ICSID (International Council of Societies of Industrial Design) calls for design solutions in the face of the disaster in Haiti.
In a global appeal following the devastation in Haiti, Icsid has launched a call to designers from all disciplines to unite in an open dialogue with international relief organisations to assess potential design-effective rehabilitation projects. In support of the UN’s efforts to help the Haitian people overcome challenges in relation to the country’s reconstruction plans, designers, academics and design students, as well as experienced developmental workers are encouraged to join the discussion and become a fan of the 'Uniting Designers in Disaster' page on Facebook.
Designers have a strong desire to support the relief effort. This forum is intended to help identify tangible opportunities and empower the design community to contribute to the cause.
"As an international non-governmental organisation with over 50 years experience implementing projects of global appeal, Icsid is poised with the strategic understanding of the processes required by NGOs to develop and implement result-driven and effective initiatives," stated Icsid President Dr. Mark Breitenberg and Provost of California College of the Arts. "What we aim to do with the forum is engage designers to exchange information about initiatives and opportunities where they may contribute their design and problem solving skills. In addition, we are hoping that the dialogue between the design community, development workers and representatives from international agencies will subsequently facilitate relief efforts, such as those currently being prepared by the UN to help the people of Haiti meet long-term stabilisation and reconstruction objectives."
Among its key mission statements, Icsid strives to provide an international platform for the design community to be heard as a powerful voice. Although active participation and contributions will continue on the Facebook page, in an effort to take immediate action, all information posted via the forum will be actively reviewed in order to select opportunities for immediate international activities.
"This is a call to think in order to act," stated Breitenberg. "Our immediate goal is to gain a better understanding of the relief efforts needed in order to facilitate the development of design-led solutions that impact Haiti's quality of life."
For more information, please contact: Andrea Springer t: +1 514 448 4949 ext. 232 e: aspringer@icsid.org
Core77 and Greener Gadgets invited designers to explore the concept of "Greener Gadgets. The top 50 entries are published online for voting and commenting, and from these the judges will pick the Top 10 to be judged live at the Greener Gadgets Conference in New York City on February 27th. Voting ends February 20th. Click, get inspired, and vote!
'VE09 Blister Radio' by Klaus Rosburg (United States) The VE09 Blister Radio is made from PLA, a biodegradable, thermoplastic, aliphatic polyester derived from renewable resources such as cornstarch (in the U.S.) or sugarcanes. The solar panel in the back of the clear blister pack recharges the batteries allowing the user to operate the radio without ever opening the clamshell package.
'Blight' by Vincent Gerkens (Belgium) This solar blind creates a link between indoor and outdoor, taking the daylight during the day and giving it back at night. The advantage of the Venetian blind is to have a large surface exposed to sunlight in a small, cumbersome object. With the revolving blades we can follow the course of the sun in order to catch a maximum of energy. Moreover we can adjust the position of the lamp to obtain various lighting effects. The produced energy can be used to supply a computer or other devices, by means of an inverter.
'Power-Hog' by Mathieu Zastawny, Mansour Ourasanah, Tom Dooley, Peter Byar, Elysa Soffer, Mathieu Turpault (United States) Power-Hog is a power consumption metering piggy bank designed to sensitize kids to energy cost associated with running electronics devices. Plug the tail into the outlet and the device into the snout; feed a coin to meter 30 minutes of use.
'eMetric' by Jason Deperro (United States) eMetric is an office power management system that allows teams of conscientious workers to control and learn about their electronics' energy consumption - saving energy and money.
The magazine focuses on the international trends in the Neocraft movement. Following the revival of craft, the magazine deals with the latest news in illustration, graphic design, textile art, ceramics, glass and book art. The initiators, Katja Kleiss and Pascal Johanssen, intended to launch a magazine which presents and discusses international trends in new craft.
The title is programmatic: OBJECTS is interested in the individual artistic craftwork, the object. "Unique things remind us of our individuality in a standardised world," says Pascal Johanssen, "the selection of these "objects" is a statement. While design is made for the masses, craftwork is dedicated to the individual." Each issue features academic essays, non-academic interventions of artists and multipaged spreads.
Authors of the first issue are art critic Colleen Shindler-Lynch (Toronto), artist Robert Revels (San Franciso), designer Scott Ballum (New York) and art director Gregori Saavedra (Barcelona). The essays are complimented by plenty of illustrations.
The magazine is now distributed in Germany but you can order it to everywhere on the globe through Illustrative's online shop.
Belgian designer James Van Vossel has received an award for his Z-Ball at Interieur 08. The prize was awarded by Royal Ahrend for a seating idea for a learning environment.
Z-Ball is an inflatable ball with 3 handles. The position of these equal handles stimulates an even better position of the 5-attitudes of the back: it stimulates to sit at the front side of the ball while the 2 other handles give support to the loin.
The Danish Architecture Centre and CEBRA architects have created the
exhibition 'ecotopedia - walk the talk', the official Danish
contribution to the 11th International Architecture Exhibition, La
Biennale di Venezia 2008, as a platform for debate and the exchange of
knowledge within sustainable planning.
'ecotopedia - walk the talk' reflects the overall theme and poses the question: “How can we inhabit this world in a dignified and sustainable way?” It is an invitation to the international community to debate and exchange knowledge about how cities can contribute to adapting to and dealing with global climate challenges.
Climate change is a global problem and it affects us all. Cities play a particular role as they are responsible for more than half the combined co2 emission and for the first time in history, the majority of the world population lives in cities. One of the greatest challenges we are faced with is the development of sustainable urban planning. Paradoxically, it is also cities that possess the potential to create a global framework for the 21st century’s most sustainable lifestyles. The exhibition presents a wide range of initiatives from businesses, projects and experts on how to do so.
