the epedestrian

The Cosmic Motors Detonator

2011-11-01T23:21:00.002-04:00

The Cosmic Motors Detonator is a plasma combustion street cruiser exclusively for non-human droids, able to bend their legs opposite way. The design of the bike was tailored towards their unusual proportions, although occasionally human models were used to pose with stationary bikes. All ten Detonators were manufactured for a group of droids on the Tarra I planet.

A Design Film Festival

2011-10-28T11:48:00.000-04:00

A Design Film Festival is back onto the scene with a brand new lineup, expanded programme and new collaborations this year. Conceptualized by Singaporean creative agency Anonymous, this annual celebration of films are dedicated to architecture, fashion, photography, street art, motion graphics, technology and the subcultures of design. The festival, which was first launched last year in Singapore, has already traveled to various creative hubs which include Berlin, Taipei, Kaohsiung and Bangkok. This year’s event will have 28 screenings of 15 films, 10 of which are Asian premieres. A Design Film Festival 2011 will run from November 3 until the 20th and will be held at Old School in Singapore.

Old School
11, Mount Sophia
Singapore

Source: Superfuture

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The future looks all floaty and stuff

2011-10-28T11:22:00.001-04:00

Watch how future technology will help people make better use of their time, focus their attention, and strengthen relationships while getting things done at work, home, and on the go.

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Stance - DIY Designer Art Toy

2011-10-22T21:11:00.002-04:00

The Stance High is the first edition in a unique line of designer toys that connect the art and creativity of the customizable toy community with the passion and emotion of the sneaker culture.

By ddennisur at 2011-02-02

Artist can re-create their favorite pair of Jordan's that they wish they still had; or design a new colorway for that sneaker that you’ve always wanted to see. However, my ultimate vision is that artist will throw all the rules out the window and run with their very own vision of the perfect kicks.

N.Y. Adorned “Tradition”

2011-04-28T23:38:00.000-04:00

nyadorned.com

Director: Evan Dennis
evandennis.com

Producer: Evan Dennis
DOP: Zak Mulligan
Editor: Nathan Caswell
Narration Lori Leven
Colorist: Tom Poole @ Company 3
Music: Grails "Canyon Hymn"
Audio Engineer: Jeremy Griffith @ Singing Serpent
Audio Mixing: John Black @ CypherAudio

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Louise Despont Esoteric Geometry

2011-04-21T18:59:00.000-04:00

Brooklyn-based artist Louise Despont draws highly complex patterns and symmetrical forms rendered largely in graphite on antique ledger paper and yellowed Indian parchment. Influenced by the vibrant sights and sounds of South Asia, Despont demonstrate her skillful use of architectural stencils and compasses on those amazing pieces of art.

Inventor Portrait: Steven Sasson

2011-04-12T17:52:00.000-04:00

One of the most ubiquitous forms of technology in existence today is the digital camera. From cell phones to chunky DSLRs, a camera is never all that far away. David Friedman’s Inventor Portrait had the opportunity to sit down with the inventor of the digital camera, Steven Sasson. Through the short interaction, Sasson shows off his original prototype as well as his philosophy on how to make a product adaptable based on culture.

Source: Laughing Squid

Rodarte: States of Matter by MOCA

2011-03-30T00:03:00.000-04:00

Rodarte: States of Matter is the first West Coast solo exhibition of the work of fashion and costume designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte. In this video, Kate and Laura talk about the stories that have inspired their collections and the physical processes their materials go through.

This intimate look at more than 20 pieces from Rodarte’s Spring 2010, Fall 2010, and Fall 2008 runway collections, as well as original ballet costumes designed by Kate and Laura Mulleavy from Rodarte for the feature film Black Swan, was directed by Felipe Lima, with original music by No Age.

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Bill Cunningham New York Trailer

2011-03-28T22:29:00.000-04:00

The "Bill" in question is 80+ New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham. For decades, this Schwinn-riding cultural anthropologist has been obsessively and inventively chronicling fashion trends and high society charity soirées for the Times Style section in his columns "On the Street" and "Evening Hours." Documenting uptown fixtures (Wintour, Tom Wolfe, Brooke Astor, David Rockefeller—who all appear in the film out of their love for Bill), downtown eccentrics and everyone in between, Cunningham's enormous body of work is more reliable than any catwalk as an expression of time, place and individual flair. In turn, Bill Cunningham New York is a delicate, funny and often poignant portrait of a dedicated artist whose only wealth is his own humanity and unassuming grace.

Zaha Hadid's Guangzhou Opera House

2011-03-13T05:25:00.001-04:00

The Guardian's Jonathan Glancey explores the Zaha Hadid's latest creation - the Guangzhou Opera house.

KITARA TOUCHSCREEN GUITAR

2011-02-28T03:08:00.000-05:00

Most of us by now have played a few rounds of Guitar Hero or Rock Band, so this shouldn’t come as any surprise. Kitara Touchscreen Guitar ($849-$2499) is string-free and doubles as a MIDI controller.

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David O'Reilly: The External World

2011-02-16T15:55:00.000-05:00

Mr. O’Reilly is an Irish born animator working in Berlin.The External World is his newest work; released in late 2010, it has just made its way to Vimeo and the blogosphere this week. I think it is a good example of the good things that happen when person gets an idea in their head and works hard to bring that idea to life.

Adios LA

2011-01-25T00:20:00.001-05:00

Adios LA is a visual goodbye to the city Jon Jackson has called home for years as the artist heads east making New York his new home. Not wanting to string LA along, he has decided to firmly break it off through a graphic billboard series posted on the famous streets of his first love.

