WELCOME TO THE GOLDEN ERA – CHERISHED GOLD

Cherished Gold is the Dulux 2016 Colour of the Year. According to Dulux, the choice of this colour ties with the on-going trend especially in interiors of using metallic tones in the home. Coming on the heels of the 2015 Copper Blush, Cherished Gold is a gold influenced ochre (deep yellow) which is warm and subtle.

It can be utilized as a statement colour or in combination with other hues such as fresh pastels e.g. baby pink, sky blue, mauve (pale violet) or rich jewel tones such as emerald green, coral, electric blue and magenta. Neutrals such as grey or beige work well with this colour.

Rebecca Williamson, Dulux's Senior Design and Content Manager opines that gold and tones of gold are being used everywhere in the design world. She believes that as metallics continue to add that feel good factor in our homes, this earthy gold inspired hue will offer that little touch of glamour in an authentic and personal way.

ALEJANDRO ARAVENA - 2016 PRITZKER PRIZE LAUREATE

The year certainly holds great promises for the Curator of the 2016 Venice Biennial, Alejandro Aravena who has also been announced as the 2016 winner of architecture’s most prestigious award, the Pritzker Prize.

In his citation by the Pritzker Prize jury, the 48 year old native of Santiago, Chile, is described as leading a new generation of architects that has a holistic understanding of the built environment and has clearly demonstrated the ability to connect social responsibility, economic demands, design of human habitat and the city. And in doing so, has meaningfully expanded the role of the architect.

Going further, the jury believes that what sets Aravena apart is his commitment to social housing. As the Director of ELEMENTAL, a company co-owned by three groups: the private architects who work for the company, a Catholic university, and Chile's largest oil company, Aravena and his collaborators have consistently realised works with clear social goals. Calling the company a ‘Do Thank” as opposed to the norm of a Think Tank, they have built more than 2500 units using imaginative, flexible and direct architectural solutions for low cost social housing.