Ukrainian designer's lamp has that gangsta lean
The Anemona lamp, by Ukrainian designer Igor Pinigin, is like a Weeble that can commit to its leanings; heavy glass balls hidden inside the base provide stability, no matter which way you tilt it. Working prototypes were exhibited at Moscow's SaloneSatellite 2008, though there's no word on if it will go into actual production.
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The "O" in Obama
New York Times art director Steven Heller interviews Sol Sender, whose firm designed the ubiquitous Obama "O."
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The most important piece of software for an Industrial Designer
Jason Morris, a professor at Western Washington University's ID program, has just posted up the findings of a year-and-a-half long survey of software requirements for ID jobs, summarized above. Taken from an admittedly small and arbitrary sample--200 or so job postings in IDSA Perspectives--the results point out a few trends worth considering.
1. 2D visual exploration is still the most important, and Adobe is still at the top of that heap. No surprise there.
2. Illustrator edges out Photoshop for the first time. Apparently rapid iteration and adjustment is winning over s3xy hawtness.
3. SolidWorks muscles its way into first place among 3D CAD. A little surprising considering it was originally engineering software, but it's hard to argue with something so easy to learn (and backed up by all that marketing).
4. Alias is still the most requested surface modeler, creaming Rhino by nearly 2 to 1. Again, it's a limited sample, but we thought it'd be a lot closer than that.
5. Pro/E: it ain't dead yet. In fact it's doing pretty well. In fact it's kind of kicking ass. The latest WildFire doesn't look half bad.
6. AutoCAD and 3DSMax are losing favor, which is only fair--they're mostly for architecture and construction after all.
7. Not a single explicit modeler on there...yet.
Does this jive with your own experiences? Let us know.
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Recessionary design: a boom time for creative energy
In her weekly column in the International Herald Tribune, Alice Rawsthorn argues that design has always coped well with austerity, and is especially well-equipped to do so now.
Of particular interest are the examples of the work done by the UK-based service design consultancy Live|Work.
>> Read article
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Christmas for your phone
Black Friday ain't even here yet, but HK manufacturer More-Thing is already prepping for the holidays with their Noel Collection of iPhone cases, now shipping. Question is, come January will the slim-fit metallic casings look like one more thing you've been tardy in removing, like that plastic Santa on your roof?
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How to rob a bank without money?
"How can you rob a bank in a world without money?" wonders science fiction writer Bruce Sterling, one of the collaborators of the new foresight project KashKlash.
KashKlash is a lively platform where you can debate future scenarios for economic and cultural exchange. Beyond today's financial turmoil, what new systems might appear? Global/local, tangible/intangible, digital/physical? On the KashKlash site, you can explore potential worlds where traditional financial transactions have disappeared, blended, or mutated into unexpected forms. Understand the near future, and help shape it!
Imagine yourself deprived of all of today's conventional financial resources. Maybe you're a refugee or stateless -- or maybe it's the systems themselves that have gone astray. Yet you still have your laptop, the Internet, and a broadband mobile connection. What would you do to create a new informal economy that would help you get by? What would you live on? E-barter? Rationing? Gadgets? Google juice? Cellphone minutes? Imagine a whole world approaching that condition. Which of today's major power-players would win and lose, thrive or fail? What strange new roles would tomorrow's technology fill?
Besides Bruce Sterling, the initial collaborators are Regine Debatty (of we-make-money-not-art), Nicolas Nova (LIFT) and Joshua Klein (author and hacker), who have been collaborating on initiating the discussion.
KashKlash is now opening up to you. You can join and follow the debate of our experts or contribute yourself by leaving a comment on the different matters or fill out our KashKlash questionnaire.
This public domain project is conceived and led by Heather Moore of Vodafone's Global User Experience Team and run by Experientia, an international forward-looking user experience design company based in Turin, Italy.
Check the project description for more info.
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Sustainab-ollie-ty
I thought by now there wasn't anything left to re-make using bamboo. I was wrong. Bamboo Sk8 has released... Can you guess? A bamboo skateboard. Arbor and Comet have been making sustainably harvested decks for a while now (under better brand names, too. Seriously, "Sk8"? What is this, 1995?), but this is the first all-bamboo, shortboard-specific company I've heard of.
Now that bamboo has entered the "action" sports market (we already have hard drives and t-shirts made out of the stuff), can we finally declare the trend over? What's wrong with good old-fashioned post-consumer recycled material? I'd also like to see a carbon-footprint comparison of local, sustainably-harvested lumber vs. imported bamboo (unless B.Sk8 buys local?).
(via Inhabitat)
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CityRacks Design Competition Winner Announced
Copenhagen designers Ian Mahaffy and Maarten De Greeve have won New York's CityRacks Design Competition with their floating circle design. Almost 5,000 cast metal 'Hoop' racks are planned to be installed throughout the city over the next 3 years.
Results
First Place: Ian Mahaffy and Maarten De Greeve (Bettlelab)
Second Place: Andrew Lang and Harry Dobbs
Third Place: Ignacio Ciocchini
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(Re)defining responsible retail @ Connect
Bamboo t-shirts and organic cotton underwear aplenty can be found at most eco-chic outfitters these days, but one urban Chicago clothier wants its business to wear green as well as its customers do.
Connect will work today to ensure future generations a fertile ground for the continued cultivation and evolution of conscious capitalism. Our professional and personal lives are grounded in positive exchange. Connect will only select partnerships that focus on social, environmental, and humanitarian solutions.
Connect is one of only two retailers to carry the entire collection from now-revived Nau, which is nestled amidst many other fashion-forward-thinking labels. The space is dotted with sustainable furniture that is available for purchase and serves as a rotating location for Connect's monthly fundraising events for various NPOs. And if you're a local, you can breathe easy knowing your delivery was transported via bike versus gas guzzler.
Check it out people!
Connect
1330 North Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, IL 60642
312.890.3684
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Krink K-66 Steel Tip Marker
And finally, known for their distinct dripping ink effect, KRINK have released the K-66 Steel Tip Marker available in 10 colors.
Krink was developed by graffiti writer and artist, Craig "KR" Costello. Carefully seeking out ingredients that were not readily available, "KR" created a variety of homemade inks and markers fit for use in both street and studio environments.
All markers and inks are handmade in the USA, get your KRINK here.
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Special thanks to Mark Vanderbeeken and William Bostwick for their contributions to this week's newsletter!
Please share the Monday Morning Must Read with colleagues, clients and collaborators. Many email programs do not forward messages in their original format, so please use this link: http://www.designdirectory.com/blog/newsletter
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