“Design and the Elastic Mind,” an exhilarating new show opening on Sunday at the Museum of Modern Art, makes the case that through the mechanism of design, scientific advances of the last decade have at least opened the way to unexpected visual pleasures. Features “Honeycomb Vase” made by 40,000 bees and Tomás Gabzdil Libertini through a process of “slow prototyping,” Front Design’s Sketch furniture, and Joris Laarman’s bone furniture. More images from the show.
Obama’s main “change” banner font is Gotham, designed by Hoefler & Frere-Jones for GQ to be something that would look fresh, yet established, to have a credible voice to it. It also needed to look very masculine and “of-the-moment.” Mission accomplished.
Online outpost of Devonport, Auckland, NZ based Endemic, devoted to artist and designer made fashion, publications, art toys and a wide range of playful imaginings. (Looks like physical store opened right after I visitedthis wonderful area — will have to go back.)
HauteGreen’s 2nd exhibition of sustainable design that’s both aesthetically pleasing and friendly to the environment offered many delights. I’m not sure how I’ve lived so long without The Green Light, by xDesign (Natlie Jeremijenko, Amelia Anon, Will Kavesh), a botanical lamp, terrarium, and airfilter all-in-one. I also loved My Secret Garden, a rug made from discarded blanket scraps by Studio Jo Meesters, and Our Flesh and Blood, a chest of drawers made from reclaimed intricately carved furniture, an FSC-certified plywood base and drawer fronts screened with images by Art With Function. More photos from Haute Green.
ICFF
The Corona solar light, designed by Shane Kohatu and Emi Fujita, is a solar powered outdoor LED lighting system that can be staked to the ground, attached to a wall or placed on a tabletop. It uses no glues or fasteners, and is easy to diassemble for recycling.
AfterGlow, a glow-in-the-dark recycled plastic adirondack chair made from 100% post-consumer recycled high density polyethylene (HDPE), a number two recyclable plastic (i.e., milk jugs), developed as a collaboration between Loll Designs and Douglas Homer.
Amaridian offers modern, sexy, tribal furniture and accessories from South African designers, including rocking bench and bug screen.
MIO’s cork ModuTiles and cardboard Nomad architectural system. Also their softbowls, featured also at Haute Green. Ok, we love everything they make, especially the recycled cardboard PaperForms acoustic weave tiles/3d wallpaper. Appreciate how their catalog lists the materials, design and origin positive aspects of each item (renewable, recyclable, compostable, recycled, closed-loop manufacturing).
Fernando & Humberto Campana’s TransNeomatic container made of re-used scooter tire and natural wicker for Artecnica’sDesign With Conscience project that pairs designers with artisans around the world. Transneomatic bowls are produced in Vietnam using scooter tires rescued from landfills.
PIE’s undulating furniture handcrafted from natural materials such as water hyacinth, liana, bamboo and rattan. Furniture collection is available at Vivavi. Founders Bannavis and Michelle Sribyatta founded PIE (Project Import Export) in Spring 2005, the same season they welcomed the birth of their son, π (~3.14).
Amenity Home’s adorable non-gender-specific Home Nursery collection made from 200 thread count organic cotton with non-toxic dyes with a foresty theme.
YiAhn’s Bassinet that converts to a toy bin and bookshelf, then a chair and table as your child grows.
I’ve loved Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec’sCloud Shelving System since it was introduced. In fact, the only reason my walls aren’t lined with them is that they’re made from polystyrene, and I can visualize them offgassing just like the vaporous body they resemble. NeotericHome offers an eco-friendly version made from bamboo. Alas, the main reason my walls won’t be lined with these is that they’re 5.7 times the price of the original. (Disclosure: I don’t actually remember seeing this at the show, but it’s on their postcard.)
Design Boom’sDesignMart featured fun cash-and-carry accessories: “Chicken in space” theme embroidered laptop bags, clutch purses and accessories by Mandarin Orange. After washing drip-dry-dishes from giffin’termeer, each piece can stand upright, so the water runs off with no need to towel dry. Mixko’s “English Summer Pendant” with a cottony cloud and glass rain drops.
Brinda Dalal, Xerox “Garbologist,” discovered a notable change in the role of paper in modern offices, where it’s increasingly used as a medium of display rather than storage. Documents are stored on central servers and personal computers and printed only as needed; for meetings, editing or reviewing information. The pieces of paper spewed from copiers frequently end up back in the recycling bin on the same day they are printed, she noted.
HowStuffisMade is an encyclopedia of and manufacturing processes and labor conditions involved in the production of contemporary products. HowStuffisMade (HSIM) reconsiders engineering / design education as fundamentally connected to the social and political constraints, organizational innovations and global context that inform manufacturing decisions.
London and online shop showcases the sometimes weird and wonderful relation between technology and nature through a selection of products, software and art. Pictured: Marcel Wanders‘ brilliant and delightful home cinema series.
Comparing interface and video on youtube, vimeo, google, revver, blip.tv, soapbox and metacafe side by side. (I like Blip!) with link to quick and easy how-to-post-videos for newbies.
Is it possible to let the first sketch become the object, to design directly in space?
Watch some of the fabulous members of Front make this series of sketch furniture by combining two highly developed techniques. Invisible pen strokes in the air recorded with motion capture become digital 3D-files that are then materialised into real pieces of furniture through rapid prototyping.
Presentation at Reboot8 by Hugh Macleod & Rick Segal: “A global microbrand is simply a business, which would be small or unsustainable in a local community or even nationwide, but can be big business when it can reach customers world wide through the internet and serve them efficiently. High-end products which cost much more than their transport seem to be natural candidates for this kind of business.”
Obama’s main “change” banner font is 
I’ve loved 
HSIM: How Stuff Is Made
