A neat little treat

Word clouds, or tag clouds as they are also know as, are a more recent development of the web world. Developed by sites like Flickr and Delicious to help their users tag and organize content. What intrigues about word clouds is the merging of design and data into one form. It is a way to convey information about that may be large or unwieldy in a quick visually stimulating way. A world could can be as simple as a group of words ordered by importance in the given piece that it is representing, defining such by size and or color, but more and more frequently a certain amount of aesthetics emerges. It is a way to design information, to arrange data so that people will not only be able to quickly look at it and get the data that they need but become drawn into it.

Screen capture : www.wordle.net

This is an example of a word could that I created from this blog. It was created automatically from an online service Wordle, that I found while researching for my last blog about Nathan Shedroff. First the user must enter ether a block of text or a url for the service to scan, from there a general word cloud is created from the data provided. The user is then given a set of parameters that they manipulate to their own liking, these include color, orientation and font.

Like Wordle the Facebook application Status could, that pulls from your Facebook status updates. It is less advanced than the Wordle service but shows how word clouds are being more generally accepted as a form of communicating information.

Screen capture: Status cloud 

This is an example of a Status Cloud that I did of my status updates over the last year, it show the words that I used most prominently while talking about myself and what was happening in my life.

The world cloud is huge, it demonstrates not only the evolution of Web 2.0 but the evolution of how society seeks information. We have become bored by the old broadside format of print journalism and the filing systems of old. This is also an exmple of the importance of design in the future of everything. As we are bombarded with more and more information that we have ever been before we begin to create new filters for this data. An easy example is aesthetics, we are now judging information on how aesthetically pleasing it is to us. Word clouds used desing principals like placement, color, texture, size, and depth to create chunks of information for easy and quick ingesting.

Word Clouds do have their downfalls, they lack the ability to communicate complete thoughts or even phrases, but they do provide us with a glimpse at the future of design. We as designers must take on every field that we are faces with not just the traditional realms that we have been placed in. We must work outside our respective boxes to help not only change the look of the world but how we a humans perceive and interact with it. Pulling together what Objectified and Nathan Shedroff talked about, we as the future designers have to take the world by its horns and apply our skills where they are needed, even if it is not our field of expertise. Design is about creating, so lets create a better future.

PS-  A word could created from the text of this blog post :) I couldn't help myself, and if you are interested in more info on the word could you can find it here, including the algorithm for creating your own.

 

 Screen capture : www.wordle.net

  

Design is the Problem?

Photo: www.greenmediaconference.com

Nathan Shedroff is the author of many books including the new book, Design is the Problem. I recently had the fortune of getting to see Mr. Shedroff give a guest lecture about his views of the future of design and how the the design students of today must acknowledge the problems of current design.

The impact of design is huge. Everything that we created, that is designed, ends up in the world. This, of course, affects the amount of "stuff" in the world. In essence what Shedroff is trying to communicate is the need for conscientious design. No longer can we ethically create whatever we want, however we want, and put it out on the marketplace. As designers we need to take a long hard look at our work and think about the complete impact that our product has.Also he pushes the concept that the future of design lies not only in the creation of objects, graphics, or spaces but it the creation of new ideas, systems, and plans. As designers we are trained in a unique way of looking at the world. This skill set and worldview that we have functions to makes us an indispensable resource to the future.

Photo: www.rosenfeldmedia.com 

A wordle genererated from the text of Design is the problem

Shedroff gives examples of well and poorly designed systems, and how design has its part in this. The overall presentation is well planned. It lays out Shrdroff's arguments simply, allowing him to verbal embellish the ideas that he is presenting. The graphics are clean and well organized and work to draw the viewer into the work, forcing them to engage with what Shedroff if saying. He provides many different ways to look at and take on the future of design.

I was impressed with Shedroff's presentation, and it has me thinking about my future impact on the world. He managed to remain not only extremely informative but really engaging and entertaining, I am defiantly considering buying this book.

PS check out Shedroff site here for more info and news about the author and download friendly versions of his various pretensions. Also check out his really neat League of Nathans shirt.

YESYESYES

Watching a movie that interests you is nice.

Watching a movie that makes you feel good is better.

Watching a movie that validates your major and makes you feel like a future superhero is the best.

Watching Objectified completes all three of these.

photo: www.objectifiedfilm.com

Objectified is a documentary by Gary Hustwit. This film is amazing, just to get that off my chest right now, it focuses on the things we use, how we used them, and how these things are created. The film interviews designers from all around the world and listens to them speak about not only their own personal theories about design but them speaking to the broader essence of design on a global scale.

