Category Archives: Videos

World Economic Forum: Top Stories- June 24, 2023

World Economic Forum (June 24, 2023) – This week’s top stories of the week include:

0:15 Can granny flats solve the housing crisis? – Granny flats are an extra residential unit beside a main house. They’re known by many names, including backyard homes and in-law suites. They’re often small but have their own kitchen, bathroom and entry. Their official title is accessory dwelling units, or ADUs. ADUs are more sustainable because they increase housing density without demolishing existing neighbourhoods to construct new homes.

1:54 This educator is changing the way Palestinian kids learn – Aref Husseini founded Al-Nayzak, an educational charity, in 2003. He believes the traditional Palestinian education model is broken. It’s based, he says, on memorizing facts and passing exams and it’s no longer fit for purpose “So all the skills needed for analyzing this content, for critical thinking, for innovation, for creativity, unfortunately, it’s still missing in the general educational system. There are many initiatives, informal initiatives here and there, but still the system is not producing what we need for flourishing our economy.”

5:34 5 Things to know about the energy transition – Bringing green rail freight one step closer. The zero-emission trains can reach 90km per hour and the hydrogen tanks hold enough for 24 hours of shunting operations.

7:12 IKEA is retraining its call centre staff as interior designers – An AI chatbot answers nearly half of customer inquiries. But rather than losing their jobs, call-handlers are reskilling to offer advice as part of IKEA’s interior design service. Customers pay for a video call with a design adviser who can order floorplans and other design tools to help them. 8,500 call-handlers have made the leap to design advisers since 2021.

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The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.

Architecture: A Tour Of Frank Sinatra’s 1947 ‘Twin Palms’ In Palm Springs

The Local Project (June 23, 2023) – Nestled among the palm trees, Twin Palms by E. Stewart Williams boasts not only a desirable position but a rich history that makes the iconic house stand out.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Intro to Frank Sinatra’s Iconic House 00:39 – A Completely Blank Canvas 01:14 – E. Stewart William’s First Architecture Project 01:53 – The Original Floor Plan 02:19 – A Typical Palm Springs Type Home 03:02 – Indoor and Outdoor Fusion 03:23 – The Many Moods of Modernism 03:40 – Enveloping and Warm 03:59 – The Unity of Nature and Architecture 04:38 – Balanced Light 05:15 – Frank Sinatra’s Love of the Desert

First built when there was nothing but mountains and desert, Twin Palms helped establish the architectural shape of Palm Springs. As Twin Palms was the first home designed by E. Stewart Williams, the iconic house offers a softness and comfortability that its original owner, Frank Sinatra, desired. Throughout this iconic house, E. Stewart Williams has provided fun, pleasure, privacy and respite, for the home’s first owner to its current occupants.

Though the midcentury home was built in 1947 for Frank Sinatra, E. Stewart Williams’s complex yet soft design has remained mostly intact, with the only change to the floor plan being the entrance, which was moved to the opposite side of the street to provide a dramatic arrival. Additionally, the original furniture and kitchen appliances remain, adding to the home’s interesting history.

For the rest of the exterior and interior design, the softness and expression of pleasure and place are articulated with the interior columns that are rounded instead of straight – an idea that helps to soften the environment and avoid the harshness of geometric design. With the architecture of homes in Palm Springs being designed with respect to the mountains, there is a sense of unity between nature and structure that exists in the iconic house. Further deepening this, E. Stewart Williams provides an overarching sense of indoor and outdoor living through the colour choices, materials and form of the iconic house.

French Culinary Travels: Rich Flavors In Marseille

FRANCE 24 (June 23, 2023) – Bordering the French Riviera, Marseille is a one-of-a-kind place in France with a soul of its own. The colourful metropolis is famous for being the sunniest city in the country and a fascinating destination with a rich history.

The southern port city has been at the crossroads of trade and immigration since it was first founded in 600 BC. All this has made Marseille into a Mediterranean melting pot with a diverse cultural and gastronomic heritage.

Travel: Monterosso Al Mare, Cinque Terre, Italy

Wanderizm Films (June 23, 2023) – Monterosso al Mare is a town in the province of La Spezia, part of the region of Liguria. It is one of the five villages in Cinque Terre.

It is located at the center of a small natural gulf, protected by a small artificial reef, to the east of Punta Mesco in the Riviera of La Spezia, the westernmost of the Cinque Terre.

In the west part of the original village, beyond the hill of the Capuchins, it is the village of Fegina.

Filmed on May 18, 2023.

Architecture: Bedford Quarry House In New York

Architectural Digest (June 22, 2023) – A guided tour of Bedford Quarry House, located an hour outside of New York City. Sitting atop the cliff’s edge of an abandoned quarry, this serene property boasts spectacular views of the lake and surrounding forest.

