En 1971, con motivo del congreso del ICSID (nternational Council of Societies of Industrial Design), Carlos Ferrater y Jose Miguel de Prada Poole diseñaron este laberinto hinchable para albergar a los congresistas que no se pudieran costear un alojamiento menos atípico.

Esta instalación se ha considerado el paradigma de la construcción de hábitats efímeros y de la participación del usuario en la construcción de su propio habitáculo, ya que se creó un manual de instrucciones con un lenguaje mínimo y simple que permitiera a cualquier persona construirse una cobertura con un tiempo reducido y con unas herramientas básicas.

También hubo excepciones claro, como el ejemplo que quiero enseñaros: la Casa
Rozés, construida encima del terreno rocoso de El Cap de Creus el 1961 por José
Antonio Coderch.

La vivienda no tiene más que una planta aunque gracias al terreno desnivelado la
planta se va completando en distintos niveles.

Mientras pequeños cubos blancos se escalonan alrededor de un pasillo para
esparcirse encima de la roca como una formación geomorfológica más, grandes
ventanales dejan entrar el mar y el aire dentro de la casa.

Os presento tres ejemplos de empresas de distinta naturaleza pero que comparten el mismo ecosistema y presentan cualidades dignas de mi  curación de contenido; talento, buen gusto y  transgresión.

Espíritu Litoral

Litoral es un grupo de folk catalán, también cantan en francés, de aires mediterráneos. De hecho dicen tener algo de Serrat.  A mi me parece que van un poco más alla, es otra época también, Serrat no tenía un acceso tan amplio a un sin fin de influencias músicales, entre ellas mazzy star

Por sinsentidos de mi vida, fui remolona a su escucha hasta que leí que habían versioneado a este grupo… el resultado me mediatizó para siempre, y he tenido que lamentarme de subirme tarde al tren de Litoral.

Handmed

Medwinds marca es lo que he llegado a la conclusión que cualquier iniciativa empresarial debe ser.  Sí, hay que cubrir necesidades, sobretodo las que ya han sido creadas, pero no a toda costa. Ni de la mediterránea ni de ninguna otra del mundo.

Medwinds vende ropa online con el diseño justo y un gran gusto haciendo, como dicen, un homenaje a sus raíces y lo que es más importante, centran los procesos en el territorio para salvaguardar su industria local.

!Maquea tu vida!

Otro mundo es posible. Antes lo soñaba ahora lo creo firmemente. Porque vengo empapándome de toda una corriente de personas que se están organizando para teorizar y poner en práctica una nueva sociedad basada en el uso de la nuevas tecnologías para el bien común, el denominado procomún. Colectivos como Makea tu vida forman parte de esta élite. Ellos trabajan para concienciar sobre el problema presente que supone el estilo de vida “usar y tirar” .

“Somos una red de personas que no quieren contribuir al crecimiento de residuos [...] creemos en el potencial del intercambio libre de creatividad como fuerza para cambiar la sociedad [...], la tan actual obsolescencia inducida de los productos en general, y de los objetos del hábitat en particular, junto con la falta de un sistema de reciclaje efectivo, está produciendo un desaprovechamiento de los recursos de los que disponemos en nuestro planeta. Estas realidades evidencian la necesidad de plantearnos líneas de trabajo que intenten dar soluciones eficaces a los problemas actuales…”

Rehogar es una acción de Makea, una exposición colectiva de diseñadores que ponen su talento a funcionar para crear objetos y mobiliario alargando la vida útil de otros productos. Para que te hagas una idea del alcance que tiene el evento que el año pasado celebró su 4 edición, echa un vistazo a lo granado de su público (excelente labor de RRPP!)

Cómo te han gustado mis píldoras talento, buen gusto y transgresión…

Con la ley de costas en contra y con pérdidas económicas en la empresa el complejo turístico se vio obligado a cerrar en 2004. Empezó su demolición pero el aspecto abandonado seguía atrayendo a turistas. Finalmente en 2009 se retiraron los escombros de las 443 edificaciones construidas. Estos escombros, retirados manualmente para no dañar las formaciones rocosas del paisaje natural, se reutilizaron en obras de municipios cercanos.

Así pues, una obra que había nacido con la idea de acercar la naturaleza al turista (concepto que se consideraba sostenible por aquel entonces) terminó sus días siguiendo la misma filosofía con la que había nacido pero con el concepto actualizado, ya que el primer principio de la sostenibilidad es reutilizar.

