180 Degrees from Average. 51 Degrees, A New Luxury Home Development In the Swiss Alps.

51 Degrees is the first and finest resort residence in the world to offer indoor/outdoor thermal spas (supplied directly from Leukerbad’s thermal springs) in each of its 30 private homes.





The pioneering residential development is nestled in the small town of Leukerbad, its backdrop the incredible Canton of Valais. The homes on the property were designed by architect Michael Graves with interior design by Marc Michaels, and are surrounded by magical views of mountains and secret passes, wildlife and clear blue skies.



Ultimately, what makes the residences at 51 Degrees so extraordinary is what makes Leukerbad itself extraordinary: the water. Each residence at 51 Degrees has its own dedicated, unlimited supply of Leukerbad’s thermal waters, with their ideal profile of minerals designed to help restore aching muscles and organs, and revivify the careworn spirit.



The resort buildings of 51 Degrees are designed as a series of inter-connected 5-story wings: two housing 53 condominiums and the others housing a 72-key boutique hotel and a 20,000 square-foot luxury spa on the lower level. In addition to the hotel restaurant, the resort includes a semi-detached pavilion for a restaurant to be operated by a signature chef.




The guest quarters are organized along a single-loaded corridor facing the back of the site, allowing views toward the central court and swimming pools within the resort and the Alps beyond. The buildings are clad in local stone with timber detailing characteristic of the region, creating a destination that uniquely suits its stunning natural and built context.

Organic Architecture:
Spacious, slate-roofed structures of stone and timber designed by the renowned architect Michael Graves are reminiscent of Switzerland’s iconic chalets and rise from a base of boulders into staggered, private, four-story homes.




above: renderings from Michael Graves & Associates

The residences incorporate wood beams and glass, encircled with private terraces and balconies which open onto the three great surrounding mountains, the Daubenhorn, the Balmhorn and the Torrenthorn.






Each is equipped with indoor/outdoor fireplaces, wrap around terraces, private elevators, folding glass walls, Gaggenau appliances, private heated parking and decorated with the most luxurious materials including bronze, wool, leather, and rustic wood.







Three Different Sample Floor Plans:




Careful thought has gone into each residence, the floor-plans ensuring that maximum use is made of both the light and spectacular views surrounding the homes. Each apartment will feature a wrap around balcony, enticing the mountains into your living space day and night.

Included in or around the development are a Residents Club, branded boutiques, a wine bar, a game room, a restaurant and lounge by The Ginza Project, a fitness studio, a ski valet, The Banya Experience Spa and Children's Club.

Promotional Video:


For more information or to inquire about purchasing property, visit 51 Degrees Spa Residences

Craig Redmen's Limited Edition "Darcel" Vipp Trash Bin and Toilet Brush Doesn't Disappoint.

Parisian retail darling Colette and Danish design manufacturer Vipp once again join forces by inviting regular conspirator Craig Redman and his monocled, egg-shaped alter-ego Darcel to reinterpret a series of classic Vipp products.



The Australian-born designer Craig Redman's cynical and hilarious one-eyed creature (shown above) lives online at ‘Darcel Disappoints’ in a chronicle of the ups and downs of everyday life in New York City.

Now, Darcel is unfolding his colorful cartoonish creativity onto two of Vipp’s iconic products; the Vipp pedal bin created in 1939 and its companion, the toilet brush.




"I think the juxtaposition between Darcel's sense of humor, colette's taste and vibrancy, and Vipp's high quality products make for a great combo. And I really need a new toilet brush." - Craig Redman



The 4 liter Vipp pedal bin and toilet brush are available in a limited edition with a splash of Darcel’s cartoonish universe exclusively in colette and at colette.fr from June.

Price for the set: 400 Euro / $525

You can see much of Craig Redmen's previous Darcel work for Colette here

Vipp

An Angular Head Becomes A Sink in The Forma Mentis Washbasin.

The Forma Mentis Washbasin was designed by architect and designer Simone Micheli for Visionnaire IPE Cavalli. After the great success of his bookshelves with the same name, "Forma Mentis" now comes into the bathroom.




The Forma Mentis Bookshelf by Simon Micheli inspired his washbasin:

Micheli's sketch for the Forma Mentis:


Mainly designed for a male audience, it captures us with its richness and its cool imperial attitude.




Here are some more images of the washbasin in gold from the Visionnaire Wellness Display Salone del Mobile in Italy:






http://www.visionnaire-home.it
http://www.ipe-cavalli.it

The King Of Beers Is Getting Bent Out Of Shape. Budweiser Introduces Bow-Tie Shaped Cans.

Now you can really tie one on with the new bow-tie shaped beer can from Budweiser. The new can design is Budweiser’s 13th since Anheuser-Busch began offering its flagship brand in cans in 1936.

Can Chrononology:


"This can is incomparable, like nothing you've ever seen before," said Pat McGauley, vice president of innovation for Anheuser-Busch, in a press release. "The world's most iconic beer brand deserves the world's most unique and innovative can. I think we have it here."




The bow tie can -- which is not replacing the traditional Budweiser can -- has been in development since 2010, though the idea was formed a couple of years prior.


above: The bow tie has been associated with the Budweiser brand since it appeared in a national advertising campaign in 1956.

It took the company a few years to develop the unique shape and is molded at Anheuser-Busch’s metal container facility 90 miles north of New York City. The beer maker says it made major equipment investments at its can-making facility in Newburgh, N.Y., to facilitate the 16-step process to create the cans.



This three-year undertaking involved some significant changes both at the can-making facilities and on the packaging lines. Creating the can requires a 16-step process: ten steps to form the bottom half, with an additional six to form the top. According to the release, the physical limitations of aluminum required the angles of the bow tie to be very precise.



