A Brave New World of Computing

Microsoft's Next-Gen PC Design Competition winners create innovative designs that take traditional PCs outside the box. [Source : Microsoft ]

LOS ANGELES, May 15, 2007 -- The inspiration for Allen Wong’s Next-Gen PC Design Competition entry came from a visit to a remote village in Kenya. “A hand-painted sign on the local elementary school promised ‘Computer Training,’ but the local villagers told me that it was false advertising,” recalls Wong. “The school didn’t even have windows, much less Windows!”
Wong, who with design partner Matt Conway went on to create the BulbPC, one of the competition winners, was inspired by his experience in Kenya to develop a new and revolutionary PC design that can meet the needs for computing and computer education in the developing world as well as address the IT requirements of first-world workplaces.

Wong’s Kenyan inspiration mirrors that of other winners in this year’s Next-Gen PC Competition, a Microsoft-sponsored event that challenges young design professionals and industrial design students to think beyond the constraints of traditional computing form factors.

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MADE in China, a PC with a distinctly Asian interface, designed by John Leung.
Click for high-res version.

Focusin on ... John Leung, whose design MADE in China won the Chairman’s Award, was inspired to create a ground-breaking computing and infrastructure model specifically designed to bring computing closer to the world’s 1.3 billion Chinese. “I saw so many PCs in the market that were made IN China, but none of which were actually made FOR China,” says Leung, 21, an undergraduate architecture student at the University of Melbourne, Australia
MADE in China involves a MADE (Massively Administered Digital Entities) hardware and infrastructure that consists of a touch screen interface and remote servers that store applications and data. The infrastructure is linked to the interface via 4G mobile phone networks. “Together, they result in a PC which is affordable, profitable, and environmental, all without compromising performance, aesthetics, and convenience,” says Leung.

50 Years of Helvetica

2007 marks the fiftieth anniversary of Max Miedinger and Edouard Hoffmann's design Helvetica, the most ubiquitous of all typefaces.

Widely considered the official typeface of the twentieth century, Helvetica communicates with simple, well-proportioned letterforms that convey an aesthetic clarity that is at once universal, neutral, and undeniably modern.In honor of the first typeface acquired for MoMA's collection, the installation presents posters, signage, and other graphic material demonstrating the variety of uses and enduring beauty of this design classic.

As a special feature in the exhibition, an excerpt of Gary Hustwit's documentary Helvetica reveals the typeface as we experience it in an everyday context.

50 Years of Helvetica April 6, 2007–March 31, 2008 The Museum of Modern ArtArchitecture and Design Galleries, third floorOrganized by Christian Larsen, Curatorial Assistant, Department of Architecture and Design.MOMA: http://www.dexigner.com/directory/detail/7256/

25/25 : Celebrating 25 Years of Design

2007 marks 25 years since the opening of the Boilerhouse, the original incarnation of the Design Museum. To celebrate this significant anniversary, as plans are being made for a major expansion programme, the Design Museum has invited 25 designers and individuals with an interest in design, each to select an object that they believe represents the best, or the most characteristic design of the period.From the 1983 Alessi Whistling Kettle, to the 2001 iPod designed by Jonathan Ive for Apple, the 25 selected designs, representing the best of industrial design, graphics, furniture, and fashion, designed or first manufactured between 1982 and 2007, will be exhibited at the Design Museum in 25/25 - Celebrating 25 Years of Design from 29 March to 22 June 2007.

The exhibition will offer a fascinating overview of the most important moments and developments in design during this period, as well as an insight into the thoughts of these key designers and design commentators, including Terence Conran, founder of the Boilerhouse, fashion designer Paul Smith, designers David Mellor, Jaime Hayon, and the Design Museum's Director Deyan Sudjic.

Other selectors include architect Richard Rogers and designer Ab Rogers, industrial designer Dieter Rams, product designers Richard Seymour and Dick Powell of SeymourPowell, world renowned graphic designer, visual artist, and computer scientist John Maeda, and Dutch designer Maarten Baas.Established by Terence Conran in 1981 in the basement of the Victoria & Albert Museum, the aim of the Boilerhouse was to put design at the centre of contemporary culture. It was a move to demonstrate both the richness of the creativity to be found in all forms of design, and its importance. Quickly outgrowing the V&A, in 1989 it moved on to become the Design Museum, in an architecturally striking transformation of a Thameside warehouse.

Since then the Design Museum has emerged as an institution with international significance, playing a vital role in placing design and architecture on the cultural agenda.