The film was set up so beautifully. The interviews and scenes that related to each formed a pathway, cutting back and forth to slowly build to the final point. Each person added to what the one before them, maybe refraise or offering a different viewpoint but all the while building this framework of design for the viewer to take in. The movie was very visually stimulating offering not only views of designers at work but detailed shots of the objects that are being talked about. The film covers not only the atheistic aspects of design but delves into the growing ethical end of the field. Hustwit goes out of his way to point out the ethics that designers are facing now and will have to face in the future. The sustainability of products was shown by various designers in a creative practical way. What really interested me was watching the IDEO exercise of the sustainable toothbrush design.

This was such a fun film and I think it works on a level that will interest not only Designers but anyone interested in where there things came from. The accessibility of the film is a strong point, it allows people an inside look without all the industry jargon that most people would not understand. It also integrates music, fun music to its own benefit.

Seriously guys, go and see it.

Like....NOW

PS check out Hustwits site for the film here, and keep updated on his blog.

The electric slide for 2010

A merger of the most personal of things, what we wear, and technology will be on display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. The Galaxy Dress is designed by London based design company CuteCircuit. Hailed as the largest "wearable display in the world" the dress is basically a walking light show. The gown in layered with 24,000 LED's.



The show the dress puts on is gorgeous. The movement of light and color across the dress is amazing. The jaw drop factor when your enter a room in this thing must be amazing but other than the lights I am pretty unimpressed with this garment.

Photo: www.wired.com

The dress is boring. I understand the need to have as much surface area as possible to make use of the technical aspects of the garment, but the shape is dull. It attempts for a sculptural sensibility that should only be attempted by a proper tailor. The shape created when the light are on is not only boring it is unflattering. The strange angular pinch at the waist does not even do anything for the mannequin it is on. In additon to the LED's the dress is embroderied with a boatload of Swarovski crystals. Even this seems botched and awkward. The transitions between the lights and crystals just don't happen, leaving it looking blocky and unplanned. The designers also chose to include some sort of weird crystal coated bib. Just overall a very ugly dress.
I understand that this is a one of a kind dress that will in all reality never be worn in any serious capacity but it could have at least been designed to look good on size zero plastic body it is displayed on.
This is an amazing concept for a garment. From a technical standpoint this is a very impressive piece of gadgetry and a big step towards more integration of tech and fashion. From a fashion standpoint this is quite a disappointment, for a one of a kind garment one would think something a little more aesthetically appealing would have been thought up. Despite the disappointment the effort should be applauded. This is a big step and hopefully leads the way for more applications of this kind.


P.S. Check out CuteCircuit's web site here for more interesting and impressive combinations of technology and fashion.

This White is the Right White, Right?

I love color. It seems like a silly statement but it is so true. I honestly could not tell you what my favorite color is because to me color is so much more that just this one shot thing. I feel like color has been relegated to this singular thing. It is just one more check on the list of useless information that people like to compile about themselves to make themselves seem interesting and accessible. Color is not stagnant. it is not permanent and it is not unchanging. Color is alive, ok yes that sounds super duper hokey but in essence it is true. Color is not something that is immune to change. Color is one of the most situational aspects of design. Color is a needy parameter, it demands attention from the other colors around it, from the shape and finish of what its being applied to and the light of the space it is in.

The other day a friend and I were in the Home Depo. pouring over color samples. We are currently working on remodeling a modeled space for our day lighting class (137B) and were trying to put together a color pallet. Pulling deep blues, rich browns, and camel tones was pretty easy. We pulled and compared leaving off colors with tonalities that we didn't like and keeping the ones that worked together the best. The funny part came when we were looking for a white. White is color that most people do not have enough respect or understanding of. For most people a white is a white is a white, which not even close to true. The proper white can make or break a room and with the variations being nearly endless choosing the right white can be a daunting task.

Standing in front the paint chip display it was almost comical how blind we can be. I managed to find what I could pick out at the purest white in the collection and we proceed to look for more. Shades of white that were tucked in among other colors seemed at first to be just as white as white can be, but once we held it up to the "pure" white the tint was a little more than apparent. This continued for awhile each white almost a disappointing as the last. Finally we looked at the Whitewash collection from Ralph Lauren. We had been looking at this part of the display since we walked up and up until now the colors all seemed really white. As an experiment I held up the "pure" white color up and moved it over all the shades in the collection slowly. It was almost like magic, the shades of colors popped out of the whites like nothing else. We stood there staring at the now not so whitewash collection in humored bemusement.