Adios LA: adiosla.com
Jon Jackson: cargocollective.com/lagraphica

This is not a suit

2011-01-15T04:22:00.002-05:00

A tongue-in-cheek and very funny black and white film starring Adrien Sauvage and called "The Art Of DE" or "Dressing Easy".

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Salvador Dali Museum

2011-01-15T02:40:00.000-05:00

On January, 11, 2011 at 11:11am the Salvador Dali Museum opened its doors to the public in St. Petersburg, Florida. The amazing looking structure is 68,000 square feet and holds the largest collection of the legendary surrealist painters works. The works are held on the 3rd floor with the massive concrete structure surrounded by two glass atriums that will let in some amazing natural light from the Sunshine State. Architectural design firm HOK did an amazing job, to say the least.

THE NEW W HOTEL: ISLAND OF VIENQUES BY PATRICIA URQUIOLA

2011-01-13T20:59:00.001-05:00

Treading through New York City in the cold and snow makes us yearn for warmth. Looking at the new W hotel makes us think we’ve found the perfect place for it. We have all been witness to the explosion of the W Hotels around the world, we’re just glad the glam hospitality company is still putting design first. for the second time, W has hired on famed designer Patricia Urquiola to stylize their latest retreat on the Puerto Rican Island of Vieques. Urquilo dressed the resort in various species of woods all planked together juxtaposed with explosions of feel good colors. Though much of the resort is styled in the designers famous furniture collections, there are new design elements such as lighting made from ropes, mesh screens, and massive decor reaching out from walls.

The Who - Tattoo (Live At Leeds)

2011-01-13T11:04:00.001-05:00

Mmmmmm Tasty.

MERCEDES-BENZ AESTHETICS

2011-01-10T17:05:00.001-05:00

from Not Cot

The process and creative imagery that is produced along the path to great products are often quite a work of art… It’s so inspiring to see Mercedes-Benz embracing the process by formalizing sculptures in their process of exploration and discovery. There’s something almost magical when seeing the design process itself shared through these sculptural experiments, especially when they share the sketches and organic inspiration that leads them there. Works of art being displayed along side concept cars and current cars fill you with curiosity and open ended inspiration of what the future may hold. Mercedes Aesthetics No. 2 just debuted at Detroit Auto Show.

I love this quote from Mercedes Head of Design, Gorden Wagener, “Inspiration is the pre-condition for the calm, coherent yet passionately emotional design of our cars. In the interior sculpture Aesthetics No. 2 we have allowed creative fantasy to develop freely without constraints.” Regarding sculpture details, “On a scale of 1.5 to 1 the sculpture measures 18.3 x 6 x 8.5 feet. The finely wrought frame painted in alubeam Liquid Metal is light and strong; the white seating landscapes look like ivory.” Take a look at the inspiration behind and the design process that went into it… as well as the very cool final sculpture!

I think we all need a powerwall, when i first saw this image (in tiny thumbnail form, to be fair!), i thought they were at an aquarium.

musgum earth architecture

2010-11-20T23:51:00.004-05:00

designboom has dedicated a large amount of time to learn more about clay - one of the earliest natural building

materials in history of men. our intent is to promote earth also as a building material of the future.
it represents an excellent alternative to cement whose manufacture releases considerable quantities of CO2.
individual housing units and small apartment buildings can easily be built from earth in every part of the world.
however, concrete remains an essential material for high-rise construction. the research effort should be
therefore two-pronged: tailoring earth to the needs of modern construction and making concrete 'greener'.

in this first article of a series, which we will publish in the upcoming weeks, we'll examine a few ancient building
techniques.

the musgum, an ethnic group in far north province in cameroon, created their homes from compressed
sun-dried mud. the tall conical dwellings, in the shape of a shell (artillery), featured geometric raised patterns.

musgum clay houses in cameroon

what strikes at first sight is their almost organic simplicity, a second reading reveals the functions behind the forms.
the walls of the houses are thicker at the base than at the summit, which increases the stability of the building.

detail

a characteristic settlement form is the compound, a cluster of units linked by walls

the domed huts of the musgum people are built in shaped mud, a variant of cob.
cob building is the most widely used technique in the world, since no tools are needed
- hands, earth and water are enough.

the name of these houses ('cases obos') comes from their similarity with the profile of shells.
it is very close to the catenary arch, the ideal mathematical form to bear a maximum weight
with minimal material. this profile also reduces the pressure effect of the impact of water drops
on the walls. furthermore, the extraordinary height (up to 9 meters) of these houses provides
a comfort climate during hot days. the top of the house is pierced with a circular opening,
allowing the air to circulate, resulting in the sensation of freshness.
today, these buildings have become somewhat obsolete, with only a few groups still practicing
this 'cases obos' type of construction.

it is customary to lay the mud spirally in lifts of approximately half a metre, allowing each lift to dry before adding the next.

drawing of a musgum dwelling

cross section of a musgum dwelling

... in the shape of a shell
curves and grooves are the language of natural forms.
the musgum house follows the profile of shells - the arc of a chain.
bows and vaults obtained in this way can be very slim and allow the use of a minimum
of material for maximum rigidity. the arc adopting the inverted profile (figure below)
will only work in compression and does not produces parasitic twisting or bending moments.

musgum throwing knives

maintenance of a musgum
the decorative surface allows for further refinement and individualization.
the veins are also contributing to the drainage of rain. the musgum houses require
regular maintenance of the coating and the veins allow people to climb atop the building.

historic images

historic images
the construction technique of musgum clay houses is currently also mentioned in the
exhibition 'ma terre premiere pour construire demain'.
it explores how and why we should build with earth.
on show at the cité des science et de l'industrie, paris until june 10th, 2010.

smart EBIKE a design study of an electric bicycle for smart

2010-11-04T13:49:00.000-04:00

For the mondial de l'automobile 2010 in Paris, France, smart, a subsidiary of the Daimler AG, decided to show two alternatives of electric mobility: an all electric scooter and an electric bicyle.
The deisgn and developement process started in June 2010 (tough schedule!) and went on till mid Sptember. Fortunately, at that time I was doing an internship at the Advanced Design Studio of Mercedes-Benz in Sindelfingen, Germany - so I got the task of designing the Bicyle!

