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Friday Five With Matthew Rosenberg  of M-Rad Inc.

Canadian transplant Matthew Rosenberg is Founder, acting CEO, and Design Director of Los Angeles-based M-Rad Inc. He founded the firm in 2012 and currently heads up an international team that’s doing business worldwide with a mission of revolutionizing the architecture industry by resolving inefficiencies via expanding the scope of the role of architects. Born and raised in Saskatoon, Rosenberg went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art at the University of Saskatchewan, a Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture at Dalhousie University, and a Masters of Architecture at the Southern California Institute of Architecture. Since, the international award-winning designer has developed projects around North America, and hopes to eventually expand to Italy, Portugal, Taipei, and Australia. His most recent press found him on Forbes Small Giants list as well as Inc. Magazine’s Top 10 Designers Every Business Should Have On Their Radar. Today Rosenberg is sharing five of his favorites in this Friday Five.

Photo: Carl Bovis

1. The flight of a falcon
It’s amazing how little work they have to do, and how much space they traverse. Peregrine falcons have been recorded diving at speeds of 242 miles per hour (390 km/h), making them the fastest-moving creatures on Earth. They are majestic and efficient. My wife and I have recently moved to the Hollywood Hills where we have had the chance to see two Peregrine falcons raise their fledgling. It is their land and we have a lot to learn from them.

Photo: Matthew Rosenberg \\\ Model: Bridgette Rosenberg

2. Sarakiniko Beach in Milos, Greece
It’s like walking on another planet. Seeing how the two natural elements of stone and water negotiate each other shows the importance of balance and forgiveness, and the necessity of one on the other.

Photo: Stephen White

3. Blind Light by Antony Gormley
In 2007, when I first took a year to travel the world, I had the opportunity to experience Antony Gormley’s Bling Light exhibition in London. It was then that I first became obsessed with the five senses. Since that moment I have tried to create architecture and spaces that tap into as many as the five senses as possible. He taught me that removing certain senses allows the others to become heightened and activated. This truly timeless work is what I find artistically invaluable. I reference his work, and specifically this project, constantly.

Photo: Matthew Rosenberg

4. Casa Gilardi by Luis Barragan
One of the most infamous architects of modern day Mexico City was Luis Barragan. He used light and color in ways that allowed the architecture to support nature rather than mimic it or intrude on it. His spaces are emotional and metaphysical. Casa Gilardi is the living, breathing personification of his body of work. While his work is impressive in its own right, it’s his business model and ethics that make him most inspirational. Barragan’s son even describes the house as “silence you can feel”.

Photo: Jimmy Cohrssen

5. Hoshinoya Hotel in Tokyo
I had the opportunity to stay at this hotel during the New Year period in 2016. It has resonated with me ever since, influencing the way M-Rad Inc. designs projects and products. Upon entering, all guests are asked to remove their shoes, which are kept in cubbies. This immediately changed the way we experienced the hotel. The details and materials used are cognitive while the lighting emphasizes key textures, allowing guests to touch and tap into a multi-sensorial experience. While the architecture creates the meditative backdrop, it is the quality of service and attention to detail that elevated the stay beyond anything I have experienced before. It is a modern-day Ryokan in the center of Tokyo that gives credence to the notion that the way we do anything is the way we do everything.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she's likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.