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Liu Wei (劉韡): “Sandwiches No. 13” (oil on canvas, 2015)

Born in Beijing in 1972, Liu Wei (劉韡) graduated from the National Academy of Fine Arts, Hangzhou in 1996.

Manhattan-, Hong Kong-, and Seoul-based gallery Lehmann Maupin describes 劉韡‘s work:

Liu Wei “explores 21st century socio-political concepts such as the contradictions of contemporary society and the transformation of developing cities and the urban landscape.

“In many of his sculptural and installation works, he uses found materials that are re-contextualized to draw new meanings out of the materials from which they are made.”

Liu Wei’s works are exhibited and collected globally. Institutional and private collectors include Seoul’s Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art; the M+ in Hong Kong, and the Rubell Family Collection in Miami.

Examine Liu Wei’s entire œuvre. This work documents an eye and sense for the universal appeal of line, color, and composition.

Lehmann Maupin is highlighting Liu Wei’s work during this week’s Art Basel.

Look for the extraordinary “Library V-II” (books, wood, and iron) of 2015-2018.

See: Liu Wei, Lehmann Maupin

#art #artmarket #arthistory #liuwei #beijing #hangzhou #lehmannmaupin #newyork #miami #london #berlin #zurich #vienna #oslo #milan #dubai #hongkong #seoul #tokyo #collection #portfolio #tangibleasset #collector #leeumsamsungmuseumofart #leeumsamsung #M+ #rubellcollection #architecture #design #interiordesign #fashion #urban #urbanliving #modernization #luxury #line #color #abstraction #realestatedevelopment

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Liu Wei (劉韡): “Sandwiches No. 13” (oil on canvas, 2015)

Born in Beijing in 1972, Liu Wei (劉韡) graduated from the National Academy of Fine Arts, Hangzhou in 1996.

Lehmann Maupin describes 劉韡‘s work:

Liu Wei “explores 21st century socio-political concepts such as the contradictions of contemporary society and the transformation of developing cities and the urban landscape.

“In many of his sculptural and installation works, he uses found materials that are re-contextualized to draw new meanings out of the materials from which they are made.”

Liu Wei’s works are exhibited and collected globally. Institutional and private collectors include Seoul’s Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art (리움 삼성미술관); the M+ Museum for Visual Culture in Hong Kong; and the Rubell Family Collection in Miami.

As you research Mr. Liu’s work, examine his entire œuvre. This work documents an eye and sense for the universal appeal of line, color, and composition.

Lehmann Maupin will highlight Liu Wei and his work during next week’s Art Basel in Basel 2018.

Look for the extraordinary “Library V-II” (books, wood, and iron) of 2015-2018.

Lehmann Maupin, by the way, with a gallery in both Manhattan and Hong Kong and a space in Seoul that is open by appointment, is doing superb work.

See: Liu Wei, Lehmann Maupin

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Liu Wei: “Purple Air D1” (oil on canvas, 2008)

Liu Wei’s “Purple Air D1” (oil on canvas, 2008).

Liu Wei regenerates various segments of Beijing’s high-rise buildings into digitalized geometric structures of bright hues of pinks, yellows, blues, and greens.

The image was rendered digitally on a computer and then painted onto a larger canvas.

While modern and “digital,” Liu Wei connects with, while seeking to re-explore, more traditional landscape painting. Note the moon and the pine tree, traditional motifs.

Liu Wei, born in Beijing in 1972, is one of China’s leading contemporary artists. He lives and works in Beijing and is represented by Lehmann Maupin.

Rather than “subversively reference politics,” he often looks for inspiration in found objects and architectural constructions, expressing his views of a changing material landscape.

Liu Wei’s work is included in numerous collections such as the Astrup Fearnley Museet, Oslo; the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, Seoul; M+ Sigg Collection, Hong Kong; the Rubell Family Collection, Miami; and White Rabbit Gallery, Sydney.

Lehmann Maupin

 

See: 1) Phillips “20th Century & Contemporary Art & Design Evening Sale,” Lot 36, Hong Kong, 27 May 2018 2) Lehmann Maupin

#liuwei #art #artmarket #contemporaryart #arthistory #digitalart #tech #entrepreneur #collection #portfolio #architecture #design #realestatedevelopment #luxury #urban #landscape #china #beijing #shanghai #hongkong #seoul #tokyo #newyork #losangeles #miami #london #paris #berlin #oslo #zurich #vienna #milan #dubai

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Architect Stefano Boeri-designed Liuzhou Forest City

Recognizing the capacity of trees and plants to absorb carbon pollution and the critical need for urban forests, Italian architect and urban planner Stefano Boeri has contributed to the design of Liuzhou Forest City, now under construction in China.

Intended to help provide homes for a rapidly growing population without creating more carbon pollution, the plan calls for terraced buildings with almost a million plants and 40,000 trees.

Should you have interest in tangible assets such as works of art, art collections, luxury, and/or real estate, all of which interact physically with their surroundings and all of which are affected by carbon pollution (excess of CO2), this news will be of interest.

Should you wish your tangible assets to perform at an optimal level, please feel free to be in touch.

