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CONTENTS

STREET ART 16

Artists turning the streets into their canvas’.

‘BAM’ BIKE 10

FUROSHIKI SHIKI 9

TRIBUTE: MEIS VAN DER ROHE 4

A homage to the father of minimalism’s 126th birthday.

PHOTOGRAPHY: B ALBUMN (COVER) 9

INTERVIEW: PREEN 14

We discuss family, runway and Preen’s new style

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XENO MAGAZINE

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY

BY TOMEK JANKOWSKI

The infamous German-born modernist archi-

tect, famous for his “less is more” approach

to design, would have turned 126 this week.

Mies van der Rohe believed that architecture

should express the essence of its civilization

– that the same things guiding our lives

should build our homes, museums and offic-

es. His buildings speak to our hope for sim-

plicity, shaping our environment, and in do-

ing so, illuminating life itself.

Regarded as one of the pioneers of modern architecture,

Mies is said to have never taken any formal architectural

training. He worked with several architects before he devel-

oped his own style. Like many of his post-World War I con-

temporaries, Mies wanted to establish a new architectural

style that could represent modern times. He strived towards

creating architecture with minimal framework and the free-

dom of free-flowing open space. He is known to call his

buildings "skin and bones" architecture.

A few years after Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany

and the government-financed school he was heading was

closed down by Nazis, Mies immigrated to the United

States. In the US, Mies became the head of department of

architecture at the Armour Institute of Technology, Chica-

go, which later came to be known as the Illinois Institute of

Technology.

In 1944, Mies became an American citizen, severing all his

ties from his native Germany. Mies' architecture, with its

origins in the German Bauhaus and western European style,

became the popular choice for several American buildings

such as cultural and educational institutions, public agencies

and many large corporations. Ludwig Mies died in 1969

in Chicago at the age of 83.

Yet, he lives on through his designs and the art of minimal-

ism that is now practiced worldwide. It was Meis' ideologies

and innovative theories that shaped the world of design and

opened people's minds to simplicity. We celebrate his lega-

cy, and sincerely thank him for his works, designs, efforts,

contributions, revolutionary mindset and - most of all - for

the footprints he left on this planet.

TRIBUTE: MEIS VAN DER ROHE’S

126TH BIRTHDAY

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B ALBUM tracks the yesterdays of one year in the life of Basia (signed to IMG Models, New York) as shot

by Tomek Jankowski. Every month for a year, he met Basia at the same lakeshore to catch the seasons.

There, her job was to just be.

“Everything was done in very rare moments of Basia's spare time - between her school studies and professional model

work,” Jankowski tells us. “The project was developed in total secrecy. Only three people knew about it: Basia, her mum Kasia and me, the photographer. Our aim was to create an album of simple, straightforward photography. Hence, you

won't find any … stylised hair or make-up. Just pure, raw beauty of Basia.”

B ALBUM BY TOMEK JANKOWSKI

B ALBUM BY TOMEK JANKOWSKI

9

FUROSHIKI

SHIKI BY SAMIRA BOON

The zipper and button free bag series “furoshiki shiki” consists of products made out of one sheet of semi-

transparent vinyl “film”. This sheet is turned into a bag by folding it, using the adhesive qualities of the

material.

This clutch is nothing more complex than a cross shaped piece of vinyl film. Because of its adhesive qualities, the material

attaches onto itself as you fold it. No zippers, no clasps, no handles, no fuss; pure genius. This clutch, case or iPad holder

is a Xeon product design project by Dutch student Samira Boon.

This bamboo 'Ajiro' concept bicycle rethinks

both our means of transportation and the

ways we manufacture our vehicles.

Designed by a Xeno design student, Alexander Vittouris,

the 'Ajiro' is not only a sustainable means of transport, but

one that encourages social interaction and cross-

generational connection. Based around the study of

aborsculpture, the 'Ajiro' is literally homegrown - that is, its

bamboo structure is moulded around a frame and grown into

shape. Once fully developed, the vehicle becomes a frame,

enabling the creation of many more 'Ajiros'.

