2019-10-01 Robb Report

140 OCTOBER 2019

CÉSAR EXPANSION TABLE: THIERRY DEPAGNE; 35 MM FILM: EDDIE PHANTANA/SHUTTERSTOCK; BARCELONA PAVILION:

A

LAMY;

EINSTEIN TOWER: CLAUDIO DIVIZIA/SHUTTERSTOCK; CITROËN DS: SHUTTERSTOCK

1. 35 mm Film
   From the advent of 35 mm
   cameras in 1914, it’s a
   straight line through “Kodak
   moments” to the ubiquity of
   digital cameras and Instagram.
   “The most unsung
   invention of the 20th
   century—one that changed the
   world—is 35 mm film. While
   photography was invented in
   the 19th century, it was largely
   a cumbersome and specialized
   undertaking until Oskar
   Barnack invented the [35 mm

camera] as the predecessor to

Leicas, setting the frame for

reportage that would change

society’s understanding of the

world. Without it we wouldn’t

have had war or fashion

photography, or have been able

to capture candid milliseconds

that led to the idea of cinema

verité. As a consequence

of this extraordinary little

invention, we have a much

deeper knowledge of time

and space with which to work

as designers. Arguably, had

it not been for portable film,

we wouldn’t have evolved to

digital photography and all

that we now take for granted in

terms of visualizing the world

around us. I still shoot with

film today in Leica cameras....

so, Mama, don’t take my

Kodachrome away!”

VISHAAN CHAKRABARTI,

founder of Practice for

Architecture and Urbanism

2.%CRFKė$CX

Opera House

In the mid-1990s, despite vocal

critics, Iraqi-born Zaha Hadid

beat out 267 other architects

to win the competition to

design the Welsh opera

house, but her radical glass

blueprint was never built:

The commission that

controlled the purse strings

refused to fund it. Hadid had

the last laugh: Her Guangzhou

Opera House became an

instant, if flawed (see page

143), landmark.

“Hadid has stated she

felt gender and ethnicity

prejudice was the cause. Her

use of geometric shapes and

asymmetry in her designs was

unique. While the building

Revisionist History

concept continues to inspire

[other] designs, the fact that

it will never be built is a huge

loss in the design world.”

BRIGETTE ROMANEK, CEO and

principle designer, Romanek

Design Studio

3. César’s
   Expansion Table
   Known universally as César,
   César Baldaccini was a revered
   French sculptor in the post-
   war period, making his name
   with crushed scrap metal.
   He also occasionally made
   functional objects, such as this
   1977 showstopper of a table.
   “He was highly prolific in
   sculpture, but his functional
   designs were very personal and
   are quite rare, because they
   were created mostly for the
   artist’s own use or for people
   he knew and loved. César’s
   Expansion Table is just such a
   work. One of the few functional
   design objects created through
   César’s signature expansion
   technique, it is a true
   masterpiece. This table has
   been tremendously influential,
   and you can see echoes of its

1

3

2

Everyone recognizes the

design genius of a Porsche 911

hkB'F'I^blIrkZfb]Zmma^

Ehnok^';nmpaZmhma^kÜZla^l

of 20th-century brilliance

have —until now—been overlooked?

Step forward, Einstein Tower

and Citroën DS, and

take your bow.

LA

MY

;

5 mm Film

the advent of 35 mm

ras in 1914, it’s a

ht line through “Kodak

ents” to the ubiquity of

l cameras and Instagram.

he most unsung

tion of the 20th

ry—one that changed the

—is 35 mm film. While

h i di

invention, we have a much

deeper knowledge of time

and space with which to work

as designers. Arguably, had

it not been for portable film,

we wouldn’t have evolved to

digital photography and all

that we now take for granted in

terms of visualizing the world

around us. I still shoot with

fil d i L i

bebeat out 267 other architects

to win the competition to

design the Welsh operaa

house, but her radical glass

blueprint was never built:

The commission that

controlled the purse strings

f d f di didh d

concept continues to inspire

[other] designs, the fact that

it will never be built is a huge

loss in the design world.”

