They say the worst thing you can do to a painter is to examine their latest work and say, "Very nice...is it finished?"
It's true that artists and designers, after finally settling on a concept to pursue, can spend forever tweaking it into its arbitrarily finished form. Tel Aviv-based furniture brand Godspeed takes this into account, and goes in the other direction: They only design furniture for one hour. Not one hour at a time, one hour total.
Godspeed developed itself as a statement on contemporary design. An unorthodox mentality and choice of unconventional materials opposed to the high style and form based world of design resulted in a conceptual designing company with a down to earth approach.
Godspeed makes furniture in a one-hour time frame.
Eliminating the sketching phase and producing every piece by themselves, Godspeed became a very unconventional designer's brand.
...The usage of raw, scrap materials and the recognition and awareness of decay, on both materials and products, upgrade the value to the purchasers' lifestyle.
Though less than a year old, Godspeed has already held exhibitions in Taiwan, Sweden, Estonia, and Italy, in addition to its homebase of Israel. Check out their stuff here.
Launched earlier this month at art-store/concept-shop Golden Age, The Incredible Journey that is Consciousness is a limited-run book by Chicagoans Alex Fuller and Gabe Usadel, that "invites each reader to interpret a landscape of symmetries, simplicities and geometric structures."
Squares, circles and triangles are at the core of what makes the industrial world around us. A universal visual language apparent in all things--the tools we use, the fashion we wear, the buildings we live in and the communications we see.
Inspired by Kandinsky, Mondrian, Lissitzky, and Albers, the book explores the compositional potential of three primary forms and colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, circle, square, triangle) through a series of offset color prints, inviting each reader to "interpret a landscape of symmetries, simplicities and geometric structures."
Only 500 prints of this art-zine were made, so order your copy for just $10.00 from Golden Age, who are also selling super-limited edition prints and posters related to the publication.
Casio furthers its shockproof line of products with two new devices: The Exilim G1, an extremely thin digital camera meant to take a beating, and their all-black Gulfman watch model.
The zoom on the former doesn't extend, reducing the chances you'll bust the lens if you drop it, and the buttons and dials are sized and placed for operating with gloves on, for cold conditions.
The latter features rust-proof titanium screws and has a neat, auto-on electroluminescent feature in its face: Tilt the watch towards you, and the backlight kicks in. Also comes in the slick brushed-metal tin pictured above, for fans of the type of packaging design that you hang onto rather than tossing.
The Product Design Manager will be responsible for Product Development (from concept to production, developing designs on his own and partnering with the internal teams, especially business & lab), Project Management (developing the right design brief accordingly to the business objectives and the global design strategy; managing timeline and deliverables; coordinating eventual external design teams and influencing and collaborating with all the staff functions involved: Legal attorney, Sourcing, Packaging, Communication, Branding, Manufacturing, Research, Marketing; accountable for the results of the projects).
That there is the Brussels-based collective LAb[au]'s new project/installation, the unwieldily-named "f5x5x5." The quartet of creatives behind LAb[au], Manuel Abendroth, Jerome Decock, Alexandre Plennevaux and Els Vernang, examine "the transformation of architecture and spatio-temporal structures in accordance to the technological progress within a practice entitled 'MetaDeSIGN.' Metadesign [meta = information about information] displayes the theme of space-constructs relative to information processes - architecture as code."
Okay. Ready for the project description?
The f5x5x5 sculpture is a kinetic and luminous framework conceived and realised by LAb[au]. In software development, a framework is a methodological tool based on re-usable chunks of code, code libraries or other software pieces to assist, to develop and to glue together the different components of a software project. In regards to the f5x5x... installation the term 'framework' refers to the installation's constituting elements, a raster of fix and kinetic aluminum frames.
The installation title indicates the resolution instructing the numbers of modules used such f5x5x1 equal one module up to f5x5x5 equal 5 modules.
