Mirrored nativity in Italy invites passersby to reflectliterallyfor the holidays

The holiday season is a time for reflection—a tradition that Italian studio thesignlab took to its literal meaning with the installation of a nativity crib clad in mirrored panels. Located in the center of Tuscany’s Piazza San Michele, the contemporary pavilion’s use of mirrors invites passersby to observe and celebrate the diversity of the people around them. The reflective building, named Welcome Difference, appears to disappear in the historic plaza during the day but calls attention to itself at night thanks to a glowing light display. Welcome Difference was created as part of Andare oltre si può’s annual XMAS LIGHT program, now in its fifth iteration. The mirrored installation is a modern interpretation of the traditional nativity scene with the central figures of the story reduced to simple glyphs. At night, these characters and the accompanying symbols light up. Related: Mirror-covered ‘Mirage’ house disappears into the California desert “It is a magical nativity scene in which everyone can be reflected in the Nativity family,” said Welcome Difference creator Domenico Raimondi. “Visitors can reflect, reflect, look inside but above all see who stands next. With Welcome Difference, the differences are presented, flanked, shown and invited to reflect on the theme of Christmas . We firmly believe that we must not be afraid of differences and differences, especially in this period.” Welcome Difference was unveiled on November 24 and will be displayed until January 8, 2018. + thesignlab

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Mirrored nativity in Italy invites passersby to reflectliterallyfor the holidays

Milan’s striking wooden UniCredit building is powered by the sun

You wouldn’t expect it, but this radical solar-powered building in Milan is actually owned by a bank. aMDL Michele De Lucchi Studio designed the LEED-certified UniCredit building to house the bank’s general meetings, but also to enrich public life with multipurpose community spaces. Its open structure of curved laminated wood ribs gives it a sense of accessibility and protection. The pavilion has no foundations–it was constructed on a reinforced concrete podium above a parking facility. Inspired by the shape of a seed, the design of the building combines lamellar larch beams with glass. The open structure accentuates accessibility, strengthened by two large wings equipped with monitors for events open to the general public. Related: Floating timber pavilion transforms a Swiss lake into an exciting new public square A 700-seat, multipurpose auditorium situated on the ground floor adapts to different configurations and events, while the overhead walkways that runs along the outer edge of the building can function as a temporary exhibition space . The first floor houses a nursery for 50 toddlers, while the top level features a lounge used for corporate events. Thanks to its strong focus on environmental sustainability and environmental sustainability, the LEED Gold-certified project has won first prize at this year’s WT SmartCity Award competition. + aMDL Michele De Lucchi Studio Via WT SmartCity Award Photos by Tom Vack

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Milan’s striking wooden UniCredit building is powered by the sun

Innovative ‘The Walk’ workplace keeps you and your creativity moving at Milan Design Week 2015

Read the rest of Innovative ‘The Walk’ workplace keeps you and your creativity moving at Milan Design Week 2015 Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: future office , Michele De Lucchi , milan 2015 , Milan Design Week , Milan Design Week 2015 , milan expo , Milan Furniture Fair , office concepts , Salone del Mobile 2015 , Salone Ufficio , The Walk , The Walk by Michele de Lucchi

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Innovative ‘The Walk’ workplace keeps you and your creativity moving at Milan Design Week 2015

Reuse Craft: Make These Upcycled Coasters

Gina Michele,  author of Rock Mosaic, garnered the most votes in May’s Transform a Phone Book Reuse Design Challenge. Her fun and funky coasters take your old white pages to the next level, and you can make these in a snap. In Michele’s …

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Reuse Craft: Make These Upcycled Coasters

Reclaimed Chinese Banners Turned into Reusable Totes

As China emerges as a global industry giant and its population expands, so comes a huge amount of advertising. When Michele Santoro and Gyda Bjorg moved to China just under a year ago, they noticed that the country’s businesses come and go quickly,…

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Reclaimed Chinese Banners Turned into Reusable Totes