It seems almost axiomatic that most public art is bad. Like really, really mind-blowingly f*cking bad. And though it is … More
Tag: architectural design
POST-MODERNISM IN THE PARK : CONTEMPORARY ARTWORK AS PLAYGROUND
Dubbed the “post-modern playground slide” in the park across the street from my in-laws’ home near Roppongi in Tokyo. The … More
ON THE SCENE : DESIGN VISION, STYLE & SURF CULTURE AT MOLLUSK!
The Mollusk surf shop in Santa Barbara, California is a beautiful showpiece of a retail space. It’s the recent addition … More
ARCHITECTURAL DEATH: THE DEMOLITION OF ICONIC TOKYO BUILDING!
The Nakagin Capsule Tower Building in Tokyo is an unmissable architectural oddity and gem in the heart of the Japanese … More
SHAMEFUL OR SMART? : TOKYO OLYMPICS ARCHITECTURE LACKS OVERPRICED, PRETENTIOUS NEW TROPHY BUILDINGS!!!
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics will open this week in the here and now of 2021. The world’s biggest sporting and … More
PUMPIN’!: THE MOST BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED GAS STATIONS IN THE WORLD!
Gas stations tend to be pretty bland and merely functional when it comes to architectural design. Many are drab, dirty … More
WATERING HOLE: HOTEL BAR EVOKES BYGONE ERA OF CALIFORNIA DESERT GLAMOUR!
“Hola, Amigo!” That’s what you should say when you enter the hotel bar of the Ace Hotel and Swim Club … More
TRAIN STATION FROM HELL FINALLY SAVED FROM ARCHITECTURAL DAMNATION!
If you’ve ever been to New York City’s Penn Station then you are familiar with one of the world’s most … More
FONTASTICAL: HOW THE “GENTRIFICATION FONT” BECAME SO! SECRETS REVEALED!
You’ve seen it. You know it. It’s a typeface used across all types of media. But when deployed for street-address … More
ARCHI-TORTURE: SOMEBODY’S BUILDING A MEMORIAL TO THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC
An architecture firm in Montevideo, Uruguay is building the worlds first memorial to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The firm is … More
CAFFEINATED MINIMALISM: ON THE SCENE AT SUR COFFEE
We made a stop at Sur Coffee over the past weekend. It’s a cafe with a roastery in San Clemente, … More
HOTNESS: BUILDING-ON-BUILDING ACTION
High-rise condo building reflected in windows of a modern glass-and-steel skyscraper in Akasaka, Tokyo.
SPACES: HIPSTER-MEXICO SURF CHIC
Salt Fish Surf Co is a surfy boutique in Venice, in Los Angeles, run by the effusive and friendly French … More
BRUTALISTS IN LEGOLAND!
You, savvy reader, are probably a fan of architecture. If not of architecture in and of itself, then perhaps as … More
CITY LIFE: BIRD MURAL RUINS OTHERWISE COLD, SLEEK, OVERPRICED MINIMALIST CONDO & PERFECTIONIST LIFESTYLE
Text by Van Corsa Imagine. You’ve made it. Went to school. Got a job in a tech start-up. Paid off … More
POLITICAL BORDERS: THE AESTHETICS OF GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
The New York Times has just published a fascinating article titled “Eight Ways to Build a Border Wall” that looks … More
CONFUSION: “ART-NOT-ART” STREET ART
A funny thing about “art.” Sometimes the happiest of aesthetic accidents happen as a consequence of totally non-artistic impulses. Take … More
DESIGN LUST: SURFBOARD SHOP THINLY DISGUISES ITSELF AS ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN FIRM
It’s no secret that we here at Global Graphica are fond practitioners of surfing, the so-called Hawaiian “sport of kings.” … More
Daydreaming A Little Daydream at Dreamy Daydream
The space at Daydream Coffee and Surf in Costa Mesa, California is great, but it’s missing a few things that … More
Truly Awesome Photos of Empty European Libraries
French photographer Thibaud Poirier has created a series of photos documenting 25 of Europe’s grandest and beautiful great libraries. Poirier’s … More
“Mirage” at Desert X
Like a shiny extra-terrestrial bobble tucked into the foothills above Palm Springs, “Mirage” by Los Angeles-based artist Doug Aitken is … More
Pop-up for David Hockney
Maximalist German publisher Taschen, producer of epic coffee-table books devoted to all things art and design, has recently given its Los … More
The Vista
A classic example of Los Angeles movie-theater architecture from the early days of cinema, the Vista on Sunset Boulevard in … More
Minimalist Architecture in the Evening
In terms of architectural minimalism in Los Angeles, the picture speaks for itself.
Warm Minimalist Shelf Architecture at A.P.C.