Color is nothing to fear, it is fantastic, it is just something that must be handled with caution. To really find the right color you must compare it to other colors. A color out of context may at first, second, or even third glance look like the perfect fit, but what happened when you put it next to another color. Does it pick up the other color? Does it deepen or lighten in tonality in response to a color around it? Color can do really funny things if not kept in check. A great little exercise for finding the right shade of a color is defined by Josef Albers in his book on color theory called "Interaction of Color"

Photo from Josef Albers "Ineratcion of Color" pg 13

This exersise, created to help define which shade is lighter or darker, requires one to put sample A and A together. Quickly separate the two colors and if region C appears lighter than A then B is the darker shade, this also works in reverse. This test is one way to help us get a better grip on the flighty temptress that is color, and allows us to use it better to our own ends. So next time you get all gung-ho and want to paint the living room please please please take some time and look at colors, take paint chips home and sit on them, and take advantage of sample sizes of paint, because nothing can ruin a great room quicker than the wrong color.

There the Wild Things Are

While perusing the blogosphere I came across a site that warms my heart. www.terribleyelloweyes.com is a collection of works by various artist that center around the children's book "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak. The site is a delightful collection of reworkings of the classic art from this childhood favorite, and especially relevant with the recent release of the motion picture version directed by Spike Jones. 

This book takes a lot from its minimalist writing combined with rich textural illustrations. It is really  treat for the eyes and what keeps it relevant today.

The importance of this book and the imact it has had on many American childhoods can be seen in the passionate and loving works from this site. Among the many, many fantastic works on the site this particular one jumped out at me.

 Image from Terrible Yellow Eyes, also Robin Joseph

This work from Robin Joseph is a beautiful piece.  I love this work because it is celebration of not only this particular story but of childhood itself. The simplistic abstraction of the form of Max, the main character, is set off by the intricate working of the "wild thing". This is not only a question of shape but the entirety of treatment. Max's form is is completed with minimal shading and little detail. The contrast with the other figure is almost shocking. The first thing one can point out is the drastic change is color treatment. The rich tones of the the the wild thing are highlighted with a intricate almost textural line work.

The detail of the works as a ground to the lighter simpler figure of Max. Despite the texture the wild things deep color causes it to fade back again the smaller figure of Max. The work highlights these differences forcing the eye to focus first on the small light space of the figure. From there the detailed lines leading out of the crown into those of the ground image moves the eyes outwards and around the work. Eventually a psychic line connects the wild things face back to the figure of Max.

The beauty of the work lies in its simple use of high contrast. It works to intrigue the eye and keep interest in the work. The overall design helps to re-enforce the general sense of closeness to the work. It is a very intimate work and all the aspects of it work to reinforce that.  An amazing tribute and a touching work that brings me back, if only for a moment, to my childhood.

Speaking of textiles

My last post get me thinking about what makes a textile special, what makes it important to people. Marimekko is a Finnish company that has been around since the 50's. I was introduced to the company as a child from my mom and their products have held a special place in my heart since then.

Though much of the clothes and textiles flabbergast most of my generation and send silent chills of horror through my parents some of the patterns hold up. Although the they might not be  the height of sexy sophistication the bright colors and bold treatment of subject matter are more important that ever in today's world.

With fashion and interiors reflecting the harsh edge of the current mental state theses happy prints seem like a ray of sunshine. They act like like a placebo for interiors brightening and lightening. The above patterns are great examples of bold prints. The bold shapes that act as focal points seem simple at first but are balanced out by small details, like the detailing on the lily pad and the tree like rings radiating out the center of the circles. The red print also has a great sense of visual texture appearing almost hand made contrasting the with the texture of the flat abstract veining on the lily pads.

Both of these floral prints take the cake over stuffy Victorian styles. They have a deeply Scandinavian sensibility, a mix European detail with Japanese simplicity. The rich texture of the blooms on the purple grounded work balances out the alternating symmetrical pattern of the blossoms. This is quite opposite the more delicate balance of the other work is more asymmetrical, giving the whole a more organic feel. The naturalistic movement of the red blossomed piece is a direct counterpoint to the almost frozen feel of its neighbor.

Bold textiles can be risky but done correctly can work as there own works of art. The sky plays a big part in both of these textiles, a great option for a window treatment. The abstract red white and blue shapes mimic the clouds behind them in the first fabric. Its movement stems from the general repetition of shape over the whole. It stands in contrast to the flat abstraction of the birch trees  in the second, both using asymmetrical balance to create a more unified swath of fabric. The firsts movement contrasts greatly to the seconds flatness, paralleling the differences with focal point. In the first the blue object is a more ambiguous focal point to the bold statement of the birch tree, the predominant focal point in the second work.

This is just a sample of some of the textile designs from Marimekko more available at their website. They are hard to get a hold of but the spirit is what should be noted. The ability of art and design to shape our world on a day to day basis is amazing. In unsure economic times, and a confused political climate it is important to keep ourselves happy, and whats an easier way than a cheery print on the slipcover, or some bright curtains? So, take some time to design some happy into your life.

