The urban design developed by Alexandre Chemetoff is based on decades of experience in landscape design. He applies modern methods to revitalize older areas of cities and their architecture while introducing new constructions and neighborhoods, characterizing a unique and innovative method.
Alexandre Chemetoff's career has shown variation between small and large-scale projects. Unlike many discussions about the concept of 'landscape urbanism,' his urban-level work is directly supported by his experience in landscape design, using current techniques to rejuvenate historic zones and their buildings, alongside proposing new housing complexes and districts.
The early works of his office, Bureau des paysages, include notable examples such as the Bamboo Garden, internationally celebrated at Parc de la Villette in Paris, and the Place de la Bourse in Lyon. These initial projects are more easily classified as landscape fine arts. However, major renovation projects, such as the Île de Nantes and the conception of a new neighborhood and the remodeling of a block in Nancy, present a less direct categorization.
Although these works are the result of intelligent and reflective planning, which can be categorized as both landscape architecture and urban design, there is no specific established term for the process that originated them. By adopting a methodology aimed at transforming without completely altering, the projects of Chemetoff and Bureau des paysages avoid adhering to any single style.
Chemetoff states that his goal is to 'build a singular aesthetic that draws its sources from the surrounding world,' and in certain realizations, the designer's intervention can be almost imperceptible. Some design suggestions confronted governments and political guidelines with an attitude he calls 'attentive disobedience,' alluding to the idea of civil disobedience defended by the naturalist and essayist Henry David Thoreau. The proposed or derived program can be provocative, but primarily serves to raise questions.
The process begins with the program; the designer raises doubts, the context intensifies the investigation, and suggests an aesthetic. Chemetoff emphasizes that 'there are no places abstracted from their context, places that are not inscribed in a history and a geography.' The settings created over more than forty years of practice are considered worthy of study, as are the methods applied by Chemetoff and Bureau des paysages, which deserve consideration and imitation.
Instagram has changed its signature text logo, which had not been updated for about ten years. Although the new design is intended to make the look more modern and clean, debates and trolling have begun on social networks. Some users approved of the new look, while many noted that it lacks the former recognizability of Instagram. Some jokingly started calling it 'Instagzam.'
It is important to understand that the company did not announce a change to the entire app icon. The changes primarily affected the written word Instagram, which is used as a brand within the application itself. This part of the company was updated after approximately ten years.
Those who have used the service for a long time easily recognize its inscription. For the last decade, the name Instagram was displayed in a special cursive, handwritten style. Now, Instagram has changed this style. The new text mark is a combination of the old cursive design and standard printed letters. The company aims to keep the design cleaner and more modern, yet connected to the previous style.
Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, commented on this change, noting that the text mark visible in the app had not changed for ten years, and it was time for an update. The company claims that the new design is more modern and clean while still retaining a hint of the old Instagram style. The goal is not a complete transformation of Instagram's identity, but its modernization in line with contemporary requirements.
The situation becomes interesting when a new design appears, provoking mockery on social networks due to its lettering. Many users noticed that the new name at first glance resembles 'Instagzam' more than Instagram. Some find the styling of the middle letters particularly strange. Discussions about the new text mark are actively taking place on Reddit: some consider it unsuccessful, while others note its cleanliness and modern appearance. Thus, opinions online are divided.
This is a typical problem for any large brand when changing its logo. It is not enough for the company to look beautiful; the logo must be instantly recognizable.
Instagram updated its text logo during major design changes in 2016. At that time, the overall look of the application also transformed, and the camera icon became simpler and brighter. After that, the cursive text mark of Instagram gradually became an integral part of its image. Since people saw the same design for a long time, the name Instagram became ingrained in their minds in that specific style. Therefore, even a small change in the letter style causes a strong perception of this update among people.
The company considers maintaining recognizability equally important. The Instagram camera icon remains one of its strongest recognizable features. Even when Instagram conducted a major visual update in 2016, the company did not completely eliminate the old camera idea, but merely gave it a simpler and brighter look. In this instance, the changes appear more limited: Instagram updated its writing, but did not undergo a transformation that could be considered a full rebranding of the entire application.
Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, anticipated public reaction to the new text mark. He shared it on Threads and asked users for their opinions. As often happens with the change of logos of large brands, the internet immediately reacted: some praised the new design, some preferred the old one, and some began creating memes based on the new letters. The joke about 'Instagzam' quickly became popular on Reddit.
Work has started in the Yunusabad district of Tashkent to carefully dismantle and relocate rare mosaic compositions located on the exterior walls of a former tuberculosis dispensary.
These mosaics are located at the address: Niyozbek Yuli street, 3rd passage, house 6, and are being considered by the Cultural Heritage Agency as potential candidates for inclusion in the National Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage Objects.
The former tuberculosis dispensary was built in 1972. Due to planned demolition work on the facility, it was decided to move the mosaic compositions to another location to preserve their historical and artistic value, as well as their integrity.
According to the Cultural Heritage Agency, these mosaics represent rare examples of monumental art from the second half of the 20th century. Their artistic significance is determined by the features of the composition, the use of color, and the themes.
The mosaics depict themes such as people, nature, labor, creation, science, and peace. Colored smalt and other mosaic elements were used to create these images.
The relocation of the compositions aims to preserve them as examples of monumental art from that era and ensure they can be passed on to future generations.