The boundary dividing these vistas from the interior is figuratively broken by floor-to-ceiling windows throughout–creating a sense of openness and fluidity between nature and the home. Join architect Steven Harris for an in-depth look at his design philosophy behind this unique family residence.

Home Tour: 1970’s Modern In Nottinghamshire, UK

The Modern House (June 22, 2023) – “We’d never seen anything like it – we were totally blown away,” said Simon Siegel when we went to visit him and his wife, Monica, at their 1970s mid-century home in Nottinghamshire four years ago for our My Modern House series.

Simon’s words echoed our feelings exactly: we were blown away not only by the brilliance of architect David Shelley’s original design, but also by how Monica and Simon lived in it so sympathetically and stylishly, for that matter – a true one-of-a-kind. And now we’re back.

Design & Construction: ‘Stockholm Wood City’

Dezeen Films (June 22, 2023) – Scandinavian studios Henning Larsen and White Arkitekter are designing Stockholm Wood City, which will become the world’s largest wooden construction project and have the “serenity of a forest”.

The project, set to be built in Sickla in southern Stockholm, was dubbed the “world’s largest wooden city” by developer Atrium Ljungberg, which also said it is the world’s largest known construction project in wood.

Stockholm Wood City, which will have 7,000 office spaces and 2,000 homes, is being designed by Danish studio Henning Larsen and Swedish firm White Arkitekter. It will feature nature-informed elements and was designed to have the feel of a forest.

Profiles: Native American Pottery Artist Thomas Tenorio Of Santa Fe, NM

Travel + Leisure (June 21, 2023): Unearth the history and beauty of Santa Fe, New Mexico’s art scene with local artist Thomas Tenorio.

Video timeline: 0:00 Intro 0:23 Andrea Fisher Fine Pottery 1:16 Santa Fe’s Artists 1:33 Thomas Tenorio’s Traditional Pottery 4:22 Outro

In this video, learn about Thomas’s journey as a traditional Native American potter and how art has become a way of life for him. Also, see Andrea Fisher’s traditional pottery shop and learn more about Santa Fe’s vibrant art scene. Watch the video to learn more about the artists and how the art of the area is closely tied to the local indigenous communities.

#TravelandLeisure #Travel #SantaFe #Art #Pottery #TraditionalArt

Swiss Train Travel: Saanen, Gstaad & Zweisimmen On The Goldenpass Express

AKSense – Zurich Films (June 21, 2023) – A train driver’s view aboard the Goldenpass panoramic train of the Montreux Oberland Bernois (MOB) railway. The train journey is from Saanen, through Gstaad, on to Zweisimmen, in Switzerland.

The Montreux Oberland Bernois Railway, is an electrified railway line that operates in southwest Switzerland. It is one of the oldest electric railways in the country. Its main line, 62.4 km in length, is built to the 1,000 mm gauge. 

Houseboat Tour: Halcyon -Designed By An Architect

The Local Project (June 20, 2023) – Conscious of balancing key attributes of landscape, orientation and experience, architect Stephen Jolson of Jolson optimises the itinerant lakeside location of his houseboat, Halcyon.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Intro to the Super Yacht 00:32 – Situated Rugged Australian Landscape 00:55 – Special of Living on the Water 01:41 – A Walkthrough of the Super Yacht 02:47 – The Change in quality of Light 02:57 – The History Behind The Super Yacht 03:33 – The Intricacies of Designing A Boat 04:08 – A Limited Material Palette 05:00 – The Privilege of Designing and Building A Boat 05:40 – Creating Experiences and Memories

The super yacht thoughtfully interprets its unique context to create an architectural home that offers not just a refuge but an experience – one that allows a deep connection to the elements. Halcyon is a graceful expression of Jolson’s combined interior and architectural expertise, its design seamlessly integrating with elements of the landscape to maximise the unique context.

Living on the water means changing orientations and outlooks are to be celebrated. As such, an open plan ground floor with limited joinery, furniture and walls allows many outlooks, with a full-height wall serving as a division that enables the lounge and outdoor dining area to connect seamlessly. The first floor also houses two master bedrooms and two other guest bedrooms that share an ensuite. In the middle of the super yacht is a staircase that extends to the open rooftop, which houses a woodfired hot tub.

The super yacht takes advantage of its mooring by welcoming the textures of the landscape inside the architecture of the boat, recounting a strong connection between the water and the landscape with the interior design. Floor-to-ceiling windows, an open floor plan with minimal partitions and large, functional outdoor spaces were all incorporated to maximise the indoor-outdoor connection.