Photography – Page 3

4th December 2016 — No Comments

Wonders of the North // Part 1

It's easy to pine for that next trip abroad, to just put your feet up and do nothing for a few days. In reality we all know that never happens. You get restless, bored and impatient, feelings you were literally trying to get away from. Funny enough it's not the location that spoils the fun but your own mind. Next time you feel the itch to get away from it all and spontaneously book a trip somewhere warm, research something that's around the corner. For my latest photography journal thats exactly what I did so read on about my latest adventure:

PART 1 // PART 2

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Bolton Abbey

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Bolton Abbey is an estate in Wharfedale in North Yorkshire, England, which takes its name from the ruins of the 12th-century Augustinian monastery (now known as Bolton Priory). Nestled in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales on the banks of the River Wharfe, Bolton Abbey provides a down to earth day out. If you're a fan of history, nature and long walks then this is a place for you.

Bolton Abbey is the “jewel in the crown” of Yorkshire’s many landscapes, and the 30,000 acres of beautiful countryside boast over 80 miles of footpaths to walk and explore. I was going through a creative 'mental block' of sorts so my visit here was ideal of getting out of my own head and letting the fresh air inspire me with new ideas.

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Bolton Priory is one of the most beautiful of English Religious Houses, founded by the Charter of Alice de Romilly at Embsay in 1135 and moved to Bolton in 1154. It was a priory of Augustinian Friars who were known as Black Cannons. It was a monastic life and they lived under a rule observing the three substantial vows of poverty, obedience and chastity.

The nave of the abbey church was in use as a parish church from about 1170 onwards, and survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Building work was still going on at the abbey when the Dissolution of the Monasteries resulted in the termination of the priory in January 1540. The east end remains in ruins. A tower, begun in 1520, was left half-standing, and its base was later given a bell-turret and converted into an entrance porch. Most of the remaining church is in the Gothic style of architecture. It is still a working priory today, holding services on Sundays and religious holidays. (SOURCE)

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Lake District

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Instead of taking a gap year in Asia remember that you probably haven't explored most of your own country yet. While doing research for this post I came across some old photos from a trek I did with some friends around the Lake District. The cost of food and petrol were minuscule if you consider how much a holiday abroad actually costs you in terms of time and money.

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Historically split between Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire, the Lake District is now entirely in Cumbria. All the land in England higher than 3,000 feet (910 m) above sea level lies within the National Park, including Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England. It also contains the deepest and longest bodies of water in England, respectively Wastwater and Windermere.

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Ensure you prepare thoroughly for the trip ahead as the climb can become treacherous with the constantly changing weather. A map, rainproof coat, water and sturdy shoes should be the first things you pack. Cameras and iPhones can come later. It will all be worth it once you take in your surroundings. My old pictures above barely do it justice.

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Malham Cove

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Malham Cove is a limestone formation north of the village of Malham, North Yorkshire. The large, curved feature was formed by a waterfall carrying meltwater from glaciers at the end of the last Ice Age more than 12,000 years ago. Today it is a well-known beauty spot within the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

A large limestone pavement above the cove awaits if you brave the walk but the entire area is gorgeous in its own right. The cove itself is very popular with climbers because of its number of climbing routes (many of which can be ascended in the rain). So the next time you're short on things to do make sure to explore your local area to the fullest, the Taj Mahal can wait.

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STYLEGRAM

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Thanks for reading my latest article. Give it a share using the links below so others can enjoy it too. For more check out my latest lookbook from Paris, street style from London Collections or my trip to the magical city of Coimbra.

brimham rocks As always stay classy and if you have a story you wish to share please contact editorial@thestyledivision.com or tag your social posts with #DVSN

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Published by antondee in Creative Blog, DVSN Updates, Lifestyle, Photography

22nd November 2016 — No Comments

Change Your Body, Change Your Mind

Ever wish you could increase your confidence levels on demand? Or relieve a stressful feeling in a moment? Using your body differently can be an easy way to give yourself a quick boost in the feeling happier department. Fighters don’t walk into a cage wearing an expression of serenity, neither do world leaders deliver their speeches hunched over and looking small. And most of us have felt the feel-good benefit of a belly laugh, a little dance or even a good cry. So how can we use our bodies to influence our thoughts and feelings?

Words: Carolyn Ranson // Photos: Anton Dee

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Looking Up

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Things are looking up, cheer up, bringing me down, feeling down – language can often provide us with a bunch of clues about ourselves, if we’re listening. Looking downwards is easily associated with depressing, draining emotions while looking upwards is often connected to happier, lighter feelings. In the field of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), eye movements are considered linked to thought patterns in the brain. Looking upwards usually relates to imaginative and creative ideas - rather than strong emotions - so if you’re feeling down in the dumps, you know where to look.

