Design

The Swiss watchmaker has once again updated its Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre a Quantieme Lunaire series of complicated watches with the Ref. Q6043570 limited edition model.

From the technical point of view, the new limited edition model is identical to the Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre a Quantieme Lunaire moonphase chronograph that was revealed at SIHH 2010 trade show.

The model is still powered by the JLC Caliber 381 automatic movement that features two independent spring barrels: one for the “main” mechanism and the other for the chronograph movement.

Visually, however, it looks like a new watch, thanks to the black non-skeletonized dial that makes the limited edition timepiece look even dressier than the original watch did — via World Watch Review

I know from experience that it can be quite a challenge to carve out a home from inside of the urban structure already forming the big cities of the world.

In Casa Entre La Cuidad, (a home from between the city) Fran Silvestre Arquitectos attempts to build a family home for a professional couple and their three children from inside the walls already created, in the city of Valerio, in Spain — via Home Design Find

This building is designed by Cory Buckner and Nick Roberts AIA Architects to address two conditions that are forecast to become more prevalent with climate change in Southern California: high summer temperatures and wind-driven brush fires. It achieves this goal with a design that minimizes energy use and material resources. With a small but efficient footprint, it treads lightly on the landscape and takes advantage of the spectacular views offered by the site — via ArchDaily

It’s hard to believe that Icon Motosports has only been around since 2002; in a few short years, they’ve created a stable of oddball, off-the-wall customs that perfectly evoke the company’s rebellious spirit. The TiFighter is the latest bike to join that stable, and it’s the personal bike of Icon’s design director Kurt Walter — via Bike EXIF

The 2011 IWC Portofino Chronograph automatic watch may be completely new, but it is still equipped with the good old Caliber 79320 self-winding movement.

The caliber in question is a slightly modified version of the well-known ETA Valjoux 7750 base movement.

As usual, the caliber features a rather average power reserve of 44 hours and has a small hacking seconds complication (just like the rest of the 7750-based movements.) When you set the watch, the second hand stops and resets to 0 position, which helps to increase the timekeeper’s accuracy — via World Watch Review

The new built airport is part of the Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili‘s ambitious plans to develop tourism in Mestia. The beautiful medieval town with its stone defensive towers is part of UNESCO‘s list of World Heritage Sites and also famous as ski-resort. With the unveiling of the airport on December 24th the building was designed by J Mayer H Architects and constructed within 3 months — via ArchDaily

Set along a gentle slope, surrounded by trees but with unobstructed lines of sight to distant mountains … well, this landscape called for an environment-engaged solution, and these architects answered with appropriate awe and reverence for the surroundings.

Filipe Assadi is a Chilean architect with offices in Mexico and New York, and has an approach and style that reflect these regional influences. This particular Deck House is at once modern and contextual – a contemporary-shaped core clad in weathered local wood that unfolds down the hill — via Dornob

JLC belongs to the rare breed of watchmakers that turn everything they touch into… a beautiful timepiece. The new Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon 39 automatic series of watches is the latest example of JLC’s mastery.

As you may have already guessed, the new ultra-thin timepiece from of the most revered Swiss watchmakers comes in a slim round case 39 millimeters in diameter and features a moonphase indicator — via World Watch Review

Situated on a remote 40 acre horse ranch, this 4,300 sf residence, designed by Sexton Lawton Architecture, is oriented to take advantage of the expansive views of Pike’s Peak and the Colorado Rocky Mountain range. The heavy timber structural system is exposed both inside and out, and allows for a double-height great room with second story loft. Humble materials such as rusted metal, stone, and weathered wood draw reference to the agricultural heritage of the surrounding town — via ArchDaily

At the upcoming Baselworld 2011 event, the Swiss watch brand will officially introduce its new Raymond Weil Maestro Moonphase (Ref. 2839-STC-00209) automatic watch.

Available soon only in stainless steel, the model will be presented in a classic-looking mid-sized round case.

Being 39.50 mm in diameter and only 10.50 mm in height, the watch looks quite slim and will certainly fit well under a normal shirt cuff, which makes it a good choice if you plan to wear it with formal attire — via World Watch Review

This house, designed by Robert Gurney, of 2,900 sqf is located on a one acre, wooded lot, adjacent to park land outside of Washington, DC. The house is sited away from the road and oriented toward views deep into the woods. The sequence of entry is defined by a series of walls, intended to privatize and delineate the approach and entry into the house. The walls, garage volume and house become a threshold between the road and the wooded parkland — via ArchDaily

As with many urban centers, Kansas City has a wonderful collection of turn of the century low to mid-rise buildings within the urban core. It is the re-use of older buildings that has promoted the ideal of loft living, having the city as a personal backyard. While many existing buildings still need to be renovated, 5 Delaware, designed by el dorado, represents a new approach – a new, modern structure sensitively placed in one of the numerous empty lots downtown — via ArchDaily

On a small hill overlooking Kyoto city a suburban house for a young couple negotiates some tough Historical design regulations for atelier Boronski. Many design points are pre-set. Therefore the house is conceived of as a simple container with private spaces lodged randomly within. But the randomness is orchestrated. Despite the external restrictions the fluidity of the interior void spaces and curved connecting stairways finally let the house feel very free — via ArchDaily

I really like David Krawczyk’s concept design for an Edison Alarm Clock that you set by inserting peanut bulbs into sockets that complete circuits in different ways; the readout is on large, old-timey lightbulbesque readouts — via Boing Boing

Lehrer Architects purchased this 50 year old building in the Silverlake area of Los Angeles for a new work space. The once dingy and crowded 5,400 square foot warehouse was transformed into a working space of light, air, and transparency — via ArchDaily

Here’s yet another refined and bookishly elegant house set in tropical India from Studio Mumbai. Like their award-winning Palmyra House, it is innovatively designed for natural cooling in a hot land.

The  Zen-like sparse and delightful courtyard space almost makes you forget that it’s based on bare earth, which is not usually thought of as one of the most refined of landscaping materials. But, as with many designs by Mumbai Studio, a rethink happens. The simple ground brings a refined sensuality to this very organized courtyard with its modulated light and hand crafted stairs — via Home Design Find

Leatherworker Tom Banwell makes amazing masks, costumes, and mad inventions with a steampunk bent. I own one of his rayguns and it’s one of my favorites. His blog has really thorough build notes on his projects, as well as many examples of his lovely, lovely work — via Boing Boing

The site is 600 square meter land area which located in medium dense, semi detached, without any physical and building typology from one and another.

The client came to TWS & Partners with a particular vision of garden house, which can maximize a correlation to outdoor space from within. From client’s brief of room program, come to quite huge area of 800 square meter, which should be located within limited site — via ArchDaily

The housing project, designed by Barré Lambot Architectes, continues and finishes the existing residential area, consisting of – The creation of an urban courtyard North / South to organize the site into two blocks and provide continuity in inter-district connecting the two existing ways – The creation of a public footpath through the operation – Creating a common courtyard to contain parking spaces and garages needed for the housing – Construction of a kindergarten, dedicated to the neighbourhood and located at the corner of two streets – The establishment of thresholds or gardens, before all the individual units also avoiding air parking — via ArchDaily

The major Italian watchmaker Officine Panerai did not present anything revolutionary at SIHH 2011. Instead, they kept building on success of their last year’s exhibition. Among such successful updates was the new Panerai Radiomir 8 Days Ceramica PAM 384 hand-wound watch.

The new model is presented in a large black case, which is made of zirconium oxide powder — a material, widely used not only by watchmakers, but also by automotive and aerospace industries — via World Watch Review