Category Archives: Architecture

A winning combination

Posted on March 26, 2020 by

I don’t imagine that any of us will be traveling to China any time soon, however, wouldn’t the new Capsule Hotel & Bookstore in Qinglongwu, Zhejiang province, China, be the ideal getaway.  

Posted in Books, Asia, Tourism, Bookstore Tourism, Hotels, Architecture | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Hermitage

Posted on March 25, 2020 by

I was very fortunate to spend an entire day in the world renowned Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, Russia a few years ago. It’s almost overwhelming to try and take in the immense institution in one visit. To save our … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, Europe, Film, Museums, Music, Photography, Tourism | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Library of Exile

Posted on March 20, 2020 by

I first discovered the ceramic artist and writer Edmund de Waal through his best-selling book The Hare with the Amber Eyes. If you are not familiar with the memoir, it’s a compelling read that encompasses not only de Waal’s family history, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, Books, Europe, Freedom of Speech, History, Libraries, Museums, Writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Making Reading a Religious Experience

Posted on March 12, 2020 by

A former Russian Orthodox church in Shanghai, China, built in 1932 and long abandoned, has been restored and retro-fitted as a library. Due to requirements placed on the architects by the local Historic Buildings Protection office, no major changes could … Continue reading →

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Ode to Oodi

Posted on February 20, 2020 by

Helsinki’s Oodi Central Library has reinvented the idea of the traditional municipal library to create a new kind of community space. With the range of resources and specialist equipment available at Oodi Central Library, Helsinki residents and visitors can learn … Continue reading →

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New Light

Posted on February 14, 2020 by

“Lux Nova” translates from Latin as “new light” but it also refers specifically to the otherworldly light that is generated by stained glass windows. Recently, Roskilde Cathedral in Denmark commissioned SIIKU art studio to create the Lux Nova installation at … Continue reading →

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Chronicles of New York

Posted on February 11, 2020 by

Dramatically set atop a set of stacked blue shipping containers, the French street artist JR just completed his latest large-scale wheat paste work, Chronicles of New York at Domino Park in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. The installation is a compilation of … Continue reading →

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Reading Pavilion

Posted on February 4, 2020 by

 Located in the heart of Mumbai, in the gardens of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya Museum, the BookWorm Pavilion was designed as an outdoor reading space and library for both children and adults. The peaceful library is an impressive … Continue reading →

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The Art of Travel Posters

Posted on January 26, 2020 by

The digital marketing agency, lacuna 5, has teamed up with artsupplies.co.uk to create a series of vintage-style travel posters inspired by famous artists from around the world. Before designing the posters they posed the question: “what would travel posters look … Continue reading →

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Fountain of Books

Posted on January 24, 2020 by

If you have ever been to Rome, you have probably noticed the proliferation of fountains dotted around the city. One of my favorites has always been a small fountain on a side street  near the National Archives. The Fontana dei … Continue reading →

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