featured – Page 12 – DesignApplause

Snail mail. English style.

Jan 14, 2009

Classic via old style messaging: the “post stamp” from Royal Mail. “We always like to start the year with a classic and this year we’re launching our Special Stamp programme with ten, in one very special issue– British Design Classics.”

1st Class – K2 Telephone Kiosk
Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s design bright-red phone box always stood out on the streets of the UK.

1st Class – Polypropylene Chair
Found in public buildings throughout the world, almost everyone will have sat on a Robin Day chair
at some time.

1st Class – Penguin Books
Edward Young’s book jacket design was instantly recognizable as a Penguin edition.

1st Class – London Underground Map
Harry Beck’s easy to understand design was based on an electrical wiring diagram.

1st Class – Routemaster Bus
Once a symbol of London to visitors from all over the world now only a few of Douglas Scott and Colin Curtis’s remain on London’s streets.

1st Class – Supermarine Spitfire
The superlative Battle of Britain fighter with its distinctive elliptical wings was designed by R J Mitchell who sadly died before the plane went into production.

1st Class Large – Mini Skirt
Mary Quant rewrote the fashion rules for women forever with her daring design.

1st Class – The Mini
Sir Alec Issigonis made use of every available space in the small car that was as much a fashion statement as a means of transport.

1st Class – Anglepoise Lamp
George Carwardine’s flexible design brought light wherever it was needed.

1st Class – Concorde
Aerospatiale and BAC’s supersonic jet was capable of twice the speed of sound and beautiful to look at too.

First class. Jolly good idea!

Producer: Royal Mail

<a href="about ron kovach

The art of an election. 2008.

Nov 7, 2008

An election wrap up: more creative generated in presidential election 2008. Passion trumps strategy — the bulk unsolicited, unapproved by either candidate. (more…)

Congratulations president Obama.

Nov 5, 2008

During the early 1940s Charles and Ray Eames developed a successful technique for molding plywood into three-dimensional shapes, which led to the creation of a variety of furnishings and sculptures. You won’t find Eames donkeys however.
That said, if anyone finds appropriate donkeys, or other animals for that matter, please inform us.

marvin gaye sings american national anthem observed via designobserver

overheard: time to recycle campaign signs

Branding Obama. Perfect storm?

Oct 19, 2008

The final stretch. Our feature article leading up to and thru the election will recap what many “branders” have concluded: Obama’s campaign is case-study worthy. ( collage on left from special edition – Creative Marketers Report 2008, Creativity; campaign logo/button from on-line store on official Barack Obama website. )
( above ) logo design: collaboration – mo/de and sender llc

If you are a creative and have been following the election, you have seen this stuff. If you are a creative not following the election, you have probably seen this stuff.

Is this a perfect storm? The economic environment. A war. The candidate. The marketing team. The technology. The financial resources. When all the stars are in alignment.

Speaking of “financial” resources, Obama raised a great sum of money by declining public campaign funding. A bit more intangible were the “intellectual” and ’emotional” resources: the generation of creative marketing materials that became available, and may be still is arriving, which is unsolicited, donated. It’s what possibly sets branding a president apart from introducing and marketing, let’s say a product like the new iPhone or a service, Virgin America, a new domestic airline.

We know that Apple consumers can easily be classified as cult-like. It’s possible Virgin America will also attain a fanatical following in the near future. But, it’s hard to imagine Steve Jobs or Richard Branson being bombarded with donated print ads, apparel, signage, videos, graffiti, twitterings from uber-fans of their companies. ( Of course, we might find out differently from someone who knows… )

At first glance, that what it looks like. The bulk of the effort looks good too. Though some application control is lost the campaign is an evolving marketing-mix that’s strategic, creative, curated by a talented and experienced Obama team. We’ll strive to identify contributors as this post develops.

Even if creatively challenged but you read, shop, jog, walk your dog, you have seen this stuff. But if not, enjoy a sampling of images. It’s just a tip of an iceberg.

( above ) designer: tom fox from louisville, kentucky

( above ) designer, shawn hazen

( above ) street artist, shepard fairey from los angeles, california

( above ) from juicy couture

( above ) designer zac posen

( above ) designer: lisa marie regan from tulsa, oklahoma — this is a signpost

( above) documentary filmmaker: errol morris

( above ) parodies of fairey

( above ) photomosiac artist” charis tsevis

( above) artist: dee

( above ) autographed sticker, upper playground artist: munk one

( above ) fashion designer: marc jacobs

( above ) designer: tia salmela keobounpheng from minneapolis

( above ) designed by” artmags.com from oregon

( above ) design firm: thunder dog studios, long island city, ny

( above ) tribute to warhol, artist/designer: terri bell

( above ) fashion designer: jean charles de castelbajac.

( above ) screenshot 30-minute ad, october 29, 2008

( above ) robocall from cincinnati

Official logo
An official presidential logo and it’s usage. Innovation is not a design criteria requirement though it’s said the circle bucks convention. Familiarity, mass appeal is important and it succeeds on many levels of perception expressed by many. Colors for one. Less obvious, Pepsi another easily recognized, friendly image.

A good logo permits a wide range of application and it succeeds, giving a credible, official imprimatur and doesn’t get in the way of the messaging. Despite good visual qualities we find applications sans logo as the logo isn’t a mandate. Creatives enjoy artistic freedom. Hats off to a non-cookie cutter visual rule book.

