popularly known as the azure window) was an icon of the maltese islands, however, following a storm in march of 2017, the arch collapsed into the sea. andreev intends to create a new visual landmark by creating a polygonal architectural form with mirrored steel faces, which will blend into the landscape and have the same size and proportions as the original limestone arch.

 

meanwhile, tham & videgård arkitekter revealed plans for a series of new homes that will form part of a larger site at landvetter lake, in gothenburg, sweden. the project is a solid timber version of the ‘vertical village’ the firm designed for a site in stockholm in 2009. the scheme proposes an alternative to the row house typology, with each unit featuring its own private garden. this is achieved with vertical massing rather than horizontal, where compact three level homes sit in rounded plots defined by tall hedges.

21_21 DESIGN SIGHT in tokyo is currently showing ‘mingei- another kind of art’ directed by product designer naoto fukasawa. the exhibition features 146 traditional and contemporary ‘mingei’ items from the japan folk crafts museum’s collection (fukasawa is the director of the institution). they are displayed alongside straightforward statements by him regarding their appeals. in addition, the exhibition introduces the faces of ‘mingei’ in today’s society through a film capturing the lives and work of the creators of ‘mingei’ and the people who promote it. naoto fukasawa’s personal collection, and photographs revealing new forms of ‘mingei’ are also on display. the ‘mingei’ exhibition at the tokyo 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT runs until february 24, 2019.

 

designboom has a strong interest in ‘the essential nature of beauty’ and in documenting the factors that combine to render an object beautiful. we spoke with naoto fukasawa to reach an understanding of that ‘mingei’ beauty — how, in other words, to appreciate it.

brooklyn-based artist MADSTEEZ debuted the vibrant refurbishment of a basketball court in harlem, new york. MADSTEEZZ is known for his large-scale murals that feature bold color schemes and enigmatic figures. the newly completed mural is prominently on display at harlem’s historic st. nicholas park.

 

meanwhile in amsterdam, architect ivana jelić and creative engineer pavle petrović created the ‘starry night’ installation as part of the city's 2018 light festival. since the late 19th century, the impact of anthropogenic light on the environment has been rising rapidly on a global scale and the night sky full of stars, as van gogh’s starry night was, is unfortunately a rare sight these days. ‘starry night’ therefore aims to raise awareness about light pollution in cities and highlight the importance of proper lighting system design.

designboom kicked off its TECH predictions for 2019: a look at the year ahead! will it be a good one? from preparing to share everything, to digital detoxing, we foresee the major tech trends you'll be working and playing with in 2019, and the design developments they will impact upon.

GAD architecture presented its proposal for the new istanbul technical university library. the project aims to create a center for knowledge and become a landmark within the campus. the proposed scheme is characterized by an expansive structural system that has been developed to provide an organizational rationale for the shelving of books, as well as the structure of the building.

 

abin design studio created a pavilion built for 'durga puja' – the biggest community festival in behala nutan dal, india. the installation is based on the idea of childhood. at the entrance, an abstract flight of birds overhead depicts the freedom of thought and creativity in young children. the wings gradually diminish and the birds tessellate into an array of boxes.

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