"Booking"

Book browsing: My shoulders hunch down and storytelling and book cover graphics combine to ease any worries.

Site of the week: Bookshelf Porn!

Book of the week: Sharon Zukin's Naked City.

Beautiful fresh hotel design instigated wonderlust Wednesday (via the wonderlust site)




Monocle's 25/25 then led me to Acapulco!

Summer in London

In the words of Dyer, there was 'sci-fi' sun this weekend, along with a ferocious table tennis game and sweet strawberries with fresh mint in a glass of Pimms.

D & I were however stopped by the police whilst he was driving my little mini on the way to Mill Hill. D is a lawyer. Being stopped by a police officer is never a good thing. We got a warning and no ticket because why ruin a sci-fi sun day. Indeed.
(horses picnic blanket via)

one more thing... Studio East Dining

Carmody Groarke have designed a (temporary) restaurant perched on what will be the car park of the Westfield Stratford City shopping development.

Happy sunshine weekend

Foldaway Bookshop

An architecture 'foldaway' bookshop on Heddon Street, off Regent Street launches tonight. Designed by Campaign and stocked by RIBA bookshops, there will be events including School of Life's How to Read Class. The bookshop will be open until 4th July.

New York Times profile of the festival

Geoff Dyer's obsession with coffee and donuts.

Table tennis continued

PUMA and Aruliden's indoor table tennis chalk table. A kitsch kitchen table?

Festival Weekend!

Will Alsop painted a window at the Sofitel. A stained glass window effect. A mesmerised audience.

A solar powered lift at the Duke of York Steps promoting access to St James' Park.

"Speaker's Crescent"
Talks on Saturday and Sunday under a brand new Pavillion. Hallie Rubenhold followed Dan Cruickshank and spoke about Covent Garden Ladies in Georgian London. RIBA London and the British Council hosted a programme of international architects on Sunday.

An exhibition on architect John Nash's original grand masterplan, current plans for the West End and community proposals along the Broad Walk in Regent's Park. I love that people are actually stopping to read this outdoor display.
We matched some shopkeepers on Regent's Street with emerging architects to create some fantastic window displays at Cos, Anthropologie, Banana Republic and Austin Reed.

Cos by Spacelab.
*(Tired. I. Am. All RIBA London folk are having an epically slow day today).
**(thank you Mum, Dad, David, Tash & David, Katy and Ed for coming by. Loved sharing it with you!).

Recycled Pallets

KOFFdesigns

(via Design*Sponge who are currently editing their book. Awaiting. Impatiently.)

Bankside Urban Forest

100 Union Street will be transformed into an urban orchard and community garden from tomorrow until 4th July.
(I might just graffiti a 'B' in front of Orchard!)

Speaker's Crescent

Speaker's Crescent. A talks space designed by engineers Price & Myers.
We have talked about this structure for a few months now.
Image: build in process

lobster

As many of you know, I'm a little obsessed with lobster rolls. I'm going to Cape Cod for five days in August in search of..

In the meantime, The lobster claw-off.

Park Futures App + Film

RIBA London's Regent's Park iPhone app is now available! Download Nash Ramblas from the App store.
Also a film of our community workshops is now on Youtube. Yes I am playing football. No I am not taking part in the World Cup. Just to clarify.

London Festival of Architecture starts next week with a host of fun events inviting you to explore and celebrate your city. Talks, walks, exhibitions and bike rides people! Take your pick.

Wolf Prix at the Barbican

My article on Kultureflash

Cloud Umbrella

How can we re-design the umbrella?
Examplevia

Hay Festival

Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays
Zadie Smith's strong voice on the British class system, Willesden and Fawlty Towers.

For a modern day Katherine Hepburn

Katherine Hepburn would go from her city home to country home and back from country to city with her entire plant life. This compact ceramic portable garden would have made life a little simpler.

(via a cup of jo)

London Guide: first time visit & interest in design

A friend of a friend of a wonderful friend just asked for a "what to do in London if interested in design" list for this weekend.
First time tourist. Likes coffee. List includes usual suspects and plenty of places to refuel.

My response:
It's a bit of a funny time for design events as in between Clerkenwell Design Week and the London Festival of Architecture but there is still a lot going on...

East
(Old Street tube)
+ Victoria Miro gallery
+ Walk up Old Street to St John Street and through to (approx 10-12 minute walk) to Exmouth Market.
+ Lovely street with an excellent bookshop and coffee at Caravan

(Algate East Station)
+ Whitechapel Gallery
+ New hotel that has got a lot of press for its design- worth having a look as nearby
+ Small but high profile galleries on Vyner Street:

+ London Fields - Broadway Market on Saturdays
recommend the cakes at Violet’s stand

Central
Soho (Tottenham Court Road Tube)
+ Photographers Gallery- some intriguing work at the recent Graduates exhibition
+ Fernandez and Wells for coffee
+ Nordic Bakery for buns

Lambs Conduit Street- (Holborn tube)
+ Two excellent men’s shops if he likes shopping, Folk clothing and Oliver Spencer (expensive but beautiful tailoring)
Profiled on Monocle

Big exhibitions:
+ Design Museum- exhibitions can sometimes be disappointing but definitely worth going and has a well stocked shop
Exhibitions of International designs of the year and David Adjaye’s African photographic survey.
+ Serpentine exhibition and see the bubble!
+ V&A – Quilts!
+ Somerset House- fashion
+ Tate Modern – just missed Van Doesburg and the International Avant-Garde but other exhibits..
+ Barbican Art Gallery- Just missed Ron Arad – in between exhibitions

Regent’s Park (Regent’s Park tube)
+ It’s going to be lovely weather so worth a trip to the John Nash designed Regent’s Park and a walk up to Primrose Hill.
Walk past the Royal College of Physicians designed by Denys Lasdun and through the park along the Broad Walk and up to Primrose Hill for the view. Finish at the pub in Primrose Hill, The Landsdowne.

Please send requests to my email rachborchard@gmail.com for tailored responses for visitors to our great city.

Booking

"When I get a little money I buy books and if any is left I buy food and clothes".

Looking forward to Hay Book festival this weekend. D + Family. 6.5 people in a teeny cottage. No torrential rain please.
(via seasaw)

"my darling you've become so bourgeois"

Louise Bourgeois, artist, died aged 98 yesterday. Etched lines and creases. A life exploring wood, steel and stone and sculptural forms of the body. She confronted and represented our need for protection and was elegantly tongue-in cheek. Who can forget the sprawling spider in in 2008.