P.S. For more wallet friendly Scandinavian designed textiles try Ikea, you can cut to length and they have great curtain systems at good prices.

All photos copyright of Marimekko

Stiching up a broken heart

Photo: Cody Torgersrud 

People deal with grief in their own ways, it can be destructive or productive. Avis Collins Robinson quilt "My Mamma is Dead" was a memorial piece completed in memory of her mother. The full sized quilt is constructed in a linear and geometric form in the colors red black and white. Though she is African-American Robinson's piece immediately strikes one as having a distinct Native American sensibility about it. Lifting both the color pallet and some of the form from work typical of certain Native American groups.

The background of the piece is a black grid laid out upon a white background. The choppy, less horizontally elongated, areas of the upper and lower regions are divided by the field of horizontal forms found in the middle, giving the whole work asymmetrical balance without making the form seem to stiff or trite. The long stripes even work to frame the more intricate geometric patterns located in the far ends of the quilt and while stabilizing the work with the heavy horizontal bars found towards  the top and bottom. The red shapes preform many jobs across the work. They provide not only a sense of unity, tying the inner shapes to the outer thin border via color, but also a way to break up the pattern giving the work a sense of punctuated uneven staccato rhythm. The red also leads the eye around the work  making it move up and down the framework of the black in a meandering path.

The work must really be seen in person to be fully appreciated. Not only does Robinson play with the visual texture via the bold color and shape choices but the physical texture is, of course, a whole additional layer of the work. It taken out of context the visual elements could be perceived to be of an almost Malevich-ian flatness but in person the full depth of texture becomes apparent. The work who appears so bold and harsh in still a quilt and is structured out of fabrics like corduroy conveying a sense of softness that was not apparent at first look. From across the gallery this work instantly hits the eye with the basic color pattern and aggressive form structure but on closer inspection draws the viewer into a visually tactile experience quite contrary from its original impression. The ridged layers of corduroy are contrasted against flatter rougher textiles giving even the areas the same in color a sense of depth and movement.

This work is a beautiful work of craftsmanship and a fitting tribute to a lost mother. The complex series of emotions that are grief play out across this work. The numb pain overlaid with the cruel structure that must be maintained to keep going is interspersed with the violent residual longing pain and anger. Truly, a touching work meticulously executed with layers of meaning and visual interest. This piece along with many others are currently on display in UC Davis' Nelson Gallery.

Viral for Profits

With major publications like Conde Naste cutting staff and budges left and right, TiVo reducing millions of dollars worth of advertising campaigns to mere blurs and the hottest and newest sties online all user generated content what is an advertising agent to do? The answers seems to be to take the subversive route.

In a world that does not want to watch advertisements the way to sell products seems to be more like trying to get a kid to eat their vegetables than anything. Making people want to watch ads is the only way for the advertising companies to survive. Yes there are of course the hidden add opportunities, dry-cleaner bags, shopping cart handles and eggs, yes eggs, but for an add campaign to be successful it seems that the advertiser must now challenge and engage the consumer. Gone are the days when Madison Avenue could just put out any print add in a magazine and expect to see revenues.

The gradual change in the way that successful advertising was designed goes hand in had with the change in the design of the modern media. Gone are the days of three network television streaming the same programs into homes from coast to coast.   Now each person is their own media empire. Not only do people receive their media now online but with Blackberrys and iPhones in most people pockets, making media available around the clock with the flick of the fingers. This allows the averages person to meticulously edit the media that he or she is exposed to on a minute to minute basis, directly affecting the advertising attached to it.

Large scale advertising is failing. The niche media consumer demands a niche advertisement experience or they will edit it out of their lives. This means small scale add blitzes aimed at regional or socioeconomic groups, even targeting minority groups. The design must shift from one add for all to all adds for one, in essence marketing on a personal basis. This combined with creating a product, and when I say product I mean advertisement, that people will actually enjoy. The advertisers must design a product that makes an impression, that gets people talking.

Cadburry not so long ago realized the benefit of appealing to what would be considered a less main stream. An ad blitz by the candy maker featured multiple short TV spots consisting of disconnected subjects that has no connection to the existing branding of the company. No sight of the iconic "Cadburry bunny" or any reference to candy at all, the spots ranged from a gorilla playing a drum set, two children distorting their faces to the beat of a song, to a drag race of vehicles most commonly found on a tarmac. Watching the video the only common thread that can be found is the presence of music as a important element. The first of these, the gorilla, went viral and was featured in multiple countries, garnered a large online audience, spawned many satires and spoofs and is credited to a 9% increases in sales for the lagging company.

