Finally, the glorious summer is here (not that I could tell by looking out of the window since it's been pouring for the last three days) and with it the chance to waste our precious free time creatively. I combined this fact with the current pregnancy »trend« among my friends and colleagues, my undying love for all things geeky and decided it's time to check out some brain-teasing toys and gadgets, ready to shape our little ones into future architects, artists and builders. Or make the bigger ones grow down, whichever comes first. Below are the 5 most interesting thingamabobs I found, in no specific order.*

Possibly the greatest product out there this moment is the LEGO Architect series. In May, the Frank Lloyd Webber collection came out, enabling people of all ages to create their own Guggenheim and Fallingwater. A pretty sweet addition to the Landmark series, although it would be fine in my book if the series would also include some more non-American landmarks that aren't just Eiffel Tower and/or Tadj Mahal. Perhaps even fictional ones, similar to the totally-easy-to-build Minas Tirith that a very patient man named Patrick Acton is building from, in my estimate, about a gazillion matchsticks. A good idea for all you »matchstick men« out there who like to plan your activities for the following 3 summers :)

Another cute product is the Frank Gehry in pop-up book.  Similar to the Modern Architecture Pop-Up Book , these products offer fun times to the more lazy-oriented people who might find looking at pictures and facts more exciting than the above-mentioned activities. Frankly, I do not discriminate and oh, did I mention my birthday is coming up? *wink wink, ahem*

Then there's this Young Architect kit. The not-so-positive comments on it made me laugh hard. Even harder than the weird photoshop job they did for the cover. Also, as the commenter shared my immediate thought: if the makers decided to push the stereotype of a bespectacled architect, they should make sure the kid wears black for the photoshoot. Geez.

Ah, the kids nowadays have everything. I remember playing with cardboard boxes and introducing my dolls to their new shrubbery homes. Today's kids have modernist dollhouses! Wow! I changed my mind, I do want to grow up and be a pretty Barbie.

Finally, an idea that is not directly connected to architecture, but does involve fun and construction. Here's a guide on how to build a wooden dinosaur in your own back yard with simple ingredients like small dino model, Photoshop/projector, plywood and common household tools. You're welcome. And I hope I'm welcome too - on your dino's back. Where you will »surprise« me with one or more of these proposed gifts. Awww, thanks, you shouldn't ;)

* Please note I found the products below by pure chance and do not wish to promote anyone or make fun of their work. But if you want me to do either of that, feel free to send me the promo stuff, thanks :)

It's alive! Our stage is starting to fit in nicely with the rest of Metelkova as first couple of graffiti already appeared on it. They are pretty much scribbled around the sides and on the back but this is in my opinion the best angle:

The nights are getting warmer so I'm looking forward to seeing some colourful artwork on it soon. Volunteers?

Metelkova mesto finally has its new member - the stage now proudly stands on the platform, inviting inspired performers and graffiti artists alike.

Photo: Miran Kambiè

It was introduced during an event last Thursday in which Trimo Urban Crash and Trimo Architectural Awards were presented. The event officially introduced the biennial Trimo Architectural Days. The formal event took place in the Old Power Station in Ljubljana while the closing »afterparty« was held in Metelkova. Let's go through the pictures, shall we?

Photo: Borut Peterlin

The event was quite well-visited. Trimo representatives, nominees for Trimo Architectural Awards, architects, city representatives and Trimo Urban Crash winners - everybody mingled at the informal meeting in front of the hall.


Drummers from the group »Bobnars United« invited the guests to take their seats and performed a somewhat dramatic intro to the awards ceremony. Indeed we felt like a tribe.

Photo: Borut Peterlin

After Tatjana Fink (Trimo General Manager) and Miloš Ebner (Trimo R&D Director) welcomed the guests with their speeches, it was time to present the Trimo Urban Crash awards. The projects were presented and described and the winners received their diplomas. From the left: Miloš Ebner, Tatjana Fink, Matej Mejak, Aleš Peternel, Francesca Bellina, Chiara Agosti, Alicja Chola and Jan Ledwon.

