Design

The Chimney House in Bosschenhoofd [Onix] has a simple main volume with a rectangular floor plan and a saddleback roof. The plan is based on the fact that the chimney is a disappearing feature in architecture of this century. This tempted us to create a house with several chimneys. The chimney has been used in different sizes and shapes and with different functions — via ArchDaily

Seiko’s entry-level sub-brand has recently revealed a series of youth-oriented, sporty timepieces equipped with XXL-sized crown covers. The new Alba by Seiko Canteen AXHK21X quartz wrist watch was among them — via World Watch Review

This single-family residence in the Dunbar neighborhood of Vancouver was designed by Frits de Vries Architect both as a home for the clients, as well as a demonstration suite for their sustainable home building and renovation company. The home is the first LEED Platinum home certified by LEED for Homes in Western Canada and was recently honored with a 2011 RAIC Award of Excellence for Green Building — via ArchDaily

With its new Bell & Ross Vintage WW1 Reserve de Marche automatic watch, the Franco-Swiss watchmaking brand keeps exploring the theme of vintage timekeepers and making another stride into the glorious past.

This time Bell & Ross draws its inspiration from the 1920s, often referred by the Europeans as the Golden Twenties. The devastating war followed by a chain of social revolutions was over and the continent enjoyed an unprecedented economic boom — via World Watch Review

Designed by Koji Tsutsui Architect & Associates the InBetween House is a collection of small mountain cottages situated amongst Japanese larch trees in a mountainous region outside of Tokyo. A retreat from their busy work in the city, the clients wanted a house that could seamlessly blend into the natural surrounding, topography and local culture — via ArchDaily

Hodinkee calls the Rolex Reference 4113 the rarest, most valuable reference of Rolex on earth… the grail among grails for chasers of the crown and wonders aloud if the specimen you see above could soon be the first Rolex to sell for more than $1 million at auction.  Christies, who will put the hammer down on a Rolex Ref 4113 bearing case no. 051318 (Lot 129 of the 16 May 2011 Geneva Auction), states that Recent research reveals and confirms that indeed only twelve examples of this outstanding chronograph were ever made by Rolex.  All cased in steel and finished in 1942, they carry individual case numbers ranging from 051313 to 051324. Further research indicates that just eight of the twelve Rolex References 4113 are known to have survived, and of these eight, only five have ever been offered at auction.  Seems the twelve Ref 4113’s were exclusive gifts to famous race drivers and team owners during the early 1940s, thus their obscurity — via Perpetuelle.com Watch Blog

This is an urban desert, multi-family residential environment designed by Circle West Architects. The Duke represents a forward thinking approach to urban life. Located near Downtown Scottsdale, Arizona, the site is set between a series of randomly built structures. Industrial properties lie to the east and south while residential is located to the west and north. The modern, pure building cuts a clean sharp edge through the randomly built environment of the surrounding area — via ArchDaily

Back in 1997, BMW took a tilt at the Harley-Davidson market with the R1200C. It was big and relatively underpowered, with just 61bhp—but Teutonic engineering and smart suspension design made up for that. Robert Levinson, however, has transformed his R1200C into a completely different machine. He’s raided BMW’s ample parts bin to create a high-performance bike with a unique look and a hint of a streetfighter vibe — via BMW R1200C Custom

Inspired by the doctor’s watches of the 1930s, Montblanc’s new Vintage Pulsographe radiates vintage charm. The 39.5 mm case makes it the first chronograph from Villeret with a diameter under 40 mm. Below the genuine grand feu enamel dial is a modern monopusher chronograph movement with vintage qualities — via WatchTime

A series of lookalike domestic structures [Mitsutomo Matsunami Architect & Associates] presents a problem for both residents and guests. On the one hand, there is the sense of being solitary but stuck within a set of blandly identical buildings. On the other hand, visitors have to find a particular domicile from a larger group.

Adding this gesture to the facades works as a way-finding device, ties together the disparate units, but also makes them look and feel different, all without adding considerable cost to lower-priced, multi-family residences — via Dornob

During Baselworld 2011 the German watchmaker has presented a number of watches, all of them beautiful in their own way. But one of the most interesting (at least, to yours truly) timekeepers that were exhibited in Basel, was the gorgeous Glashutte Original Senator Navigator WorldView automatic GMT watch (Ref. 39-47-07-07-04) — via World Watch Review

Sometimes a motorcycle built purely for function can have beautiful form as well. This vintage 50cc racer from the Spanish Derbi factory is packing just 15hp, but it could reach an extraordinary 200 kph (124 mph) on the track. And as you can see, it also looks good standing still. It’s a Angel Nieto Replica, a short run of bikes built in 1973 to honor the success of Spain’s leading motorcycle racer — via Derbi Angel Nieto Replica

Late last year I introduced you to GoS Watches (Gustafsson & Sjögren), artisan watchmakers based in Sweden. Their Scandinavian inspired watches often use non-traditional materials such as Damascus steel (cases and movements) and reindeer leather (straps), culminating in a look that I find very refreshing and original. Recently, Founder Patrik Sjögren was kind enough to send me a few nice photos of the brand’s new Stockholm watch with a special lapis lazuli dial which I thought you might enjoy. Price is $13,900. A white mother-of-pearl dial version is also available for $12,600 — via Perpetuelle.com Watch Blog

How do you put a penthouse for a grown child on top of their parent’s home? A strange situation called for something unique – an independent and differentiated addition that works both with and against the historic stone walls and foundation.

Grupo Aranea created a space for the client to call home, reaching out to surrounding views of southern Spanish landscapes, while providing privacy and connections to the old home below — via Dornob

Together with the gorgeous Louis Moinet Geograph, the Swiss watchmaker has issued another limited edition of the beautiful GMT chronograph watch: the Louis Moinet Geograph Rainforest [Ref. LM-24.30.56].

Having its chronograph totalizers made from genuine petrified palm wood, the watch will be issued in a very limited edition of 120 pieces — via World Watch Review

In the late 1930s, Panerai created a few examples of the Radiomir with a unique dial design. Today, only two examples survive. Why they were created is not known. Their history washed away with the Panerai archive in the Florence flood of 1966. The new Radiomir 3 Days Platino [PAM00373] picks up this dial design, which has never before been revived — via WatchTime

This project [Williams Boag Architects] is about centralising the City of Port Phillip’s staff in one location to maximise efficiency in delivery of services and the administration of the city. Part of the project was to retain a specific community hub within the South Melbourne Town Hall to respond to services needs in that suburb — via ArchDaily

A lot of custom motorcycles are capricious creatures: pretty but impractical. Others are bikes that you can jump on and ride to the shops, and this is one of them. It’s the latest build from the Spanish workshop CRD, and follows the current European trend towards pared-down, blacked-out machines. The base is a 2004 Triumph Bonneville, and it shows how Hinckley’s modern classic can be transformed by relatively subtle modifications — Bike EXIF

Our friends from Angular Momentum have just revealed their new Angular Momentum Longitude 12 Traveler Timepiece Concept hand-wound GMT watch that combines their beloved Verre Eglomise technique with a simple but beautiful second time-zone complication — via World Watch Review