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Take Up Space

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Amy Cuddy’s excellent TED talk explains how our posture can affect our mood. Adopting a stronger, larger posture can make someone feel more powerful - in minutes. For some, this is hands on hips, legs apart while for others it may be sitting up straight and relaxing the arms. You’ll appear more confident and capable to others, but more importantly you’ll be communicating to yourself that you’re in control and there’s nothing to stress about. Remove stress from the brain and you’re free to do your best thinking – especially handy in a job interview.

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Walk This Way

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Our feet are intricate, complex things with 26 bones, 19 muscles and thousands of nerve endings; they were never designed to be wrapped in leather or plastic all day. Going barefoot might not be for everyone but ‘rolling’ through the balls of your feet as you walk will put a natural spring in your step – making you feel good and reducing the risk of pulls and strains. Speed is important too. To generate a sense of purpose, try walking 25% faster; for a more relaxed feeling, try slowing the pace down by 25%. The key here is to make a conscious decision; rushing for the bus or shuffling along mindlessly isn’t going to cut it.

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Shake It Off

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Too often we carry tension in different parts of our body: shoulders, solar plexus, stomach, even our face. Many people feel anxiety as a tightening in their chest. Football legend Paul Scholes often did a ‘silent scream’ when he ran onto the pitch – stretching and relaxing those face muscles. Even Taylor Swift has gotten in on the action. Shaking our stress off can be done with big or small movements. Let the shoulders drop and literally dust yourself down – all over or anywhere you feel tight. This works in two ways: it interrupts the brain’s autopilot function of always looking for the next threat and it draws your attention to any muscles that might be in need of a rest.

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Smiles and Smiles

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It may seem obvious but simply smiling, whether you feel happy or not, can have a profound effect on your day. Even holding a pencil between your teeth has been reported to boost mood and yield health benefits. Smiling can also help prevent the brain from absorbing negative feelings when in the presence of a perpetual complainer. You might want to consider Orphan Annie’s advice and decide that you’re ‘never fully dressed without a smile’.

by Carolyn Ranson

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It may take practice but the more you use your body to generate positive feelings. The more accustomed to a happier way of thinking your brain will become and the better you’ll feel. It’s simple, it’s free and - as long as you don’t try all these tips at the same time – no one will suspect a thing.

*Thank you to Carolyn for contributing this awesome little article. Leave us a tweet and let us know if any of the tips above have helped you in any way. For more check out our latest lookbook with Bench, street style from London Collections or my trip to the magical city of Coimbra. As always stay classy and if you have a story you wish to share please contact editorial@thestyledivision.com or tag your social posts with #DVSN

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Published by antondee in DVSN Updates, Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle, Photography

10th November 2016 — No Comments

London I Love You, But You’re Bringing Me Down

London, it’s over, and it’s not me, it’s you. At what point do we say enough's enough and actually realise we'd rather live in affordable cities? This isn't a 'goodbye' though, this is just a see you later as I'm not done with you yet, not by a long shot. The problem with your dream city is that they have a habit of becoming real. You may look at London, New York or Paris as cities bustling with opportunity, and to some extent that is true, but real life problems are never too far behind. At this time of writing I have had to leave London and reevaluate what I actually want out of life because breathing smog and spending half of my earnings on rent was never going to be a long term solution.

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Alan Watts Wisdom

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The universe is always sending you signals, it's just a matter of recognising them. I'm quite an athletic person but one morning I woke up and felt truly terrible. Both physically and mentally. I cannot narrow it down to just one thing but a combination of stress, diet, personal issues and environment must have played a part. The solution was simple - change my routine, return to basics and give my body a much needed detox. In times like these unconditional love from friends and family is invaluable.

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I also began listening to a lot of Alan Watts, a British philosopher best known as an interpreter and populariser of Eastern philosophy for a Western audience. He outlined concepts of love, work and pleasure in such a simple way I wondered how I got through 25 years of life without them. Below I have transcribed one of his talks in the hope it jolts your mind into action in a way it did for me.

"In music one doesn’t make the end of a composition the point of the composition. If that were so the best conductors would be those who played fastest, and there would be composers who wrote only finales. People would go to concerts just to hear one crashing chord; because that’s the end!

But we don’t see that as something brought by our education into our every day conduct. We’ve got a system of schooling that gives a completely different impression. It’s all graded. And what we do is we put the child into the corridor of this grade system with a kind of “come on kitty kitty kitty”, and now you go to kindergarten. And that’s a great thing because when you finish that you get into first grade, and then come on; first grade leads to second grade and so on, and then you get out of grade school.

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Now you’re going to go to high school, and it’s revving up – the thing is coming. Then you go to college, and by Jove then you get into graduate school and when you’re through with graduate school you go out and join the World! And then you get into some racket where you’re selling insurance. And they’ve got that quota to make, and you’re gonna make that. And all the time that thing is coming. It’s coming, it’s coming! That great thing, the success you’re working for. Then when you wake up one day at about 40 years old you say “My God! I’ve arrived! I’m there”. And you don’t feel very different from what you always felt.