C O d

3

ryone recognizes the

gn genius of a Porsche 911

F'I^blIrkZfb]Zmma^

ok^';nmpaZmhma^kÜZla^l

0th-century brilliance

e—until now—been overlooked?

p forward, Einstein Towerr

Citroën DS, and

e your bow.

A

1

140 OCTOBER 2019

CÉSAR EXPANSION TABLE: THIERRY DEPAGNE; 35 MM FILM: EDDIE PHANTANA/SHUTTERSTOCK; BARCELONA PAVILION:

A

EINSTEIN TOWER: CLAUDIO DIVIZIA/SHUTTERSTOCK; CITROËN DS: SHUTTERSTOCK

1. 35
   From
   camer
   straigh
   mome
   digital
   “T
   invent
   centur
   world
   photographywasinventedin
   the19thcentury,it waslargely
   a cumbersomeandspecialized
   undertaking until Oskar
   Barnack invented the [35 mm

camera] as the predecessor to

Leicas, setting the frame for

reportage that would change

society’s understanding of the

world. Without it we wouldn’t

have had war or fashion

photography, or have been able

to capture candid milliseconds

that led to the idea of cinema

verité. As a consequence

of this extraordinary little

filmtodayinLeicacameras....

so,Mama,don’ttakemy

Kodachromeaway!”

VISHAAN CHAKRABARTI,

founder of Practice for

Architecture and Urbanism

2.%CRFKė$CX

Opera House

In the mid-1990s, despite vocal

critics, Iraqi-born Zaha Hadid

refusedtofundit. adidhad

thelastlaugh:HerGuangzhou

OperaHousebecamean

instant, if flawed (see page

143), landmark.

“Hadid has stated she

felt gender and ethnicity

prejudice was the cause. Her

use of geometric shapes and

asymmetry in her designs was

unique. While the building

BRIGETTEROMANEK,C Oand

principledesigner,Romanek

Design Studio

3. César’s
   Expansion Table
   Known universally as César,
   César Baldaccini was a revered
   French sculptor in the post-
   war period, making his name
   with crushed scrap metal.
   He also occasionally made
   functional objects, such as this
   1977 showstopper of a table.
   “He was highly prolific in
   sculpture, but his functional
   designs were very personal and
   are quite rare, because they
   were created mostly for the
   artist’s own use or for people
   he knew and loved. César’s
   Expansion Table is just such a
   work. One of the few functional
   design objects created through
   César’s signature expansion
   technique, it is a true
   masterpiece. This table has
   been tremendously influential,
   and you can see echoes of its

2

Ever

desi

hk B'

Ehno

of 2

have

Step

and

take

LA

MY

;

5 mmFilm

theadventof 35mm

rasin 1914,it’sa

htlinethrough“Kodak

ents”tothe ubiquityof

lcamerasandInstagram.

he mostunsung

tionofthe20th

ry—onethatchangedthe

—is 35 mmfilm.While

h i di

invention,wehavea much

deeperknowledgeoftime

andspacewithwhichtowork

asdesigners.Arguably,had

it notbeenforportable film,

wewouldn’thaveevolvedto

digitalphotographyandall

thatwenowtake forgrantedin

termsofvisualizingtheworld

aroundus.I stillshoot with

fil d i L i

beatout 267other architects

towinthe competitionto

designtheWelshopera

house,butherradicalglass

blueprintwasneverbuilt:

Thecommissionthat

controlledthe pursestrings

f d f di didhd

conceptcontinuestoinspire

[other]designs,thefactthat

it willneverbebuilt isahuge

lossinthedesign world.”

C O d

3

ryonerecognizesthe

gn geniusof aPorsche 911

F' I^bl IrkZfb]Zm ma^

ok^' ;nm paZm hma^kÜZla^l

0th-centurybrilliance

e—untilnow—beenoverlooked?

pforward,EinsteinTowerr

CitroënDS,and

e yourbow.

A

1