HBL Blog of the Week: Obsessionistas

Obsessionistas documents the obsessions of collectors all over the world - from saucy British seaside postcards to meteorites, and the more esoteric the better. Each post examines one collection in detail, showing prized items alongside an explanation of the story behind them.

HBL loves: the weird and wonderful collections on display. For example, what drives a person to collect 750 insects preserved in amber?

Latitude Contemporary Art prize 2011: winner announced

An Orrery For Other Worlds (2011) by Andy Harper

Andy Harper has been announced as the winner of 2011's Latitude Contemporary Art prize, in a ceremony at the British arts festival last weekend. Harper receives a £10,000 cash prize and a major commission for next year's festival; read our post on the shortlist for the award here.

HBL Profile: Yemi Awosile Studio

Cork fabric by Yemi Awosile

Textile designerYemi Awosile believes that cork is a material that has been overlooked in the past. She has spent the last couple of years exploring the processes, along with traditional craft and artisan production techniques, that can transform this natural and humble material into something altogether different and very contemporary. WGSN-homebuildlife spoke to her about her material innovations so far.

Etsuko Ichikawa: drawing with glass

Artist Etsuko Ichikawa uses molten glass, kiln-heated to 2100°F, to create abstract patterns and drawings. Ichikawa explains: "It is a way of capturing a fleeting moment and eternalizing it, and it gives the viewer the opportunity to see a gesture".

Aesop Grand Central opens for business

Australian skincare brand Aēsop have opened a branch in Grand Central, New York, which continues their innovative approach to VM: products are displayed on stacked back-issues of the New York Times.

Helen Dumkow at New Designers

Huddersfield University graduate Helen Dumkow's final project explores the material potential of the everyday elastic band. On display at New Designers Part 1 in London earlier this month, Dumkow's explorations involved twisting, stretching, adding pattern to, hanging and shredding the abundantly discarded material.

ECAL graduates 2011: Art Direction

White Knights by Federico Berardi

WGSN-homebuildlife visited Switzerland last week to attend the ECAL graduation show. Our full report on the themes to emerge from the show will be available to subscribers later this week - in the meantime, here are some of our favourite pieces from the renowned design school's Art Direction graduates.

HBL Analysis: Multifunctional furniture in the versatile home

House by Modern Cabana

In a major new report, WGSN-homebuildlife considers the impact of global urbanization - on the American market and beyond.

For the first time in almost 15 years, the size of new homes being built in the United States is shrinking and suburban McMansions are making way for smaller homes in urban settings. More and more people are gravitating towards city centres and smart growth efforts in urban planning are in full swing all across America.

The Nolitan by Grzywinski+Pons

Manhattan-based Grzywinski+Pons have designed the Nolitan, a new hotel located on Kenmare Street. This new 55-room boutique hotel is true to its name, occupying the Nolita neighborhood in New York City. For most non-New Yorkers who don't know (and more than a few New Yorkers for that matter), Nolita stands for "north of Little Italy," a downtown neighborhood known for its eccentric style and nightlife.

HBL Book of the Week: Room With A View

In 2009, renowned Dutch design school Design Academy Eindhoven started looking for an apartment in which to hold inspiring discussions and host international guests; they were hunting for 'a room with a view'. This resulting publication of the same name charts the process of finding such an apartment, furnishing it, and staying true to the values of Dutch design throughout.

HBL loves: that this small publication, complete with floor plans and full listings for the pieces used, provides so much insight into how we use spaces, both to work and to live. For more information, click here.

HBL Exhibitions: Jerwood Makers Open

Flicker (2011) by Farah Bandookwala, photograph by Tomas Rydin

At London gallery Jerwood Space's first Jerwood Makers Open, works by four contemporary makers are on show - with exhibits ranging from interactive motion-based pieces to a dogged exploration of glaze. WGSN-homebuildlife attended the launch yesterday to take a look.

Sigge by Fanny Aronsen Studio and Sigurd Falk

Sigge by Fanny Aronsen and Sigurd Falk

Earlier this month renowned Swedish fabric designer Fanny Aronsen launched Sigge, a vibrant fabric co-designed with young Swedish designer Sigurd Falk. The design is a contemporary, reversible upholstery textile with a flowing hand-drawn motif based on a pen on paper drawing which is described by Fanny Aronsen Studio as "sophisticated street art".