The exhibition is built up around 7 principal themes and presents 7 global initiatives with Danish participation that present concrete proposals on how we can create a sustainable future.
WORLD – infinite futures CLIMATE ZONES – natural beauty in transformation CONTINENTS – diversity of human settlements CITIES – challenge and potential EXPERTS – in dialogue with the world NETWORKS – generating collective action GLOBAL INITIATIVES – that walk the talk.
What is ecotopedia? ecotopedia is a combination of three words. ’eco’ is the english abbreviation for ecological and also refers to economy. ’topedia’ refers both to place (topos) and knowledge (pedia). Walk the talk expresses the exhibition’s call for active participation. ecotopedia – walk the talk shows how words can be converted into actions; how ’talk the talk’ becomes ’walk the talk’.
On the occasion of Nelson's 100th birthday, Vitra is introducing a re-edition of the Pretzel Chair—which numbers among his most famous designs—in a limited Anniversary Edition of 1000 pieces. The numbered special edition Pretzel Chair is accompanied by a comprehensive Edition Portfolio.
In the 1950s, George Nelson and his New York office developed a series of individually expressive seating furniture, a number of which have long established themselves as classics. In 1952, predating the famous Coconut Chair or the Marshmallow Sofa, he designed a chair made of moulded plywood originally referred to simply as the “Laminated Chair”. The bold and elegant curve of the seat back and armrest soon earned it the nickname Pretzel Chair. Plywood is used for the back and its supports as well as the four legs of the chair that cross under the seat. The downward taper of the legs adds to the delicate and slender appearance of the chair.
Louise Campbell is the featured designer on dkVogue.com, a large source for Danish design that introduces modern, authentic Danish furnishings, lighting and accessories to North America.
Bille goes Zen - Cabinet maker Lars Bille Christensen (2003/2006)
Louise Campbell’s work is playful and experimental, and is increasingly gaining a reputation for gently twisting not only every day objects and situations, but also materials and manufacturing processes in new directions. The combination of Scandinavian rationalism and femininity, and perhaps her dual nationality (Danish and British), give the works of Louise Campbell an unusual edge. Illustrating contrasts seem to be an issue, that keeps returning in her work.
'Spiderwoman' - HAY (2008) 'Retreat' (1998)
'Seesaw' and 'Entertainment' - Erik Jørgensens Møbelfabrik (2002)
'Veryround' - Zanotta (2006) 'Prince Chair' - HAY (2005)
British manufacturing company Established & Sons has become renowned for its original approach since its first launching during the Milan Furniture Fair in 2005. They are constantly looking to innovate and their intention remains today just the same as it was then - to produce the highest quality furniture designs and work with the very best emerging design talents as well as established contemporary designers.
Here are some of the new designs that have been launched at this year's Milan fair.
'Crate series' by Jasper Morrisson
'Torch' by Sylvain Willenz
'Frame' by Wouter Scheublin 'Pole Light' by Paul Cocksedge
After successful international premiere in Talent Zone, Copenhagen Furniture Fair, last year, Wood Processing &
Furniture Design students have demonstrated their sustainable design
work - furniture prototypes and interior elements, at Salone Satellite
2008, Milan Furniture Fair, held from 16th-21 April.
Exhibition showed fresh, multi functional elements, new construction principles, as well as projects from REST WOOD DESIGN sustainable design workshop by mentor MA Jelena Matic, held every year at the Center for Tools and Machinery, at Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade.
Organized annually, the workshop operates as an extracurricular activity at the University promoting sustainable creativity through innovative use of industrial wood waste in student furniture and interior design concepts, which often results in real student prototypes, first time experiences, valuable knowledge, and rewards to young designers.
French architect Jean Nouvel has been chosen as the 2008 Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize. The
formal ceremony for what has come to be known throughout the world as
architecture’s highest honor will be held on June 2 in Washington,D.C.
at the Library of Congress. At that time, a $100,000 grant and a bronze
medallion will be bestowed on the 62-year old architect.
Photo by Gaston Bergeret
Nouvel who came to international attention with the completion of his Institut du Monde Arabe in 1987 in Paris, now has several projects in the United States, including the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis completed in 2006, a 75-story tower (Tour Verre) next door to MOMA in New York, and recently announced plans for a high rise condominium (Suncal Tower) in the Century City district of Los Angeles. In Europe, some of his other important works are the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art (Paris 1994), the Branly Museum (Paris 2006), the Agbar Tower (Barcelona 2005), a Courthouse (Nantes 2000), a Cultural and Conference Center (Lucerne 2000), an Opera House (Lyon 1993), and Expo 2002 (Switzerland). Also currently under construction is a concert hall in Copenhagen.
Institut du Monde Arabe (IMA or Arab World Institute) 1981-87 Paris, France (photo by Philippe Ruault)
In announcing the jury’s choice, Thomas J. Pritzker, chairman of The Hyatt Foundation, quoted from the jury citation, “Of the many phrases that might be used to describe the career of architect Jean Nouvel, foremost are those that emphasize his courageous pursuit of new ideas and his challenge of accepted norms in order to stretch the boundaries of the field.” And further, Pritzker added, “The jury acknowledged the ‘persistence, imagination, exuberance, and, above all, an insatiable urge for creative experimentation’ as qualities abundant in Nouvel’s work.”
Tour de Verre, New York City, NY - 2007-in progress - Guthrie Theater Minneapolis, Minnesota - 1999-2006 (photo by Roland Halbe)
In Nouvel’s own words, “My interest has always been in an architecture which reflects the modernity of our epoch as opposed to the rethinking of historical references. My work deals with what is happening now—our techniques and materials, what we are capable of doing today.”
Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art, Paris, France 1991-94 (photos by George Fessy)
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