Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Durchhalten oder ein bißchen Glück haben

Good advise for young (and not so young) designers from this ZDF's Heute Journal TV reportage on young designer talents at the Internationale Möbelmesse in Köln last week (via). It's a good idea to have a special hall for young talents with fresh ideas. There are some interesting furniture ideas there. MoCo Loco has 5 picture galleries of the IMMC where you can see some of the best stands. Altough, I must tell you that I was a little bit disapointed with Vitra... Na ja!

p-kolinoAlso via MoCo Loco, I found this amazing furniture set for children from P' Kolino. I just love the colours and simple shapes... it clearly fulfills the design precept: "allow the user to modify and arrange the product in creative ways, stimulating their ingenuity".

Speaking of stimulating your brain... If your brain is one of those old models (like mine), that sometimes let's you down with no apparent reason at all. No worries... you can always rely on gizmos like this "universal decision maker" . I always wanted one of those small guillotine decision makers featured on the movie Brazil... but it's time to go digital.

ciao
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Sunday, January 29, 2006

3 Rude Red Nacos

We invited one of Sandra's classmates and her husband for tea yesterday. They are an australian couple, and they lived for a couple of years in Germany. As you may imagine, we shared some anecdotes about our experiences in Germany. Of course, because the girls are studying international communication, we talked about the cultural differences. They came up with a theory, that there is no german translation or equivalent to the word "rude". So, how can you explain to a german that he/she is being rude? If there is no word in a language for a certain concept, well, it means that they are still unaware of such concept.

The same happened to me when I tried to explain the concept of "Naco" to my students in New Zealand. They simply didn't understand the idea, because it was imposible for them to get an image of the "signified" (concept). That doesn't mean that there are no nacos in New Zealand... it only means that they are unaware of their existence, therefore they don't have a word for that. Choquis asked me surprised: "how do they refer to something or someone naco then?" Well, they simply don't know it exists. By the way... someone should nominate Luis de Alba for an Honoris Causa Ph.D. in Linguistic, for his incredible contribution to the Naco concept and the Nacology Science.

There are many concepts like that in all languages, which they simply don't have a translation into other languages. This shows how different cultures have different views of the world and their environment. We create and construct meaning according to our particular views. Signifiers are just the way of expressing all things that matter to us.

Propaganda is when there is a deliberate attempt to impose a certain (usually politically driven) meaning into a concept. I am certain that not everyone in the world will understand "democracy" in the same way. In fact, the philosophers deffinitions of democracy, are way off of the "induced by doctrine" idea, that many of us have about it.

    “A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.” Thomas Jefferson

As we create (construct) our own image of the world, we also create mediums and codes to communicate those concepts. Language is one of those mediums. Movies are also a medium . Design is also a medium.... but what about the codes? Well, the codes are conventions we use, and we agree upon for the use of that medium (check the code conventions for movies almost at the end of chapter 8th of Daniel Chandler's book). For languages it's called gramatic, semantic, etc. But when we talk about design... well, many people say that there are no conventions, that it is always "abstract" and there are no set rules. Wrong!

Those are the arguments of someone who is not familiar with the use of design as a medium or communication tool. There are simple rules... some of them are explained on the basic composition books...(check out: Universal Principles of Design) and some are more complex. It's just as complicated as learning a second language... with the disadvantage that in fact some of the visual or cultural codes are also variable as the spoken language... but it's harder to understand or identify those cultural differences. For example, a New Zealander wouldn't understand easily a "naco" object... or a Mexican wouldn't understand why kiwis' favourite colour is black. I strongly reccomend David Chandler's book, specially for the composition students.... It's like "semiology for dummies".

Signs and symbols are interpreted by different cultures in different ways... just like there are words with different meanings in different languages: Bimbo in Mexico would be a brand of bread, and usually used to identify sliced bread. Binbo Bimbo in Japanese means poor, and a bimbo in english would refer to a blondine or so. I believe that there's something similar with our interpretations of one of the most "iconic" symbols there is: The Red Cross.

I've heard many times, that the red cross logo is for many people not a sign, but a symbol (in Peircianinan terms) which means that it represents an abstract concept (The Red Cross Organization) and is not necesarely a pictogram of an object (a cross). But many other cultures, countries, or individuals still see the logo as a symbol of christianity. We cannot blame them. It's a matter of interpretation, encoding, decoding, etc...