Further 'framework' refers to the multiple operating modes of the installation, from a low resolution display to a generative and interactive sculpture. Consequently the term 'framework' can be understood as a way to manage conceptually and technically the sculpture's sequential operating modes and the rules by which they switch from one mode to another.
I have to admit that after reading the abstract I'm none the wiser...but ooh, lookitit!
The 1963 Split-Window Coupe is one of the more rare Corvettes you'll have trouble finding and has a design feature that didn't last, primarily because it neatly blocked the sightline of the rearview mirror. In a sense the design was ahead of its time, meaning if it could be combined with today's rearview cameras, rather than mirrors, then the split window wouldn't be a problem.
GM's latest back-to-the-future Corvette concept is toying with bringing back the split window. In the following World of Car Fans video, it's nice to see GM design veep Ed Welburn introducing the car, as the man is clearly in love with the design:
Incidentally, for a look at a cool usage of rearview cameras, check out Popular Mechanics' description of the three they rigged up (two replacing the side mirrors) for their "Eco-Muscle" project, where they attempt to turn a beastly Dodge Challenger into a green machine while maintaining the muscle.
Each little camera is only 1-in. in diameter, but delivers a 120-degree wide angle image. We mounted one in the center of the rear spoiler pointing straight back and one at the leading edge of each side window, angled to give a clear view of traffic. The three cameras all feed to a 7-in. rectangular screen that shows the scene from all three simultaneously....
Fellina Sok-Cham's killer bamboo serving tray with inset bamboo saucers and little Modernist spoons that nest in the cups is a great way to serve espresso, tea, or desserts. The dishwasher-safe set is also a surprisingly affordable 45 bucks at the MoMA store (or $36 for those of you who've shelled out to be members).
David J. Irwin, a product and furniture designer based in Newcastle Upon Tyne (and who we featured here prior to London Design Week 2007), just sent us his latest project: The Aluminum Stacker. The three-legged aluminum chair provides a stable ground on uneven surfaces. To stack, the back leg simply slots through the perforated seat pan. Here, Irwin describes how it was made:
The main components of the chair (the back rest and seat ring) have been produced through the process of sand casting and are bonded to extruded flat sided oval tube, creating an extremely strong joint without the need for welding. The chair has been nylon coated in order to combat the wear on the back leg when stacking, as the process provides a much more durable and abrasion resistant finish than standard powder coatings. The nylon is a renewable resource, based on castor oil rather than petroleum and when applied provides a finish which is warm to the touch.
Though not as new, we love his equally as ingenious Timber Stackers, which rely on a bent and laminated form for its stacking power.
As you can gather from the photos, what you see here is no ordinary bicycle: Argentinian designer Pablo Lopez's "Pardo" concept (short for guepardo, or cheetah in Spanish) is designed to place the rider in a posture resembling that of its namesake animal.
Power is delivered to the single rear wheel via pedals, but not of the rotating variety; the rider is meant to hunch and straighten his body, pressing down on both pedals during extension, and a mechanism transfers that motion into rotating force, transferred to the wheel via chain.
The Pardo was designed as part of Innova 2009, an Argentinian government-backed exhibition designed to showcase that country's best creative minds. Since creativity was the priority, Lopez was free to design a vehicle for pure fun, unencumbered by having to worry about the practicalities of, say, a daily commute through car-choked streets.
Which is not to say the Pardo, which Lopez built a track-tested prototype of, doesn't have any practical considerations: Just as a cheetah curls up to go to sleep, the Pardo folds in half, reducing its footprint when not in use.
We've been waiting for this: French designer Mathieu Lehanneur's lecture at Ted Global this past July has finally been posted. In the lecture, he discusses the role of science and scientists in his design process and demystifies a selection of related projects, including db, the noise-neutralizing ball of white noise, k, a light transmitter, and Local River, a living room fish farm (blogged here in 2008).
