PLACES: If you’re a chocoholic mark this one for the books. The boundless imaginations of Masamichi Katayama and Godiva teamed up to create a flagship store straight from a cocoa lover’s dream. Located in the Harajuku district of Tokyo, Godiva’s new homebase simulates dripping chocolate with larger than life visuals and textures. It’s decadent to say the least, but then again, whenever we hear people talk about chocolate that’s usually the feeling they’re going for. Click Read More for additional information and photos.

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By integrating apartment housing with a public marketplace, restaurants, and an underground supermarket, the designers behind Rotterdam Market Hall aim to create new patterns of urban living in Rotterdam’s historic center. Construction recently started on the Hall, which was designed by MVRDV.

From the architects: “At the place where Rotterdam was founded, near the historic Laurens church, the Market Hall will be realized as a new urban typology. The Market Hall is a sustainable combination of food, leisure, living and parking. Fully integrated to enhance and use the synergetic possibilities of the different functions, a public building emerging from housing.” Each end of the arched hall will be covered by a 40-meter tall, flexible glass facade that displays over 100 market stalls, shops and restaurants housed inside. The outer structure will provide space for 228 apartments, each with a balcony on the building’s exterior, and a window overlooking the interior arena. Scheduled for completion in 2014. Written by Elsa Brown

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TRAVEL MOMENTS: Shanghai combines light and speed for an entertaining ride underground. In between Pudong and the Bund, subway riders are treated to a short light show. The above image is from the Boston Globe’s big picture. In it the photographer is in the front car and put his camera up to the window as an oncoming train enters. Click Read More for additional information and photos.

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PLACES: Rome’s Maxxi Museum for Contemporary Art opened this month. Designed by Zaha Hadid, the modern structure pushes the creative envelope of its more traditional surroundings. Using open space, great lighting and bold curves, the building suggests speed and movement.

The New York Times has a fantastic piece highlighting the context & relevance of Maxxi. For instance they write, “What would Pope Urban VIII have made of Maxxi, the new museum of contemporary art designed by Zaha Hadid on the outskirts of this city’s historic quarter? My guess is that he would have been ecstatic…” Be sure to check out the full article here. Also, click Read More for additional information and photos.

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ART: Series & Progression pits neon lighting against dark space. Much like James Turrell, Clar, or the the folks at Lab[au] – Dan Flavin was a master of letting his work speak for itself. As Dan once described, “It is what it is, and it ain’t nothin’ else. Everything is clearly, openly, plainly delivered. There is no overwhelming spirituality you are supposed to come into contact with. I like my use of light to be openly situational in the sense that there is no invitation to meditate, to contemplate. It’s in a sense a ‘get-in-get-out’ situation. And it is very easy to understand. One might not think of light as a matter of fact, but I do. And it is, as I said, as plain and open and direct an art as you will ever find.”

The David Zwirner Gallery in NYC will display Dan’s work until December 19. Be sure to check it out if you’re in town. Click Read More for additional information and photos.

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CULTURE: Lately we’ve been pursuing stories about cabs for a project we’re working on. The cab drivers, managers and companies have an interesting perspective on the urban grid. In our research we came across this fantastic collection of Tokyo cab signs. The design and expression of the signs is matched with really sharp photography. Click Read More to view additional photos and information.

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The brain’s supercomputing abilities should never be underestimated. With the deluge of electronic gadgets in today’s marketplace it’s easy to lose sight of how impressive our own brains are. Need proof? Check out the art work from Stephen Wiltshire. He’s an artist who draws and paints massive panoramic murals of cityscapes. These accurate representations are often done only after seeing the city briefly. Awesome. Click Read More for additional information and photos.

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