And there’s a slight let down because you feel there’s a hoax. And there was a hoax. A dreadful hoax. They made you miss everything. We thought of life by analogy with a journey, with a pilgrimage which had a serious purpose at the end and the thing was to get to that end. Success or whatever it is, or maybe heaven after you’re dead. But we missed the point the whole way along. It was a musical thing and we were supposed to sing or to dance while the music was being played."

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You Are Enough

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I'm glad I cracked the game when I did and didn't spend any more years chasing this arbitrary recognition or fame or whichever name one chooses to call it. My drive and determination have not diminished, in fact this learning experience has made me stronger. There is also a weight that is lifted off your shoulders when you realise the only person you're in competition with is yourself.

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The most important things in life such as friends and family and social connections are free. They're also really good for us because loneliness kills both figuratively and literally. I don't wish to dissuade anyone from following their dreams or their heart but do so without sacrificing important things and people in your life. So London, thank you for teaching me this invaluable lesson and the next time we see each other I hope you welcome me with open arms.

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As always stay classy and if you have a story you wish to share please contact editorial@thestyledivision.com or tag your social posts with #DVSN

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Published by antondee in DVSN Updates, Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle, Photography

29th October 2016 — No Comments

Magical Coimbra, Portugal

Travelling to new places is always about self discovery. Finding out why you view certain things the way you do, breaking misconceptions and realising there is no such thing as 'normal'. What you consider normal may be weird to someone else and by going in with an open mindset, a sense of wonder always seems to follow. During my summer of travel and much needed soul searching I visited Amsterdam. I came alone for two reasons: 1) I needed to get away from the hustle and bustle of adult life in a busy city 2) travelling alone forces you talk to strangers and create your own adventure.

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As a street photographer I abide by the classic '3 Second Rule'. You have 3 seconds to run up to someone and ask for a photo (or take it discreetly). Anything more means you're overthinking and the spontaneity of the moment has passed. In Amsterdam I literally jumped off the tram to photograph a girl I saw in the distance and through subsequent conversations I was staying with her a month later in a small Portugese town called Coimbra. Funny how these things work out.

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Captivating Coimbra

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I came at a most opportune time as Portugal made it to the final of Euro 2016, while the end of academic year celebrations were in full flow. Coincidentally, University of Coimbra (founded in 1290) is Portugal's oldest and most distinguished university, and a third of the city's 35,000-strong population are students. Before parting ways and starting the next chapter of their lives men gather on the steps of the old 12th-century cathedral and perform a fado. It's sad and beautiful at the same time and reminds them of the upcoming end of their graduation. It's time for them to leave the city, their colleagues and friends so feeling melancholic is to be expected (watch here).

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Built on a hill, Coimbra wears its royal palace as a crown. Braving the walk to the summit you're enveloped by a building that was inhabited by monarchs from the 12th to the 15th century, before becoming the home of the university in 1537. The city is filled with winding alleyways, adorned by colourful dreamcatchers with a splash of pastel pinks and yellows thrown in for good measure.

Walking through Coimbra felt like a dream. Knowing that you have no obligations, no expectations (apart from those pesky ones you put on yourself) really allowed me to enjoy the city. Without any prior research I challenged the city to impress me and impress me it did. Charming people, botanical gardens, melancholic songs that will stay with me for the rest of my life, you literally cannot put a price on that.

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Capa negra de saudade

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One of the most distinctive traditions is the use of the academic costume of the University of Coimbra. A black suit and cape worn on special occasions by the students, which was adopted by other Portuguese universities across the country (Source). No surprise then that J.K. Rowling found inspiration in the black capes during her well documented time in Coimbra. The Joanina Library also served as a source of inspiration for the great hall and other iconic Harry Potter 'landmarks' the fans know and love.

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Maybe I had the same water as J.K. Rowling but it felt as if the city put a magic spell over me. Inspired by Coimbra and my energetic hosts I decided to write a little poem that hopefully resonates with a few of you. Worrying about the future is a source of so many anxieties but from personal experience things tend to balance themselves out. Living in the present is the only thing you can be sure of so make sure to enjoy it. As Bob Ross put it:

"There are no mistakes, just happy little accidents".

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A Poem for Coimbra

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As you play the game of life
the stumbles you must overcome

The ups and downs, they must exist
for you to feel as one

Don't fret, relax, lie back and breathe
Your soul will be your guide

For trust you must and open up
to the voice that's deep inside

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STYLEGRAM

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Thanks for reading my latest article. If you enjoyed it why not give it a share using the links below? For more check out our latest lookbook with Bench, street style from London Collections or our trip to Rome.

coimbra friends river As always stay classy and if you wish to be featured in one of our roundups please contact editorial@thestyledivision.com or tag your social posts with #styledivision

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Published by antondee in DVSN Updates, Lifestyle, Photography, Travel

15th October 2016 — No Comments

Happiness in Dorset

Travel is essential for the well being of your mind and body but don’t go packing that suitcase just yet. Often a simple change of scenery is the only thing that's required so instead of looking for cheap flights abroad, research and see hidden treasures around you. Since I moved to London 2 years ago it's been difficult to actually get out of the city. There's so much to see and do that putting things off becomes an unwritten pasttime. Holidays abroad became easier than local adventures so to put a stop to this a few of us grabbed our cameras and drove down to Dorset to see what Mother Nature had in store for us.