The Parisian clothing and retail brand A.P.C. recently opened a shop in Silver Lake in Los Angeles. Like may of … More
DIY Taco Stand Architecture
This taco stand popped up at the biannual Echo Park Craft Fair in Silver Lake this past weekend. It seems … More
Entrance to MOCA / Geffen Contemporary
We’re not religious. But museums are our cathedrals, our churches and temples, our shrines. MoMA may be the modern art … More
Monrow at Dusk
The clothing brand Monrow will soon be opening a retail concept store in this tiny, old California-style bungalow near Venice … More
What the Original Gold’s Gym in Venice Looks Like Now
The original location of the iconic and legendary bodybuilding mecca Gold’s Gym is a block away from the sands of … More
On the Scene at Menotti’s Coffee Shop in Venice
The cafe at Menotti’s Coffee is a third-wave espresso joint and a friendly little hub for the legion of caffeinated … More
Los Angeles Contemporary Architecture
On the Scene at Arcana Books
Among our favorite places in Los Angeles is the Arcana bookstore in Culver City. It’s specialized in “books on the … More
Epic Mural by Sol LeWitt at SFMoMA … San Francisco
The artwork of the late American conceptual and minimalist artist Sol LeWitt dominates the new mezzanine-level ticket lobby of the … More
Cool Spaces – Enclosed Work Park at TBWA Offices … Los Angeles
The work space at the Los Angeles offices of mega-global advertising agency TBWA (a.k.a, TBWA Chiat Day) is epic and … More
The Oculus Bridge at SFMoMA … San Francisco
One of the distinct features of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art ( SFMoMA ) is its architectural design, … More
Tourist Architecture + Scene … Waikiki, Honolulu
Cool Architectural Design of Maison Kitsune Shop … Daikanyama, Tokyo
Massive Adobe Bricks Art Installation by Artist Rafa Esparza at Hammer Museum … Westwood, Los Angeles
The “Easy Rider” Dennis Hopper Mural … Venice, Los Angeles
Cool Architecture – The Reception Building at TBWA … Playa Vista, Los Angeles
Entrance Street Art at Lab Art Gallery … Hollywood, Los Angeles
On the Scene at A-Frame … Mar Vista, Los Angeles
Decorative Eye-Palm Artwork at A-Frame … Mar Vista, Los Angeles
“Palms” Street Art … Palms, Los Angeles
Minimalist Box House Architecture … Venice, Los Angeles
On the Scene at Q&A with Director Chris Milk … TBWA, Los Angeles
Street Art on Back-Alley Wall of Apartment Building … Venice, Los Angeles
Re-Purposed Shipping Container at Iron & Resin … Ventura, California
“Mind Pipeline” Art Installation by Oscar Tuazon … Hammer Museum, Los Angeles
Fukadaso Cafe & Guriru Gallery Space … Kiyosumi, Tokyo
Cool Design: The Stella Apartments Building … Marina Del Rey, Los Angeles
The Binoculars Building … Venice, Los Angeles
The whimsical Binoculars Building — pictured below — on a quiet, mostly residential stretch of Main Street in Venice, in … More
Super Mysterious Minimalist White Building … Playa Vista, Los Angeles
This low-slung white box of a building is a mystery to many. It’s a former stand-alone retail space on Centinela … More
The Beautifully Designed Space at Hourglass … Venice, Los Angeles
The flagship store of cosmetics brand Hourglass is a testament of exemplary, beautiful retail design. The shop is located on trendy … More
The Royale Building … Los Angeles
On a recent visit to WiSpa, a sprawling Korean day-spa complex in Los Angeles, we spied from the spa’s rooftop lounge … More
The Architecture & Design at “Log Road” … Daikanyama, Tokyo
There’s a new shopping-dining complex hear our temporary HQ in the Daikanyama neighborhood of Tokyo. It’s called Log Road. The … More
In Los Angeles … The New Broad Museum Building
The edgy contemporary architecture of the newly constructed Broad Museum building, a new contemporary art museum in Downtown Los Angeles. … More
Apartamento Magazine with Raymond Pettibon on the Cover
As regular readers of Global Graphica know, we’re fans of Apartamento magazine. We always get excited when we see a new … More
The Beautiful Cafe at Toby’s Estate Coffee Roastery … Williamsburg, Brooklyn
This is one of our favorite third-wave coffee joints in New York City. Toby’s Estate is in the heart of … More
Cool House in Tokyo’s Naka-Meguro Neighborhood
Architecture … Tadao Ando’s 21_21 Design Sight Building in Akasaka, Tokyo
The sleek, low-slung gray structure that is the 21_21 Design Sight building in Tokyo’s Akasaka neighborhood was created by two … More
On the Scene … At the Beautifully Minimalist Nezu Cafe in Aoyama, Tokyo
The cafe in the garden of the Nezu Museum in Aoyama, in Tokyo, is a striking example of minimalist architectural … More
Cover of “Tokyo no ie” Architecture Book
On the Scene … At the Intelligentsia Coffee Truck in New York
