Inspiration Profile - Mark Newdick

Welcome to the end of the week and I am very excited to be here! I am off overseas tomorrow so this blog will be very quiet indeed for the next month. However, I will be posting happenings and inspirations on the CMID Facebook page so if you want to see what I'm up to, check it out. I'll also be bringing back plenty of inspiration from my trip and will share them with you on my return.
So to finish of the week and the start of my blog break is a great Inspiration Profile from the clever Mark Newdick, a Wellington based landscape designer. Enjoy!

Mark Newdick

Te Aro by Mark Newdick

Name: Mark Newdick

What do you do: I'm a landscape architect at Moorhead and Newdick Landscape Architects together with my business partner Hamish Moorhead and Matt Williams who joined is a few years ago.

Where do you live: Vogeltown, Wellington New Zealand.

What are you working on: A huge range of projects really, from the new Australian Memorial Project opposite the Carillion in Wellington's new Memorial Park, a new courtyard on the top floor of the National Library, a retirement village in Cambridge, schools in Christchurch to lots of Wellington gardens perched on awkward windy hillsides!

 

Eastbourne by Hamish Moorhead

 

Who/what inspires me: New Zealand. Its landscape, its ecology and its people and their way of looking at the world. This underpins all our work. We also love simple elegant contemporary design and we are influenced by many designers and movements internationally. There is great depth of history and culture in our profession which provides a great source of inspiration. From the classical geometry of French formalism, to the elegance of mid century modernism, to some of the ecological design which has a strong presence in our profession nowadays, we take inspiration and hone our own work in response.

I work best: In the mornings! I’d happily start at 7am and finish at 1pm. Unfortunately people often want to see me in the afternoon when my dog says I should be walking the hills with her.

What I do when I’m stuck for inspiration: I give it time. Sometimes when you've been working on a problem for too long you can’t see what is staring you in the face and you need to step away. Often I'll go for a run or be having a glass of wine with a friend and the solution will come. We are also always checking things with each other in the office. Checking our rationale is reasonable or if there are any other ways of doing the same thing. We collaborate really well together which is something I am very thankful for.

The best advice I have been given is: "Risk! Risk anything! Care no more for the opinions of others, for those voices. Do the hardest thing on earth for you. Act for yourself. Face the truth". This was the advice given by the departing professor of Landscape Architecture, quoting Katherine Mansfield at our graduate show. She had just tragically lost her husband and was leaving to start her life again in her birth country England. Her words were inspiring at the time and have stood me in good stead. Creative endeavours are full of uncertainty and sometimes you just have to risk it.

My latest discovery is: Ponga logs. While these have been used for decades by New Zealand gardeners, their ability to retain steep slopes while spouting new growth is genius. We used them extensively at Pipitea Marae in Wellington instead of building retaining walls which are costly, require consents and are hard and unwelcoming. They are also a very kiwi contribution to the popular international fashion of green walls, but do so for a fraction of the cost.

Pipitea Marae by Mark Newdick

Books that I get inspiration from: We are continually buying books, mainly on specific designers. My latest favourites are like Andrea Cochran, Bernard Trainor and Nelson Byrd and Woltz - all American although the latter have just won the supreme award at the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects with a project at Young Nicks Head in Poverty Bay. The recently published Contemporary Gardens of New Zealand by Penguin is also a great showcase for recent work in New Zealand - and features two of my projects.

Magazines that inspire me: HOME is great and have been very supportive of us over the years. Topos, a Dutch magazine is a great source of information on a range of complex landscape projects. Landscape New Zealand magazine is also very good for projects in the public domain and we have an article on out work at Pipitea Marae in the next issue.

Blogs that I enjoy: Landzine is a great one, we also regularly look at Dezeen and plusMOOD.

My favourite room at home is: Oh, that’s a hard one - I love them all. I guess my lounge room in my favourite because I can sit on my sofa, in the afternoon sun, be warmed by the log fire, look out across the valley to the Orongorongo ranges in one direction and my garden in the other and be surrounded by all the little things we have collected over the years which hold wonderful memories and meaning.

