“Design … is an expression of the capability of the human mind to step beyond.”

-- George Nelson, design theorist (source)

How I wish I have the means to own some of these furniture. Wouldn't it be nice if we could have a furniture museum here?

 Jean Nouvel SKiN Sofa                                     Zaha Hadid Moon System

"We believe that the easiest way to change people’s behavior for the better is by making it fun to do. We call it The Fun Theory."

-- thefuntheory.com

Quite an interesting way of encouraging people to use the stairs and ditch the elevators. Two thumbs up! By the way, you might want to bookmark this site, www.thefuntheory.com.

"I draw like other people bite their nails."

             -- Pablo Picasso (source)

Every architectural student seems to know how to use Sketchup in this age of information technology. I wonder have the rules changed; I mean do architects really need to know how to draw nowadays? Many older generation architects will tell us that drawing skills is an essential prerequisite for being an architect in those days. Do those views still hold true today? What if you can’t draw? No worries, some architects can’t draw either but they have their mouth to do the “selling”.

What I am afraid is that one-day architects will become a dying breed, just like the fate of the Neanderthals species. The fact that Neanderthals went extinct is that they did not develop artistic skills unlike their ancient relatives, the Cro-Magnons whose artistic expressions were so eloquently shown in the numerous cave paintings uncovered in Dordogne, France.

I guess it’s time for me to brush up my doodling skills.

Guge - Tibet's long-lost kingdom.

MAD architect unveils its latest Convention Centre in Taiwan which will feature facades laden with photovoltaic panels. >>> Read More

Photo source: www.popsci.com

Take a look at the picture below. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you see it? I see a stadium or a velodrome and I never expect that this would turn out to be a shopping mall.

Designed by the renowned architect, Renzo Piano and nicknamed as Volcano Buono, this magnificent architectural feat sits on the foothill of Mount Vesuvius, a volcano that is best known for its eruption many hundreds year ago that destroyed the city of Pompeii.

This is one piece of architecture that will always be in a constant dialogue with its surrounding.  No volcano, no Buono! >>> Read more.

Photo source: Inhabitat.com

I love this quote by Friedrich Nietzsche and it was quoted in the last paragraph of PZ Myers's article, "Saving gods by making them even emptier" as a reminder to readers of the consequences of religious beliefs:

"Mystical explanations are thought to be deep; the truth is that they are not even shallow."

 "There are two important things to make sushi. One is the material and the other is the skill... For sushi, both the power of the material and skill is important and their balance is very important. I believe that this balance is what people want. People and society are seeking the thing like sushi for the architecture and their city."

-- Kengo Kuma [source]

Architecture and food are products of cultural significance. We often identify and associate a place by its food and architecture. Think of sushi and most likely Japan comes to mind; what pizza is to Italy, "nasi lemak" is to Malaysia although the latter’s origin is somewhat vague and subjects to debate.

What do good architects and chefs have in common? Creativity and a flair for experimentation - I suppose these are the important traits of top chefs and architects.

A chef once told me that food is not only meant to feed the stomach but also to quench the thirst of the mind and the soul as well. This makes me wonder whether we eat to live or live to eat?

A compilation of articles by various authors on food and architecture were put forward in Petra Hagen's The Architect, the Cook and Good Taste.