Artist Choi Jeong Hwa pays tribute to those who built the World Cup, HD’s podcast inaugurates its 100th episode, and a new book delves into five decades of the Barbie Dreamhouse. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
An ode to the Barbie Dreamhouse
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As you salivate over the frothy teaser for 2023’s Barbie film, consider one of the brand’s most enduring designs: the Barbie Dreamhouse. Originally introduced 60 years ago, the iconic dollhouse is the subject of the new book Barbie Dreamhouse: An Architectural Survey, which explores how pop culture and design history inform one another. Moreover, the text examines the Dreamhouse as an aspirational totem, a “site designed specifically for the single, liberated woman,” AD PRO reports. The Barbie Dreamhouse first emerged as a departure from Victorian dollhouses that served more as status symbols that promoted nuclear domesticity. Instead, the portable and foldable bachelorette pad was populated with literature and modernist furniture. Surprisingly, the original model was crafted with no pink, no kitchen, and a single bed to further position Barbie as an independent woman of the 1960s. From the sophisticated Barbie Townhouse to the hyperfeminine Magical Mansion, the new book showcases four more iterations of the Dreamhouse from the 1970s to today through the lens of 20th- century design movements.
Doha art installation honors World Cup workers
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This year’s World Cup arrived against the backdrop of abundant controversy surrounding unethical labor practices enacted in the development of $220 billion in new infrastructure. Some estimates tally that up to 500 migrant workers died during construction of seven new stadiums, a metro, and more, the Art Newspaper reports. The work of one artist aims to ensure the plight of migrant workers is not forgotten. Ahead of the World Cup, Korean artist Choi Jeong Hwa was commissioned by the state-run Qatar Foundation to craft the installation Come Together. The 40-foot-tall artwork comprises stainless steel and plastic bursts of vibrant pastel and neon orbs strung together across 100 branches. Soccer balls and oversized baubles are also configured in tandem with traditional Qatari kitchenware and industrial safety helmets to recall the tufts of a dandelion. Choi says the artwork is “a symbol of appreciation for their efforts and is intended to ensure their role is recognized in a prominent and lasting way.”
Ukrainian solidarity is served in this NYC basement
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Housed in the basement of chiropractic office in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Streecha is among the Ukrainian eateries in New York still experiencing booms in popularity following the Russian invasion nearly a year ago. However, Streecha has seen as robust an uptick in its volunteers as its diners, Eater reports. Since even before the invasion, Saturdays receive a crew of helpers arriving at the informal cafeteria to help shape, prepare, and package nearly 3,000 varenyky. Streecha serves as an extension of nearby St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, with money made from food orders serving as a fundraiser for the church. A portion of funds are also allocating to relief efforts in Ukraine.
Meet the new barons of baby furniture
The Chair from Lalo
For decades, the durability of plastic (and often colorful) baby products has yielded billions in annual sales for power players like Fisher Price, Graco, and Chicco. But as millennials bring their own litters into the world, they’ve proven less inclined to let predecessors compromise their domestic aesthetics. Instead, an emphasis on design-driven products has spurred the growth of a slew of emerging brands, according to Fast Company. Direct-to-consumer startups are staking their claim in an industry. Take Lalo, which specializes in sleek highchairs, playsets, and baby bathtubs designed with clean lines and muted tones based on feedback from a council of 60 parents and grandparents. Nestig also touts a line of wooden cribs available in minimalist colorways, while Totter and Tumble offer elevated play mats crafted in response to contemporary design trends without sacrificing safety. Ultimately, new offerings stand out against the titans for one simple reason: they design for parents as well as infants.
HD’s “What I’ve Learned” podcast celebrates 100 episodes
As we raise a glass to 2023, HD is also toasting our “What I’ve Learned” podcast, which is celebrating 100 episodes. The milestone episode revisits conversations editor in chief Stacy Shoemaker Rauen had with hospitality titans, including Raul Leal, SH Hotels & Resorts; Brad Wilson, Ace Hotel Group; Ian Schrager, ISC; Paula Scher, Pentagram; and Venus Williams, V Starr, among others who make an appearance in our clip show. Listen to the episode here and explore the entire “What I’ve Learned” catalog to curate hours of thought-provoking discussion during your long drives this holiday season.