"It was about rethinking current manafacturing processes,"

explains Vittouris. "I wanted to approach construction as a

natural process...trying to let the plant itself achieve more of

the fabrication."

This innovative design challanges traditional perceptions of

bamboo as a Third World material used for huts and scaf-

folding. Instead 'Ajiro'' harnesses bamboo's incredible

growth rate (with the potential of growing a metre in 24

hours), and adds sculptural dimension. "Bamboo is so readi-

ly achievable and fast growing...that you could have small

farms and encourage community interaction. I would like

them to be grown where people can interact, understand

where materials come from and how much time it takes,"

adds Vittouris.

The 'Ajiro' has certainly exceeded - or rather outgrown -

traditional ideas of product construction.

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ENROL NOW AT

XENO FOR 2013*

* APPLICATIONS ARE AVALIABLE AT WWW.XENO.COM

APPLICATIONS CLOSE SEPTEMBER 1ST 2012.

13

PREEN’S

NEW

LOOK Preen designers Justin and Thea

Bragazzi have developed a new, softer

design aesthetic and it's all thanks to

their three-year-old daughter.

"She's definitely had an influence on us," Thea

told us. "I just feel a little more feminine. And, for

his part, Justin's embracing his feminine side too,"

she laughed.

The London-based duo first showcased their new

design look last season, with a predominantly pas-

tel-toned collection, peppered with frilly collars,

layered lace and floral prints - yet maintaining the

tough coolness the label is known for.

"Women want to do both; sometimes you really

feel like looking pretty and feminine and other

days you feel totally different," said Thea.

"Sometimes it's nice to be able to spin around in a

skirt."

"Sometimes movement can be really important,"

added Justin. "We still want to keep that element

of sculpted shapes, because we really enjoy that,

but we've enjoyed fusing both. It's something that

will definitely filter though in future collections."

Street Art

All around the world, cities' buildings, sidewalks, roads and structures are being restored and decorated

using quirky concepts. From woven roads to piano staircases, designers and artists are using streets as

their canvas.

Juliana Santacruz Herrera’s Woven Restorations

Most of New York’s streets are under perpetual construction and repaving, and now thanks to the art work of Juliana San-

tacruz Herrera, we know Parisians feel the same. Disgruntled with the potholes and unfixed cracks in the streets of Paris,

Hererra decided to beautify her surroundings. Armed only with yarn and knitting needles, she decided to take her woven

repairs to the streets.

Jan Vormann’s Lego ‘Dispatchwork’

Dispatchwork is a fun movement initiated a few years ago by Jan Vormann, a 27-year old German artist who started

patching old walls with Lego bricks during a contemporary art festival in Bocchignano, Italy. It has now become an ongo-

ing project applied during all his travels, which is also spreading worldwide with his help through volunteers to Amster-

dam, New York and St.Petersburg.

Aakash Nihalani’s 3-dimensional Tape

Aakash Nihalani is a Brooklyn based artist who works with the medium of tape in public places around New York. He

explains: “My work is created in a reaction to what we readily encounter in our lives, side-

walks and doorways, building and bricks. I’m just connecting the dots differently to make

my own picture. Others need to see that they can create too, connecting their own dots, in

their own places.”

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Volkswagen’s Piano Staircase in Sweden

Too easily can our existence become mundane and painstakingly routine – the daily grind of waking up and beginning the

journey to work is perhaps the most ideal example of this. The users of the Odenplan subway station in Stockholm how-

ever have been the recipients of a slight shake-up and life-intervention of sorts, acting as human guinea pigs in regard to

“The Fun Theory”. The Swedish Piano Stairs, which were implemented to encourage people to use the stairs, rather than

the escalator, fulfils the notion that the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better is by making the process

fun.

© XENO 2012.

ALL RIGHTS

RESERVED.