Here are some impressions from the show in Paris, some press images and some sketches and renderings from the design process.

Enjoy!

Life-Saving "Buoyancy Bazooka" Wins 2010 James Dyson Award

2010-10-05T12:33:00.000-04:00

The device could save hundreds of drowning people each year, who are far out of reach from hand-thrown life preservers.

A rocket-propelled life-preserver which can be launched up to 500 feet has won the 2010 James Dyson Award, one of the world's most prestigious student-design awards. Australian student Samuel Adeloju, who invented the so-called Longreach buoy, wins $15,000, as well as $15,000 for the industrial design department at his alma mater, the University of New South Wales.

The news caps a months-long process which began with hundreds of entries, which were winnowed down into country winners and finalists.

The key to the Longreach's design is clever use of foam that expands once it touches water. When dry, the buoy is shaped like a bullet, allowing it to be launched from a bazooka-like device. But when it hits water, the buoy expands to forty times its original size--in just 15 seconds--forming a ring-shaped life-preserver. Adeloju says that he's already in contact with search and rescue groups to mass-produce the invention.

2010-08-27T00:22:00.001-04:00

Multi Touch Light Table

2010-08-10T17:08:00.001-04:00

Senior Degree Project for the Kansas City Art Institute. DJ touch screen interface and gesture interaction concepts.

In San Francisco area looking for collaborators interested in discussing this project further.

To see process images, please visit: behance.net/gallery/Multi-Touch-Light-Table-gergwerk-/600092
you can see my other design work at: gergwerk.com

this project has a creative commons license of Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.
for more information about this license, please visit creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

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Visual Advocacy

2010-08-10T16:56:00.002-04:00

Kansas City Art Institute website promoting the Visual Advocacy class. These are just a few of my fellow peers, and next top design minds out there.

Here is the description from kcai’s website: "Graphic design's 'Visual Advocacy' teaches students about how to use graphic design to engage the public in important issues. The inaugural 2009 Implementation Award winners given by national group Design Ignites Change, a collaboration between Adobe Youth Voices and Worldstudio, included several KCAI students, who had entered their work from the Visual Advocacy class. Ramzy Masri, Logan Smith and Morgan Allen all received awards for their work. In this video, there are interviews with all the students, photos of their work and an interview with Tyler Galloway, one of the professors who teaches the class. Greg Kaufman, a 2010 graphic design graduate, created the video."

Black bird custom bike

2010-06-21T12:49:00.000-04:00

Graffiti Analysis

2010-06-20T00:51:00.002-04:00

Graffiti is preserved and improved with a new open-source software project and iPhone app
by Jacob Resneck in Tech on 27 May 2010 Applications, Art, Graffiti, iPhone, Software

The brains behind the daringly clever TSA Communicator project, iconoclastic technology artist Evan Roth is now spearheading an equally compelling software project, Graffiti Analysis.

Roth and his co-collaborators have developed an open source application that works with iPhones and others to capture the movements of graffiti artists and digitize the motion-rich styles into programming language that can be stored, swapped and recreated.

"The project aims to build the world's largest archive of graffiti motion, and bring together two seemingly disparate communities that share an interest hacking systems, whether found in code or in the city," Roth states.

There are several videos demonstrating how the software captures the oft-unseen motion of the artist. The information is uploaded to a open database and is freely accessible, allowing artists from around the world to analyze each other's techniques and build a community across continents.

Oil

2010-06-20T00:44:00.000-04:00

via

Vinyl Documentary: To Have & To Hold

2010-05-19T23:20:00.000-04:00

To Have & To Hold is a new documentary from Jony Lyle that celebrates and explores the phenomenon of collecting Vinyl. The documetary includes interviews with well known collectors like Bobbito Garcia, ?uestlove, Chuck D, Andre Torres (From Wax Poetics), Amir (of Kon & Amir) and Bruce Ludvall, the owner of Bluenote. Based on the trailer the film seems to be heavily focused on collectors in or around New York.

You can learn more about the film at the official Facebook page. Also there’s an interview with the director over at Mat Dolphin’s blog.

I’d love to hear from other record collectors out there. What are some of your favorite pieces of vinyl in your collection?

(via Dylan over at the excellent Hard Feelings blog.)

The Creative Lives Presents: Futura

2010-04-11T04:15:00.001-04:00

Futura Feature from TheCreativeLives on Vimeo.

The Creative Lives continues to bring us some great artist documentary features. The latest one is on Futura and his 2008 exhibition in Los Angeles.

“A man that needs very little introduction, one of the godfathers of modern graffiti Lenny McGurr, aka Futura, was kind enough to share a few words with us during his Sept. 2008 pop up show in Los Angeles, “Strategic Synchronicity”. In this feature we talk about the influence Futura has had on modern street art and graffiti, and who he looked up to when he was a fan in 1970’s New York. Interviews with Saber, Revok, Slick, Mr. Brainwash, Jensen Karp, Pete Wentz, Divine Styler, and more.”