The new logo is supposed to be free from any religious, political or other preconceived connotation to make it "universal":

For me, it's sad that one of the most cited logos is now being disqualified, or qualified as politically incorrect. However, meanings are cultural constructions... it's just a matter of time, until the next generation will strongly identify the red crystal emblem with the ICRC...(or whatever their name becomes later on).

My only concern, it that the new crystal will include small emblems (symbols) inside: a Crescent, a David's Shield, a Cross... or it could be even a Silver Fern! I don't know...! That seems to me like back again to the same story... because the organization won't be regarded then as "universal", global or borderless, if they start showing national icons as a sub-symbol. If the matter was being "democratic", then the emblem should be completely... completely free from any religious, political or other connotation.

Then, there's the matter of using the term "crystal"... because of positive but also negative interpretations like: fragile, transparent, clusters of crystals, sharp, cutting edge, cheap... It could have been named "Red Diamond" and have some other implicit meanings. In fact, one of my favourite corporation names is Mitsubishi (three diamonds). It just sounds nice and keeps you thinking about the possible stories of those 3 diamonds.


ciao
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Thursday, January 26, 2006

Arch iMedes

Raul sent me some links to his composition 1 student's blogs. They will be posting their projects there. Which is a great idea! I wonder if some of them will keep posting their works after this course. It would be interesting to see how they evolve and learn throughout their bachelor's studies. Have a look, there are also some original pics by the students:
That picture got me thinking about digital vandalism... Imagine the guy on the wheelchair eating some tacos or tortas ahogadas! That would be totally like Urban Chaos. It's good that we citizens can count on authorities like Counter-counterfeit commission to maintain order!

Now, seriously. I usually don't do individual posts about geeky, kitschig or weird products I find on the net... but I bookmarked this couple of blogs anyway, because there are some interesting notes besides these products. If carrying an USB memory thingy is too geeky for you... you may want to use one of this.

Don't you hate beeing waken up by that horrible sound of a clock... it doesn't matter which sound does it make. What about waking up with a nice smell?. Sandra's aunt had a coffemaker set up to start making coffe at 7:00am... When I lived with them in Toronto, it was nice to smell fresh coffe each morning, and I didn't had to set up the alarm clock. Also at Inhabitat, there's this recycled gear clock or what about this "about" time watches. (via) Then, there's this horrible, kitschig led table... guess the designer... well, his name is in the article anyway.

Speaking of Eco-design, check out this recyclable (did I got the spelling right this time?) buildings in Manhattan... Young architects might like to have a look at the whole blog BLDGBLOG. Even their title is massive, and there's not so much kitsch. At least not product kitsch.... mmm.... maybe architectural kitsch is even worst than products'. What I mean is that is not so easy to hide... and stays there for many years... perhaps centuries. Gosh! What a nightmare! Maybe, that's why this guys call themselves: "we make money, not art".

ciao
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Saturday, January 21, 2006

out of the box

numerobisI've always wonder why, despite all those amazing technologies available, modern communications, scientific discoveries, and so on... we still live (in principle) like the Asterix Villagers. I mean... dwelling hasn't changed so dramatically as many other human creations or activities. You may say that there are new materials, skyscrapers, electricity, etc... Well yes, but for me, the principles on wich we still build houses are just the same as architect(s) Numerobis did. For me, it's not a matter (only) of aesthetics ... but, it is the fact that our modern lifes are nothing like, say our grandparents. So, why we do still live in houses with basically the same functional structure as those from Asterix times? I'll have to write later a post about the terrible architecture and dwelling (particularly) in NZ... this post is about Michael Janzten, who kindly responded to my request to publish some of his projects on this blog.

When we visited some of Hundertwasser's buildings in Vienna, my wife said that they wouldn't look that amazing, if the whole city district would be full of buildings like that. I guess she is right. Unconventional architecture wouldn't be unconventional if it was the same everywhere, but that's not the point. I believe that we are approaching some sort of cultural, ideological and political catharsis... we are already questioning our old ways, and many things cannot be framed into the old schemes that we are used to. Cloning, globalization, abortions, gay marriage... or even democracy; are just some examples of modern life subjects we still cannot make sense thereof.

I believe that this century will be the turning point, and that a new "industrial revolution" is starting to boil... Finally, we'll see some new kind of Übermensch or at least the foundations for a new world man will be laid. I've been telling my students that I predict that there are at least 3 pesrpectives that are going to play a great role on that new deffinition of our cultural framework: sustainability, semiotics [regarding intercultural (global) communication of meaning] and rational use of new technologies (now called immaterial design).

