Posts from — August 2008

Decorative typographer favourite of mine Marian Bantjes, created a poster for the design unit within the Academy for Educational Development, a DC-based international non-profit.

It says “Design Ignites Change” and is part of a series of posters that they do to
promote the importance of design in development work.

It sounds like the laser cut poster (a print one in the works) which Marian had cut from the front to incorporate the laser burn, is no longer available.

See more of the poster

Via NotCot

Technorati Tags: decorative typography, design, Marian Bantjes, poster design, typography

What you’re looking at below are the Asemic Scapes, a beautiful and breathtaking concept for the Rehabilitation Centre Rainberg (a medical rehabilitation centre) in the Austrian Alps designed by architecture graduate Sarah Schneider.

Designed to accommodate 50 patients, it features balconies overlooking the mountains and raised walkways running through the surrounding forests.

Sarah explains that in general rehab centres, like their predecessors the sanatoriums of the 19th and 20th century, are based on a dualistic set of values: they embody the belief in the healing power of technology and the healing power of nature, which is why they are mostly situated in prestine landscapes.

Therefore her attempt was to develop a contemporary relationship to the landscape based on calligraphic ornamentation.

Calligraphy is adding an idea of creating variation through artistic expression to a technical matter of communication and is connected to ornamentation which generally uses natural motifs and often rules of natural growth.

The project develops an architecture that uses rules of natural growth and connects both growth and ornament, with a landscape environment, topologically and calligraphically.

Read more on Dezeen.com

Technorati Tags: architecture, Asemic Scapes, Sarah Schneider, Rehabilitation Centre Rainberg

If you’re a fan of Si Scott’s swirly illustration style, the FUSShop has added new print, ‘Hype Type’, to their already robust collection of Si Scott prints.

This Illustraton is hand-drawn and comes in either an elegant black version or a stark white alternative.

His fusion of illustration and typeface has gained him notarity and his work is becoming increasingly sought after, just ask Nike Europe and the BBC.

The prints are £59.99 and are limited to 100 in black or 100 in white.

Via JoshSpear

Technorati Tags: illustration, prints, Si Scott

Victorian style is quite trendy in some ways, with the steam punk movement and mechanical elements that are in contrast with the slick, minimal style of today’s technological gadgets.

The British Library in London therefore presents a small and timely collection of Victorian era gadgets in its Business and Intellectual Property Centre.

Take this as an example - a tiny machine complete with its own map that would tell motorists which way to go. Miniature scrolls bearing the directions were loaded onto the watch and revolved as the wearer continued his journey.

I can only guess that drivers could revolve the maps without endangering the operation of their vehicles. A far cry from today!

Maurice Collins, a retired businessman from Muswell Hill, London, has a collection of 1,400 historic gadgets and cherry-picked 50 must-have items for the exhibition at the British Library.

Mr Morris said his collection was a celebration of ‘ingenious products that attempted to solve human difficulty’.

To see more of the items on display, check out The Daily Mail.

Via Switched

Technorati Tags: design, gadgets, products, steampunk, victorian era gadgets

Brazilian artist Nele Azevedo created this art installation consisting of hundreds of sitting figures out of ice. The installation lasted till the last one melted in the heat of the day.

I thought this was a fantastically fun idea to create as a piece of art. I’m not sure what the message in the concept would have been, maybe a comment on global warming and its effect on the population, but it looks like a great way to engage the public.

Via Neatorama

Technorati Tags: art, ideas, mini ice men, Nele Azevedo

This is the excellent burger interpretation of the Nike Air Max 90 by Olle Hemmendorff, a Swedish illustrator/designer who was commissioned by Nike (along with 7 other artists) to “interpret” their sneakers.

Great, quirky idea - make something up out of unexpected materials. I especially like the contrast in fast food and “sporty” footwear.

Via Neatorama

Technorati Tags: ideas, Nike, Nike Air Max 90, Olle Hemmendorff, trainer burger

Brittnybadger took apart used cooking/cleaning appliances, and arranged their interior parts very systematically on a white sheet of bristol board.

Her intention was to explore the hidden “brains” of these appliances; allowing us to view these everyday objects from a new perspective. Components never looked so good!

More on Brittnybadger’s Flickr photoset

Via SwissMiss

Technorati Tags: dissasembled appliances, household goods, photographs, products

Back up your ideas and visuals with some theory from the History of Graphic Design.

History of Graphic Design

Via SwissMiss

Technorati Tags: design, graphic design, history, History of Graphic Design

Technorati Tags: design, font conference, typography

For some reason, designers covet old printing blocks. Well, perhaps not just designers, but interior design enthusiasts as well.

The look can now be made more useful than just sitting on a shelf with this Alpha Coffee Table which has a bold top that’s carved to look like a collection of raised-letter antique printers’ blocks.

It’s made of sustainable plantation-grown shesham wood and features a vintage crackled finish with a black powdercoated steel base.

Since you’re all highly successful people who appreciate design, you won’t mind spending $900 on one of these!

Via Uncrate

Technorati Tags: Alpha Coffee Table, coffee table, design, interiors