Architecture Envy #2

More inspiration from the world of architecture this week. And a warning: you may feel the urge to book your next holiday soon!

First, the Treehotel in Sweden; how amazing is this? And eco-friendly!

We can’t decide whether we want to stay in the nest, the spaceship or the cone, but the Graceful Taylor has made her choice – the mirror cube!

Via Black Eiffel & A cup of Jo

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Then there’s the Inntel Hotel in the Netherlands.

Photos credit: Roel Backaert

Responsive to its environment, iconic, and guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Seriously though, we’re just blown away by the creativity and passion behind the design and construction of these buildings. For an example of the impact of quality, resolved design, look no further.

It’s all about paper, Upon-A-Fold does Tokyo

“To find unique things made of paper and to make them available to everyone.”

That’s the mission of Justine Fahd, the creator of the splendiferous online all-things-paper store Upon-A-Fold. So you know already that when you visit the store you’re going to find the best quality, and the most extraordinary range of paper products, most only previously available by hopping on a plane and taking yourself off to Tokyo, or beyond. But lovely Justine does that for all of us, and the Graceful Taylor caught up with her for a chinwag after her latest visit to Tokyo, to find out what’s new in the world of artisanal paper.

While in Tokyo, Justine did the detective work and caught up with loads of paper designers, some running their own small boutique shops located in out-of-the-way places. And the best news for us is that she’s brought back lots of goodies not normally available outside of Japan. If you’re still thinking that it’s all about gift-wrapping and cards and notebooks, consider the term paper engineering and take a peek at the extraordinary creations by both overseas and local artists on the site.

So how does a girl become obsessed by paper? “I always sought out stationery shops as a kid; I loved wrapping gifts and presenting them well, I learnt more about Japanese paper after working in an art supplies store that specialised in all sorts of hand crafted Japanese papers and it was then that I discovered the versatility of paper as a medium in itself. It’s often the first art material we are given as children, so I guess for me I got hooked from the very beginning! Nowadays paper is used in the most unusual ways, from designer paper handbags, wallets and shoes to emergency housing designed by architects as a form of affordable shelter to third world countries. Paper offers so many possibilities."

And watch this space: there’ll be heaps of new products for that gift-giving and gift-wrapping nirvana known as Christmas, plus Justine and Matt will be launching their own range of paper products sometime next year. We can’t wait!

Images Above: "Expect to find an amazing display of envelopes in most paper shops in Tokyo. These above are a few of my absolute favourites. - I love their colours and they feel so nice too. There are just so many beautiful papers in Japan. Paper is serious business over there and you can certainly tell!" Justine Fahd. To view the Upon-A-Fold Tokyo blog posts and follow Justine's journey click here and here and here

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ABOVE: 1/100 ARCHITECTURAL MODEL CARD Strike a pose and send your message of love in a truly special way. Use the two tiny die-cut paper people to express what you are feeling – whether it is a loving hug or kiss, or a marriage proposal down on one knee! So get your fingers folding. Available at Upon-A-Fold here

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ABOVE: The designers at Drop Around studio in Japan have created a beauty! We love this trio so much. The set includes 3 envelopes, each with their own graphic card inside. The peek through windows are perfect for personalising each card with a cute photograph or written note inside. The envelope colours are so intense and the paper stock is superb! Available at Upon-A-Fold here

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ABOVE: Point yourself in the right direction with these very cool and colourful post-it notes. This set of two includes a semi-circle and two triangles. Each block comes with 50 sheets and the packs measure 5.5cm x 9cm. They’re so handy, we bet you find as many uses for them as we do. Fusen are designed and made in Japan by Drop Around Design. Available at Upon-A-Fold here

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ABOVE: This letter set is like no other letter set we have ever seen! The craftsmanship is unbelievable – you’ll spend hours looking at the finer details. A unique printing and assembling method from Japan has been used to create a framed border using a series of torn paper chips that look like they have been delicately attached, piece by piece. Each set comes with one piece of paper and an envelope, both reversible so you can choose which way you want them to go. The designer, Ryosuke Uehara for Japanese design studio D-Bros, aimed to make each paper set individual, with a weathered and discoloured look. Available at Upon-A-Fold here

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ABOVE: Watch a city grow before your eyes! Popville is a pop-up book where each page corresponds to a moment of urban development – from an isolated church amongst the trees to a bustling metropolis packed with streets, factories and stations. Just like any city, some landscape references stay the same while others disappear to make way for new developments. The unpredictability of what will be there when you turn the page is part of the fun, just like the spontaneity that exists when living in a fast-paced city. Available at Upon-A-Fold here

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ABOVE: Remember the barbershops in the 1960s? Every town had one. The big swivel chairs, cut-throat shaves, men hanging out playing cards… this iconic shop is the inspiration behind Aussie creative Lisa Loxley’s latest Barbershop collection. These paper pockets by Lox + Savvy are generous in size, so super perfect for storing all those bits and bobs – receipts, buttons, ribbons, photographs, loose notes and more. Available at Upon-A-Fold here

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ABOVE: Create your own little paper wonderland with these perfectly cut paper pieces. There are people large and small, dogs, cats, birds, flowers, chairs, sofas, tables, lamps, bikes, grass and more! Made completely with paper (of course!), you simply pop out the pieces and fold them into place. 1/100 is an architectural model set that represents the home and family life. This is the design of Naoki Terada from Terada Design in Japan. Scale is 1-100. Available at Upon-A-Fold here

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Taylor & Grace Refreshed!

As our clients know, we’re fans of the great refresh – a periodic update of your branding to ensure that it remains lively and responsive to the current marketplace. So we’ve done just that for both the Taylor & Grace brand (check out our new website ) and for the Graceful Taylor. We feel younger already!

There’s also nothing like a new home to lift the spirits…and here it is!

We love it – the beautiful old 19thC brickwork, the fabulous sense of space (it’s an old warehouse), and the location - 3/255 Wellington Street Collingwood. Feel free to drop in and say g’day.

Here’s a peek too at some of our recent projects, some of which have also involved a bit of refreshing (or was that refreshment!)

Above: Australian Shoe Fair

Refresh of trade show branding and application to advertising and print collateral. Click here for more.

(Above) Fashion Exposed 2010

Refresh of trade show branding and application to advertising and print collateral. Click here for more.

(Above) School of Botany Annual Report 2009 - Click here for more.

So if you’re feeling all mid-winter blues-y, think about a refresh – for your brand, or just for you!

Le Creative Sweatshop – magnifique!

Ah, the French. With their joie de vivre and their undeniable claim to the most beautiful city in the world, it’s not surprising that a couple of French men have combined to produce some of the most stunning visual communication we’ve seen in a while.

Feast your eyes on these incredible images. All made with paper, each one evocative, tempting and an example of consummate sculpture and styling.

More inspiring images and the story of their coming together can be found here.

Once upon a time a man knitted a dress out of newspaper

The Graceful Taylor has been inspired this week by Italian sculptor, ecologist and performance artist Ivano Vitali, who creates colour-coded balls of yarn from the daily newspapers and, using hand-made knitting needles, weaves extraordinary full-size creations worthy of a Parisian catwalk.

His creations tell beautiful and thought-provoking stories of simplicity, of the power of art, of the potential in the humblest of materials. His giant knitting needles speak of having the right tools for the job; his preparation of the paper reminds us that anything can be transformed, re-used and re-imagined.