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Kimmeridge Bay, Dorset

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The first stop on our adventure was Kimmeridge Bay which filled the nostrils with a fresh sea breeze and set the mood for the rest of the trip. In the distance you can see Clavell Tower, also known as Clavell Folly or the Kimmeridge Tower. The tower is a Grade II listed building which was built on the top of Hen Cliff back in 1830. The receding tide also exposed the geology of the world renowned Jurassic Coast. The rocky shale and comentstone reefs make the area a key habitat for marine animals while historic fossils and dinosaur bones have also been discovered here.

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Get The Look

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Finding Happiness

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Maybe it was the fresh air or simply a change of scenery but for the first time in months I felt truly happy. No worries about girls, work, rent or what my next article is going to be about. Just a simple day of walks, laughs and photographs. This got me thinking about happiness and how people view it as a commodity or thing we're all entitled to but for me it's more of a feeling or a state one finds themselves in. The world renowned illusionist and personal hero of mine Derren Brown recently gave an interview on Radio 2 about this very topic. He talked about how the question of happiness isn't thought about as much as it used to be. People think they know what they need to be happy but unfortunately chasing the path of fame and fortune isn't likely to be fortuitous. Fame and fortune should be by-products of your life, not the sole purpose of it as success isn't something that arrives suddenly.

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Maybe the word 'happy' is part of the problem as we use the term loosely everyday. You team won a football game? You say you're happy. Enjoyed a nice meal at your favourite restaurant? Same answer. Using one word to describe different emotions is limiting and diminishes its value. Perhaps what we're feeling is pleasure and sometimes its hard to distinguish between the two. More and more self help books are published everyday with a simple message that anyone can “magically get what they want”. This is a damaging precedent as it's a promise that will always disappoint.

Ancient Greek philosophers such as Epicurus and Pyrrho also talked about Atoraxia, a lucid state of robust tranquillity, characterised by ongoing freedom from distress and worry. The teachings of Buddhism follow along the same lines by telling you that attachment to things you cannot control will only lead to pain so treading the fine line between productivity and tranquility is the way to go.

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I feel that happiness is whats left when you remove anxiety and disturbances from everyday life or as the 18th century philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau put it:

"Happiness: a good bank account, a good cook, and a good digestion"

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Durdle Door, Dorset

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Travel in and of itself will not make you happy but it does pull you out of your comfort zone. To grow and develop (whether personally or creatively) you have to take risks and continuously try new things. Over the next couple of days I will be using my travel journals to delve deeper into our fragile psyche and explore topics such as stress, decisions and what makes a good life. But for now here are a few more snaps from the truly gorgeous Durdle Door.

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Durdle Door is a natural limestone arch on the Jurassic Coast near Lulworth in Dorset, England. It is privately owned by the Welds, a family who owns 12,000 acres in Dorset in the name of the Lulworth Estate. Big thanks to the crew for dragging me out of my slumber and helping me discover this unique piece of British coastline. A few of the pictures weren't taken by me so if you like what you see make sure to check out their accounts using the links below:

Ed Robertson // Jess Hope // Zsuzsa Zichó // Jonathon Cartwright // Amber Hoa

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STYLEGRAM

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dorset-durdle-door-britain-uk-nature Thanks for checking out my latest post. If you enjoyed what you read you can share it using the links below or just follow me on your favourite social channels. Remember, no one is going to tell you what happiness is as it’s different from person to person. Don't believe that if you wish for it the universe will provide, go out there an do it! Until next time 🙂

As always stay classy and if you wish to be featured in one of our roundups please contact editorial@thestyledivision.com or tag your social posts with #styledivision

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Published by antondee in Creative Blog, DVSN Updates, Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle, Photography, Travel

14th October 2016 — No Comments

Magical Malta

When asked to sum up the Buddha’s teachings up in one phrase a zen teacher Suzuki Roshi simply said, “Everything changes.”. We must remember this in our daily lives and understand that clinging on to things only creates suffering. Whether it's a job, relationship or possessions it's illogical to make things work just because you cannot bear to face the alternative. The alternative is always unknown and thus can produce a great deal of anxiety. Relinquishing all control of one self and going with the flow will always yield unexpected results.

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Magical Malta

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Alan Watts used to compare life to music. The point of music is music, he would say. People enjoy listening to music for the rhythm, the stream of melody. No one is listening to music to hear it end. If they were then, as Watts pointed out, their favourite songs would be the ones that ended abruptly with one single uproar of noise. Life is the same way.

