Monogram - The Differentiation Consultancy

A snail can make a BIG impact. 🐌

In Denmark, the appropriately named studio BIG has just completed its latest project — curved housing blocks that combine to form a spiral shape.

Named ‘Sneglehusene’ (or ‘snail houses’ in English), the project’s title is a reference to its spiral form, which surrounds a central park and a small pond. Aside from its townhouses, multi-bedroom apartments, and residential studios, the also includes commercial spaces designed to run on clean .

We love how this modular concept exhibits elegance and simplicity despite the complexity surrounding the project’s . It goes to show that applying out-of-the-box thinking, not just to the final product but to the entire process, delivers better homes and .

Imagine how cool it would be if we did this with our cityscapes and CBDs!

Does living on water sound good to you? If so, we are happy to share that it will soon be possible!

Danish maritime studio MAST just announced their project, “Land on Water”. It’s a system for constructing FLOATING buildings.

Made from reinforced plastic, these floating projects can be easily transported worldwide and assembled in different configurations to suit a range of building types. They’ve developed a system to build almost anything on water - entire communities included!

Land on Water is also designed to withstand storms and promote . According to MAST, these constructions act like biohuts underwater. The studio believes the system could be used to create climate-resilient and biophilic neighbourhoods.

The prototype is already on the way and is set to be presented at the UIA World Congress of Architects CPH 2023.

Imagine surfing to work!! Wouldn’t that just be awesome?

No idea seems to be too crazy for Airbnb!!

In an effort to find the craziest, most out of the world, and designs for vacation rentals imaginable, AirBnB created the $10 million OMG! Fund. Some of the ideas that came out of this contest include quirky homes in the shape of a giant flower pot, shoes, giant UFOs, and a yellow submarine (Do we have any Beatles fans in the house?).

From a pool of more than 10,000 submissions, 100 super-creative builders and will receive $100,000 to bring their vision to life and property-rental-ready by the summer of 2023.

We’ve always been a big believer that comes in all shapes and sizes. But these projects just take surprising, one-of-a-kind, and unorthodox to a whole new level … and we’re all for it!

What would be YOUR crazy entry to this contest? 😂

Singapore has a new addition to its skyline with a spectrum of uses — a true mixed-use in one.

Designed by BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group, 'CapitaSpring' has recently been completed after four years of construction.

The 280-meter-tall high-rise oasis, considered among the city’s tallest structures, comes with everything a building can offer. It has been designed with sky gardens and a rooftop park, restaurants and an open-air hawker centre, office spaces and serviced residences (plus their facilities: swimming pool, jogging track, kitchen, and residents’ lounge), and (designed for everything from work and events to relaxation and exercise).

Its’ sky garden even features over 150 species of edible plants that provide ingredients for the building's restaurants and cafes.

We'd love to relook at underperforming assets across CBD’s to create new possible blends of not only uses but also allow a more diverse socio-economic blend to be seeded across the city.

This is crucial for creating dynamic cities; otherwise, we risk living in a vanilla world.

You’ve heard of a rooftop garden. Get ready for a rooftop jungle.

London-based real estate investment and development platform, Fabrix, is set to begin the construction of Europe’s most extensive roof forest called Roots in the Sky by 2023.

The sky-high botanical garden will house 125 mature trees and 10,000 plants!

The building will also come with:
✅ A sizeable edible garden that will be accessible to the local community,
✅ A rooftop restaurant, bar and swimming pool, private terraces for the office space below,
✅ Seed banks, and
✅ Public community spaces with a not-for-profit management structure to run the spaces.

What’s also impressive is that even the building itself, not just the rooftop, is rigged with green tech including reclaimed steel and integrated waste energy capture. THIS is an excellent example of combining and to shape a more sustainable world.

Can you imagine if every building would be required to have a rooftop rainforest?

But one of the things we love most is the fact that there is an allowance for much-needed public space to bring the local together. The trend in Sydney is to only provide luxury living and commercial spaces with very little given back to foster how we, as a city - a community, can rebuild connections, and create enriching experiences that move our society forward.

Sign us up for that future!

The Monogram Studio is a proud Finalist in Print Design for CENTRAL SQUARE. See the work and case study at https://bit.ly/3W5QnkK

The Monogram Studio is a proud Finalist in Brand & Identity for BINAURAL BEATS. Watch the video and chillax completely at https://bit.ly/3CZggtC

The Monogram Studio is a proud Finalist in Brand & Identity for SOLA. See the work and case study at https://bit.ly/3gBGTNN

Sydney’s waking up to something NY worked out a while back. Old railway lines can be repurposed to become dynamic, green, urban spaces.