See:

“China is building a futuristic ‘forest city’ with more trees than people” | Daisy Simmons, Yale Climate Connections, 26 December 2017

#architecture #design #urbanplanning #engineering #StefanoBoeri #CO2 #carbonpollution #trees #urbanforests #resilience #luxury #urbanluxury #smartluxury #urbanliving #tangibleassets #art #artcollections #collectionsmanagement #realestate #commercialrealestate #culturalrealestate #Yale

 

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M Moser Associates’ office in New York’s 1913-vintage Woolworth Building to be retrofit to Platinum WELL Building Standard

International architecture and design firm M Moser Associates is retrofitting and revitalizing their new office space on the 24th-floor of Manhattan’s Woolworth Building.

The Woolworth Building was built in 1913 and was, at the time, the tallest building in the world, engineered to maintain its own electricity, heat, and subway entrance, with windows that could, and still can, be opened when outdoor pollution levels are low.

While acknowledging challenges in retrofitting old office space, such as dealing with old electrical, old plumbing, and old HVAC, M Moser Associates points out that all buildings represent embodied energy and that embodied energy best be recognized and optimized.

As M Moser Associates revitalizes their office space on the 24th floor, the company will pursue both a Platinum Well Building Standard and USGBC LEED certification.

Initiated by Delos and the International WELL Building Institute, the WELL Building Standard is evidence-based, rating the quality of water, air, and light, and is geared toward occupant health, wellness, fitness, and productivity. The WELL Building Standard “marries best practices in design and construction with evidence-based medical and scientific research – harnessing the built environment as a vehicle to support human health and well-being.”

M Moser & Associates brings a similar focus on restructuring and re-engineering office space towards employee health, wellness, and productivity in all of its office spaces, including those in Hong Kong, London, San Francisco, and Guangzhou.

See:

“Woolworth Building Office in New York Becomes a Retrofit Lab” | Alyssa Danigelis, Environmental Leader, 30 October 2017

“Learning from Plans to Retrofit One of America’s Oldest Skyscrapers” | Adele Peters, Fastcodesign, 30 October 2017

Delos

#architecture #design #officespace #InternationalWELLBuildingInstitute #Delos #health #wellness #fitness #urbanliving #urbanluxury #luxury #realestate #commercialrealestate #CRE #builtenvironment #buildingtech #engineering #H2O #CO2 #HongKong #London #SanFrancisco #Guangzhou #resilience

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towards ‘net zero’ construction for all buildings

“Our vision is to create possibilities to make net zero construction in an efficient way, giving everyone the possibility to do so.”

So articulates Jonathan Karlsson, Founder and CEO (with degrees in theoretical and construction physics) of Innenco, an international company based in Malmö, Sweden that performs.

Reports Inhabitat,

“It starts with their active systems: pipes are integrated into the frame construction to utilize a building’s thermal mass. Adding heat pumps and chillers to the system allows Innenco to get four to six times greater efficiency in heating and cooling. At this point they’re able to reduce energy by 85%, so to cover the last 15% they install Innenco Quantum Solar panels. ‘This makes an investment in solar cells much lower than a traditional system, and we can get net zero for a really cost-efficient investment.'”

See:

“This new energy concept from Sweden can make any building net zero” | Lacy Cooke, Inhabitat, 11 October 2017

Innenco

#Innenco #Malmö #Sweden #JonathanKarlsson #architecture #design #energy #netzero #CO2 #H2O #buildingtech #tech #physics #builtenvironment #resilience #thermalmass #efficiency #energyefficiency #costefficiency #performance #luxury #smartluxury #urbanluxury #urbanliving #realestate #finance #ROI #construction #Inhabitat

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the luxury market is driving LEED & green building tech

The use of  advances in green building technology and LEED (USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) by U.S. developers and architects is increasingly market driven.

Such initiatives have oftentimes been borne out of environmental regulations and tax subsidies initiated at local, state and federal levels.

It appears, however, that such environmental regulations and tax subsidies are no longer sole primary drivers.

Rather, market demand is also driving the adoption of green building technology and LEED in the design and development of luxury buildings.

People understand the need for and benefits of green building technologies and carbon neutral energy programs. Developers, architects, and designers are beginning to follow suit.

Here are some examples:

  • Marcos Corti, CEO, Consultatio, the developer of Oceana, the first building on Bal Harbour, Florida to be LEED certified:

“The trend is to go LEED and to continue that path. It is on everybody. If the government or the leader is not going that way, I think the entire population is going that way, so it isn’t going to change.”

  • Stephen Glascock, President and Managing Partner, founded New York-based Anbau in 1998 based on the vision that “good design makes good business.” The Anbau focus is on residential condominium development in New York City, seeking value and appropriate risk-adjusted returns.

“We don’t get any subsidies for LEED stuff. All the sustainable stuff comes from what we feel is the right thing to do.”

  • Christopher Gandolfo, vice president of development, Swire Properties. Swire Properties is active globally. Brickell City Centre is 9.1-acre city-within-a-city, a retail-led mixed complex of luxury condo towers, class-A office buildings, a five-star hotel, and an open-air shopping center, engineered and built on platforms over the street level that link shops, restaurants, hotel and the other buildings.