Seeing the success of this advert campaign and ones like it will hopefully spur the industry into action driving ad design in a new direction to respond to the new perceptions and handling of media in society. Advertisements are really the ultimate feedback loop for any given society, advertising selling a product in a way that reflects the ideology of the market, in turn that market chooses the best representation of itself with its buying power which guides the advertisers future plans. The problem is that advertising has not kept in step with the world around it and therefore looses its effectiveness. Really applying smart design into not only the concept but the application of new advertising is the only way to keep it relevant as we continue our journey into the information age.

The original Cadburry adds:

The "Gorilla" Advert

The "Eyebrows" Advert

A link to the spoof of the "Eyebrow" advert from an English TV show featuring Lilly Allen

The Drag Race Advert

Quite the Beautiful Game

There is a Foosball table in my living room. It never gets used, never, and just sits there. It catches my sweaters when I walk past it to the porch, also, so not fun to play, and looks like it belongs is at best a Dave and Busters. In essence I hate the damn thing. It is something, along with a Lay-Z-Boy recliner, and oak cabinetry, that I refuse to have in any of my future homes, defiantly on my design "s!*tlist". That being said while perusing the internet the other day I came across what can only be referred to as work of art. Truly a work of sculpture, that happens to be a Foosball table.

"Sweeping curves reflect the beauty and grandeur of today’s modern stadiums, while its atmospheric lighting and chromed metal players capture the excitement and drama of a classic sporting encounter. " A pretty accurate description of what the 11 looks like, pulled directly from their websites. It is, seriously, not just the Lexus but the Koenigsegg of miniaturized sporting....facilities? The design is really something, dropping the standard four leg dining table format most favored by the Foosball industry the 11's shape looks more like something you would be served drinks out of at a Phillip Stark designed boutique hotel, than something that would more than likely be found in a Midwest bowling alley. The smooth curve from the round base to the lip of the miniature stadium echo's the organic sensuality of a calla lily, the proportions of the top and bottom naturally balanced. Reminiscent of some of the beautiful stadiums being built of late like this and this it takes ques from some of the best of modern architecture.

A smooth black shell opens up to reveal a stark white playing field crossed with a small regiment of silver "footballers" that, if I am going to be perfectly honest, look like something that you would find at a high end sex shop. The designers really though of everything. Stadium lighting is even included to even further the focal point of this beautiful piece.  The whole piece matches up gorgeously, the whole unit so completely designed, that nothing looks out of place, even the awkward handles of sweater grabbing fame. It really exudes a sort of sexy/modern/sporty vibe that really bring to mind David Beckham's steamy Armani underwear ads. A piece so well designed that I would not hesitate to put in, yes(gasp), my own home, or more importantly, and more realistically, a clients space.

So, it may seem like I am loosing my marbles over what is, yes, a very nice Foosball table, but just a Foosball table all the same, but dearies that is exactly what is so exciting! This is in reality a mundane object that has for the most part been relegated to frat housed and rumpus rooms. It is something that does not need to be beautiful, but is. That is what we need more of. We live in a consumer society, a society that has lost touch with aesthetics. A world where more is better, instead of better being better. Why shouldn't our generic every day objects be objets d'art? Why should we not demand beautiful things? It seems that our society has this theory that well designed things are somehow elitist. That for something to be beautiful it has to be pricey, something that "snobby" people would buy. I believe that Americans have accepted ugly things because they somehow believe that they are not needed. This is incorrect, design is such a basic thing. It does not require Italian cabinets or German engineering to be well designed. Design can be integrated into the normally mundane objects that make up our day to day. Things like can openers, car keys, and vacuum cleaners. The 11 gives me hope, this movement towards applying design principles, however small and overpriced, gives me hope. Hope that someday American will toss aside our obsession with poorly designed mass marketed garbage, not that good design cannot be mass marketed, and embrace design in their day to day lives.

PHOTOS! Well I am having some unexpected technical difficulties with photo uploads so I am just going to re-rout you to the manufactures website HERE. The images are better anyway. Go check it out, its well worth your time.

a graphic god

I love looking at thing, especially things on the internet. Once and a while I wander across something truly awsome. I found Olly Moss through threadless.com while shopping for t-shirts and was blown away by the simplistic beauty of his work. To focus on one piece in particular I would like to show this one.

www.ollymoss.com

Nothing but a simple little, well simple in style, doodle. I thing its really that simplicity that appeals to me. That and a sort of dated retro quality about all his work. Besides the fact that this is not only an on point social commentary on fashion, it is a work of clean balance. The half and half of black and blue is highlighted with the touches of white. The open space of the black is broken by the white text while the black and white of the simple shapes tie into the top half giving it a sense of balance. Clean lines and simple sans-serif text provide unity throughout the work and the block of the blue functions as the general focal point having most of the "action" happening there. I am a stickler for clean design, probably because I can not do it to save my own life and therefore makes me hugely envious of those that can. Olly Moss works for a multitude of different outlets including the aforementioned clothing shops, and many different types of print and e-media. What really inspires me is his drive. He just seems to constantly create, having seemingly grasped at least the craft and form aspects of the design process. Its and inspiration and should be something we strive for as a people, the creation of beautiful things through good design. And going out on that note, follow the artists advice,

 

www.ollymoss.com

Check it out! 