With that mindset I have recently decided to leave my position with the wonderful guys over at Unsigned and travel the world in search of adventure. My latest stop was Malta which is a country shrouded in beauty and a rich, violent history. In the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, where the sea narrows between African and European continents, the islands of Malta and Gozo offer the best of both worlds. The laid back Italian culture permeates every nook and cranny of its cities such as Valletta and Birgu while the hot African climate means clear skies and very little chance of rain.

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Malta possesses natural deep and well-protected harbours. These were one of the island's most important assets, and that is the main reason why the different Mediterranean powers, whether for trade or for control, always desired to occupy the archipelago. When the knights of St John arrived in Malta in 1530, the peninsula on which Valletta and Floriana were to be built was practically uninhabited. There was a small church and probably a tower at its tip, to watch over the entrance to the harbours and perhaps a few farmhouses. The area was immediately recognised by the knights as an excellent strategic site for a fortified city.

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The very first structure to be built was For St Elmo. The piratical attack of 1551 made it clear to the knights that they were in grave danger. There were no adequate defences and they decided to build fortifications in case that raid was just a spying mission. A year later a small star-shaped fort was erected to the designs of Pietro Pardo. It was built in such a hurry that it was said that attacked would take it in a few days. Because of this detail, various grand masters continued to add walls and better fortifications , without actually making it better. Other suggestions and even plans were prepared to build a fortified city but, since it was felt that an attack was imminent and there was not enough money to start such a large project, they were postponed. In 1565, when a large Ottoman armada landed in Malta, only Fort St Elmo was in place.

The Great Siege was fought around the Grand Harbour area. Before the loss of Fort St Elmo, the Ottomans used the high ground of the promontory to attack both the fort and the other side of the harbour fortifications. The successful end of the siege in September of the same year, led to the knights to insist with the European powers that both material and financial help was needed quickly, or else they would abandon the islands. Help thus was sent, which included Francesco Laparelli, the pope's military architect.

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Laparelli immediately went about working out a feasible plan and on 28 March 1566, the first stone of the new city was laid. The line of fortifications was quickly erected and soon the first buildings rose behind them. The definite transfer of the headquarters of the Order from Vittoriosa to Valletta in 1571 led to a series of building programmes, which was to become an ongoing exercise. The first buildings were erected in the style of the time, namely late Renaissance and Mannerism. In the seventeenth century Baroque was introduced and this led to more buildings, and sometimes the pulling down of others in order to rebuild them in the new style. Various architects were brought over to continue with this trend and painters were also invited to decorate the interior of the churches and palaces.

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The Architecture of Malta

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The Maltese islands are an architectural paradise. The various powers that occupied the islands throughout the last 7,000 years have all left their mark, one way or another. The most impressive architectural remains must surely be the prehistoric temples, which have been called 'the oldest free-standing buildings in the world'. One can appreciate the techniques used by these prehistoric builders, even though they lacked the proper tools to erect such impressive structures. Chronologically, the next architectural gems are from the Roman period, with the most important being the Domus at Rabat and the Roma Baths, limits of Mgarr.

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Medieval architecture can be mostly seen at Mdina or in the various older village cores that still abound. The small houses have been lost, but the impressive palaces built by the well-to-do and the noble families have survived. The two-mullioned windows and the pointed arches are typical of this period. Something similar can be seen at Birgu, especially inside the Inquisitor's Palace. Some churches dating from this period ave survived as well, although they are not amongst the most impressive.

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The Baroque period must surely be referred to as the Golden Age of Malta. The building of Valletta in the sixteenth century led to the military and religious Order of St John to set up its headquarters there. After settling down, the knights started to add to their buildings, or even pull them down and rebuild them. Foreign architects who were invited to Malta, together with local talent, erected buildings like the auberge of Castile in Valletta (Andrea Belli), the cathedral in Mdina (Lorenzo Gafa), and various other palaces all over the islands.

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While all of this public building was being carried out, whole systems of fortifications were being planned and built all over the islands. The urban conglomerations around Valletta as well as the coast ended up being provided with all kinds of defence systems that are mostly still standing.

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The British introduced styles of architecture more to their liking, such as the Neo-Classical style and the Neo-Gothic. One can notice some of these buildings in Malta. The latter style was usually much more associated with church buildings, and the magnificient cemetery at Marsa.

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Although I travelled to Malta to get away from the hectic nature of London I found myself walking over 20 kilometres every day just to experience this wonderful island. Its diverse history and culture is reflected in the architecture and after spending a week here it felt like I only begun to scratch the surface.

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Thanks for reading my latest article. If you enjoyed it please give it a share using the links below. For more check out my latest lookbook from Paris, street style from London Collections or my trip to the magical city of Coimbra.