“We are pioneer for the time. I’d like to believe other good developers will follow suit. It is up to the public to demand it to some degree as well.”

LEED “helps keep the very large team of designers, specialist consultants, and contractors who work on a project like 520 W 28th Street focused on the project’s performance and indoor air quality goals, and it gives our buyers an extra level of comfort that we achieved these goals.”

  • Brandon Specketer, partner at COOKFOX Architects, “architectural studio dedicated to a vision of integrated, environmentally responsive design. We believe good design is sustainable and we are committed to being wise stewards of our shared natural and cultural resources.”

COOKFOX project 550 Vanderbilt in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn utilizes Biophilic Design principles throughout the building to connect residents to the natural world for enhanced creativity, clarity of thought, and improved well being.

“LEED isn’t a checklist. It is a standard of quality that helps everyone meet a certain standard.”

See:

“Green Building in U.S. Luxury Developments Continues to Flourish” | Ariel Ramchandani, Mansion Global, 29 May 2017

“City in a city: Brickell City Centre set to transform downtown Miami” | Debora Lima, Miami Herald, 15 May 2016

550 Vanderbilt | COOKFOX

#realestate #luxury #smartluxury #LEED #greentech #Consultatio #Anbau #SwireProperties #RelatedCompanies #COOKFOX #realestatedevelopment #architecture #design #NewYork #Miami #climaterisk #urbanliving

 

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Amazon expanding into physical stores, agrees to acquire Whole Foods Market

Amazon announced today that it has agreed to purchase Whole Foods Market.

Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Whole Foods Market, Inc. (NASDAQ:WFM) today announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Amazon will acquire Whole Foods Market for $42 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $13.7 billion, including Whole Foods Market’s net debt.

Amazon to Acquire Whole Foods Market, BusinessWire, 16 June 2017

The New York Times reports that Amazon wishes to expand beyond online retail into physical stores.

The company is experimenting with physical stores. The Atlantic reports that “Amazon needs food and urban real estate.” The company has opened a small chain of book stores across the country. In Seattle, Amazon has opened two drive-through grocery pickup locations;  customers order their items online.

With Whole Foods, Amazon will acquire more than 460 stores in the United States, Canada and Britain.

“’The Whole Foods acquisition provides them more physical locations. They’re going to be within an hour or 30 minutes of as many people as possible.’”

Mikey Vu, partner (retail), Bain & Company

Whole Foods’ urban and suburban locations are extremely valuable for Amazon’s delivery business.

“’Amazon did not just buy Whole Foods grocery stores. It bought 431 upper-income, prime-location distribution nodes for everything it does.’”

Dennis Berman, financial editor, the Wall Street Journal, via Twitter

Whole Foods, The Atlantic reports, “needs help.” While Whole Food Market sales were approximately $16 billion in the 2016 fiscal year and while the United States grocery industry produces approximately $700 to $800 billion in annual sales, the grocery business is low-margin. Whole Foods revenue growth has fallen every year since 2012. Whole Foods investors have been encouraging the company to sell itself to a larger grocer like Kroger.

Under the terms of the proposed deal, Amazon would pay $42 a share for Whole Foods, a 27 percent premium to Thursday’s closing price.

Completion of the transaction is subject to approval by Whole Foods Market’s shareholders, regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The parties expect to close the transaction during the second half of 2017.

Amazon to Acquire Whole Foods Market, BusinessWire, 16 June 2017

Whole Foods was founded in 1978 in Austin, Texas.

See:

“Amazon to Buy Whole Foods in $13.4 Billion Deal” | Michael J. de la Merced & Nick Wingfield, The New York Times, 16 June 2017

“Amazon to Acquire Whole Foods Market” | BusinessWire, 16 June 2017

“Why Amazon Bought Whole Foods” | Derek Thompson, The Atlantic, 16 June 2017

#Amazon #WholeFoods #WholeFoodsMarket #organic #retail #groceries #grocery #food #smartluxury #urbanluxury #urbanliving #realestate #resilience

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Downtown San Diego | early morning vistas

Early morning vistas.

San Diego is, indeed, beautiful and has what is widely acknowledged as one of the best, if not the best, micro-climate in the United States. Very Mediterranean.

Why “tech”, that I appear to mention so often and that is taking root in the downtown San Diego economic eco-system?

“Tech,” in my mind, is no more than information gathering, processing, analyzing, reporting, and using, with certain questions asked (by people), the questions usually having to do with certain industries (art, finance, transport, design, building and construction, chemistry, physics, aerospace engineering, entertainment, etc.).

Sort of like groups of individual Marines gathering, processing and using information, on steroids.

Why pay attention to tech in downtown San Diego? Some of these companies have just appeared downtown, willy nilly, not according to the city plan. People in the tech industry generally speaking make more money than those working in the hospitality industry (housekeeping, serving tables, etc.). It is money generated here rather than earned elsewhere and brought here by visitors, tourists, and buyers of second or third homes.

 

#SanDiego #downtownSanDiego #realestate #resilience #art #tech #technology #finance #urbanliving #urbanluxury