A Curated Collection of Thought on Design
Alphabet V.2
Take a look at The Alphabet 2 from n9ve. It’s a great Edward Gorey-esque look at the alphabet, through the lens of a great creative.
THINK Exhibit
On September 23, IBM opened the THINK exhibit in Lincoln Center. This one-of-a-kind experience realizes IBM’s commitment to making the world work better. If you are in New York between September 23 and October 23, when the exhibit closes, please make the trip. It’s a remarkable experience.
To quote Thomas Watson, “All of the problems of the world could be settled easily if men were only willing to think.”
Mountain Men
Finally, a set of mountain men action figures of which you can be proud. This fine set features Marx, Mao, Lenin and Thoreau. At the low low price of 145 euro, it almost seems like they are giving them away. In real life, I think that this camping trip would be fraught with ideological battles and smores. Good stuff.
NYCity
This morning, I find myself in New York City, peering out a window and taking in the breadth of the horizon. Wooden water towers make the top of the cityscape seem like a long lost village, populated by invisible, reclusive beings. At any moment, I expect short men to emerge from there depths. I’ve always found the city magical, and although I resisted the call so many times, this time I simply stepped into the river.
I’ll apologize for the lack of activity, but the move, prologue and epilogue, was more time consuming than I could’ve imagined. I promise more activity in the future, as well as a few special projects. Next week, I step into a new role, and I’m looking forward to future challenges and opportunities.
If you reside in this great metropolis and read the blog from time-to-time, reach out to me. I’d love to hear from you.
TCHO
The Edenspiekermann web site has been updated with big juicy images of their design work, including images from the TCHO chocolate project. TCHO has a unique flavor wheel that you can use to select a chocolate that is right for you. It’s a beautiful example of everything that can be done within great packaging design.
The Noun Project
If you are a lover of symbols, look no further than The Noun Project. This terrific collection of symbols is available for free, terms of use withstanding.
Care & Repair
Every once in a great while, I wander into the IDEO site and see what’s happening. IDEO has a knack for capturing big thoughts in simple and elegant ways. In IDEO Patterns, you’ll find a variety of smart perspectives on various topics. Each idea is broken into digestible bits, which can be easily enjoyed. They have a great piece on caring and repairing your everyday objects, emphasizing the ideas of reduce, reuse, and recycle. So, if your mind hungers for a little intellectual inspiration, pay them a visit.
Chris Sisarich
September Industry is featuring the photography work of Chris Sisarich, and it is nothing short of breathtaking. It’s the sort of sweeping scale and simplicity that forces you to look and look, as if the meaning of everything might be tucked into it. Beautiful.
Post Compostmodern
Yesterday, at 3:00 PM, we closed a successful Compostmodern. It was the event for which we all worked and hoped. It was ambitious. There were 18 speakers, and instead of a one-day conference, we extended it to two days. We launched an iPhone application, which will be available in the iTunes store soon. And, the entire event was organized and executed by a small group of dedicated volunteers. There wasn’t a single event planner in the bunch.
However, more important than any fact or accomplishment associated with the conference, we gathered almost 600 people together, people who are dedicated to making the world a lasting world, a world that is built upon a philosophy of sustained global prosperity. These people walked with purpose. They connected. They chatted about the future of design. And, they will go on to do great things.
When it was started in 2004, Compostmodern was dedicated to an emerging trend, a discussion about the intersection between design and sustainability. Today, it isn’t a trend; it’s a movement. We all recognize that change is needed. We need a new dream. It is the perfect challenge for the design community, who often gives shape to the dreams of others.
If you weren’t able to join us, you can continue the conversation on LivingPrinciples.org, and videos will be available soon. Thanks to everyone who made the event a success.
Compostmodern 2011
Compostmodern begins tomorrow, and if you haven’t purchased your tickets, there is still time. This year, Compostmodern is a two-day event, which includes a day of presentations from a number of great doers and thinkers and a day of deep interaction. It’s going to be a fantastic event, whether you are deeply concerned with sustainable design or simply interested in getting your toes wet.
Come and join us.
Print Pact
Thanks to Theory 143 for the tip on the amazing Women’s Premium Print Pack from Nike. Nike, once again, proves why they are at the top of a very tall heap. The new promotion features shoes that were fabricated from old magazines. The pack features three models: The Nike Flash Macro Premium (sail/birch), Nike Blazer Mid Premium (sail/khaki) and Nike Air Rift Premium (sail/sport red). Unfortunately, if you reside in less exotic locales, like the US, you won’t be able to purchase the print pack, which is being released exclusively in Europe and China. Too bad, who wouldn’t want the power of print on their feet.
Jiro Bevis
I came across the work of Jiro Bevis on QBN. There is something refreshing about his style that I can’t put my finger on. It has an R. Crumb meets the Internet feel.
The Year of Sustainability
Welcome to the year of sustainability. (Not really. Every year is a year where sustainability is needed.) However, there is a great feature in the New York Times called The Sustainable Life. There are articles on love, money, food, and technology. As an added bonus, each installment features a nice illustration from The Heads of State.
If you want to learn more about sustainability, get a ticket to Compostmodern, which is this month in San Francisco. Buy a ticket today and hear from the likes of Bruce Mau, Yves Behar, and others.
Site Inspire
If you design web sites for a living, you spend a significant amount of time online, combing the virtual cornucopia, looking for inspiration, and sharing with your co-workers. Naturally, the daily visit to QBN is expected, but recently, I’ve been spending a significant amount of time on Site Inspire. The concept, like so many other resources is simple. You find, you post, and others comment. But, unlike other online collections, every piece of inspiration points you directly to a web site. Although Site Inspire is flush with design firm web sites, which always look minimal and nice, it’s a solid destination for interactive designers.
Santa Brand Book
For those who have indulged in the exercise of branding thinking, the Santa Brand Book from Quiet Room is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. And I quote, ” A brand is like a sack on a sleigh of belief.” Awesome. Via Quipsologies.
I Love Dust
I Love Dust created an illustrative alphabet for the Nike Running Club. They have some beautiful type work displayed on their site if you haven’t visited it. It’s worth a visit. From Quipsologies.
The Arctic Circle
In the spirit of the season, some nice stop motion animation from Kevin Parry. I give you The Arctic Circle. What will you do this holiday season when a box suddenly appears?
Bird
Andrew Zuckerman, photographer and copyright proponent, just released a book titled Bird. The book is comprised of extraordinary, high-resolution photographs that capture birds on white backgrounds. There are also a series of films that accompany the book. You can watch previews on the Bird web site or Vimeo.
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