Gracias a este alojamiento gratuito se concentró parte del movimiento hippy en esta zona y todavia se puede respirar este ambiente en el pueblo. Bares con nombres de grupos de música, calles con flores pintadas en el suelo y coches 600 aparcados. Incluso se rumorea que el mismisimo Bob Dylan vivió en Matala por un tiempo.

I just lightly browsing the Medwinds site last night and feel in love with this cocoon coat. As mentioned previously here, I really do love this shape coat at the moment. The wool makes it warm, the Japanese style sleeves keeps it looking cool.

Fashion-Must-Have

Nos las encontramos junto al mar, coronando las playas rocosas de las islas. La técnica de las construcción es muy simple, hecho que facilita la reproducción en distintos puntos del mediterráneo. Incluso podemos encontrar estas pérgolas no para guardar embarcaciones sino para dar sombra a los bañistas en playas por todo el mediterráneo.

Otro famoso faro del mediterráneo es el justamente el conocido como “faro del mediterráneo”. Se trata de un volcán que lleva 2.800 años en activo en el sur de Italia. La isla de Stromboli actua de faro natural para avisar a los navegantes ya que las explosiones de lava y fuego se producen cada 20 minutos y lo hacen visible incluso durante la noche.

Medwinds can always be trusted to produce some classic items that sometimes, we long forget about. As well as getting the Med-fashion down to a tee, the brand have produced some lovely Mac style coats and I think they are perfect for a little dress up/down and for making you look a little more respectable. And will help cover up all those studded things I like to wear.

You can thank me later.

Medwinds – £145

Inspired by the mediterranean lifestyle, Medwinds it’s one of the most exciting spanish brands of the moment. Combining timeless design, attention to detail and quality materials, the brand from Barcelona offers a collection full of basics and essential pieces for men and women, all produced in small factories around the Med. Beside the appealing cotton blazers and denim shirts, Medwinds also presents footwear and practical backpacks, among other things. In their HandMed range, made together with local artisans, the leather Buqbuq satchels and the rugs made with jute soles are my favourite pieces.

Inspirada no estilo de vida mediterrânico, a Medwinds é uma das marcas espanholas mais excitantes do momento. Combinando linhas intemporais, atenção ao detalhe e materiais de qualidade, a marca de Barcelona oferece uma colecção repleta de básicos e peças essenciais para homem e mulher, tudo produzido em pequenas fábricas no Mediterrâneo. Para além dos apelativos blazers de algodão e camisas em denim, a Medwinds apresenta ainda calçado e práticas mochilas, entre outras coisas. Na sua linha HandMed, feita conjuntamente com artesãos locais, os sacos em pele Buqbuq e os tapetes feitos com solas de juta são as minhas peças favoritas.

by Álvaro Tavares Ramos

HENRIK VIBSKOV with MEDWINDS mod GLA01 on the beach ss12 sunglassespreservation

HENRIK VIBSKOV is famous for his collections with witty creative titles and themes that vary from dreams to film-like narratives. The sunglasses we have added to the sunglassespreservation archives are an intriguing clash of many stories and genres.

They appear to be a blend between classic round horn (acetate) glasses and a pair of sun-protectant lenses which seem to have been put under the influence of “spaghettifying” in front of a black hole. The sun-protectant lenses clip on to the horn-style frame via four little hinges covered in plastic.

The layering of this model is interesting. When we add the sun-protectant lenses to the glass frames, we get a new story. In fact we remembered characters from Betty-Boop’s wacky world and think the shape of the shades look exactly like the eyes of many cartoon characters form the 30′s.

Another look we see is clown-like eyes, but with all the colors toned down to classic eyewear patterns of light and dark brown, acetate, green and golden metal.

The shades do not have any indication on them as to where they were produced which makes us think they probably might have been produced in China. But we do give them the benefit of a doubt in regards to where they have been manufactured. They do not appear to be too sturdy and require a lot of care when handled and worn. The lenses do not clip off too easily when worn on the frames but bare in mind that when worn in heat under the sun the metal and plastic expand a bit and could become loose so you might lose your cartoon-y lenses in the middle of the street which would be a pitty as the lenses are the most interesting part of this model.

The first prototype of this model was presented at HENRIK VIBSKOV’s fall-winter 2011 fashion show. The original frame and temples were white and the lenses seemed a bit longer on the face. The model that went into retail turned tortoise and the lenses shortened just a tad bit. Now that VIBSKOV teamed up with Spanish based brand MEDWINDS, this model has finally hit production and retail. This is an example of oldschool design production where it does not matter if a certain design has been presented a couple years back by the same designer. Objects that behold a certain beauty sometimes need time to see the light of day. They also prove that there still is a way to defy the tremendous speed in which fashion divours itself and most of what has to do with it.