As always stay classy and if you have a story you wish to share please contact editorial@thestyledivision.com or tag your social posts with #DVSN

INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST

Published by antondee in DVSN Updates, Lifestyle, Photography, Travel

14th October 2016 — No Comments

The Dark Side of Rome’s Architecture

Just strolling through Rome left me with an unforgettable experience. When you're surrounded with that much history and culture a little bit of it does rub off on you. When I woke up in my AirBNB apartment on Day 2 I decided to do something different. Most people will visit the Coliseum and explore the city but with my obsession with architecture reaching new levels I took a short train ride out of the city into an area called EUR. EUR stands for Esposizione Universale Roma, a worlds fair that the dictator Benito Mussolini and his administration planned for 1942, to celebrate 20 years of Fascist rule in Italy.

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Ss. Pietro e Paolo a Via Ostiense

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Diane Ghirardo (author of Italy: Modern Architectures in History) describes the Fascist Italian culture during the 1940's as one that strived to create "exquisite images of desired realities". The original plan was for EUR to draw heavily on Rome’s extraordinary heritage and purity which explains why so many structures were made out of white marble, a clear symbol of oppression and racism of the fascist regime.

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Palazzo della Civilita Italiana

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Palazzo della Civilita Italiana

The Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, also known as the Palazzo della Civiltà del Lavoro or simply the Colosseo Quadrato (Square Colosseum), is an icon of Fascist architecture. This grandiose building was designed in 1937 to host the Mostra della Civiltà Romana during the 1942 World Fair by Italian architects Giovanni Guerrini, Ernesto Bruno La Padula and Mario Romano.

Across all four sides of the building runs the inscription taken from a speech of Benito Mussolini on 2 October 1935:"Un popolo di poeti, di artisti, di eroi, di santi, di pensatori, di scienziati, di navigatori, di trasmigratori" (a nation of poets, of artists, of heroes, of saints, of thinkers, of scientists, of navigators, of migrants). This shows how even a dictator's ideologies can look perfect on paper but actions speak louder than words as history has shown us time and time again.

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The Edifice Complex: The architecture of power:

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The Edifice Complex: The architecture of power rome

At the time of travel I was reading a book by Deyan Sudjic called "The Edifice Complex" which explores the intimate relationship between power, money and architecture in the twentieth century. It's a fascinating read as the book really nails down the motivations behind each dictators actions.

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Fascist architecture Benito Mussolini eur whiite Palazzo della Civilita Italiana

Palazzo della Civiltà del Lavoro was built as a modern celebration of the Colosseum and inspired by older Roman landmarks although Benito Mussolini did manage to instil a piece of himself within it. The façade of six rows of nine arches each is meant to represent the Fascist dictator name (Benito having six letters and Mussolini nine) and stand the test of time after his death in 1945.

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EUR, Rome Architecture Photography

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Colosseo Quadrato provides us with a rare glimpse into urban Italy and the possibilities that would have unfolded had the regime not fallen during the war. The left over architectural style is often called simplified neoclassicism with large, symmetrical streets and white buildings with austere facades dominating the view. I really enjoyed getting lost in EUR and walking through scenes that wouldn't look out of place in La Dolce Vita so if you ever get the chance to visit Rome, take a risk and venture outside the city. You never know what you might find.

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STYLEGRAM

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If you enjoyed this post make sure to share it with your friends using the links below and check out my latest lookbook in which I explore the North / South divide wearing a custom made Farah shirt.

As always stay classy and if you wish to be featured in one of our roundups please contact editorial@thestyledivision.com or tag your social posts with #styledivision

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Published by antondee in Architecture, Creative Blog, DVSN Updates, Lifestyle, Photography, Travel

12th October 2016 — No Comments

Language of Architecture, Paris

In the mid 19th century, Paris was suffocating in the cramped network of its ancient streets. Until then, the city had expanded by developing its outer districts without any careful consideration. It fell to Georges-Eugène Haussmann, who was appointed Prefect of the Seine by Emperor Napoléon III to implement an overall plan to rejuvenate the French capital. In 1860, areas on the periphery were annexed, making Paris a city of 20 districts instead of 12. Swiftly put into action, this vast urban redevelopment plan entailed the demolition of many buildings, and changed the face of the city we see today.

paris france Georges-Eugène Haussmann

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Georges-Eugène Haussmann Paris Renovation

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paris france Georges-Eugène Haussmann

The new, broad avenues crossing the city were lined with buildings that had to comply with certain regulations regarding their construction (use of stone, discreet decoration, alignment) ensuring the visual unity of the city. Intended as a response to the needs of a changing society, the new public buildings created monumental vistas, giving the illusion of stage set, complete with landscaping and green spaces. Admired for its harmonious aspect and the speed with which it was completed, Haussmann’s Paris subsequently became an international model of urban planning. (SOURCE)

In the 19th century, the development of archeological research and research expeditions brought a new body of historical knowledge to the attention of architects. France's rediscovery of national history and its monuments was supported by Louis-Phillipe's regime, keen to unite the nation around a shared past. To this end, he created a general inspectorate of Historic Monuments in 1830 to oversee the restoration of the great medieval buildings of France. These buildings became a new source of inspiration legitimised by French history, while the study of the ogee arch led Viollet-le-Duc and his students to adopt a new approach in their use of materials, especially metal and reinforced concrete.