Back in the days before the city had its iconic Harbour Bridge, the railway on Sydney’s North Shore used to run down to Milsons Point where commuters would alight to take a ferry across to the city. The line is still there but is now infrequently used for train storage. A community group want to turn it into a walking and cycling track similar to New York’s High Line.

Across the other side of the Harbour stands the Cahill Expressway. It’s a bit of an eyesore separating the ferry wharves from the lower end of the CBD. Town planners are pushing to remove the freeway on top of the Cahill and make it a vibrant green space so that the city’s residents and visitors can walk across the top and take in views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

It would also get more cars off the road. With the reduction in traffic, air pollution would drop creating a healthier environment in the city. More green spaces make for healthier cities and we at Monogram are all for it.

Check it out: https://bit.ly/3A1XUYW

Choosing green urban spaces may save you from a broken heart - literally.

New research shows that living near green parks lowers the risk of a stroke by at least 16%.

The culprit? Air pollution.

High levels of air pollution, usually linked to car traffic, increase the risk of stroke by hardening our arteries, making blood thicker, and raising blood pressure, leading to brain clots.

Public parks and green spaces act as a filter by lowering the number of pollutants in the atmosphere. To truly experience its benefits, the study says people must be living around 300 meters from green spaces.

How far away from somewhere green do you live? What about work?

Here in Sydney we are seeing more and more attention being paid to the health benefits green spaces bring. This includes public parks designed to encourage exercise and more bike lanes to decrease pollution.

More green spaces makes for healthier cities and we’re all for it.

What’s the best green space in your city? Where should the next one be created?

Read more: https://bit.ly/3zbZCqB

A space for reflection in the middle of a concrete jungle.

American studio CLB Architects and Design Pavilion, a local organisation that builds public art installations, has created what they described as a circular wood-and-steel "chapel" in the heart of New York City.

The project, dubbed Filter, creates space for quiet recentering amidst the frantic energy of the world-famous Times Square. It’s designed to be both an art piece and public space that reminds people of the peace that nature brings to a world that’s predominantly artificial.

The pavilion walls are made of recycled, large, folded steel plates. A tree occupies the centre of the structure - an ingenious way of highlighting the urban contrast of Times Square. Around the perimeter of the space are benches that offer visitors a place to sit briefly and reflect.

This installation serves as a reminder to centre yourself amidst the chaos and the importance of taking time to pause and reflect. Here’s to more public spaces that aren’t just aesthetically pleasing but will also make you think.

When was the last time you made time to simply reflect?

Check it out here: https://bit.ly/3zbZCqB

One country is taking green construction to new heights.

75-metres to be exact.

With the world facing an environmental crisis of unparalleled magnitude, design professionals and architects have been exploring greener and more sustainable construction practices.

And one green project stands out from the rest - a building entirely made of wood.

The centre is expected to capture nearly nine million kilograms of carbon dioxide within the next 40 years. The building is also equipped with solar panels which make it possible for the centre to run on clean energy.

Not only do we love the sustainability aspect of the project, but the mixed-use blend of a hotel sitting above six theatre stages, a library, two art galleries, and a conference centre make this destination a home run.

Check it out here: https://bit.ly/3MSZJve

“Living walls” now help power the northeastern part of San Francisco.

A lush green wall and back-lit fibreglass panels were recently installed on the exterior of an electrical power generating station. Created by TEF Design, these are powerful solar panels designed to help the station achieve net-zero energy consumption.

The station is the first of its kind to aim for net-zero energy consumption while still generating enough power for the immediate area.

Aside from its impressive new tech, the team at TEF Design also boasts of the structure's innovative design. Each panel is individually crafted and unique, creating an ever-changing surface throughout the day and year depending on how the light of the sun hits each panel.

The panels are embedded with lighting fixtures that pulsate at night, a reference to the city's dynamic electrical power grid.

Wouldn’t it be great if the rest of the world followed suit in TEF Design’s net-zero mission?

Check it out here: https://bit.ly/3wPFJT8

Now this is the type of class we would all enjoy.

After two years of research and tech development, professors at the School of Architecture in the Chihuahua campus in Mexico are now one step closer to conducting architecture lab classes through virtual reality.

