Polished Pieces for the Practical Household
Italian design firm Pininfarina, famed for its dashing red Ferrari Testarossa, is equally artistic around the house. Pininfarina’s Extra Design division, which has long turned out stylish furniture and household accessories, has assembled an exhibition titled “20 Objects for Daily Use.” It’s on view at the Italian Cultural Institute’s sleek little gallery at 1023 Hilgard Ave. in Westwood.
It’s a versatile assortment, from an automatic espresso maker to kitchens by the design firm Snaidero, with sketches showing the design process.
“I think Italians are accustomed to seeing beautiful design,” said institute staffer Carla Balatresi, who grew up in Pisa. “It’s the visual training you acquire automatically--of course it’s also a great skill.”
The free exhibit is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays until Nov. 26. Information: (310) 443-3250.
The Youngest: A unique nursery school playhouse designed by children working with the Southern California Institute of Architecture in Mar Vista will be unveiled Wednesday at St. John’s Presbyterian Nursery School in West Los Angeles. “It was our summer project,” said Children’s Architecture Workshop director Alla Kazovsky, “and it was unusual in that we had time to create a full-scale project.” Like real architects, six students, ages 6 to 13, brainstormed the design--a two-story cube adorned with geometric blobs--then discovered the site’s constraints, which included a tree and an umbrella installed in concrete. “One of our concepts had to be sacrificed,” said Kazovsky. Hanne Overbeck, director of St. John’s, said the playhouse is still being broken in but is great. “It has a little climbing wall and a slide, and is totally up to code for safety,” she said. “I’m not sure what we’ll do for the ribbon-cutting, but we’ve invited the kids who worked on it and will serve cake and juice.”
The Latest: Crate & Barrel, known for its collection of stylish dishes and housewares, is dramatically expanding its furniture line. Having warmed up in August by adding a furniture collection to its Old Pasadena store, the company is opening its biggest West Coast store Wednesday in the South Coast Plaza wing at Bear Street and South Coast Drive. “It’s a broad collection with lots of different looks, including Mission and Arts and Crafts,” spokeswoman Linda Sonnonstine said. The new store celebrates its opening that night with a cocktail buffet and preview shopping at 6:30 p.m. Donations of $30 benefit Mission San Juan Capistrano. Information: (949) 248-2030.
The Best: The Apple iMac made the prestigious cover of Innovation, the fall 1999 Yearbook of Industrial Design Excellence. The iMac was singled out for excellence by industrial designers, who create teapots, telephones and other objects for our everyday lives. Apple got the nod for breaking out of the oatmeal-color rut with the playful, affordable iMac, the fastest-selling computer in Apple’s history.
Connie Koenenn can be reached at connie.koenenn@latimes.com.