My office is: in an old warehouse building in which Melling Morse Architects design several quirky little offices on Egmont St, just off Cuba St. Gerry Melling is very sadly no longer with us but his vision of light, ethically constructed, characterful spaces lives on.

What am I looking forward to: It’s been incredibly rewarding to watch our business grow and take on more and more complex projects. Winning the competition to design the Australian Memorial in the memorial park with TZG Architects in Sydney was huge and we can't wait to see this take shape. I'm also very excited to see the courtyard we are doing for the National Library in Wellington come together. More than all of those put together though I'm looking forward to the birth of our first child in October.
 

Pauatahanui by Mark Newdick

Hawkes Bay by Hamish Moorhead

All photographs are used with permission from Mark Newdick and MNLA

PS Cabinet in Interiors

As I have mentioned on the blog before, I have the classic Ikea PS cabinet in off white located in my living room. It is a great and useful piece of furniture.
I also enjoy seeing the cabinet in different interiors and how people have gone about using them, like today on The Design Files in this Sydney home. Two PS cabinets sit side by side in the bedroom, with a lovely display of objects on the top surface. Nice. You can check out the rest of this home here.

Photographs by Sean Fennessey via The Design Files.

River Collection by Emma Hayes

 I have been researching New Zealand designers and products over the last few weeks for a commercial job and here is one that I came across the other day - textile/graphic designer Emma Hayes. This is the lovely River Collection - see more of her range here.

 Photographs via Emma Hayes.

Black

Black cabinetry handles and pendant lights in a crisp white kitchen. Photo: source unknown.

My obsession of late is black details. Whether it is handles, lights or taps, I'm on the prowl for black. It is so modern and crisp next to white.

Black tap, light and handle in a bathroom by Hecker Guthrie. Photo: Armelle Habib via Design Files.

Flos Outdoor Romeo C1 Light

Here is a sneak peek of an interior job that I have been working on.
My clients have recently had their new lights installed, including this cool Flos Outdoor Romeo C1 light. The shade is constructed with woven PVC threads on a stainless steel frame, while the light bulb is covered by a injection moulded opal coloured diffuser, which gives a lovely glow when turned on.
I think the light looks great and add a modern touch to their porch area. The front door also has been recently painted with a coat of glossy black. Looks smart.

Photographs by Charlotte Minty.

Turquoise Goodness

Love the turquoise slash emerald green (what would you call this colour?) floor brick tiles used inside and out in this gorgeous Moroccan house. See more exotic goodness and its whereabouts here.

Photographs by Simon Watson via T Magazine.

Happy Friday

The latest Lonny magazine is out and these two 'chair, matching painting and storage' arrangements caught my eye. Have a great weekend all.

Moody Blues and Greens

Spotted on yellowtrace last week and making the rounds in blog world is this amazing historical Swiss chalet. The 150-200 year old former farm house, still with original features, has recently undergone a refurbishment designed by Bergdorf and architect Nick Ruef.
Loving the use of muted neutrals, moody blues, greys and greens along with a pop of spearmint against the warm rich timber tones. Go here to see more.

Photographs by Martin Guggisberg via yellowtrace

Inspiration Profile - Imogen Tunnicliffe

It is a grey rainy Friday morning here in Wellington so it couldn't be a better day to have this week's Inspiration Profile as it is full of colour and pattern. It is a pleasure to have Imogen Tunnicliffe on board today so enjoy and have a great weekend all.

Imogen Tunnicliffe - alongside Gaudi's Garden tea towel from Citta Design's Barcelona range.

Fletch the fox and Manuel the Monkey from Citta Design

Name: Imogen Tunnicliffe

What do you do: I am the Senior Designer at Citta Design.  I have been here for 9 years (cripes!).  When I started it was just me, and I only worked 2 days a week for a few hours. I used to sit out the back with paper and pencils etc and draw!  Not a computer in sight…

Where do you live: West Auckland, New Zealand

What are you working on: We are just tying off the loose ends for our Summer 2013 collection Greece, Under the Sun, and laying the foundations for our winter 2014 collection where we are off to Copenhagen.

