1. Do you know the architect behind the design of Nike Air Max & Jordan: Tinker Hatfield
Tinker Hatfield is one of the world’s most legendary sneaker designers, and currently Nike’s Vice President for Design and Special Projects. Hatfield joined Nike in 1981, having started out as a pole vaulter and then trained as an architect, and rapidly became its lead shoe designer. He realised that his architectural skills could be applied to shoes, and is credited with designing the “cross-trainer” as a multi-sport shoe when he realised people at his Oregon gym brought various shoes with them for different activities.
‘’I learned about performance and sport, but I also learned about the design process in school. That was a fortunate combination, so that when I was ultimately asked to design sneakers at Nike, I had the perfect background.’’ He says. You can watch his story on Netflix. Second episode of Abstract: The Art of Design documentary is very inspiring for all of us multidisciplinary-lover architects!
2. Did you know? The architect, Zaha Hadid, has never designed a building with a right angle in it.
The starchitect who transformed modern architecture with her futuristic masterpieces, characterized dynamic movements and organic structures, Zaha Hadid, was associated with these undulating forms so much that she was called “Queen of the Curve”.
Some of her quotes regarding her style:”We don’t deal with normative ideas and we don’t make nice little buildings. People think that the most appropriate building is a rectangle, because that’s typically the best way of using space. But is that to say that landscape is a waste of space? The world is not a rectangle. You don’t go into a park and say: ‘My God, we don’t have any corners. It’s like saying that everyone has to write in exactly the same way. And it is simply not the case.”
Just like she said: “There are 360 degrees, so why stick to one?”
3. Did you know? Le Corbusier designed a car.
Yes, a car! Architect, artist, author and obviously car enthusiast Le Corbusier designed a car called Voiture Minimum with his cousin Pierre Jeanneret in 1936. They described it as a ‘’minimalist vehicle for maximum functionality.’’ The car was never manufactured but the architect was persistent that it inspired the Volkswagen Beetle. The similarity cannot be ignored. So why not?A similar replica of the car was constructed for the London Museum, and now there are others. Jeff Lane’s Lane Museum in Nashville, Tennessee is reportedly planning to build a running, driving version of the Voiture Minimum.
4. Did you know? Skyscraper didn’t always refer to tall buildings.
From the Oxford English Dictionary: “Before skyscraper was used for buildings with an exciting height, the word was already in use for things sticking into the air, such as a triangular sky-sail (first recorded use in 1794), a high-standing horse (1788), a very tall man (1857), a rider on one of the very high cycles formerly in use (1892) or a tall hat or bonnet, (1800).”
Oh to be a skyscraper man in 18th century! You must have a lot of stories to tell your grandchildren.
5. Did you know? Frank Gehry designed a hat for Lady Gaga.
Architecture and fashion? Now we are talking… You may have heard that Frank Gehry designed jewels, lamps, vodka bottles. But did you know he designed a hat for Lady Gaga?
Gehry was asked by his artist friend Francesco Vezzoli to design a headpiece for the off-beat pop star for her performance at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles in 2009.
He came up with a piece that Curbed describes as the Walt Disney Concert Hall in millinery. “Since I’ve never designed a hat before, I was afraid she wouldn’t be able to walk…. I did have an idea that involved people with sticks holding it up, walking behind her. I didn’t know how far I could go with this thing,” Gehry said to the New Yorker.
Best part: he designed it on his iPhone.
Now put the phone down!
See you next week!