This innovative teaching method allows architecture students to experience what’s it like to be in the structure they’re designing. These spatial sensations can include being in a museum that’s too small or too big, the difficulty of being in a poorly lit room, or the satisfaction that comes with adding plants and other elements from nature in their areas of design.

The results are impressive.

The new tech changed each student’s perception of their own project and improved their designs thanks to the immersive experience.

I love the idea of truly experiencing what we design before it’s actually made. Imagine if we could then add in simulations of different user groups and journeys. This would be a sure way to gain investment support for more radical solution design.

The future of design and urban development is looking extremely promising.

Check it out here: https://bit.ly/3PKJbHE

The world’s skinniest skyscraper is now ready for occupancy.

Commonly referred to as “The Coffee Stirrer,” it was designed by New York design & architecture studio SHoP Architects. It stands at 435 metres in height and 18.3 metres (60ft) wide, giving it a height-to-width ratio of 24:1.

Can’t imagine it?

Picture a building the width of a bowling alley but taller than the Empire State Building - that’s how crazy skinny The Coffee Stirrer is.

The tower is so tall and thin that the upper floors tend to move around by a few feet whenever the wind gets up. However, residents don’t have to worry about the building blowing over or snapping in half during a storm because it’s made with the strongest concrete in the world.

Would you want to live in this building?

Read more: https://bit.ly/3amnTjg

Recycling doesn’t require a compromise on aesthetics.

British designer Michael Marriott’s beach shack is proof.

He installed a beautiful and thought-provoking beach shack named “Kioskö” made of recycled stereos, radio sets, bottle crates, fridges, and other discarded items.

The structure is installed inside the Spanish Library of Harewood House in West Yorkshire and aims to show the value and joy that can be found in resourcefulness.

I love that he even built an entire sound system from discarded stereos and framed it with recycled furniture. The stereos are now functional once again and are blasting Jamaican folk music to give people the ultimate beach vibes.

It really pushes one’s idea of design and craft. Marriott’s work also made me question concepts like commercialism and how it has affected us as humans and the need to always buy new things.

What’s the most interesting recycled art you’ve encountered?

Share them with me below!

Check it out here: https://bit.ly/3yXCIDg

There’s another Amazon rainforest in the works.

But this time, it’s a spiral vertical forest.

That’s how architecture firm NBBJ describes their upcoming nature-infused, spiral-shaped glass building for Amazon’s new headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.

Called The Helix, the 350-foot tall tower will be the centrepiece for Amazon's second headquarters, “Amazon HQ2” and will include tree-covered walking trails that spiral around its outside for employees to walk on.

Aside from being the home to 25,000 new Amazon employees, The Helix will also have areas and parks that will be accessible to the public for events, music festivals, cycling enthusiasts, and other activities.

Amazon has said it hopes to complete the project in 2025.

A recent UK study found putting plants in the workplace increases productivity by 15%.

How much more productive do you think you’ll be if you were to work here?

Check it out here: https://bit.ly/38IS7wv

Truth Bomb: People with more money than you are buying high-end apartments in NYC they never plan to live in.

Those luxury towers aren't homes. They're financial instruments for the wealthy to hide and/or protect cash. Most owners have an average of 5 properties, many bought sight unseen. And in NYC they’re overtaking the skyline and blocking sun to Central Park - which has changed the flora and ruined the lives of everyone in their shadow.

Should this be allowed? Should city planners be held accountable? And if so, how?

Watch here: https://bit.ly/3N2Yjho

Truth Bomb: You're more lonely than you think and being lonely can be as dangerous as smoking. But building design can help.

The share of adults living alone has more than doubled in the last 50 years. This is having an impact on building design. Architects are paying more attention now than ever before to how we live, who we live with (if anyone), and how to enable natural moments for social connectivity.

Are you ever lonely? Do you think architecture could help if/when you ever do?

Watch here: https://youtu.be/iOO6IP74oHw

Truth Bomb: If you love eating meat, this new research might give you "paws" for consideration.

We'll stay out of the Veggie vs. Meat Lovers debate, but there is undeniable evidence that sentient beings include more than just us humans, and that's no laughing matter.

As this awareness becomes more widespread, what impact might it have on how we farm, live, eat, and survive?

Check it out here: https://www.openculture.com/2022/01/animals-laugh-too-ucla-study-finds-laughter-in-65-species-from-rats-to-cows.html

In Sweden there’s a "Wall of Kindness" where anyone can grab a free winter coat, or drop one off, if they have it to spare.