Architects also sought to move beyond pastiche by drawing on a number of references, displaying an eclecticism at once stylistic and theoretical. Far from being a constraint, historical models opened the way to modernity for 19th century architects: influenced by contemporary schools of thought, their projects took inspiration from a history that was no longer seen as an ideal but as a modern view of the development of mankind.

The ancient significance of architecture can't be understated as from the beginning of time human cultures wrote their thoughts using rocks. Words were made by superimposing stone upon stone. The Celtic dolman and cromlech, the Etruscan tumulus, the Hebrew galgal are words which eventually made sentences and books. These eventually expanded into symbols and finally structures we see around us today.

Architecture developed side by side with human thought. This is reflected by great styles that define each era as well as the political and social revolutions that shaped the course of history. Locked into the walls of these temples, palaces or churches were ideals that launched a civilisation into the future confident that only serious natural disasters or social upheavals could stop them from existing.

The invention of the printing press changed everything. Books (and by that extension magazines and blogs of today) are a much more durable way of storing information. They cost much less to produce, could be copied and sent around the world (think of this as ancient texting). It's no surprise then that the rise of the printing press mirrors the decline of architecture as the dominant aesthetic form. (SOURCE: NERDWRITER)

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Art of Solitude

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paris park

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Like the Romantic painters, 19th century architects in France saw nature as a refuge from the effects of the Industrial Revolution. While the development of green spaces in the towns and the growth of holiday resorts offered alternatives to urban expansion and its, at times, anarchic developments, the natural world became a new source of inspiration that allowed architects to break free from references to historic styles. From the mid 19th century, the study of plants encouraged the revival of ornamentation; at the end of the century, trees, flowers, insects and animals would provide a source of inspiration for the artists of the 'New Art' or Art Nouveau. The development of natural sciences and geology, and research into the evolution of species, also led to changes in architectural thinking, as much in its historical and theoretical aspects as in technical and construction terms.

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paris france travel blog As always stay classy and if you wish to be featured in one of our roundups please contact editorial@thestyledivision.com or tag your social posts with #styledivision

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Published by antondee in Architecture, DVSN Updates, Lifestyle, Photography, Travel

5th October 2016 — No Comments

Springtime Rain // Journal 87

As you may have noticed from my Rome and Paris posts I love a late night wander. Like a werewolf a city can transform under moonlight and provide the backdrop for an unplanned adventure. Amsterdam was no different. From meeting homeless artists with unique creative talents to Amsterdam locals who had stories for days. Every trip into the Dutch capital provided something different. Wandering the streets at night allows you to experience the true soul of a city, away from the tried and tested tourist traps to something fleeting and momentary.

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A Mindless Wander

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amsterdam at night

Although I had my camera with me I tried not to take too many pictures. Living in the moment is a lot easier than you think once you stop living your life through the lens of social media. Put your phone away and just enjoy the walk. I'm sure that building that caught your eye will still be there when you come back.

rain and night in amsterdam

Amsterdam is a lot like London in that the weather does whatever the hell it wants. It could go from sunny to rainy to sunny in a matter of minutes and as a photographer all you can do is embrace it. The storm I got caught up in added a golden sheen to the city and did little to dampen my spirits.

There is still so much to discover about this historic city and I cannot wait to move here for good. During my first visit the last thing on my ind was relocating here and yet its natural charm won me over. If you're an Amsterdam local please get in touch as I would love to learn more about your city and your experiences living there.

amsterdam at night

We're now living in the information age and this is going to become more apparent with every waking minute. Technology has already improved so much using so little. Just look at the device you're reading this post on and realise that your ancestors would have found it indistinguishable from magic. Ironically these devices can make us feel more disconnected and lonely so its up to you to bridge that gap.

As technology improves everything from the way we work, travel, communicate and spend money you have to remember the priceless things in life. Friends and family that can make you laugh, acquaintances that inspire you to create even when you're feeling lazy and yourself. The one person that can make you truly happy.

grasshopper amsterdam

Your goal for 2017 should be to surround yourself with people that challenge you. People that have a unique view of the world and are obsessed with changing the future. I never said it would be easy but the alternative is not worth contemplation. This is my challenge to you and to myself. See you in 365 days.

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As always stay classy and if you have a story you wish to share please contact editorial@thestyledivision.com or tag your social posts with #DVSN

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Published by antondee in DVSN Updates, Lifestyle, Photography

11th September 2016 — No Comments

What The Hell Is Blockchain? // Journal 67

It's easy to get entrenched in old ideals and stick to the tried and tested but history has shown us time and time again that progress is inevitable. This couldn't be truer with regard to the tech sector as we're seeing huge leaps of innovation in areas ranging from transportation (semi-autonomous self driving cars) to speech generation (recent DeepMind breakthrough). As technology moves forward it's hard to predict what the future will hold five years from now, let alone ten but already we're seeing emerging trends that are sure to shake up the established order of things.