His site

His Twitter

His Flickr

Well, well worth the visit.

PS Please don't sue me I love you! :)

mycket omodernt

A nice calm atmosphere, simple with light colors, preferably shades of white with small touches of deep color. Simple, clean, elegant, these are all things I look for in a bathroom. This bathroom is none of these things.

Photo: www.omodern.com

Somewhere between an explosion at a Spanish tile factory and an avocado harvesting tragedy is this bathroom, a room where matching has gone way to far. At first glance the eye does not know where to settle. The first thing on the list of what makes this room bad is the tile. Its impossible not to become drawn into the intricate pattern that covers the walls from floor the ceiling. This tile might be ok on its own but the problem is the scale. If the pattern repeat was much larger or if the tiles itself was bigger might work better, but that would take tiles the size of pavers. The small almost lattice pattern is too overwhelming for completely covering the walls. The unified assault that is the tiled walls is only broken by the plumbing fixtures, fixtures that are a color that should never be committed to anything as permanent as porcelain. 

The balance of the chunky fixtures with the small intricate tiles is so off kilter. The colors are completely wrong. Though the tones match, terracotta and that green should never share company outside of a hors d'oeuvre platter at Mexican restaurant. Once you get over the horrible walls and unsavory sinks the realization of what the floor is. Shag carpet, so inexcusably wrong and gross that it should be illegal.

Even the layout of the room is weird. Given that this is probably a display space and not a real bathroom the floor plan is going to be unrealistic. Despite that the layout of the bathtub is just weird. Step up stairs to a step in tub, a tub that is shoved back in the corner behind a wall. Not the open floor plan favored of late. Also what is with the tiny sink next to the toilet? There is no point for it being there considering that there is a full sized sink not even across the room, plus its awkward to get at.

It is easy to condemn this room to the pages of bad design history, to damn it for its flaws but I feel that we should treat if differently, this room should be celebrated, it is a statement. It is an attempt at something new. This room screams “look at me, I am the future!” It was made in a sprit of pioneering, in the mind of making something new. This is what taking chances in design are about. We have become, for the most part, people who don’t take design risks, cookie cutter houses with matching kitchens and bathrooms. Sometimes taking risks pay off; sometimes it ends up being a room that matches Lady Gagas Kermit coat.  Ether way its time to take some risks, make some drastic choices. Don’t be afraid, its only a design. 

Check out more rooms from the 70's at Omodern

layout to payout

I don't think anyone who has been paying attention to the news, and especially the news of the news, can deny the flailing death of print media. It is, in my opinion, a terrible shame. Having participated in all four years of my higschool newspaper, "The Bluffer" I have a certain fondness for print journalism. There is something special about the art of laying out a page, of mixing words and graphics, an art that has existed and grown from the time of the printing press. It has brought both good new and bad to the people of the world. But now it is a dying media. The printed word is being replaced by pixels.
Design is a huge part of what makes media marketable. Not just in the sense of flashy graphics or glossy editorials but even the lack of perceived design. Would the "Wall Street Journal" be taken seriously if they splattered some large graphics in neon colors.
Design is what determines a publication, it determines the style the vibe and the readership that will be paying for this media. When media is so readily assessable for free online that is the most important part. Who will pay for the same thing that they can get for free? That is where the impact of design really comes into play.
For print media to stay viable in the 21st century it must find a niche market, and pander shamelessly to this group. They must harness design to work for them, to sell their product. This is not a new concept by any means but is becoming more and more relevant as the power of the internet steadily grows. Not that this should be at the loss of content because I believe that both content and design need to exist cohesively to be considered good design.

