STARCKphan: What's It All About?
"STARCKphan" is where you may explore a visual encyclopedia of design projects and efforts by today's foremost+famous+infamous+renowned+vilified designer+architect+intellect: Philippe Starck. I say that I am a Philippe Starck fan who appreciates his work and agrees with his politics. My friends say I am brainwashed and/or obsessed. Perhaps it's all true. Either way, my goal with this site is to provide a visual repository of Starck's work.
Starck’s designs are innovative, sexy, playful, stimulating, provocative, fun, compelling, daring, and sometimes surrealistic -- to me, everything great design should be about. I did not always subscribe to this position. Once-upon-a-time my design ethic was cold and logical… or rather, rational design. Modernism and brutalism were my comfort styles. That is… until… I experienced Starck's designs through his original concept for the Royalton Hotel In NYC. Through Starck's work, I came to appreciate the design additions of emotion+intelligence+playfulness+humor. Life for me has gratefully never been viewed the same ever since.
Design -- all of it: good, bad, indifferent, plebeian, generic, crass, etc -- defines the context of our lives. It is the visual stage upon which we all exist, even if not consciously aware of the fact. Design reflects our priorities as individuals and as a people. For me, I appreciate the exciting stimulation along with an inherent acknowledgment of responsibility for the world's well-being that Starck employs. Hence why he's in our personal collection.
While others may question the expense and scope of our personal design environment at home, I always follow up with a lecture about how purchasing well-made and well-designed furnishings and objects that surround us at home is the most responsible behavior we could exhibit. Everyday, we awake to an environment that is stimulating and never tiresome, and so, we never think about replacing them. In fact, we consider ourselves caretakers as they will survive us and be left to younger family members who have come to also appreciate the artistry and value.
Meanwhile, most of the world is soaking up merely functional, mostly uninspired, and "common-denominator" environments that will break, wear out, or simply become dull… and need replacing after only a few years. Thus will these cast offs contribute to our landfills while new purchases of lackluster design take their place in this wasteful cycle. Which behavior is better for earth's resources? Which is better for creating a stage upon which to live life?
Starck’s designs are innovative, sexy, playful, stimulating, provocative, fun, compelling, daring, and sometimes surrealistic -- to me, everything great design should be about. I did not always subscribe to this position. Once-upon-a-time my design ethic was cold and logical… or rather, rational design. Modernism and brutalism were my comfort styles. That is… until… I experienced Starck's designs through his original concept for the Royalton Hotel In NYC. Through Starck's work, I came to appreciate the design additions of emotion+intelligence+playfulness+humor. Life for me has gratefully never been viewed the same ever since.
Design -- all of it: good, bad, indifferent, plebeian, generic, crass, etc -- defines the context of our lives. It is the visual stage upon which we all exist, even if not consciously aware of the fact. Design reflects our priorities as individuals and as a people. For me, I appreciate the exciting stimulation along with an inherent acknowledgment of responsibility for the world's well-being that Starck employs. Hence why he's in our personal collection.
While others may question the expense and scope of our personal design environment at home, I always follow up with a lecture about how purchasing well-made and well-designed furnishings and objects that surround us at home is the most responsible behavior we could exhibit. Everyday, we awake to an environment that is stimulating and never tiresome, and so, we never think about replacing them. In fact, we consider ourselves caretakers as they will survive us and be left to younger family members who have come to also appreciate the artistry and value.
Meanwhile, most of the world is soaking up merely functional, mostly uninspired, and "common-denominator" environments that will break, wear out, or simply become dull… and need replacing after only a few years. Thus will these cast offs contribute to our landfills while new purchases of lackluster design take their place in this wasteful cycle. Which behavior is better for earth's resources? Which is better for creating a stage upon which to live life?
STARCKphan's Collection
Guns Collection (Lighting) Launch: Domestic Violence Party
Opening night party for Domestic Violence at Moss store NYC, May 14, 2005 -- The Moss store exhibited the Guns lamp project created by Philippe Starck for Flos, Italy. 70 preproduction prototypes were shown, finished in gold leaf and hand signed by Starck at the party for the fortunate few able to purchase the limited pieces. One of these lamps sits in STARCKphan's living room.
Kartell Launch of Starck's Bubble Club Chairs
These pictures of our friends (Steven & Melissa) were taken during the May 2000 ICFF Show in NYC, particularly at the Kartell Shop in SOHO. Starck signed chairs at the Bubble Club chair release party.