Photo: Borut Peterlin

Now it was the grown-ups' turn. Trimo Architectural Awards were presented to architects from Denmark, Hungary, Macedonia, Poland, Slovenia, Serbia, Spain and Turkey who demonstrated examples of excellent architectural solutions performed with Trimo products. 114 projects from 14 countries arrived this year and 9 works were awarded.

Photo: Borut Peterlin

It were not only the architects who went home with something. Tomaž Furlan, representative of Metelkova mesto received a symbolic gift - a bucket filled with spray cans. For the purposes of creating new grafitti, of course. The guy in the picture wearing TAA shirt is Goran Medjugorac, the event's MC.


After some musical numbers by Boštjan Gombaè and Janez Dovè the MC announced it's time for the informal part with some refreshment. The back curtain behind the projection screen opened and revealed tables with goodies, prompting many »ooohs« and »aaaahs«.


A yummy close-up. Kinda hard (and improper) to talk to so many people with your mouth full but hey, everybody was doing it :)


Before leaving for Metelkova, we admired the exhibition of the shortlisted Trimo Urban Crash proposals and Trimo Architectural Awards projects. The entire exhibition consisted of aluminium plates with the visuals printed onto them.


The last part of the event took place in Metelkova. Boštjan Gombaè and Janez Dovè »christened« the stage with their performance - a mix of different music styles and songs. They whistled, played the accordion, clarinet, flute, saw, you name it. The atmosphere was quite magical. I recorded some of it, the paparazzo I am, and I will upload it as soon as possible.


Chiara and Francesca posed for us during the concert. Bellissimo! ;)


When the concert was over, Alicja and Jan sprung into action. Since the whiteness of the stage is so provoking, it is bound to be covered in graffiti eventually. Naturally, the authors can have the right to spray their work first.


»They made us do it, we swear!«


Trimo Architectural Days finished the next day on Ljubljana Castle. The morning activities started with a lecture by dr. Petra Èeferin who discussed affirming architecture. After a break, a round table followed, in which the architects Doc. MSc. Tadej Glažar, Aljoša Dekleva, Aljoša Kolenc, Miloš Ebner and industrial designer Nika Zupanc discussed the envelope as integral architectural component. Especially Mr Kolenc was responsible for some amusing moments with relevant opinions that went something like this: »If you don't mind, I would like to tell a joke. A ship went down in the ocean. An American, an Englishman and a Thai were the only survivors and they were stranded on a desert island. The American says: »Well, we need to get organized if we want to be saved. I am proficient in constructing radio equipment so I will build us a radio station. You, Englishman, build us a shelter. And you, Thai, take care of the supplies.« And so they started working. In two days, a decent radio was built, as well as a stable shelter. But the Thai never returned from the jungle. The American and the Englishman were worried so they went in the jungle as well, looking for him. They wandered the jungle the entire day but could not find him. So they turned around to return to their shelter. Just as they were getting out of the jungle, the Thai suddenly jumped in front of them from a nearby branch and yelled: »Supplies!!!« After the general laughter ceased, Mr Kolenc added: »Well, I don't know how exactly this is connected to the subject.«

After the round table, the afternoon activities like the tour of Ljubljana, calligraphy workshops etc. followed, but I cannot give you the inside scoop since it was high time for me to hit the old office again (where, apparently, I have been putting together this lenghty post until this very moment). But I hear the folk had quite a time despite the bad weather. All I can say is - hope the next Architectural Days are also as interesting as this year's.

On Monday the construction of the stage started on location. After the prototype passed with flying colours the hard-working Trimo men erected the stage on the Metelkova platform.

And I mean hard-working, since the entire thing was finished in three days. »Wawa-wiwa!«, as Borat would've put it so eloquently. Here's how it went down:

It's still naked, avert ye eyes!

Sparkling whiteness amidst lively colours

Men at work




Put your hands together for Cleansing Fluid & Vitamin Drink

If all goes well, we can expect the first musical performance this evening. I will keep you posted if you do me a favor and restrain your urge to do the rain dance until tomorrow.