We stopped by the recently minted New York City outpost of Intelligentsia Coffee in Chelsea, an NYC neighborhood that is … More
Cool Spaces … At Happy Bones Coffee NYC
Lately we’ve started popping into the recently opened Happy Bones Coffee a lot. (See pix below.) Happy Bones is an … More
Cool Spaces … The Interior at Room Service NY
The main dining space at Room Service in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen. Room Service is probably the most beautiful, sparkly … More
On the Scene … At Isaac Julien’s “Ten Thousand Waves”
Cool Spaces … Wall of Framed Fruit Illustrations
In NYC … Getty Gas Station Turned Into Sheep Meadow
In New York … The Postcard-Worthy Interior of Pulino’s
Pulino’s on the Bowery is our downtown go-to weekend spot for Italian-style brunches in New York City. The food and … More
On the Scene … NYC Commes des Garçons Store as Street Art Mecca
The front of the pioneering Commes des Garcons concept store in New York’s Chelsea art-gallery district has become a mini-mecca for … More
In Brooklyn … Skewville’s “BKLYN FLAVOR” Mural by Night …
The artists and brothers duo that are Skewville are known for their use of striking colors, bold and large block … More
In Amsterdam … Street Art at Sid Lee Ad Agency
Street art and graffiti on a roller shutter at the Amsterdam offices of Sid Lee, a hip Canadian advertising agency, … More
In Tokyo … Tiny A.P.C. Storefront in Daikanyama
The French clothing label A.P.C. is one of our all-time favorite style brands, and we’ve been buying shirts, sweaters and … More
On the Scene … Back at Miss Lily’s NYC
We’re fans of Jamaican-styled Miss Lily’s, a roots reggae record shop and Internet radio station that’s also a cafe and … More
Hans Walor x Joseph Skala for Flightlinez
Really cool combination of art (by Hans Walor and Joesph Skala) structures, public space, and commerce on Venice Beach, in … More
The Penthouse at Ink 148
We can see the Ink 148 hotel penthouse from the rooftop deck of our agency’s offices in New York’s Hell’s … More
Unintentional Design … Marina Del Rey Homes
Can design be unintentional? Consider this house on Roma Court in Marina Del Rey, in Los Angeles. It’s wrapped in … More
Venice Speedway – Vinyl Sided Garage Doors by Hellbent
Ryan Baum images. All rights reserved.
What’s Outside the Window? – Vol. 29
In Vol. 29 of the photo project series What’s Outside the Window? are these images we took at sunrise this … More
The Rooftop Bar at Hotel Chantelle
The view out toward the Williamsburg Bridge from the beautiful rooftop bar at Hotel Chantelle in New York City’s Lower … More
Favela Chic at Barzinho … New York City
We’re fans of Barzinho, a tiny Brazilian restaurant in New York’s Lower East Side that has the bare-bones, scrappy feel … More
Artist Claes Oldenberg’s “Ray Gun Wing” Gallery at MoMA
The Beautiful Space at Mohawk Bend … Los Angeles
We recently stopped by the restaurant Mohawk Bend in the Echo Park neighborhood near Silver Lake in Los Angeles. The … More
Massive Street Art Mural by ALEC in the Lobby of the W Hotel in Seminyak, Bali
We were pleasantly surprised to find this massive street-art mural by the American artist and street-art rockstar Alec (a.k.a., “Alec … More
Cool Architecture … Oliver Peoples Store In Malibu
This has got to be the most stylish and the only stand-alone shop of super-stylish eyewear brand Oliver Peoples we’ve … More
In Amsterdam … The Design at Room Service by Droog
Topped Out Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center … New York
The spire was finally added to the Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center site in New York City last … More
The Super Awesome “Dog Garden” at Daikanyama T-Site
West + East Mirrors at Gropius Bau
The haunting “West” and “Ost” (“East”) mirrors in the epic grand staircase at the Martin Gropius Bau art museum in … More
The Awesome GSW Hochhaus Building in Berlin
The wonderful modern-contemporary architectural design of the towering GSW Hochhaus building in north end of Kreuzberg, near Mitte, in central … More
Architecture: San Jose Brutalism
The capital city of Costa Rica doesn’t have much of a high-rise skyline to speak of. But one unmissable architectural … More
The Buildings of Japanese Architect Tadao Ando
Our “Visual Culture of Japan Series” continues with this post on famed Osaka-based Japanese architect Tadao Ando and some images … More
Chatham Towers
Many of the residential buildings in Chinatown are old low-rise tenement buildings tightly crammed next each other along narrow traffic-choked … More
Koolhaas + Prada
When inscrutable and fashion-forward Italian clothes designer Prada decided to open a massive store in SoHo, in New York City, … More
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