You may say that there's nothing new with that. Well, ideologies behind all revolutions evolve over a period of time, before they are ripe, and then comes some sort of cathalist... and Presto! That is the same kind of story as for many other discoveries... first, some one invents the steam engine, then some one else the rubber wheels, another the power gears... and so on, then someone combines them all into a horseless buggy (automobile).

A sign that a change is comming, is when architects, designers, scientists, philosophers, and many others start to "experiment" and search for new combinations of sustainability, meaning, aesthetic values, globalization, modern life technologies and lifestyle... one of them is Michael Jantzen. In his own words:
    The primary mission of HSII is to explore designs that make use of alternative materials, technologies and manufacturing techniques. The goal will be to create an aesthetic for the future based on energy efficient, eco friendly and affordable design concepts that embrace appropriate technologies."
A couple of weeks back, I browsed through his site... and I was thrilled by some of his projects. I can easily imagine some internet observatories at some main cities of this planet... instead of those ugly telecom free-webcam cabins.

Wouldn't it be nice to see pedestrian bridges like these time space transformation foot bridge in our cities? unlike some pedestrian crossings that are monuments to the "unknown inept polititian". Sorry I didn't had time to take pictures of the new crossing at Mariano Otero and Periferico in Guadalajara... it's 6 lanes each side (3-3/3-3) but the peds bridge only crosses the 6 lanes in the middle, so people has to cross in front of the cars the first 3 lanes, then go over the bridge, and then "torear" again their way out of the last 3 lanes.

What about shaded parking lots like this wind shade roof on every mall? instead of the ugly empty platforms... it even generates power for whatever is inside! I always complain about the "american style" parking lots with not even a small hint of green... Is a tree too much to ask!?? It's a horrible experience for the senses that our first contact with a mall, a supermarket or many other public spaces... is struggling to find a parking spot... on a horrible and tight parking lot... then walk, under the sun, rain or inside a sterile grey space... until finaly reaching the sliding doors to a multimillion building, which the architect didn't care about how people get into it. Then the same story when you leave, only to find out that your car was scratched by the door of the SUV on the next spot... and that getting inside the car is like throwing yourself into an oven!

Don't even let me get started on matters of dwelling... like I said, I'll better write something about that later.

Last but not least, this just in: I received the press release of this project called "winery". it just gave me a strong craving for californian wine... A bottle of Ernesto & Julio Gallo's cabernet sauvignon wouldn't be a be bad idea... to help ponder why we are still living like caveman when there's the technology and the people to make the future come true.

ciao
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Friday, January 20, 2006

misterioso

I have absolutely no idea how this thing works... but now you can "syndicate" my blog to get the "feeds" into your "feeds viewer". All I know is that this is not like the teamster's syndicate or any other labour union.

Really, I have no idea how that works... I guess it's like avantgo, where you can get your subscriptions every time you sync your palm or other handhelds, but this is for iPods and home sites like myYahoo, etc. Let me know if some of you (my readers) has something like that... and if this actually works!

ciao
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Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Swing the heartache

Something I don't like about this "creativity" business... is when some one claims to be the "inventor" of the black thread... Why can't those "inventors" just go their local library, ask for a book (or use the public computers) and see that they are not the first ones to come up with that idea!

Of course that innovations exist... but they usually don't come out from someone in a garage with no connection to the rest of the world! 100 years ago... it was understandable that developers in different places might come out with similar ideas almost simultaniously... without knowing about each other. But we live now in a globalized world! Not knowing (or not wanting to know) about what is being made in other places is not an excuse anymore...
    Thirteen years ago, Wayne Devine's heart sank when he watched able-bodied children enjoying the swings at his local park while a child in a wheelchair was unable to join in. Instead of walking away, Wayne was compelled to do something about it. The Liberty Swing is a revolutionary new concept in playground equipment for people with disabilities. The Liberty Swing is a world-first innovation - developed from the ground up with public use in mind. Its inventive design allows the swing to blend in perfectly with other playground equipment. (via)
Nowadays, there's no excuse for people who claim to be the inventors of a "world-first innovation"... Just search on google for swings for (the) disabled... there are 563,000 results... NOT all of them are about the "liberty swing". Look at this other examples:
Strictly from a design point of view... the liberty swing is "over-engineered". It's just too masive, no formal composition... there's no consistent design language, and many other problems. But wait... that's not all! The liberty swing costs about $25,000NZ (via). When we saw it on the local TV news ... they said $35,000NZ and I just fell backwards! I told Sandra that we could make it for maybe less than $3,000NZ... and then, say 5,000 already installed, etc. Just look at the prices of the UK and US models: $1,500US +S&H ... where do the other 23,500 go!?