Africobra

2010-03-08T16:48:00.000-05:00

The first exhibition in decades to bring together many of the most famous artworks created during a black art collective's formative years will be showcased at Northwestern University's Dittmar Memorial Gallery this winter.

"AfriCOBRA and the Chicago Black Arts Movement" opens Feb. 12 and runs through March 17 at the Dittmar Gallery, located on the first floor of Norris University Center, 1999 Campus Drive, on Northwestern's Evanston campus. The exhibition and several related events are free and open to the public.

northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2010/01/africobra.html

If you're in the Chicago area and able to visit Northwestern University, consider yourself lucky. TheAfricobra exhibit will be at Northwestern's Dittmar Memorial Gallery until March 17th.

Click here for more info.

Continue reading "Legacy: Africobra" »

PHARRELL WILLIAMS x BKRW video INTERVIEW by Jay SMITH

2010-02-05T16:35:00.000-05:00

Céleste Boursier-Mougenot at Barbican Centre, London

2010-02-04T16:00:00.001-05:00

Eeerily good are this flock of Australian native zebra finches at creating a sonic soundscape that even Lee Ranaldo would be proud of. It’s all part of trained musician, turned artist Céleste Boursier-Mougenot’s forthcoming installation for the Barbican… a walk-though aviary furnished with electric guitars and other instruments will provide a perpetual live soundscape that may well be a match for any ‘fledgling’ post-rock star.

French artist Céleste Boursier-Mougenot creates works by drawing on the rhythms of daily life to produce sound in unexpected ways.

For his installation in The Curve, Boursier-Mougenot creates a walk-though aviary for a flock of zebra finches, furnished with electric guitars and other musical instruments. As the birds go about their routine activities, perching on or feeding from the various pieces of equipment, they create a captivating, live soundscape.

27 February 2010 - 23 May 2010
The Curve, Barbican, London
http://www.barbican.org.uk/thecurve/b...

Typeface (The Film)

2010-02-02T22:50:00.002-05:00

Ravin Agrawal: 10 young Indian artists to watch

2010-01-22T23:01:00.000-05:00

Epitaph – Makhulu Productions

2010-01-10T20:01:00.001-05:00

epitaph from rowan pybus & faith47 on Vimeo.

epitaph is an exploration of lost spaces entered through sounds and images to reveal the echoes of empty rooms, flakes of paint, swollen curves, fragile lines, stories hidden in the flat colors broken apart by wood and steel...

rowan pybus, faith47 and inge beckmann worked closely together to produce this short video piece...
this is the third in a series of videos that faith47 and rowan pybus have been working on.

makhulu.blogspot.com/
faith47.com
myspace.com/ingebeckmann

Lhasa ~ My name

2010-01-05T10:01:00.001-05:00

Why don't you ask me
How long I've been waiting
Set down on the road
With the gunshots exploding
I'm waiting for you
In the gloom and the blazing
I'm waiting for you

I sing like a slave I know
I should know better
I've learned all my lessons
Right down to the letter
And still I go on like this
Year after year
Waiting for miracles
And shaking with fear

Why don't you answer
Why don't you come save me
Show me how to use
All these things
That you gave me
Turn me inside out
So my bones can save me
Turn me inside out

You've come this close
You can come even closer
The gunshots get louder
And the world spins faster
And things just get further
And further apart
The head from the hands
And the hands from the heart

One thing that's true
Is the way that I love him
The earth down below
And the sky up above him
And still I go on like this
Day after day
Still I go on like this

Now I've said this
I already feel stronger
I can't keep waiting for you
Any longer
I need you now
Not someday
When I'm ready
Come down on the road
Come down on the road

My name, my name
Nothing is the same
I won't go back
The way I came

Mickalene Thomas

2009-12-31T02:49:00.000-05:00

New York-based artist Mickalene Thomas is known for her elaborate paintings adorned with rhinestones, enamel and colorful acrylics. Her depictions of African American women explore notions of black female celebrity and identity while romanticizing ideas of femininity and power. Reminiscent of 70s style Blaxploitation, the subjects in Thomas' paintings radiate sexuality. Women in provocative poses sprawl across the picture plane and are surrounded by kitschy decorative patterns inspired by her childhood. - Lehmann Maupin press release 2009

Douglas Kelley, New York art world commentator, visits Mickalene Thomas' first NY exhibit "She's Come Undone", at Lehmann Maupin gallery on W. 26th St.

Mag+ by Bonnier

2009-12-29T16:32:00.000-05:00

Mag+ from Bonnier on Vimeo.

This conceptual video is a corporate collaborative research project
initiated by Bonnier R&D into the experience of reading magazines on
handheld digital devices. It illustrates one possible vision for
digital magazines in the near future, presented by our design partners
at BERG.

The concept aims to capture the essence of magazine reading, which
people have been enjoying for decades: an engaging and unique reading
experience in which high-quality writing and stunning imagery build up
immersive stories.

The concept uses the power of digital media to create a rich and
meaningful experience, while maintaining the relaxed and curated
features of printed magazines. It has been designed for a world in
which interactivity, abundant information and unlimited options could
be perceived as intrusive and overwhelming.

The purpose of publishing this concept video is first and foremost to
spark a discussion around the digital reading experience in general,
and digital reading platforms in particular. Thus, we would be more
than happy to hear what you have to say regarding the concept and
ideas expressed in the video: the magazine reading experience, digital
browsing, text versus images, as well as hear about your own digital
reading experiences and thoughts. We are all ears.