The bow tie can actually uses twice the amount of aluminum compared to a traditional can and it costs the company more to manufacture. However, there is slightly less beer in each -- 11.3 ounces, compared to the traditional 12 ounces. Each bowtie can holds about 137 calories, which is about 8.5 fewer calories than in a 12-ounce can.

They ought to consider a tie-in with BBC America's Doctor Who, because as any Whovian knows, "Bow Ties Are Cool":

You can buy the above shirt here

The bow tie will be available in an eight-pack rather than a six-pack beginning May 6th. This was a strategic decision to get the new shape noticed on shelves. "We look for innovation within our brands, and we look for renovation within our brands," McGauley explained. The move toward a new shape and new packaging focused on the latter.

The slightly odd shape of the can isn't the only new development on which Budweiser has been working. In 10 states, the company is test-marketing a 25-ounce can, which gives consumers one more ounce of beer than the traditional 24-ounce can. Sales of this can will begin over the summer. While McGauley had no other news to report at this time, he stressed that packaging was an important aspect in Budweiser's ongoing plans to innovate.



Budweiser breweries in Los Angeles and Williamsburg, Va., will be the first to package the new cans. More than 10 million cans have already been produced for the spring launch, with another 8 million currently being manufactured this month.

A marketing campaign that includes digital, print and new spots out of Anomaly will support the launch of the can, which will be available at supermarkets, convenience stores and liquor stores beginning May 6th. Consumers can find out where the new 8-packs can be located can call 1-800-DIAL-BUD.

Anheuser-Busch

Gordon's Gin and Conran Studio Collaborate On Ten Green Limited Edition Bottles.

The Ten Green Bottles collection is the beautiful result of an exciting collaboration between two iconic and very British brands. Inspired by Gordon's superior gin, the Conran design team has created ten quintessentially British reinventions of the brand's iconic green bottle.






Each of these limited edition bottles, with hand-applied labels, was inspired by the distinct flavour of the gin and tells a story about the rich heritage of both Conran and Gordon’s.

Have a look at what went into designing these stunning artworks, with copy courtesy of Gordon's Gin:

No. 1 of 10 Green Bottles

This design reflects the eclectic nature of The Conran Shop. If you’ve ever been in one of these beautiful stores you’ll have seen the highly creative displays which are echoed in the contemporary design of this bottle. The keen eyed will have spotted the number one in the pattern – this is to celebrate that Gordon’s is the UK’s favourite gin brand* and, like The Conran Store itself, is now known throughout the world.
*Source: AC Nielsen

No. 2 of 10 Green Bottles

The distinctive hand-drawn script used for our Gordon’s logo is recognisable worldwide. It first appeared in 1909 and quickly became iconic. Typography used in clever ways is one of the many things that the Conran Studio designers do best and this numerical design is a celebration of typography in all its forms.

No. 3 of 10 Green Bottles

This bottle was inspired by a popular Conran fabric from the 1950’s which is now at the V&A museum in London. The delicate intricacy of the three leaves evokes a sense of attention to detail which is at the heart of everything we do, both at Gordon’s and Conran. Our gin, for example, is carefully distilled three times for extra dryness and smoothness.

No. 4 of 10 Green Bottles

Terence Conran once said: “Watching things grow – whether it’s plants in your garden, an enterprise you start from scratch or, of course, your family and the people around you – is one of life’s biggest pleasures.” Perfection in growth is something we take very seriously too. We handpick only the top 10% of juniper berries for our gin. If the botanicals aren’t perfect, you won’t find them in your G&T.

No. 5 of 10 Green Bottles

The best designs require joined up thinking. And just as the flavours in a good cocktail complement each other, so the Conran designers, retailers and architects work together for a common cause: to make people’s lives better through good design. This composition reflects the seamless way in which we’ve collaborated with Conran to create the Ten Green Bottles collection.

No. 6 of 10 Green Bottles

Terence Conran is a great art enthusiast and he has passed on this passion for the classics to his team who take influence from the wealth of patterns and colour palettes created by these traditional artists. Likewise, since 1769 we’ve been continually inspired by the cultural climate around us –reflecting art and design trends through our packaging and working with iconic figures in our advertising.

No. 7 of 10 Green Bottles

The precise design of this bottle reflects Conran’s passion for high quality carpentry and woodwork that is central to his business. At Gordon’s, we too have very high standards – in fact it takes seven years to become a Gordon’s distiller and a lifetime to perfect the art of making gin. And our recipe is so treasured, that currently only 12 people on the planet know exactly what goes into the UK’s favourite gin.*
*Source: AC Nielsen

No. 8 of 10 Green Bottles

If you had to choose one decade that encapsulates British design, you couldn’t go far wrong with the 1960’s. Both we at Gordon’s, and Conran were part of the British social fabric in the swinging 60’s and this floral design nods to those summers of love.

No. 9 of 10 Green Bottles

The design of our iconic Gordon’s bottle has made it universally recognisable – just seeing the broad shouldered bottles can make your mouth water for an ice cold G&T. This design takes its influence from the designers and architects at Conran who work all over the world, designing everything from matchboxes to skyscrapers.

No. 10 of 10 Green Bottles

This hand-drawn design represents Terence Conran’s kitchen garden and reflects his belief that preparation provides a fertile ground for good design. This is something close to our hearts too, especially when it comes to mixing a perfect Elderflower G&T – just add a dessert spoon of bottlegreen elderflower cordial to your classic G&T and garnish with lime, mint and cucumber.

Pick up one of a hundred full bottle wraps available exclusively at Selfridges, or grab one of a million bottles from your local supermarket - with their exclusive new material labels that have been applied by hand.



Images and info courtesy of Gordon's Gin