Global warming on the runway

If there is one thing a fashion designer knows how to do it is take ques from the outside world. As I have talked about in my earlier post about the recent Paris Fashion Week (good) designers take an idea a concept or a whole philosophy from outside sources, blend it with their own personal style, theories on design, and their skills and create (again stress the good part) some truly amazing clothes.One such designer, who I was much aggrieved that I skipped last time 'round, has graced us with his vision again.
Alexander McQueen is one of the true artists of the Fashion industry. His shows can are at worst high fashion, at there best true performance art.
According to style.com the press release from McQueen stated the enviorment as an external source of inspiration, according to style.com he "was casting an apocalyptic forecast of the future ecological meltdown of the world: Humankind is made up of creatures that evolved from the sea, and we may be heading back to an underwater future as the ice cap dissolves."
The show was to be streamed live, but a last minute change in plans and a tweet from one Lady GaGa announcing the premier of her new single during the show promptly crashed the servers. The evidence of the original intent was present on the runway in the form of two hulking robotic cameras. The contrast to the shimmering white runway was almost as stunning as the clothes that made their way down said runway.
Its hard to know where to start with this show, the impeccable yet topic appropriate tailoring, the crisp laser printed patterns that looked more Rorschach than runway, the reptilian-esque sculpted hair or the even more prehistorically textured heels, described by Sarah Mower of style.com as "Grotesque shoes that looked like the armored heads of a fantastical breed of antediluvian sea monster."
 One can only assume that this collection is a sort of amalgamation of McQueens penchant for scuba diving, the general unease over global warming heightened by the increase of natural disasters of a large scale and a healthy dose of pure genius. The dichotomy of a future uncertain was mimicked in the balance of the hysterical patterns printed by machine and the heavy sky high creature like heels.
The combined effect quite stunning both from a design perspective and from a social point. More and more designers seem to be using the runways afforded them to make a statement, wither it be political, social, or humanitarian. For better or worse designers are in the social fray making points all that more poignant by shaping the clothes we wear with the ideas that they have taken in turn from us.
Feedback loop baby.

and now for some eye candy

 

Photos(All) www.syle.com

"You know I would eat this fucking heel by the way, I would eat this shoe for breakfast, lunch, and dinner." -Rachel Zoe





PS: http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/S2010RTW-AMCQUEEN to see all the looks for this season and past

Beauty is in the eye of the....fire?

Apparently Italy, world renown for good design, has taken it upon itself to find the "Worlds Most Beautiful Object", well at least a few of them have. As reported by the Huffington Post the Pulchra design competition announced its newest winner. The Gyrofocus fireplace by the French firm Focus beat out 100 other objects in a public vote determined by over seventy thousand votes.
I have to say that I am completely impressed. I have yet to see what the completion looked like but the winner is nothing short of stunning. The fireplace is a smooth ellipse with an open shelf of flame supported by nothing else than the chimney flue. It has clean smooth lines with a sense of whimsy easily at home in any overly chic hotel lobby, but, in fact, was first created back in 1968 by designer Dominique Imbert. How can something even after almost half a century remain so visually poignant?
A true piece of art, completely and thoroughly, must be created by something like a master. Anyone who has tried to create minimalist design can attest to the fact that it is HARD. While the ignorant will claim that their five year old could have painted that, or that there is nothing to modern design, they are, in fact, completely 100% wrong. The true essence of "modern" design is form. It is an exercise in the perfection of shape though the use of minimalism.
When form is all there is then form is all that matters. There is no escaping or hiding behind any kind of design device. The shape of the object is all there is. The purity and balance is all you have so every line, every curve, every degree matters. The most minuscule of shape can make or break a design. The thought, the trial and error, the intense attention to detail is what truly sets mediocre modern design away from the great. This is what Imbert has achieved with this fireplace.
The simplicity of form mixed with the ingenuity of convenience, the suspended fireplace rotates 360 degrees to face any direction in its space, merge to form what is really the essence of Design. Creating useful objects that are both functional and gorgeous. To me it represent the simplification of not only an object but of thought. The ability to merge utility and art is almost a meditation on what it means to be human, to strip away all the mess and get down to what is needed while rendering the shape with a perception of beauty, in essence all that we as humans need to survive.

Photo: www.focusfireplaces.com.au

Photo: www.focusfireplaces.com.au

BTW, go check out their website at www.focusfireplaces.com.au, some truly amazing works of functional art. 

A horse of a differnt color

Shopping for cars is a national pastime. Even though we are currently slightly detoured by the flailing (yes flailing) economy and the ever fluctuation price of gas, the results of the Cash for Clunkers program are more than proof than we love to get a new ride.
I love looking at cars, it is one of MY hobbies. Model, make, year, color, all things that I unintentionally take stock of constantly. As with my fascination with the fashion industry I pay attention to changes from season to season.
Color is something that always changes. Slower than the fashion industry, the auto industry is constantly adjusting to trends. Its so easy to track, time and color. Many colors stay relatively standard, black, white, silver, even blue, red, and green are basic for every year. The colors that really are a barometer of society are the show colors. The non standard colors that pop up from time to time really can tell a little bit about the general sense of the time.
The 90's, embodied by the giddiness of a nation high on money and power. The colors of the time seen not only in the lurid interior of houses and awful clothes of the time pop up on the hoods of the decades vehicles. Bright fuchsias and matte teal, colors that should never grace the institution of automobiles, even as aftermarket, were in full effect.