Essential Duties and Responsiblities: Responsible for all photography based marketing for all A&F brands/stores; Create cohesive image based stories; Conceptualize and design imagery campaigns/programs; Travel to domestic and international stores as needed including mall based and flagship stores.
Virtual vs. Physical: Those of you in ID school may have a choice between focusing on getting your computer rendering skills up to snuff, or dumping countless shop hours into Dremel mastery to make kick-ass models you can actually touch.
For those of you handy with the latter, Dremel's holding a competition called the 30 Minute Miracles Contest. They're looking for "the most clever, useful and fun DIY project around" that can be done with their namesake tool, and the winner gets $2,500 in AmEx gift certificates. Deadline's December 31st; click here for deets.
Check that thing out. That's a Thorny Devil Lizard. The nasty spikes all over its body have grooves in them, and when dew collects on its body, the dew is actually drawn towards its mouth through capillary action, providing it with something to drink.
That's a piece of bamboo. Despite being thin, it's super-strong and resists buckling due to the "transverse bulkheads" that make up its structure.
That's a toucan, as in Toucan Sam. Sam's beak is "lightweight and strong thanks to a rigid foamy inside and layers of fibrous keratin tile outside."
All of these natural phenomena and more are posted in the "Strategy" section of The Biomimicry Institute's Ask Nature website, expressly for the purpose of inspiring designers, engineers and inventors to create bio-inspired solutions to problems we face. As the site puts it,
Imagine 3.8 billion years of design brilliance available for free, at the moment of creation, to any sustainability innovator in the world.
Imagine nature's most elegant ideas organized by design and engineering function....
Now imagine you can meet the people who have studied these organisms, and together you can create the next great bio-inspired solution.
That's the idea behind AskNature, the online inspiration source for the biomimicry community. Think of it as your home habitat--whether you're a biologist who wants to share what you know about an amazing organism, or a designer, architect, engineer, or chemist looking for planet-friendly solutions. AskNature is where biology and design cross-pollinate, so bio-inspired breakthroughs can be born.
The Shelter is an "innovation campus" that opened earlier this year in Dubai with the support of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. The center aims to support small businesses in the creative industries by minimizing operational headaches. The campus also aims to foster the development of dialogue among creative types by providing a space for ideas to coexist.
These guys have thought of almost everything. In addition to ergonomic, flexible workspaces (with provided secretarial services), the facilities include a cinema/auditorium for lectures and screenings, a library housing over a thousand books on cultural and creative topics (including up to date reference texts), a small shop offering tools of the trade as well as design objects, a brasserie offering affordable and healthful fare, and a garden, for much needed breaks from work.
Amazingly, this will only set you back around 80 dollars a month. If only we were in Dubai....
Who'da thunk the common mug could stand for so much improvement (or at least, variety)?
For the anal-retentive, the Tea-Code mug comes with a button to wind a teabag string around, keeping it out of your mouth when you sip.
The sliding rings on the Drink Selector Mug simplify your coffee order for that troublesome intern who keeps blathering about his degree from M.I.T., rather than focusing on what you're (not) paying him to do--fetch your joe correctly.
The Snap Cups can be affixed together by means of the integrated metal clothing snaps, though I'm not sure how easy these'd be to undo when filled with hot liquid.
The Carabiner Mug is presumably not meant for you to hang from while mountain climbing, but do provide a handy way to hang the mug off the back of your backpack, which will tempt your camping buddies to drop dead bugs into it whenever you're not looking.
Reminder: Designism 4.0, the fourth edition of the annual Art Directors Club Forum that explores "the responsibility and experiences of designers and creatives to drive social and political change," is happening tomorrow night!
This year the discussion will focus on business models that provide careers and incomes while also driving social change. Panelists include Blake Mycoskie, Chief Shoe Giver, TOMS Shoes; Bill Drenttel, Partner, Winterhouse Studio and Design Observer; Paula Scher, Partner, Pentagram; and Mark Randall, Principal, Worldstudio, to be moderated by Business Week Innovation and Design editor Helen Walters.