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What is Fintech?

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Fintech is the fusion of finance and technology and the driving force behind developments in areas such as the Blockchain, AI chatbots and personal banking. The majority of transactions we make everyday are minuscule so emergence of a secure and frictionless system unrestricted by borders or political regulations isn't hard to imagine. Most of the money in the world is digital so we can think of everything from stocks to assets as bits of information. This information 'lives' on the internet and can be easily traded or exchanged in the same way you trade money for a pint of beer at the pub.

The amount of information on the internet is going to grow exponentially over the coming years and access, appropriation or sale of this information is going to become crucial. If you're a content creator like myself it's important to get fair compensation for your work and its future use. By assigning a value to each bit of information we can shift into a completely new economy. This virtual goods and assets economy will be backed up by an encrypted database that's distributed around the world making it more secure than the systems in use today.

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Cutting out the banking middleman will also put us on a path towards greater transparency. Open source cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum are growing steady as the number of contributing developers increases. Companies such as Coinbase and Circle are interacting with the community in order to grow and improve their services. Banks on the other hand are being fined billions of dollars for laundering money for drug cartels. Go figure.

Banking is an entirely virtual business which makes it easy to avoid regulation and accountability. The reaction to the 2008 financial crisis has been more short term borrowing to fund long term goals and doing the same things while expecting a different outcome is the very definition of insanity. So what's the solution?

Say hello to the Blockchain. Blockchain is a way to rapidly exchange digital assets — such as payments, photos, contracts — between two or more parties in a secure, verifiable and auditable process that doesn’t require a middleman. Each party in the network has its own copy of the blockchain attached to every asset. As long as the chains are in sync, all parties can be confident that the asset or transaction is valid. (Source).

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Each transaction behaves like a physical object and yet it's still digital. That's what so cool about it. Because transactional information itself doesn't take up a lot of data it's irrelevant whether you want to send 100,000 of something or .0000001 of it. The transaction can then be completed at the click of a button regardless of location.

This is how Bitcoin works and the public ledger for Bitcoin transactions lives on the Blockchain. As someone who knows the slow process of sending money abroad while paying exuberant fees this is a game changer. You can also 'tip' people or friends on Twitter, GitHub, Reddit and more using a service such as ChangeTip. Someone took a picture you like or made a comment that made you laugh? Send them your appreciation.

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Displacing The Incumbent

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This is not the first time such a huge monetary shift was on the horizon. Back in the day bartering was the only option to trade, which was replaced by precious metals (gold, silver), then coins printed on precious metals and finally a piece of paper that says you own a certain amount of precious metals. As mentioned above only 5% of money in the world is physical cash so a system that works globally for the other 95% is essential.

Everyday transactions are just a small piece of the cake though. Imagine you create YouTube videos for a living and YouTube pays you money by adding advertising to your content. A concept that circumvents this allows the user to pay proportionally for each 10 seconds of video they watch. The idea here is that the market decides how much something is worth.

garden canary wharf If you have a Bitcoin or Ethereum wallet installed in a browser then newspapers and magazines have less of a need for paywalls. The writer will get rewarded proportionally to how good the article is. If someone reads the first paragraph and leaves they get charged £0.0005. £0.0015 if they read the whole thing.

But why would I pay for something that I already get for free? The point is not many things on the internet are 'free'. If you're using a service such as Facebook you're the product being sold. Your private messages, location data and even browsing habits are sold to advertisers for huge sums of money. By taking ownership of your own data you also take back some power. There's also nothing stopping advertisers PAYING YOU for select information you're willing to share. Google Opinion Rewards is a great example of this as it rewards you with credit that can be spent at the Play Store.

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Wandering through this reflective jungle got me thinking about technology and how we've gone from a device that sent text messages around the world to something that has access to the wealth of human knowledge. The internet is an unlimited resource that can be used to better ourselves, build communities and exchange information. The only limit here our imagination.

modern glass architecture canary wharf london

With regard to fintech, the blockchain and beyond we're still in the very early stages. There's a huge gap between political and technical feasibility but as tech gets better and cheaper and our access and understanding of new information improves we're sure to enter new grounds. Regulation should become less and less complex, not more. So when a new technology such as this comes along will you sit up and take notice or call it a fad the way this scientist did in 1995.

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Blockchain: Further Reading

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Bitcoin Whitepaper

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Understanding the Blockchain

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Blockchain (Wiki)

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Thanks for reading our latest article. If you enjoyed what you read why not give it a share using the links below? For more posts check out our latest lookbook with Bench, street style from London Collections or our trip to Rome.

As always stay classy and if you wish to be featured in one of our roundups please contact editorial@thestyledivision.com or tag your social posts with #styledivision

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Published by antondee in Architecture, Creative Blog, DVSN Updates, Future & Tech Blog, Photography

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