Interior Design in New York City

Nirmada Interior Design

Watch the video presentation of our latest works!

Following the dark day of September 11, 2001, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey commissioned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava to design the transportation hub for what would be the new World Trade Center.  The design evokes the image of a bird in flight and promises to deliver natural light to the PATH train platform 60 feet below ground.

In January 2004, when Santiago Calatrava unveiled his plans for the transportation hub, the daring design was seen as a symbol of renewal and hope after the tragedy. Since then, Santiago Calatrava has recommended some adjustments to the design to save time and money while preserving the overall integrity of the original design. Now, New York City’s Queen Sofia Spanish Institute is unveiling his designs in a new exhibition, “Santiago Calatrava: World Trade Center Transportation Hub,” running through August 31.

The exhibition will be an opportunity for commuters, subway riders and pedestrians to see that Calatrava’s design has transcended the complex challenges of the site and to view the development of this soaring, spectacular design which will significantly improve mass-transit connections across Lower Manhattan. We can’t wait…

“Santiago Calatrava: World Trade Center Transportation Hub,” running through August 31.

5 Sustainable Kitchen Design Tips for your Home

Nicholas Tamarin — Interior Design, 5/15/2009

Hella Jongerius Contemporary Archetypes

Hella Jongerius

The newly reopened museum hosted the premiere of Hella Jongerius: Contemporary Archetypes, a short-subject documentary exploring the groundbreaking Dutch industrial designer’s processes.
The screening took place on May 16 at 2:00 pm, followed by a Q&A session with Jongerius and director Arnie Knox.

The film explores the designer’s work through interviews with Jongerius and her assistants and design luminaries including Paola Antonelli of MoMA, Interior Design Hallof Famer Murray Moss of Moss, Rolf Fehlbaum of Vitra, and Michael Maharam of Maharam. It is the second documentary produced by Design Onscreen, a Denver-based non-profit foundation dedicated to creating and preserving A&D films.
The film is being presented in conjunction with “Object Factory: The Art of Industrial Ceramics,” the first major U.S. museum exhibition devoted to cutting-edge industrial ceramic production. On view through September 13, the exhibition features more than 200 objects from eighteen countries, including Jongerius’ Nymphenburg Collection.

Monday was the annual full-day Metropolis Conference @ ICFF, which is an international gathering of entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and innovators from many fields and disciplines. The key to success—now more urgently than ever—is INNOVATION. How are designers, architects, businesses, and schools reinventing themselves to fit 21st century models? We stopped in to hear the speakers share their insights and success (and get some CEU’s). The event was hosted by Susan S. Szenasy, Metropolis editor in chief and conference facilitator, and Bruce Brigham, FASID, ASID president. First up was James Ludwig, vice president for Global Design at Steelcase Inc. Ludwig stressed an approach to product design that incorporates environmental and human health concerns with a dose of sophistication and lust for the response, “Damn, that’s beautiful”.

James Ludwig

Ludwig has the most refreshing ideas about office design we’ve seen in a while, explaining that our generation learned by memorizing, as our kids’ generation learns by accessing….Interesting thought, and one we need to take into consideration when designing spaces in contemporary environments.  Ludwig review some of Steelcase’s best new innovations, like the new C-Scape and Media-Scape collaborative solutions.

C-Scape

Media Scape

Next up, Jonathan Marvel, of Rogers Marvel Architects introduced a short film by our beloved Bucky Fuller

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Bucky Fuller

More relevant to home design, we then heard Peter Yost ask: What might the American Home be like in 2030? As he went though our mistakes of the past 20 years, he helped us look to the next 20 years, suggesting what might be mandatory aspects of responsible design. Yost is one of the founders of Building Green, LLC, a company devoted to the education and promotion of the green building industry.

Peter Yost Buildinggreen.com

Yost predicts that in 2030 we’ll be:

- Integrating plumbing cores, allowing no more than 20 feet between a shower and a water heater.

- Designing every home to accommodate aging in place.

- No more “central air”, or large hot water heaters and tanks, heating and cooling will be task specific.

- Potable and non-potable water regulations will change.

- All homes will be carbon neutral (Sante Fe, NM is already working on this).

Yost stated that the most important aspect of this was having an integrated team. Where the interior designer takes responsibility for EVERYTHING on the interior…..Sounds right to us….

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This weekend, the International Contemporary Furniture Fair once again comes to the Jacob Javits Center here in NYC. With more than 550 exhibitors displaying contemporary furniture, seating, carpet and flooring, lighting, outdoor furniture, materials, wall coverings, accessories, textiles, and kitchen and bath for residential and commercial interiors, the show can be daunting. This assemblage of national and international exhibitors affords the chance to experience the most selective scope of the globe’s finest, most creative, individual, and original avant-garde home and contract products – handily and temptingly showcased in one venue. During the Fair’s four days, 145,000 net square feet (14,500 net square meters) of the Javits Center will bustle with more than 25,000 interior designers, architects, retailers, designers, manufacturers, representatives, distributors, and developers. Members of the general public are welcome on Tuesday, May 19 when the ICFF is open to all comers. Here are some of our faves from today’s trade day:

Nanimarquina highlights the Spanish section of the show.

Jane Hamley Wells’s outdoor furnishings were displayed with punches of spring pink:

Molo’s floating lights and soft walls glowed with an ethereal allure:

Kartell’s colorful lighting and funky design always draws us in:

Patricia Urquiola’s design for Gandiblasco paved a lush and colorful (and durable) path:

Marc Phillips is THE source for modern and beautiful carpets.

Flou’s sexy sophisticated softness.

Jonathan Adler had a solo booth filled with his happy chic creations.

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7th Annual Thorn Tree Project, New York 2009

Tonight, the 7th annual Thorn Tree Project benefit and silent auction took place at Clodagh’s loft in Noho. We were there helping out with the once again successful event, with over more than 350 people in attendance, donating $20 to attend and bidding thousands more on the Silent Auction items.
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Yesterday we found a quick moment to stop by and check out Housing Works Design on a Dime Free Public Sale at the Metropolitan Pavilion here in NYC.

You can shop spectacular rooms by the country’s top designers. Featuring brand new housewares, furniture, linens, and furniture, all available at charitable prices.
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This weekend, the 7th annual Brooklyn Designs Show comes to DUMBO. Last year I spoke on a panel about how interior designers charge fees. This year the lineup is a bit more sublime. Friday is Trade Day, where we’ll be there bringing you video posts of the best of the show.

Join us for the DUMBO Gallery Tour from 3pm – 4pm.

BKLYN DESIGNS & Zannah Mass, Cultural Affairs Director of Two Trees, for a tour through the cutting-edge art gallery scene of DUMBO.  Zannah works on cultural affairs in Dumbo, Brooklyn, liaising with artists, arts organizations, producers, government officials, & international cultural attaches. She and Two Trees produce, sponsor, & promote public art, gallery walks, design fairs, arts & photography festivals, Dumbo’s photo district, & artist residency programs among other donations, initiatives and events.
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