The ADC is also holding an online auction benefitting its scholarship fund. Designer-created "Walk the Walk" TOMS Shoes are available for bidding here.
Designism 4.0
Art Directors Club
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
6:30 - 9:00 PM
@ADC Gallery
106 West 29th Street, NYC
These days many of us order products online rather than trek out to a store. Once they arrive and you open the box, the first thing you do is remove what they're packaged with: shredded paper, plastic airbags, foam peanuts, and/or those little packets that say SILICA GEL - DO NOT EAT. (I find that the latter actually go down fine, though sometimes I need to chase them with a bit of coffee.) Then whatever packaging you haven't eaten usually goes in the garbage.
Dell's latest environmental effort is to pack their computers with cushioning made from bamboo, which can then be recycled in the corrugated cardboard waste stream:
Dell is implementing a computer packaging plan that will result in estimated savings of more than $8 million and the elimination of approximately 20 million pounds of packaging material over the next four years.
...Dell says bamboo is preferable to [standard packaging] materials because it grows fast, at up to 24 inches a day, and is strong enough to protect equipment during transit.
The company grows their bamboo in China's Jiangxi province in a forest certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which sounds like a laborious process; I think it would be easier to harvest by wresting it from the mouths of baby pandas. But whatever, they're a multi-national corporation, I'm sure they know what they're doing.
Now you both can have some peace while you read War & Peace in complete darkness. And if the night-vision-green color starts to get old, there's also a black-and-white option, so you won't feel like you're reading Tolstoy while playing Splinter Cell.
By the bye, the UK-based company that sells these will not ship to the U.S.A. All part of a British plot to foment American marital unrest, if you ask me.
The Design Manager is responsible for the developing and managing a world-class design studio that continually sets new strategic standards for design and function for Robern. While working collaboratively with Robern & Kohler Co. NPD Community, challenge convention when it comes to process, ideas and materials with the goal of advancing the position of the Robern Brand in the Industry. Ensure the NPD team is visionary with an eye towards effective use of resources, manufacturing capability, and ease of assembly.
DUTCH DESIGN WEEK 2009
PRAGUE DESIGN DAYS 2009
LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL 2009
GIZMODO GALLERY 2009
EUROBIKE 2009
MAKER FAIRE AFRICA
NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL GIFT FAIR
ISTANBUL DESIGN WEEKEND 2009
BAUHAUS SUMMER SCHOOL 2009
We Were Factory Workers: 11 Young Designers Reflect on their Experience in Guyana
Social Software: The Other 'Design for Social Impact' 
Design Revolution: An Interview with Emily Pilloton 
Sketching in Hardware is Changing Your Life 
Design Club: Why young American designers are ganging up 
Case Study: Freescale Netbook Design at SCAD 
Tools of Engagement: The New Practice of User-Centered Design 
The End of Driving 
The Context of 'Low Product': How designers can help articulate a new social language 
Core77 Case Study: Modo's IV Pole for Cardinal Health 
Spend It Wisely: A Market Research Primer for Designers 
Design Salary Survey Results
Deconstructing Product Design, by William Lidwell and Gerry Manacsa
Baked-In, by A. Bogusky & J. Winsor
Change by Design, by Tim Brown
Classic Cars: 100 Years of Automotive Ads, by Jim Heimann and Phil Patton
A Fine Line, by Hartmut Esslinger
Less and More: The Design Ethos of Dieter Rams
Sketchbook, by Timothy O'Donnell
I Miss My Pencil, by Martin Bone and Kara Johnson
Rethinking Sitting, by Peter Opsvik
Essential Tips for the Design Professional
Check out 77 Great Design Gifts, all under $77!
Greener Gadgets Design Competition
The Best of Core77: Our Favorites from 2008!
Read our back-to-school guide for design students. A must!
Dutch Design Week
Prague Design Days
1 Hour Design Challenge Winners!
Coroflot Salary Survey Results