Follow the discussion in the Bonnier R&D Beta Lab:
bonnier.com/en/content/digital-magazines-bonnier-mag-prototype

Ran Hwang

2009-12-22T01:04:00.001-05:00

Ran Hwang creates amazingly large installations using buttons and pins. When you view her creations up close, they appear to be a pile of pins, but from a distance the installations transform into amazing images of birds and cherry blossom trees. (More images after the jump!)

"My immense wall installations are extremely time consuming and repetitive manual work. This is a form of meditative practice that helps me find my inner peace. Pins are used to hold buttons onto the surface to form a silhouetted image, or to disintegrate such image. No adhesive is used so the buttons are free to stay and move, which implies the genetic human tendency to be irresolute. I use buttons because they are common and ordinary, like the existence of human beings."

- Ran Hwang

Artsworld :: Coffins to die for in Ghana

2009-12-09T13:06:00.001-05:00

About 50 years ago, a Ghanaian angler started a trend when, upon his death, he was buried in a wooden coffin shaped like a fish. Today, cab drivers are buried in wooden taxis, preachers in Bible-shaped boxes and smokers in coffins shaped like cigarette boxes. Artsworld explores this macabre but colourful art form in the Ghanaian capital, Accra.

Vinyl Art by Daniel Edlen

2009-12-08T23:26:00.000-05:00

Willard Wigan

2009-12-01T04:21:00.000-05:00

An amazing micro-artist. Most of his work can't be seen with the human eye. As a matter of fact his sculpture uses pin heads as their foundation. Start watching around 7:00 minutes to get the gist. He has sculpted the statue of liberty in the eye of a needle.

Void LP player

2009-11-30T00:17:00.000-05:00

Void LP player

-concept-
not on sale

The record player uses a carrier and dock outfitted with a magnetic and auto-calibrating control
system which carries the LP into thin air as it is playing music. a self-running record player shaped
in the form of a red sphere, contains a needle, amplifier and speaker, spins around the record,
bringing the music to life. the sphere that plays the vinyl was technically influenced by the 'vinyl killer',
currently the world's smallest LP player that has a built-in motor, amplifier and speaker.

Simple colors and shapes express a kind of astronomical movement between the object and space.
The levitation is managed electronically. once turning the player on, you can manage the elevation
levels through the touch sensors on the front side of the base unit.

Raphael Saadiq//Staying In Love

2009-11-27T20:45:00.000-05:00

Piece by selfburning

2009-11-24T17:52:00.000-05:00

Piece from selfburning on Vimeo.

Joint project with an artist Igor Skaletsky and a drummer Evgeniy Labich. Stop motion animation is based on photos representing every stage of making collage. Parts of the drummer’s live performance are arranged and mixed in one track.

:: BBC :: Philippe Starck's Design For Life ::

2009-11-22T16:06:00.003-05:00

Episode 1: http://www.vimeo.com/6604817

Episode 2: http://www.vimeo.com/6942733

Episode 3: http://www.vimeo.com/6944872

Episode 4: http://www.vimeo.com/6924360

Episode 5: http://www.vimeo.com/7088473

Episode 6: http://www.vimeo.com/7232828

Watch them soon, before they're removed from vimeo!

Gil Scott-Heron// Originals BBC

2009-11-20T01:20:00.002-05:00

Studio ISO50

2009-11-19T23:59:00.000-05:00

http://studio.iso50.com

How do you build a chocolate brand

2009-11-19T23:43:00.002-05:00

OPTIMAL DESIGN | The (Art) Vault wins AA award!

2009-11-07T22:33:00.000-05:00

renderings courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture+Design

© 2009 Oppenheim Architecture+Design

| project | Art Vault & Valuables Services (The Vault) |
| design by | Oppenheim Architecture | Project Architect: Chad Oppenheim | Project Designer: Gianpaolo Pietri |
| location | Miami, FL, USA |
| typology | Art Storage Facility |
| scope | 140,000 square feet |
| date of estimated completion | 2011 |
| website | www.oppenoffice.com |

It was just announced today that the (Art) Vault has been awarded an American Architecture Award for 2009. This 11-story monolith packs 140,000 square feet of the most-highly secured and luxurious storage space you will find in the market of storage spaces. Art services company Artemundi &Co. call it the Art Vault and Valuables Service (but industry insiders refer to it as The Vault). The program includes a conservation laboratory, showrooms, a sculpture garden (located on the roof), a helipad (for emergency evacuation and those looking to make a grand entrance). The coup de gras, however, is a state of the art mechanized parking tower, which will house rare collectible cars.

The exterior facade of the building (a.k.a. the boxes) will serve as an important public art installation welcoming visitors traveling on I95 into the city of Miami. The panels will be commissioned to both emerging and established artists on a rotating basis so as to project a facade that is always changing, always showcasing the latest talent, and beloved masters. This prototype will be unlike any other storage facility in North America.

With that said, I am particularly proud of this award having served as project designer for The Vault under the direction of Chad Oppenheim while working in his studio in Miami. For almost a year I was solely responsible for all design work as well as production drawings for the project, with Chad dropping in every now and then to keep me in line and offer his extremely valuable insights, ideas, concepts, sketches, etc.

For me at the time, this project was a useful study in blurring the line between maximum efficiency and optimal beauty. The most important question we had to answer was how to challenge established parameters for traditional storage facilities, mainly large swaths of solid, and therefore blank, surfaces on the facades. You could say that the entire design process was centered on how to solve this problem in the most efficient, yet elegant way. After countless hours, days, and even weeks of coming up with quick-fire solutions (last tally was up to over 50 variations), the final result was to break up the massive exterior surface area into smaller modules determined by a grid where the modules are divisible by five. After determining the size of the ‘canvases’, it was matter of pushing (in) and/or pulling (out) the smaller modules so the facade would read more like a series boxes stacked on top of one another, much like would exist inside a storage unit. So the facade became a metaphor of the activities that were going on in the interior of the building.