That just breaks my heart!... or we should get a contract for our standers with Auckland's city council.

ciao
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Saturday, January 14, 2006

Finding Squidword

It's not as difficult as finding Nemo. I have to get me a 5G iPod to be able to download Mobuzz's shows like these (best show , ever!). These clips are now available at iTunes store for free. When I was in Mexico, I had to use an internet cafe... So, I missed all their shows! I rather be informed about the worst products of 2005 or Playboy in Braille (at least I end up smiling) than watching the TV news on local politics or media gossip.

One very interesting suggestion from Mobuzz, is MOD films. A site where you can get your movie frustrations behind, and start creating... or messing-up other people's films.

ciao
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Friday, January 13, 2006

It would have been easier...

...if I had been uglier.

Today we received a copy of saabmagazine... and it's not just about cars. The issue they sent us (02-2005) features very interesting articles about art & design. Like australian artist Kylie Stillman, Nel Linssen's paper jewelery, James Gleeson, etc. But Martin Möller's article on "the beauty of concrete" left me... drooling! I'm sorry that I can't upload here more images... I couldn't find non copyrighted pictures except for this one in such short time. Most of the projects are faeatured at arcspace.com anyway. I took some pictures of Maier's Haashouse many years ago... let me see if I find them. Let's have a look at this top concrete projects then.
Aren't they amazing!??

ciao
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Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Gemischt

I know... the title is not very clever... my intellignece dried out from yesterday's post. I collected some bookmarks for posting, but I want to clean up my pc, so now I'll put them together.

Industrial Brand Creative published a list of their selection of the best design blogs in 2005. Bookmark all 11... including IBC!

Dicojal, Itesm and the UK Trade and Investment Office invites you to their 2nd. Design Forum, to be held 6-8 february at ITESM Guadalajara. They'll have: workshops, conferences, trade opportunities, branding, innovation, etc... If you visit dicojal's website... have a look at their article on eco-design. At the end of the examples presentation, there's a list with very useful resources on that.

This eco-bike reminded me of one of my projects in Germany. Please look (here) at my projects in Essen to compare that with my design. I remember that my supervisors were not so thrilled about my project... they were expecting a normal diamond frame bike. In fact, the winner of that competition was an almost normal diamond frame, with some fiberglass connectors. Na ja.

Finally. Here's Pello by IKEA. Very similar to the one we have on our living room, but I like ours better. When I went to Guadalajara to build the standers, my favourite sketch was a bended wooden frame like this. But it changed into aluminum after some feedback at the reHa expo. I'm not ruling that out for our next series... I'm just worried about maquila (out sourcing) of that!

I'll leave you with some pics from our one day trip to Waiheke Island last weekend. They are of course on my yahoo albums. I must warn you that the yahoo OZ server has been very slow since Christmas... so be patient.

ciao
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Monday, January 09, 2006

creat-a-lot intelligent design

(More or less) what Glenn Murcutt said at his conference in Monterrey : "If there are 3 basic human needs: eating, shelter and clothing... something is not quite right when there are 10 times more lawyers than architects on the yellow pages (in some countries)."

I can't fint the exact quote, but Hooper attributed this (more or less) to Woody Allen: Lawyers are so despicable, that they turn something so beautiful like "mother" into "mother-in-law".

Well... maybe I am not that intelligent to understand why the matter of intelligent design and what should and/or souldn't be taught at primary schools is now being fought at a court house and being left on the hands of lawers. Those poor primary school teachers didn't expect a kind of spanish inquisition.
    Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... Our *four*...no... *Amongst* our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise.... (pics)

Let's review what "objective" ID and Evolutionist's lawers are arguing: (via)