HENRIK VIBSKOV managed to create a new concept in the sunglass world rather than a new material quality product. In fact, these shades are incredibly beautiful and tickle our intellect as well as imagination on many different levels but they do not represent high quality in craftsmanship and definition. The innovation lays within the transformation of facial contures when wearing them.

So may this be a beginning of something new, an incentive to research more because there is so much more to be invented and developed when it comes to sunglasses! Only the tip of the iceberg has been exposed. There is so much more to come!

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£125 from Medwinds

STOCKISTS

http://www.medwinds.com

http://www.mrporter.com/Shop/Designers/Vilebrequin/Clothing

http://www.bjornborg.com

http://www.paulsmith.co.uk

http://www.jdsports.co.uk

http://www.starblu.com

http://www.nikestore.com

The womenswear collection is effortless, chic and has a kind of relaxed charm to every garment. Medwinds slots perfectly into my wardrobe, it’s totally timeless. I picked my favourite bits below, things would nicely fall into my current wardrobe.

For more ideas, and to see the whole collection, click here.

You might have caught last weeks blog post that casually dropped in that I was going to Spain for the day. Yup, a day trip that involves a plane – cool hey?

I was lucky enough to be invited by Cube PR to attend a beach party and collection launch in Majorca no less. While you were all hanging out at work waiting for the Jubilee weekend, I was celebrating the first Medwinds ‘On The Beach’ collaboration with Danish designer Henrik Vibskov.

Medwind’s attitude to design consists of classic shapes in subdued tones and organic fabrics, an ethos that they wanted to be continued within this capsule collection. According to the founder, Lorenzo Fluxa Orti, the brand’s overall aesthetic focuses on the Mediterranean‘s laid back sense of style, but this season saw them confidently launch a series of ‘On The Beach’ collaborations with non-Meditarrien creatives.

The exclusive collection (available to buy now) appropriately held on a nearby beach, Cala Agulla, saw Vibskov elaborate on the ethos of the Medwinds brand, showcasing clean-cut shirts and dresses, worn with tan belts and socks with sandals, giving a neat and subdued silhouette.

The performance itself started with the models (also local scouts) walking very slowly in time to the front of a purpose-made tent. They then proceeded to start work, using buckets, spades and poles, moving simultaneously with the slow rhythm of the music. It was clear that their was a distinct sence of community within the uniformed models.

It was a really brilliant proformance and it seemed that everyone, including Vibskov and Medwinds with thrilled with the outcome. I don’t think anyone expected to see what we saw.

Huge thanks to Cube PR and Medwinds!

A year after its creation Medwinds.com has begun a series of collaborations with artists and creatives under the slogan ‘On The Beach’.

The whole idea behind ‘On The Beach’ is that artists/designers/creatives from different (non-Med) countries collaborate with Medwinds with an aim to provide a vision from outside the Med and shape it into the Medwinds collection.

Henrik Vibskov is the first designer to work on a collection and it’s this party that I’m lucky enough to be attending tonight. HV is from Denmark but is now one of the most acclaimed on the runways in Paris, New York and Tokyo, personally I can’t wait to see what’s been made.

Hang on in there fellas, help should be there soon. The Fashion Police is on the way !

With Zara, Mango, Adolfo Dominquez,Pull & Bear, Massimo Dutti & Bershka, spanish retailers are popping up throughout high streets and Mall everywhere, one could almost describe it as an Armarda, high brow joke OK !

However, one e-tailer who rather quietly is making quite a name for itself is, Medwinds.  The Barcelona based online brand offers a complete collection of wardrobe staples designed with the Mediterranean lifestyle in mind. The collection aims to take the wearer from the essential and versatile pieces of the week to the casual comfort and sophistication of the weekend. Nodding to their Mediterranean background.

The Mediterranean Sea is a constant source of inspiration for the Medwinds design team and trousers and knits influenced by the Fisherman look take centre stage in the collection.  The Medwinds range encompasses clothing, footwear and accessories for both men and women, so literally something for everyone. Plus, the Medwinds collective firmly believe in the power of the Internet to change the world – for the better.

For Summer 2012 they have introduced a new range of men’s swimwear drawing on inspiration from the silhouette of 1960s classic masculine swimwear. Each item, the brand promises, has been ‘Med  With  Love’, get it,  and their playful twist on classics pieces make Medwinds’ collection wardrobe essential for every style-savvy holiday maker heading off this Summer, when it finally arrives.

The Medwinds’ twist on the classic swim short

The Medwinds’ Design team after a hard week at the office. Yeah OK, that’ll be another of my “jokes”.

www.medwinds.com