Los Angeles unveils its venues for the 2028 Summer Olympics, more travelers are looking to beat the heat with “coolcations,” and a silicosis trial holds stone companies accountable. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
More travelers are choosing “coolcations”
A harbor village in Norway; photo courtesy of Adobe Stock
A poll by luxury travel company Virtuoso found that more than 80 percent of people traveling this summer were specifically seeking cooler destinations. The term for this rising trend, which began gaining traction on Google searches in June, has been aptly dubbed “coolcation,” writes the Street. To avoid the scorching heat waves in hotspots like Greece and Spain, more travelers are looking further north at countries including Poland and Belgium. The same Virtuoso data reveals a 27 percent increase in bookings to Scandinavia and a 49 percent uptick in bookings to Iceland, compared to summer favorites like Italy, which saw the needle move just 3 percent from last year. Some are looking for even colder experiences, with UK-based arctic expedition company Iglu Cruise reporting demand for its trips soared by 235 percent from 2022 to 2023.
A series of art sculptures land in Harlem’s parks
“Ancestral Annual,” a 9-foot-tall wooden work by Dario Mohr and Cody Umans
Two dozen art sculptures have been installed across public parks in Harlem, created by artists of color who explore themes of identity, diaspora, and local traditions. Isa Farfan of Hyperallergic delves into the stories behind the Harlem Sculpture Gardens, the New York’s neighborhood’s largest public art show to date, on view until October. Curated by Savona Bailey-McClain, director of the West Harlem Arts Fund, and Michael Gormley, director of New York Artists Equity Association, the exhibition draws on the legacy of the late Harlem Renaissance sculptor Augusta Savage. Savage, who directed the New Deal-era Harlem Community Art Center and cofounded the Harlem Artists Guild, broke barriers and became a pivotal community figure through her outspoken criticism of racial disparities in the art world.
Los Angeles reveals 2028 Summer Olympics venues
An aerial view of Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, home of the LA Clippers; photo courtesy of LA Clippers
Now that the 2024 Summer Olympics has officially concluded in Paris, attention is shifting to the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. Over the past decade, the trend of constructing permanent structures for the Olympics has notably declined, with Paris building only one major venue for the event. LA is expected to follow suit, opting to utilize existing sports arenas, conference centers, and a few specialized temporary venues rather than constructing new permanent sites. The homes of the city’s biggest sports teams will be converted into venues, including the recently completed SoFi Stadium and Intuit Dome. Several sites that hosted the LA Olympics in 1932, including the Los Angeles Swimming Stadium and Long Beach Marine Stadium, will also be repurposed. Dezeen takes a closer look at 15 different venues slated for LA 2028.
Silicosis trial finds stone companies at fault
Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock
Last fall, Hospitality Design highlighted the dangers of quartz, a manmade composite material that has become a staple in the construction industry over the last few decades, thanks to its durability and lower price point compared to granite and marble. However, growing evidence suggests that the engineered stone comes with serious health risks. Cases of silicosis—a fatal lung disease caused by the chronic inhalation of fine silica particles released when cutting quartz—are on the rise among countertop workers globally.
Detailed in a report by the Los Angeles Times, one of the first related cases went to trial this month, with a Los Angeles County jury holding businesses that make or distribute engineered stone accountable for the suffering of a 34-year-old stonecutter diagnosed with the incurable disease. Gustavo Reyes Gonzalez—who spent years cutting countertop slabs without being provided adequate respiratory protection—was diagnosed with silicosis and required a double lung transplant, which is expected to last six more years before he needs another transplant. The jury decided that the damages amounted to more than $44 million, and though the defendants are not wholly responsible for the full amount, it concluded that Caesarstone USA bore 15 percent of the responsibility, Cambria 10 percent, and Color Marble 2.5 percent.
BDNY preview: A Designed Space sneak peek
Salone by Baskervill, one of the four Designed Spaces coming to BDNY 2024 in November
We are getting ready for BDNY, coming up November 10–11th, 2024 at the Javits Center in New York. In addition to the hundreds of exhibitors and 40 conference sessions, attendees will have the chance to explore four signature Designed Spaces—created by leading industry visionaries and brought to life with products from exhibitors and sponsors—on the trade fair floor that will host engaging conversations throughout the two conference days. Above is a sneak peek of one of them: Salone by Baskervill. Beyond your average cocktail party, it’s an invitation to a modern renaissance of the 15th-century salone. Check out a preview of the space here and don’t forget to register for BDNY!