    ID lawyer: Look, this isn't an argument.
    E lawyer: Yes it is.
    ID lawyer: No it isn't, it's just contradiction.
    E lawyer: No it isn't.
    ID lawyer: It is.
    E lawyer: It is not.
    ID lawyer: Look, you contradicted me.
    E lawyer: I did not.
    ID lawyer: Oh you did.
    E lawyer: No, no, no.
    ID lawyer: You did just then.
    E lawyer: Nonsense.
    ID lawyer: Oh, this is futile.
    E lawyer: No it isn't.
    ID lawyer: I came here for a good argument.
    E lawyer: No, you didn't. No, you came here for an argument.
    ID lawyer: An argument isn't just contradiction.
    E lawyer: It can be.
    ID lawyer: An argument is a connected series of statements intended to establish a proposition.
    E lawyer: No it isn't.
    ID lawyer: Yes it is. It's not just contradiction.
    E lawyer: Look, if I argue with you, I must take up a contrary position.
    ID lawyer: But that's not just saying, "No it isn't."
    E lawyer: Yes it is.
    ID lawyer: No it isn't. An argument is an intellectual process. Contradiction is just the automatic gainsaying of any statement the other person makes.
    E lawyer: No it isn't.
    ID lawyer: Yes, It is.
    E lawyer: Not at all...
    usw.

    (note to myself: this reminds me some of my students)

This transcript from the court hearing demonstrates that we're not getting more intelligent... we are only getting contradictory. (ID: No, we don't) Intelligent doesn't mean being smart... or does it? I guess, we better ask an Intelligent Design Scientist about their theories: (via)

    'Thrust' Presenter: Good evening. I have with me tonight Anne Elk. Mrs. Anne Elk.
    I.D. scientist: Miss.
    'Thrust' Presenter: You say you have a new theory about the brontosaurus
    I.D. scientist: Can I just say here Chris for one moment that I have a new theory about the brontosaurus.
    'Thrust' Presenter: Exactly.
    [long pause]
    Well, what is it?
    I.D. scientist: [looks around, concerned] Where?
    'Thrust' Presenter: No, no, your new theory.
    I.D. scientist: Oh, what is my theory?
    'Thrust' Presenter: Yes.
    I.D. scientist: Oh, what is my theory that it is. Well, Chris, you may well ask me what is my theory.
    'Thrust' Presenter: I am asking.
    I.D. scientist: Good for you. My word yes. Well, Chris, what it is that it is - this theory of mine. Well, this is what it is - my theory that I have, that is to say, which is mine, is mine.
    'Thrust' Presenter: Yes, I know it's yours, what is it?
    I.D. scientist: [looks round again] Where? Oh, what is my theory? This is it.
    [clears her throat at length]
    My theory that belongs to me is as follows.
    [clears her throat very noisily and violently]
    This is how it goes. The next thing I'm going to say is my theory. Ready?

    'Thrust' Presenter: [exasperated] Yes.
    I.D. scientist: My theory by A. Elk, brackets, Miss, brackets. This theory goes as follows and begins now. All brontosauruses are thin at one end, much much thicker in the middle, and then thin again at the far end. That is my theory, it is mine, and it belongs to me, and I own it, and what ist is, too.
    'Thrust' Presenter: That's it, is it?
    I.D. scientist: Spot on, Chris.
    'Thrust' Presenter: Well, uh, this theory of yours appears to have hit the nail on the head.
    I.D. scientist: And it's mine.

    Read the complete interview HERE.

Now. To understand the evolution theory, we researched 2 of the most reliable sources on Darwin's theories: The Darwin Awards and Doctor M.C. Hawking. Here's their plain simple explanation:
    "Consider that there are three requirements for evolution to occur. First, a species must show diversity. For example, some people are taller than others. Second, there must be a selective pressure working on this trait. If people live among trees, and tall people whack their heads on branches and kill themselves more frequently than their shorter fellows, then short people will have a survival advantage. Third, the trait must be inheritable. On average, short people have shorter children than tall people, so evolution favors short people in this example. Within a few generations, our species would become shorter, and it would also become better at evading low branches."


something went wrong
    IDS: Yes, but that's not just saying "No it isn't."
    M.C. Hawking: Yes it is!
    IDS: No, it isn't...
M.C. Hawking should review his theories about science, enthropy and creation, before he gets an unexpected visit from a kind of spanish inquisition...
    NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition!... Amongst our weaponry are such diverse elements as: fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency, an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope...and nice red uniforms - Oh damn!


-OK. It's time to say goodbye
-No, it is not...