Although it is my understanding that the project is on hold for the moment, it would be a special addition to the city of Miami and its emerging skyline. So without further a due, here are some images to fill the appetites of all you design-lovers out there.

OPTIMAL DESIGN | The (Art) Vault wins AA Award | the Optimalists
URL: http://theoptimalblog.com/2009/11/optimal-design-the-art-vault-wins-aa-award/

Robes of the Earth

2009-11-03T12:13:00.001-05:00

Robert Mars

2009-10-20T21:28:00.000-04:00

Graffurniture By Luis Alicandu

2009-10-17T20:05:00.000-04:00

I have to say, If placed wrong in ones interior these could make your house resemble something from Dr. Seuss. But given just the right placement and consideration, wow.

Philippe Stark

2009-10-03T21:07:00.001-04:00

Design for Life from design on Vimeo.

If you love design, if you love creativity like I loooove design and loooove creativity the you may really dig this film. Not art for art sake, but design. Design for the people, not for the critics is the bottom line.

MWM X ALMOND X CORDUROY

2009-09-11T01:18:00.002-04:00

Portland, Maine Artists KATE CLEAVES and MATT W. MOORE have come together to create CONVERGENCE – an ultimate collaboration series (Now showing at CORDUROY GALLERY). The five month endeavor to create a completely blended, completely unique series of paintings has lead both Moore and Cleaves down a path neither of them has been down before - resulting in work unlike anything either of them has ever produced. When viewed separately, both artists seem to go about painting in a very different manner: Moore often works with non-objective shapes and geometry, with hard lines and strong brushstrokes, and the occasional area of representation – Cleaves generally works with a narrative and imagery inspired by nature, blended colors, and soft brushstrokes. Both artists share a passion for pattern, sacred geometry and eye-popping color – making the perfect common ground to blend their different techniques together.

The end result was the perfect balance with an aura of seamlessness between the two styles. From day one, it has been a true collaboration – literally working on the same piece at the same time – almost in some sort of call and response dance via color and shape. The artists met a few times a week for five months to work together on the series. The layers are almost endless, and every piece has transformed a multitude of times. As weeks and layers went by, Moore and Cleaves still worked side by side, but would switch off and take turns with the pieces that they worked on. The whole process had a very natural flow to it – nothing was planned ahead of time, but everything unfolded exactly as it should have. Space, nature, and symbols of consciousness and the underlying perfect beauty of the universe are all part of the inspirations for the visual aspects and compositions found in this unique series of paintings. The two also collaborated on a 5 window Mural directly on the glass at Corduroy in the days leading up to the Opening Reception. Enjoy!

THE CONVERGENCE WINDOW MURAL WAS PRODUCED IN 2 DAYS DIRECTLY ON THE GLASS USING THE SAME MATERIALS FROM THE PAINTING SERIES.

THE CONVERGENCE OPENING RECEPTION WAS A GREAT PARTY – BIG THANKS TO CORDUROY & DJ BOONDOCKS & SANTOS & ALLAGASH BEER.

- MWM X ALMOND X CORDUROY -
ALMOND SURFBOARDS BY MATT W. MOORE – PRESS PACKS & INFO SOON!

Please CONTACT MWM for Press Packs & Artwork related questions.
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Paul Smith Pinafore Trainers

2009-09-05T23:45:00.003-04:00

Formfantasma: The Molding Tradition

2009-09-05T22:18:00.003-04:00

The Flux chair, design by Flux.

2009-07-13T11:22:00.002-04:00

Flux chair from flux chairs on Vimeo.

Flux @ 100% Design Rotterdam from flux chairs on Vimeo.

Moroso + Stephen Burks

2009-06-29T20:58:00.003-04:00

A fantastic collection of striking colours, patterns and weaves enriched a series of products made in Africa by local artisans and designed by some of the leading African artists such as Fathi Hassan, Soly Cisse and architect David Adjaye, but also by european designers such as Patricia Urquiola and Philippe Bestenheider.
Bibi Seck and Ayse Birsel present a weaved rocking chair and the large armchair Madame Dakar, Stephen Burks created a series of low tables and chairs in colourful plastic weaving.
Urquiola signs a bench made of weaved coloured plastic strings and Rift, an upholstered armchair. Bestenheider designed Binta, a bold upholstered seater dressed with a variety of fabrics with combining vivid colours and patterns.
Loads of stunning pictures at the link in the title.

Dwele's MJ Tribute

2009-06-29T11:58:00.001-04:00

One of the best tributes I've seen so far. Organic and heart felt. The moment feels so private and ultimately fun. Well done.

Robobird

2009-06-10T09:33:00.001-04:00

Twenty-first-century robotics has a way to go before it catches up with 20th-century science fiction. But a German technology company has come up with a robotic penguin that Isaac Asimov himself would have admired.
Festo’s penguins — “autonomous underwater vehicles” — look, act, and move like real penguins. (They also have dolphinlike sonar capabilities and the ability to swim backward.) And if these birds fail to impress, check out Festo’s new line of bionic air penguins: flying robots that move like sea creatures and look like shiny dirigibles.

H&M Ad (great title huh?)

2009-05-14T13:08:00.002-04:00

I wish I did this.