We love the thoughtful simplicity of this kind gesture.

What other "Walls" could we create to help more people get the things they need to live happier healthier lives?

We happen to think that the energy, vibe, and creative output are all better when we’re together. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t WFH sometimes.

Flexibility has never been more necessary, but what will this mean for big office towers and developments?

And what about businesses where employees have never met IRL? Can they truly function as well as when they’re all together in the office?

Check it out here: https://www.axios.com/office-vacancy-covid-pandemic-remote-work-executive-ceo-72c3710c-cb48-4765-b3b2-32241d015ccb.html

A brick building in Manhattan made of 577,367 lbs. of recycled construction waste.

Created by Dutch company StoneCycling, the recycled bricks contain 60% waste, including ceramic toilet bowls, roof tiles, and steel. We also love how they spell out a poem with the bricks using Morse Code... Can you read it?

Check it out here: https://www.fastcompany.com/90720262/a-new-brick-building-in-manhattan-is-made-of-577367-pounds-of-recycled-waste

Truth Bomb: Smart spaces, homomorphic encryption, AI, graph technologies and the metaverse will transform entire markets.

Wouldn’t it be helpful if a building could tell you when a filter in the HVAC system was causing the system to function inefficiently and needed changing? What if it adjusted the heat or air based on usage? Does your current system actively track the air quality within the building or ensure that there aren’t too many people to comply with COVID-19 recommendations?

Smart spaces are capable of all these tasks, and product leaders should consider how they’ll factor into future business opportunities alongside potential investments.

Check out these 5 Impactful Technologies From the Gartner Emerging Technologies and Trends Impact Radar for 2022 and let us know in the comments which you think will have the most positive impact.

Read more: https://www.gartner.com/en/articles/5-impactful-technologies-from-the-gartner-emerging-technologies-and-trends-impact-radar-for-2022-1

Will balloons filled with concrete fly? Absolutely! Witness the Puffy Brick designs from Soft Baroque in London.

No two ‘Puffy Brick’ furniture pieces will ever be the same. So it is no wonder that they feel closer to art objects than to mass-produced furniture. We'd love to see one of these in the reception of Monogram's new HQ.

What would you build with these?

Read more: https://designwanted.com/design/puffy-bricks/

Balloons full of concrete make ‘Puffy Bricks’ Playful ‘Puffy Bricks’ is a unique design technique which generates inviting and tactile concrete forms.

Not your average snow fort. Kamakura Village uses its snowy landscape to create a unique experience for tourists.

The pop-up eatery in Japan serves guests lunch and dinner in 20 private snow huts. Inside, visitors can enjoy Noroshi Nabe, a centuries-old hot pot made from Shinshu Miso, Miyuki Pork, and locally grown mushrooms and vegetables.

Would you eat here? What other unique dining destinations have you come across?

Read more: https://www.iiyama-ouendan.net/en/special/kamakura/

Every night in February 2022 11:57pm-midnight, Times Square in New York had a moment to breathe.

And by "breathe" we mean no ads. This moment was meant to bring meditativeness and healing through the power of art using digital technology. The installation is called "Continuum" and will be coming to cities worldwide to spread the movement of wellness, healing, and humanity in the age of the Metaverse.

What places can you think of that would benefit from a moment to “breathe?”

Read it here: http://arts.timessquarenyc.org/times-square-arts/projects/midnight-moment/continuum/index.aspx

Ancient Anti-Sameness. This pre-twitter tweeter is a Whistling Jar (c. 1000–1476) with next-level handicraft and sonic tech.

Life-like sound is reproduced via a 1- or 2-chambered vessel in which a whistle, often concealed by a bird's head, is sounded by blowing into the spout, or by pouring liquid from one chamber to the other to create a bird-like twittering sound. Watch the vid to hear it in action.

What nature sounds would you like to hear more of at home? Or at work?

Watch it here: https://youtu.be/BjVXWImbWnE

DJ Be Svendsen plays a live set as the sun rises on Mount Nemrut in Turkey mixing modern music with ancient artefacts.

Come for the music, stay for the amazing views and drone footage of this scenic mountainside where sculptures stand proud, but beheaded thanks to early iconoclasts.

What’s your dream DJ destination? What similarly unique experiences have you had?

Listen now: https://youtu.be/5mpafLYHVd0