Current trends in color seem to not only be tied to shape but concept. The past few years in the auto industry have seen  the slow demise of Americas love affair with the SUV. The result has been a re-evaluation of the the family car. The industry response, the crossover. and with this a new idea of the general mood. The SUV most crassly characterized by the blazing yellow flank of the Hummer H2 is being remodeled and remolded into the a trimmer, leaner, more chic version of its former self. With that a new color has been introduced.  Within the last year brown has popped up all over the industly and as far as i have seen, on what would be considered the SUV's replacement. Examples include the Subaru Outback, the Volvo XC60, and the Toyota Venza.

Photo: www.subaru.com

 

Photo: www.volvocars.com

 

Photo: www.toyota.com

All these options, though artfully named,  are brown. Ranging from a rich chocolate to a golden ocher, represent the new chicafied SUV. Does the new somber, fiscally savvy America demand am more somber color? Yes.

Que the...society?

The fashion industry is one constantly concerned with change. It is one that is part of the huge feedback loop that is modern industry, and one prides itself with keeping two fingers on the pusle of society, while at the same time making dictations to it.
We are currently living in a world of great upheaval. Ideas and institutions that have seemed to last the test of time are collapsing, a war over ideals is raging in the middle east, and the optimism of a new generation and administration is battling its way forward.
How does and industry so concerned with selling make its grand statement. It seems that no two designers is taking the same route. The war may be behind the a few of the looks this season. Balmain seemed to take ques from classic military garb.  Showing strong cuts in jackets and trousers, heavy materials and military style adornments including high heeled combat boots.

 All photos property of their designer and Style.com

While the "hippy" mood of the ani-war 70's was in full force at the Louis Vuitton show.  Mr. Jacobs channeled inspirations of the era by quaffing his models in sky high afros, and modeling his color palet in the neutrals of the time interspersed with bright pops of disco worthy colors, layered with fringe and tribal prints.

As for a general mood the field seems just as mixed. Chanel seemed to show a certain cheeky innocence. Using his traditional venue of the Grand Palais he created his own barnyard. The models donned a mix of cremes and reds on top of the houses traditional palette black and white. The sense of silly escapism was echoed in the models general appearance. Seeming fresh from a "roll in the hay" they teetered across the runway in sky high clogs, a rouge-ish wink from the application of mid thigh rosaries.

The frivolity of Chanel was contrasted by a darker fantasy was shown at John Galliano. Ethereal fabrics flowed across a bloody runway. The graceful shapes founded on platforms of ridiculous proportions. The looks finished with a dementedly coquettish finish seem to translate a darker, more unsure sentiment.

The collections span the board. It seems that each appeals to its own niche. In a society that seems to be splintering into pieces the design of dressing people is diversifying just the same. The general sense of a season is never one of perfect cohesion but now more so than ever it seems like each is going their own way. So what does this mean? Is this diversity a effect of fashion or society? Which is in the lead and who is following? Or does it even matter at all? ;)

Just a thought

Photo By Cody Torgersrud

The juxtaposition of new and old. As I sit in the courtyard of Shields Library it strikes me how much this pleases me. The bold glass facade softly reflects the mid-day light which is further dappled by the majestic oak that seem to block out the sky like a great sheer umbrella. The contrast of modern architecture and ancient tree is one of mutual flattery. This is ever apparent in the pieces that comprise the gallery exhibition at the design museum on campus.
“Typograpic Expolration in Hangul” is an exhibition of the work of Hyunjn Lee and Phil Choo. Based completely on the form and structure of the Hangul language, the language of Korea, this work combines the ancient forms of writing with modern style, technique and application. The pieces are mostly printed by machine on varying types of paper, ranging from beautifully clean archival sheets to rough handmade versions. All which have been printed with razor sharp precision. Beside the technical aspects of the show the content mirrors this idea. The classic folk songs and poems of the Korean people are displayed in pixilated photoshopped form, bringing the whole idea back to its core.
Despite being a look at beauty of a language and the skills of the artists this touches something deeper. The battle between new and old. This balance is one of ascetics and ethics. The strive for modernity is present everywhere, but what sense of soul or spirituality is present in aluminum and glass, where is the human essence if not for flaw. At the same time where is the cutting edge in the branches of a tree. This dichotomy is more so true for countries like Korea who in the race to the future are facing the decision between past and present. How do we stay current and remain tied to our roots?
I ponder this while sitting under a tree, which is in all likelihood may times older than me, surrounded by walls of glass and stucco, typing my thoughts on a piece of machinery that not half a century ago would have been unthinkable. This is what we must deal with as humans striking new marks while keeping an eye on the past. We create with what we have, we design with our history, and we must keep the balance present. We cannot lose our roots for they are all that is keeping us put.

A link to the design musem and current exhibitions