P.S. My lawyer advised me to include the following disclaimer: Most quotes are taken from Monty Python Flying Circus... and are not really transcripts of any court (or spanish inquisition) hearings. We also changed the names of the lawyers... so any resemblance with actual conservative or liberal lawyers, is merely coincidental and does not represent in any way their incompetence. If you have any concerns about the scientific theories of M.C. Hawking... you better ask him directly! I also used some copyrighted material from darwinawards.com We are also obligued to include the word spam in this paragraph and ultimatelly aknowledge that we pirated some images from The Broken Plank. Ah! thanks also to the International movie database. OK?
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Friday, January 06, 2006

Confused Confucius

"Does the future of design involve combinations of technology and emotional values?"
"What are the most important needs to design for?"
"Has hybridization created some paradoxes?"

"How do we get back to the essential values of honesty, nature, function, awareness of materials and, not least, a social conscience?"
"How do you make an elegant simplicity that hides the complexity in the overall interface and experience of the product?"
"Does (product) development simply happens too fast for the industry itself to follow?"

"What is mass individualism in a global world?"

You don't have to ponder all day about these questions. Simply visit DDK and read the articles:

Trends from IMM Koeln and an interview with someone who studied economics, philosophy and musical composition at Columbia University in New York, where he subsequently lectures in logic, philosophy of economics and the history of thought. He once received a Grammy Showcase Award for new artists and in-between moments he continues to create experimental music, and now he's director of Design Strategy at... a very large Finnish corporation.

ciao
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Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Olde Historye

Wow!!! I was googling, killing some time, searching for incoherent keyword combinations, like : new zealand itesm, disabled design guadalajara, vallejo design, etc, etc... and ... to my surprise; I found this:
I thought that fortunecity disabled that page many, many, many years ago!!! Raul and I saw Edith (the tall girl) a couple of months ago, at the machinery and tools expo. Afterwards we talked about our old students, and how most of them have very good jobs or have their own studios. The architecture school at ITESM campus Guadalajara is going to be 10 yr old by the end of next semester. It is incredible how time goes by.

Cheers to all my students in all these years.
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Sunday, January 01, 2006

From A to B in Nano steps

It's not the Nobel Prize... but it's a start. Apple's chief designer, Jonathan Ive was awarded a royal title : Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for his achievements as industrial designer. It was about time that the relevance of industrial design in how products influence life, gets some recognition beyond just literary discussions like Bourdieu, Barhtes, Baudrillard and others (whose names start with letters other than "B"). Donald A. Norman, who worked also for apple, wrote a "must" for all designers: Design of everyday things, and more recently: "emotional design". Which deals on how people get emotionally attached to good design, and how they are willing to pay extra to get the satisfaction of buying a good product. Some of the examples on his book are (as you may have guessed) apple products like the iPod.

Now, not everyone buys an iPod (like H.M. the Queen). In fact, there are for example more P.C. based users, than Mac users. Not everyone has an iPod... many have other sorts of gizmos like this Mini-DVD player. (via Ektopia) unfortunately, there's more kitsch and rubbish in this world than good design. It's again the same old story of the class-pyramid. Let's hope that the day will come, when good design becomes available at low prices and is not anymore just a matter of being fashionable or not.

There are many awards for musicians, tv. actors, movie actors... and combined awards such as the Mtv Movie awards... We get full coverage of that on our local news, within months of anticipation (since the nominations). There are 60,900,000 google results for movie awards, 92,900,000 for music awards , and 157,000,000 for design awards! However, events such as the red-dot design award get no media coverage (except maybe in Germany). So, it is good (for us all designers) that an industrial designer gets such recognition.

Our world is becomming more "design led". I hope that leading designers start to get more attention and recognition for their work not as "stylists" but as shapers of life experiences through the use of everyday products.

ciao
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The future is now

I haven't posted anything since last year! It's still last year in many places. So, here's how your future will look like! It's nice to be first ones to celebrate... downside is that New Zealanders are also the first ones to go back to work! Let's not think about that... we should implement a "new year's boxing day" to have an extra day to relax like all others!

Beacuse of P.C. (Political Correctness) one should not wish merry christmas, but seasons' greetings instead. Or just say "happy holidays". Anyway, I wish all my visitors from arround the world a happy new year... it doesn't matter when, exactly.

Today we went to the horse races at Alexandra Park, and afterwards to buy groceries for our new year's dinner. Only a few stores were open, and almost everyone at the mall was chinese (they celebrate new year later)... so you can't be wishing a happy new year to everyone you meet during the day... maybe we should just have good wishes for everyone all year 'round or have multiple celebrations...

Anyway. Best wishes to all my visitors, friends and family... all the time!
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