HOTEL DISTRITO CAPITAL, MÉXICO DF

2009-05-11T21:57:00.002-04:00

ARQUITECTURA: Diámetro Arquitectos

DISEÑO INTERIOR: Joseph Dirand

ARTE: Thomas Glassford (Lámpara)

ANTIGÜEDADES: Claudia Fernández

DISEÑO: Pablo Rovalo

Grzegorz Domaradzki

2009-04-20T21:48:00.001-04:00

Danielle Laporte

2009-04-12T13:26:00.003-04:00

Authenticity of selflessness. Paths to your purpose.

DesignHotels.com

2009-03-17T10:35:00.002-04:00

Just go.

http://www.designhotels.com

Marc Newson: Urban Spaceman

2009-03-03T12:02:00.007-05:00

Amazing.

Aero-erotica

2009-02-20T01:40:00.001-05:00

This is some sexy-exy shit.
The Icon A5 will revolutionize air travel. The designers hope to make flying as easy as driving a car. This personal aircraft is the necessary toy for those who need to supplement their recreational vehicle arsenal. The Icon A5 is amphibious, has fold-away wings making surface shuttling, storage, and terrain accessibility all the more practical. It seats two. It’ll run you an estimated $139,000. First deliveries are expected in 2010.

Objectified: The Movie trailer

2009-01-09T01:36:00.001-05:00

A must see for me.

Posters by Brandon Lesley

2008-12-28T22:29:00.002-05:00

Eartha Kitt - C'est Si Bon (Live Kaskad 1962)

2008-12-19T22:31:00.001-05:00

UPDATE: I poster this on December 19th for the sheer joy it brought me. Now just 6 days later I find out she passed away on Christmas day. I was a little shaken. But I won't be sad. Her legend lives on! Rest in Peace sister.

2008-12-16T23:45:00.001-05:00

Kehinde Wiley

2008-12-15T23:17:00.005-05:00

Kehinde Wiley’s works reference specific paintings by Titian and Tiepolo, but he incorporates a range of art historical and vernacular styles in his paintings, from the French Rococo to the contemporary urban street. Wiley collapses history and style into a uniquely contemporary vision. He describes his approach as “interrogating the notion of the master painter, at once critical and complicit.” He makes figurative paintings that “quote historical sources and position young black men within that field of ‘power.’” His “slightly heroic” figures, slightly larger than life size, are depicted in poses of power and spiritual awakening. He deliberately mixes images of power and spirituality, using them as a filter in the portrayal of masculinity. Kehinde Wiley’s exhibition Infinite Mobility recently appeared at the Brooklyn Museum in New York.

Down, an exhibition of new paintings by Kehinde Wiley, opens at Deitch Projects on November 1, 2008. This exhibition consists of four new large-scale paintings inspired by images of fallen warriors, saints, and classical mythology.

Emiliana Torrini

2008-12-07T12:27:00.004-05:00

On my other blog this would be "music I'd like to se in a commercial" here it's just random shit I like. I'm endlessly enamored with the creative process. I'm often more intrigued with the process than the product. There's something so honest about creating, the first kernel of an idea, moving an idea into a raw concept, the unrefined blemishes, the mistakes that work & the godlike nature of creating. It's like literally moving the spirit into the material. For me the most fun part of the dance is learning to do it.

Emiliana Torrini - Big Jumps

Hello Karpa

2008-11-12T22:26:00.002-05:00

David Carvalho, has been born in 1980, he is a Portuguese Artist & Designer that has been developing work in many design disciplines, by himself and together with also other artists all around the world for the past years.

Structures/Facades

2008-11-12T15:16:00.003-05:00

Tine Roeder and David Krings did a collaboration together called ‘Structures/Facades’. The inspiration for this sideboard (it is just a prototype for now) was the architectural history of East- and West-Berlin, rich in visions and utopias.

Brionvega

2008-11-09T20:30:00.007-05:00

The venerable Italian brand Brionvega thinks the 60s and 70s are worth bringing back, or that at least some of the design sensibilities of the era warrant new life. The classic, groundbreaking Radiofonografio, divined in 1965 by two of the three Castiglioni brothers, Pier Giacomo and Achille, is making a new entrance as RR226. In 1965, the “musical component robot” was a home electronic marvel that in one sleekly designed device included a radio, amplifiers and a record player (for both 45s and 33s).

The modernized model has also a CD and DVD players but otherwise it is as close as possible to the original. The amplifiers are moveable which makes it possible to create different configurations both for visual and listening pleasure. Showcased at the Salone del Mobile in Milan in April, RR226 may be a while coming to a store near you.

But like so many of the Castiglioni brothers’ objects, still produced and/or displayed by Zanotta, Flos, Artemide and MoMA, the Radiofonografio is most likely going to stay with us for yet another long period. - Tuija Seipell

source:
www.thecoolhunter.net

refused

2008-11-02T01:18:00.002-04:00

the newest member of theaptFAMILY is here

2008-10-29T21:52:00.002-04:00

the newest member of theaptFAMILY is here

meet at the apartment at 101 crosby street in new york city, the site of our former retail design store and subsequent agency, is the inaugural location in a collection of state-of-the-art creative meeting spaces launching around the world over the next five years (london and Dubai are currently in the planning stages). meet is a collaboration between us and new york based marketing agency, electric artists who is an equity partner in meet along with sara and marc schiller, founders of the wooster collective. quite a team, uh?

we've been working on this for a while and the basic concept is that people, everyday, need inspiration. in our 10 year-old experience, nobody moreso than companies whose wheels are often so slow to turn that they lose sight of the goals, creative and otherwise, that set them on their mission to begin with. and that's why we're here, to provide a newly-designed space as a new riff on the idea of the blank canvas to wake up the corporations in question and a community to get them inspired again.

