Make-up schools for non-pros

Cosmetic brands offer hands-on beauty classesIt’s a quiet Sunday morning in Apgujeong-dong, southern Seoul, and most of the high-end shops in the area are closed. But about eight women show up exactly at 10 a.m., at the MAC Cosmetics’ Apgujeong-dong store. All of them are wearing no make-up, not even a dab of mascara, and are dressed casually in T-shirts or summer dresses.  They are here to attend their weekly make-up class offered by MAC Cosmetics. One of them is Kang Mi-jung, 42, who last year

June 29, 2012

JINO HAUS

Following is the eighth in a series of articles in which leading architects discuss their representative work. ― Ed.When designing this building, I tried to make the most ordinary as well as the most extraordinary space: Jino Haus is located in an extremely ordinary place.The residential building combined with commercial facilities in Pangyo New Town is adjacent to a pedestrian street to the east and detached houses to the west.I took on this project with the idea of creating a differentiated sp

June 27, 2012

Going green on your special day

Eco-friendly wedding, from dress to honeymoon, is a viable alternativeLee Sun-woo and Kim Hyo-jin wanted their wedding day to be a special celebration that reflects their personalities and lifestyle. They found a great way to make the day unique and meaningful at an expo that showcased eco-friendly products such as a wedding dress in natural fabric, wedding invitation cards made from recycled paper and printed with soy-based ink. “Inspired by those items, we decided to try a green wedding,” said

June 27, 2012

16th-century French queen’s pin found

PARIS (AP) ― It may be the Renaissance equivalent of a royal flush.A hairpin belonging to 16th century French Queen Catherine de Medici has been discovered at a royal residence outside Paris. What has conservators scratching their heads is exactly where it was found: down a communal toilet.Officials said it’s the first time in modern history that a possession of the Renaissance royal has been found at Fontainebleau Palace.Though the queen was renowned across Europe for her lavish jewelry, much o

June 20, 2012

Ministry announces winners of 2012 Young Architect Awards

Three 2012 Young Architect Awards were handed out to architects on Wednesday.The winners of the annual prize given by the Culture Ministry are Kwon Hyung-pyo and Kim Soon-ju from Bau Architects, Lee Dong-joon of Stocker Lee Architetti and Lee So-jin of Atelier Lion Seoul. The award, started in 2008, recognizes the achievements of up-and-coming architects for excellence in design, capacity to balance architecture and nature and to sustain local ecosystems and cultures. Kwon and Kim of Seoul-based

June 20, 2012

Creating places for pleasant daily life

Following is the seventh in a series of articles in which leading architects discuss their representative work. ― Ed.There is no neighborhood architecture for those of us who are familiar with the exit numbers of subway stations and brand names of apartment complexes. No matter how small or insignificant, neighborhood architecture should have public value as entities. We should meet ordinary but well-designed architecture and spaces, which are created to have their unique and distinct features

June 20, 2012

Shoe choice shows personality traits: study

A study conducted by the University of Kansas found that people can judge a stranger’s personality by looking at the person’s shoes with more than 90 percent of accuracy. A total of 63 university students participated in the study and they were asked to look at pictures showing 208 different pairs of shoes that were most commonly worn by the other volunteer group. The group also filled out a personality questionnaire to indicate their characteristics. Lead researcher Omri Gillath said the judgme

June 14, 2012

Smart Bed makes itself after you get up

Spanish furniture maker OHEA has introduced an electronic bed that makes itself.The Smart Bed is equipped with two mechanical arms and a roller that move the blanket back to the head of the bed in a process that takes only about 50 seconds.When the user flips a switch positioned at the foot of the bed, the bed senses the body movement and makes itself three seconds later. The furniture also contains a built-in safety device that prevents operation while a person is lying on the mattress. OHEA ha

June 14, 2012

Strategy of addition and subtraction

Following is the sixth in a series of articles in which leading architects discuss their representative work. ― Ed.Surplus is a product of a consumer society. Surplus exaggerates values, and, in turn, produces an infinite bubble of surplus. Similarly, a modern city extends itself with capitalism-friendly logic, and gives it the same bubble logic. But the surplus of any place on earth means a lack in another place. The essential problem of such surplus originates from a dishonest definition of th

June 13, 2012

Look smart, stay cool

Try conservative necklines, tone-on-tone looks and play with patternsWith the recent government drive to save energy, civil servants and office workers have been encouraged to adopt casual wear ― shirts without a tie, shorts and even sandals. But while the relaxed and more casual look may keep office workers from turning on the air conditioner, it doesn’t help them look professional. Now, fashion brands have met the challenge, presenting men’s summer office wear in light, cool fabrics that will

June 13, 2012

Japan inspires Gaga’s shoe designer

TOKYO (AP) -- A Japanese shoe designer has become a pop diva’s favorite by taking geisha and making it Gaga.Noritaka Tatehana is the man behind Lady Gaga’s towering, cloglike shoes, which have no heel and are 25 to 46 centimeters (10 to 18 inches) tall. Her appearances on TV shows and music videos, teetering in his creations, have helped make him such a fashion star that some of his shoes sell for more than $15,000 a pair.Tatehana, who has made more than 20 pairs for Lady Gaga over the last two

June 6, 2012

Olsen twins get fashion’s big prize

NEW YORK (AP) ― Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen took home the biggest prize at the annual Council of Fashion Designers of America awards. The former child TV stars were selected Monday night as the country’s top womenswear designers for their collection called The Row.“I’d like to thank you ― you,” Mary-Kate, wearing an all-black ensemble, said, turning to her purple-clad twin, as she accepted.Jessica Chastain, who wore a sparkly white dress by Prabal Gurung, announced the 25-year-olds as winners at

June 6, 2012

Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Hall A place for commemoration and contemplation

A place for commemoration and contemplationFollowing is the fifth in a series of articles in which leading architects discuss their representative work. ―Ed.The Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Hall, rebuilt after the old one was demolished in 2009, is nestled in a small plaza behind the original building. Next to the site are the remnants of an old war shrine where Japanese people worshipped their warlords and spirits during the colonial era. Having dug up the age-old reminder of disgrace and humiliation

June 6, 2012

U.S. teen’s beauty secret video becomes online sensation

A U.S. teenager posted a video on YouTube showing her acne-ridden face and shared her beauty techniques to conceal blemished skin with makeup in 10 minutes.Cassandra Bankson, 19, hesitated for a month before making the decision to expose her face online to help people suffering with the same condition.The makeup lesson has drawn 7.8 million hits and received great responses from viewers. Bankson was asked to appear on a television show that gave her a chance to reveal her story.She confessed tha

May 31, 2012

Architecture as a boundary between the common and the uncommon

Following is the fourth in a series of articles in which leading architects discuss their representative work. ― Ed.For many people, architectural space holds numerous meanings and responses. A space born out of a certain form creates countless stories for pedestrians who walk past the buildings or who look at them from afar; the stories can be different for the builders, the owners and the users. An architect is a person who gathers and predicts such stories and translates them into a form. Thu

May 30, 2012