Meguro tea towel from the Tokyo range

Queens Wood tea towel from the London range

Who/what inspires me: Work wise, each new season we look to an international destination to draw inspiration for the next collection.  Exploring new cities is always inspirational - and if we are lucky enough to be sent there, it is of course even more so!

Other than that……. Great illustrators – like Quentin Blake, Saul Steinberg, Maurice Sendak, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s architecture, Marimekko, Andy Warhol’s early drawings and illustrations, fairy tales, fantastic window displays, live music, animals, the garden. It’s endless really – the smallest thing can be inspirational.

I work best: In the morning after a coffee (from Cool Food Café in Bloc!), or in the afternoon with a glass of wine. There is nothing like a glass of wine during the day…it definitely frees up your thinking.

What I do when I’m stuck for inspiration: Move away from the desk/computer! I often go for a walk, get a coffee/drink, talk to someone else. Again, the tiniest thing can spark some inspiration, but you have to change your environment for that to happen.

The best advice I have been given is: It’s not very ground breaking but, “Worrying won’t actually change the problem”. Such a simple, obvious statement but so true. It's something I have to remind myself daily.

My latest discovery is: The Oratia Farmers Market which is near where I live. It is one the the most enjoyable, relaxed, straight forward farmers markets I have been to.  There is a band, wine, coffee, second hand shops as well as lots of delicious, reasonably priced home grown food. It is also not too busy and therefore easy to very easy to move around. 

Zoo duvet set from the Barcelona range

Heath duvet set from the London range

Books that I get inspiration from: Any really good tale – it doesn’t have to be hugely intellectual, but I do like a book that is well written, where the words flow well. I love historical novels; it’s such great escapism and the fact that much of it is based in reality makes it more compelling.

Conversely, I also love Magic Realism…

Plus, I have always loved Asterix and Tintin – and still do!

Magazines that inspire me: I don’t have time to read a heck of a lot of magazines but design wise - Vogue Living, Elle Decoration, Inside Out, Frankie, Urbis. I have a subscription to National Geographic which always inspires.

Blogs that I enjoy: The Sartorialist, Maurice & King, fuckyournoguchicoffeetable, Oh Joy, April & May, Oh Happy Day, Shit London…..and many more.

My favourite room at home is: Probably my daughter Rose’s room.  It’s the sunniest, warmest room in the house and as it’s a one year old room I have allowed myself to go a bit mad with pattern, colour and loopy accessories.

Designing many of the toys and children's bed linen for Citta Design has always been one of my favourite parts of the job, and it’s great to finally have somewhere to put it all!

Rose's bedroom

My office is: At work in Mt Eden, Auckland.  There are 6 of us and it’s very relaxed and easy.  It’s all ‘creative mess’ and ‘organised chaos’, and there is always a lot of giggling going on…and lots of work too! 

What am I looking forward to:

Work wise: I’m really looking forward to our Greece photo shoot coming up in a few weeks. I think it will be really interesting and not what you expect – we have a slightly unusual angle for the styling/photography. It’s great to see all your work from the last year come together in the shoot, and the story come to life.

Personally: I am looking forward to my daughter’s first birthday in 2 weeks, the Foals concert in October, and next summer! 

Thanks Imogen! It was great to have you featured here today. Keep up to date with all the Citta goodies on their website, their Facebook page or their Pinterest boards.

Meguro cushion cover

All photographs are used with permission by Imogen Tunnicliffe and Citta Design.

A Stunning Garden

Featured in the latest NY Times T magazine is this stunning Nantucket Island garden designed by Dutch landscape designer, Piet Oudolf.
Oudolf is well known for his planting on the awesome New York's High Line and this garden has the same feel - drifts of flowering perennials plants and grasses that look as nature intended them to be, even though it has been designed to every layer and detail. I adore this garden - as well as the gorgeous surrounding cedar shingled buildings. Drool.
Read more about it here.

 Photographs by Dana Gallagher via T Magazine.