MWM X Maxalot Collection

2008-10-27T22:24:00.002-04:00

Over the summer I worked with MAXALOT from Amsterdam on a mega-wallpaper collection. The series is now available for order online and in their new catalog. These guys take custom interiors to the next level. It is an honor to be a part of their new line! For this series we went with monochromatic palettes that will blend well with contemporary homes and modern architecture. It is also possible to customize these designs for specific environments and color palettes. MWM X Maxalot Collection.

Which header should I use here???

2008-10-26T18:50:00.002-04:00

Nuria Herrero

2008-10-26T14:59:00.006-04:00

A set of lovely wine bottles from Spanish designer Nuria Herrero. Three labels for three different qualities of this wine.

- Young wine (2008)
- Aging wine (2006)
- Vintage wine (1989)

Studies in Pen Art

2008-10-26T14:49:00.003-04:00

INSPIRATION: VICENTE SILVA E SILVA

2008-10-26T14:01:00.003-04:00

Gabriel Urist for Barack Obama Pendants

2008-10-26T13:53:00.003-04:00

Renowned jeweler Gabriel Urist, known for his sneaker- and NBA-inspired jewelry pieces, has designed this pendant to show his support for Democratic candidate Barack Obama. The pendants reproduce Obama’s campaign logo in silver, and come on a bright red band. Definitely not in Urist’s typical style, these have a beautiful handmade look to them, and will probably be released in limited numbers. Even if you aren’t able to get one of these for yourself, remember to educate yourselves and vote in the upcoming election.

ISO50

2008-10-26T12:54:00.002-04:00

Some excellent posters over at the ISO50 shop.

Terry I'm testing these, testing, one... two... three...

2008-10-26T02:20:00.001-04:00

Which header????

Terry, this is the other look I'm considering any thoughts????

Is this thing on...

the comeback?

2008-09-17T15:18:00.000-04:00

Is anyone here... here... here...

damn, just an echo...

Get the Scoop

2007-02-12T18:59:00.000-05:00

Gone are the days when surly ice-cream men trawled suburbia with their diesel spitting vans and bags of flakes. Those travelling sweet-sellers forever condemned to the cultural quirks of childhood. Well, almost. Adam Ellis, design director of brand agency, Coley Porter Bell (CPB) has rekindled his love affair with ice-cream in a van and hopes you will too. Say hello to Scoop.

Adagio tub

2007-02-12T18:55:00.000-05:00

Adagio creates gorgeous curving baths from rich ruddy African hardwood. Made of sustainable Umbila, the wood bath is carved from layers of the dark grained wood. Featuring a gentle curving form, the wooden bath gently cradles you in warm water. Finished in seven layers of natural varnish, the character and vitality of Umbila shines through. A distinctive and unusual material for bathrooms, Adagio bath brings a natural warmth and elegance. Available in limited quantities Adagio baths provide luxurious style that you’ll not see anywhere else.

Air Ford-on

2007-01-30T00:29:00.000-05:00

The Ford 2007 Airstream Concept ($TBA) is instantly recognizable thanks to reflective paint, and a part airplane, part Airstream trailer design. The real beauty is under the hood, however. The vehicle is powered by a plug-in hydrogen hybrid fuel cell — named HySeries Drive — that operates under electric power and delivers the fuel economy equivalent of 41 miles per gallon.

70's Glam

2007-01-25T01:21:00.000-05:00

Exuding cool sleek style, the Vioski Palms II contemporary chair uses warm buttery leather to bring back 70s glamour. The Palms II is a low-slung chair that lets you recline in retro comfort.

iWant

2007-01-10T14:28:00.000-05:00

Nuf said!

Voga... Voss?

2006-12-23T15:20:00.000-05:00

this new Voga Quattro wine bottle looks an awful lot like VOSS water.
But still elegant.

Bulldog Gin

2006-12-23T15:05:00.000-05:00

Bulldog Gin - its got asian infusions like longnan ("dragon's eye"?) - but really i love this bottle - the rugged look, yet that subtle glass collar is great. And the url looks like bulldogging almost.

Adobe CS3 Photoshop FREE!!! click here.

2006-12-21T11:54:00.000-05:00

Photoshop user! As you have most certainly heard already, Adobe has made Photoshop CS3 available to the public as a beta release.

The bags of Bierut

2006-12-21T00:45:00.000-05:00

A handsome and classic new identity designed by Pentagram for iconic New York retailer Saks Fifth Avenue launches on January 2, 2007. Click the title, partner Michael Bierut describes the process behind the development of an identity with more variations than there are electrons in the known universe.

blog-atrophy

2006-12-18T22:47:00.000-05:00

I've suffered from blogger atrophy lately. However I'm doing my best to get back. I'm getting way into package design work lately and it has been totally consuming. Look out for more package design blogging here.

Brand in mind

2006-11-11T02:11:00.000-05:00

This is a trip. it's a piece about branding and creating ads "under the influence" of subliminal messages.

Invisible bling!

2006-11-03T15:30:00.000-05:00

Just when you thought you had seen it all... well you won't be seeing this either. In the future, there will be a way to convert our cars into hovercrafts, just so we could sail along smoothly down the main drags of our respective cities. Short of that, we'll take some 100 percent transparent two-inch thick polycarbonate wheels for our rides, like the ones a few bloggers just spied at this year's SEMA show, going on this week in Las Vegas. These amazingly sexy D'Vinci Forgiato Radurra wheels cost a cool $2,000, which will buy you a single 20-, 22-, or 24- inch wheel. Four of these will make you the coolest kid in town, for sure.
Link above.