Around the World Designs from Design Star

By Vern Yip

This challenge requires contestants to be quick on their feet in order to translate the essence of a country within the confines of three walls and a floor. Contestants must expeditiously identify two or three colors that will signal what their country is all about. For most people, tan, black and emerald green do not represent the passion, cultural richness and vibrancy often associated with Spain. Furthermore, Michael chooses to employ very strong horizontal lines that give the room a severe architectural edge, whereas Spain is most often associated with Moorish-style architecture and the very organic and curvilinear approach of famous structures like the Sagrada Familia by Gaudi and the Guggenheim at Bilbao by Frank Gehry. Michael could have better demonstrated his time spent in Spain by showcasing a more free-form and organic composition featuring the rich reds, oranges, blues or yellows that Spain is known for. Instead, the hard and clean horizontal lines paired with the geometric central detailing and the black-and-white brush stroke artwork almost suggest China or the minimalist Far East rather than the ripeness and abundance of the Spanish culture.