Isamu Noguchi

Isamu Noguchi was a Japanese American artist, sculptor and landscape architect known worldwide for his public works.  Born in Los Angeles in 1904, his long career spanned six decades.  Here are a few of his most famous pieces:

“Red Cube,” HSBC Building, New York, NY, 1968

Japanese Garden at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France,  Travel Pod

Dodge Fountain and Phillip A. Hart Plaza, Detroit, MI, 1975

(Metro Jacksonville)

“California Scenario,” Costa Mesa, CA, 1980-82 (Alisa Ochoa)

In 1948, Noguchi collaborated with the Herman Miller furniture company to produce a catalog of modern furniture.  Perhaps his most famous piece from this catalog was his Noguchi table.  This table still remains popular today.

“Noguchi Table” for Herman Miller , 1948

Noguchi also designed playgrounds for children.  He saw them as the perfect way to integrate sculpture into modern life.  Here are some of his playgrounds:

Piedmont Park, Atlanta, GA

 

Piedmont Park, Atlanta, GA (mikehipp at flickr)

 

The slide was recently renovated at Piedmont Park, Atlanta, GA (Reid2008 at flickr)

Late in his life, Noguchi designed several “Slide Mantras” made from stone.  The Slide Manta in Sapporo was constructed of black stone so that it could be viewed even in the snow-covered winter months there.  These Slides were not constructed however, until after his death. 

  Black Slide Mantra, Odori Park, Sapporo, Japan

 

Black Slide Mantra, Odori Park, Sapporo, Japan

 Model for Slide Mantra 1, Noguchi Museum

 Bayfront Park, Miami, FL

Noguchi died on November 30, 1988 at the age of 84 after a very long and prolific artistic career.  To learn more about his life and work, visit Wikipedia or The Noguchi Museum.

It’s Friday, so it’s time to see what other bloggers are up to at The Inspired Room's Beautiful Life Friday.

Perfect mates

 

Black-eyed Susans and Russian Sage

White Purple Cone Flower and Bent Grass

Japanese Hakoni Grass and water

 Feather grass and White foxglove.

Asiatic lilies and ferns

Finding just the right plant combination is much harder than you might think.  Water, soil and other cultural requirements play a huge role.  Knowing where a plant is found in nature helps immensely.  Being able to identify and recreate plant communities will often lead to success in the garden!

What’s in your backyard?

It all started with a rope, a tire and a tree.  Add a kid and it spelled FUN.

  

There is nothing like a swing for fun!  This is something we begin to enjoy as infants …

Can you recall the sound of your child’s laughter while swinging?

 

Music to our ears!

When was the last time you heard this song? 

How inviting, this destination.

What’s in your backyard?

 

This week I’m hooked on Swings.  To see what others are hooked on, visit Julia’s Hooked on Houses Friday Blog Party and Melissa’s The Inspired Rooms Beautiful Life Friday.

What has become of our American Landscape?

For years now, the vast and beautiful landscape of our country has become more and more homogenized.  Why does Maine have to look like Cincinnati?  Why is it that more places are losing their unique identities or “sense of place” and looking more and more the same?  

It started with this …

McDonald’s created the golden arches and they sprung up all across America and the world.   Look at this map showing all of the McDonalds’ locations across the United States.

You can read all about this Here. 

McDonalds was successful at branding itself and its image.  It wasn’t long before others followed suit. 

Hotels popped up everywhere.

 

Outlet Malls or “Factory Outlets” became in vogue all across the U.S.  They were nothing more than themed strip centers but they have changed the face of our suburban landscape.

Auto parts stores grew like weeds side by side along our urban and suburban roads.

 

Perhaps worst of all – drugstores at every intersection.  They pollute our major intersections everywhere, putting parking lots and ugly architecture front and center at so many traffic intersections across the American landscape.

Now, we have Starbucks and other drive throughs…

 

Dunkin’ Donuts …

and Panera Bread.

New ‘mixed use’ Town Centers have recently begun their assent across the American landscape.   They have managed to combine all of these ‘upscale’ branded chains into centralized lovely “Main Street”-type settings, putting the pedestrian back on the sidewalks.

Mayfaire Town Center, Wilmington, NC

Bethesda Row, Bethesda, MD

Mercato, Naples, FL

Generally, they are large, well-designed and planned communities that combine mixed uses such as residential, commercial office space and retail shopping.   Parks, landscaping, and outdoor promenades are incorporated to tie it all together in an urban streetscape-type setting.  Hotels and corporate office buildings along with luxury townhomes and apartments and upscale “Charleston-style” single family residential neighborhoods are set in the surrounding areas.  They are all connected by tree-lined streets and sidewalks.   Large open, park-like gathering areas are mixed in to accommodate larger events such as boat shows and weekend concerts.

Finally, a setting where we are given the opportunity to live, work and recreate all within walking distance.  Maybe there is hope, at least to put Americans back on the sidewalks instead of in the car. 

However, I can’t help but lament all of this progress that has come at such great cost -- the loss of our regional sense of place or “genus loci.”  Everything looks the same.  How can we move forward and keep our unique regional spirit of place at the same time?  This is a great challenge for all designers.

A New Take on the Garden Bench

From Freshome, whimsical garden furniture.  Grow-your-own plants right on your very own bench or seat.

  

I wonder if they come complete with holes in the bottom for drainage?

How about bringing the garden to your very own concrete jungle with this bench?

Wood Garden Hanna Bench

Here’s a novel idea.   The Splinter Bench -- 2 chairs or 1 bench.  You choose.

For nautical lovers including Maya at Completely Coastal, a boat-shaped wood bench from David Trubridge.

David Trubridge

And a stunning Indoor/Outdoor bench from Acronym Designs. 

 

How about this sleek aluminum built-in?

My favorite is this striking organic wood bench from Diamond Teak.

Last but not least,  a modern take on timeless Adirondack chairs from Loll Designs.

 

Thoughts?

Oh look, it’s Friday!  You know what that means … it’s time to check out Hooked on Houses Blog Party.  See what others are hooked on this week.

Spotlight on Westover Landscape Design

Every now and then, it’s good to stop and admire some one else’s work.  Here is some work from Westover Landscape Design, a firm based in Westchester county, New York.

 Shanti Garden, Bronxville, NY

A Garden Path

 Slate-framed lawn

  Tarrytown, NY Terrace

 Townhouse Garden

 Westover on Hudson

I admire these spaces because of their simplicity.  I like their use of bluestone slate for the hardscaping and for the most part, their simple plant palette of grasses such as Hakoni grass and ferns, combined with shrubs such as hydrangea.  All provide a sense of unity and harmony.  The weeping habits are also restful providing for a feeling of tranquility.

 

Rock on

These beauties of nature …

 

are really pieces of Livingstones furniture.  Soft and comfy!

They are also made for use outdoors.

 

From the French company Smarin.

This week, I’m hooked on rocks.  To see what others are hooked on, visit Hooked on Houses for her Friday Blog Party.