New Media
Four years ago it was new media vs old politics. John Dean was light-years ahead of the pack establishing a grassroots network via the Internet to get out the word. In 2008 both candidates are better Internet matched but there is a big difference and many voters “won’t get” the difference. If you aren’t a blogger, don’t have a Facebook or Flickr account the savvy Obama site will be unappreciated. ( New media director Joe Rospars powered Dean’s 2004 Website and co-founder of Facebook, Chris Hughes help to develop Obama’s site. ) But the creative community says Obama “gets it” with how Web savvy users, social networkers, communicate, interact, organize, raise money, and respond to the media.

Integrated design
The campaign to date has successfully integrated both online and off messaging. Creative director of DIGO Brands, Mark DiMassio, “the Obama brand is the social creation of the community rather than the creature of the media or ad people of the campaign organization itself.” This bottom up approach aligned with the mantra of “change” is what truly sets the campaign apart.

Creative sources
moveon.org
meaningful distractions
obama art report
creative review
more pro-bono election work
tale of obama
shepard fairey: progress
the learning curve
logobama
upper playground
democracy, designers, and obama
artist spotlight: dee
rene wanner poster page
thunder dog studios, obama bike
terri bell, tribute to warhol
jean charles de castelbajac
new hope, switzerland
the obama art report
design and political communication

Media sources

npr.org
huffington post
washington post
blog.newsweek
new york times
freshness
counterforms for obama
people in the middle
all that glitters
salon: obama’s infomercial night
crain’s chicago business: 30-sec ad – nbc’s best
politico: designer’s like obama
politico: obama cuts radio ads for dems
businessweek: election designs 2008

obama’s 2008 presidential campaign staff members including campaign manager, david plouffe, and chief strategist, david axelrod.

official presidential sites
barack obama
john mc cain

Wind turbines.

Oct 2, 2008

This running feature began in 2008 to develop a story on the state of wind
turbine design. The most current news was inserted February 2010 below.

(top two photos) The world’s largest wind turbine ( in 2008 ) is was the Enercon E-126. This turbine has a rotor diameter of 126 meters (413 feet).

October 2008
The E-126 is a more sophisticated version of the E-112, formerly the world’s largest wind turbine and rated at 6 megawatts. This new turbine is officially rated at 6 megawatts too, but will most likely produce 7+ megawatts (or 20 million kilowatt hours per year). That’s enough to power about 5,000 households of four in Europe. A quick US calculation would be 938 kwh per home per month, 12 months, that’s 11,256 kwh per year per house. That’s 1776 American homes on one wind turbine.

These turbines are equipped with a number of new features: an optimized blade design with a spoiler extending down to the hub, and a pre-cast concrete base. Due to the elevated hub height and the new blade profile, the performance of the E-126 is expected to by far surpass that of the E-112.

One of the more unexpected charms of driving through the Spanish countryside is the proliferation of windmills, especially in the windier, higher plateau areas in the north of the country. We’re not talking about charming medieval ones that Quixote took for giants either — Spain ( below two photos ) is rapidly becoming one of Europe’s leaders in green energy, and broad acceptance of wind power is a big part of it.

In 2007 Spain’s wind power production record was 27% at the time. That seemed like a lot, but a week ago, Spain’s wind turbines produced 40.8% of total demand, or 9,862 megawatts of power.

There’s a catch, though. The previous record was 10,032 megawatts, but that was 28% of total consumption because it happened during a week day and demand was higher. So this new record is a relative record, while the previous one stands as the absolute best in electricity produced. Still, it’s impressive and we hope that others will pay attention and realize that it can be done.

February 2010 ( left ) norway plans to build the world’s most powerful offshore wind turbine like this in 2011.

With a rotor diameter of 475 feet and a height of 533 feet, the 10-megawatt prototype will be roughly three times more powerful than ordinary wind turbines currently in place, hoping the new technology will increase the profitability of costly offshore wind farms.

What if there’s too much wind?
The turbines are built to catch the wind. But what happens if there is too much wind?

There are new generators that are being developed that will better withstand turbulent wind at the same time capable of generating more megawatts. The photo and video below shows one such design.

Global warming has moved our attention to alternative energy generation. We are going to explore what is out there. We want to look at both engineering and aesthetics. Help us grow the story through your comments.

Resources:
treehugger
grist
trends updates

Mr. Impossible. The chair.

Sep 4, 2008

Phillipe Starck’s latest — a plastic chair — earned it’s name on the first sketch. Mr. Impossible. The designer said it couldn’t be made. The challenge being the weld. Using existing methods to weld the seat and the legs would create an unsightly seam. Kartell’s engineers had to go the blue water route. The key, a very big laser.

The Kartell store in New York recently exhibited Mr. Impossible, a series of chairs by Philippe Starck. While the design for Mr. Impossible was conceived years ago, the technology needed to weld two transparent shells together did not exist until recently. Also on display was Starck’s Misses Flower Power, a collection of large-scale prototype vases made from transparent polycarbonate. (more…)

m-ch. Micro-Compact home.

May 27, 2008

A home that makes the Smart car, standing side-by-side, look like a SUV. No, an 18-wheeler.
“Micro-Compact Home” [m-ch] was inspired by Japanese tea houses, yes, the Smart car and first class air travel. They are lightweight, modular, mobile and very minimal 2.65m (roughly 77 sq ft). That equates into a 266 x 266 x 266 centimeter cube ‘Home,’ Imagine that? It’s not for the claustrophobic, a dwelling non-the-less, for one or two people. This is not a tent, a trailer, but a home, in a super compact design.

The tiny cube provides a double bed on an upper level and working table and dining space for four to five people on the lower level. The entrance area has triple use: it functions as a bathroom and drying space for clothing, in addition to a lobby. Costing $80,000 USD, this little prefab integrates state-of-the-art technology into its compact design, boasting a sound system, flat screen TV, and temperature controls. It requires no furniture and all storage space is cleverly concealed within the structure of the dwelling. (more…)