The Design Museum: http://www.dexigner.com/directory/detail/7244/

Kylie - The Exhibition

Kylie - The Exhibition explores and celebrates Kylie Minogue, who began her career playing the character of Charlene, the girl next door in Neighbours, and went on to become an international pop sensation known the world over simply as Kylie.
The exhibition features costumes and memorabilia collected over Kylie's career and was inspired by her donation to the Arts Centre's Performing Arts Collection in Melbourne, Australia, in 2003. The Kylie Minogue Collection contains over 600 costumes and accessories, many created by the world's leading fashion designers. A selection of them are presented in this exhibition which has been divided into six themes - Music and Video, On Tour, On Stage, Image, Icon, and Backstage - to reflect the many aspects of Kylie's career.
Music and Video

'Can't Get You Out Of My Head' video from the album Fever, 2001. Photograph courtesy Parlaphone Records and EMI Records Ltd. (click image for larger version)
When Kylie’s first single ‘Locomotion’ was released in 1987 it became a number one hit in Australia. It took Kylie to London where she began to transform her image from the girl next door to the stylish, sexy Kylie first seen in the video for ‘Better the Devil You Know’ (1990).
In 1993 Kylie signed to independent UK recording label deConstruction. She began to focus on writing, producing and performing with other artists, achieving new credibility. Videos such as ‘Confide in Me’ (1994) were more experimental and cutting-edge.
When disco-inspired ‘Spinning Around’ (2000) was released, Kylie entered a new phase in her career. From the sophisticated glamour of ‘On a Night Like This’ (2000) to the funky electronica of ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’ (2001), Kylie yet again transformed herself both musically and visually. ‘Slow’ (2003) presented another version of sexy, glamorous Kylie.
On Tour

'Dancing Queen' corset and tiara, Intimate and Live tour, Australia and London, 1998. Photograph by Campbell Knott (click image for larger version)
Kylie has always enjoyed touring and performing live in front of large audiences. Her costumes are working outfits and by the end of the tour reflect the wear and tear caused by costume changes, microphone packs and make-up. That so many of her costumes have survived the rigours of international touring is remarkable.
Kylie’s early tours featured the costumes of prominent Australian designers, each one revealing a different look. Later she took a more integrated approach to create distinct moods and themes. In the KylieFever2002 tour Kylie wore costumes specifically designed for her by Dolce & Gabbana. The concert took the audience on a journey across time through six acts and featured eight costume changes.
Kylie Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour featured costumes by several major UK and European designers.





On Stage
Kylie has appeared at a wide range of charity occasions, special events and award ceremonies including the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards and the 2002 BRIT Awards.
While many of her appearances are tied to tours, music releases and videos, Kylie will often appear in stand-alone outfits created especially for the particular occasion.
One of her most high-profile appearances was at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games Closing Ceremony. She arrived in the stadium on the back of a giant ‘flip-flop’ in a pink sequined showgirl costume.
Kylie has also made many appearances at gay nightclubs, such as G-A-Y at the London Astoria, and at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.



Image


Kylie is one of the most photographed people in the world. Over 25 photographers are represented in this exhibition, allowing us to see the evolution and experimentation that characterise images of Kylie. The photographs are all formal – that is, staged for a purpose – whether that be a video shoot, album cover or magazine feature.
When Kylie began taking greater control of her image through her costumes she also began to use photography in new ways and to work with some of the world’s leading photographers. Throughout her career, images of Kylie have also appeared in international fashion and music magazines including i-D, The Face, Pop, Vogue and GQ.
Kylie’s image as projected through photography provides another way to explore her as a modern-day performer and celebrity.



Icon


Kylie is a cultural icon known the world over, dating from her first appearance as tomboy mechanic Charlene in Neighbours.
The 50p gold hotpants in the video for ‘Spinning Around’, a song that became a musical and visual anthem, and her memorable performance in the video ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’, wearing a deceptively simple white jersey hooded jumpsuit have helped to build this iconic status.


Backstage


This is where the creative ideas and staging behind some of Kylie’s videos, tours and special events take place. Her performances on screen and stage are the result of months of creative brainstorming, writing, design, rehearsals and production. She works closely with a core team, including her stylist William Baker and her musical director Steve Anderson. Depending on the project, there may also be video directors, designers and choreographers who work to develop and realise all creative elements.

It’s easy for the audience to forget that much of Kylie’s world revolves around the spaces backstage. Before a show there will be a flurry of activity as she puts on her first costume and gets ready to make her appearance. After stepping around equipment and over leads, her microphone is switched on and she emerges for another performance.

Source : http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/fashion/kylie/exhibition/index.html

GRAVITY FREE: 2007

GRAVITY FREE: 2007
“THE GEOGRAPHY OF CURIOSITY”

GRAVITY FREE is a unique multidisciplinary design conference of remarkable designers, design thinkers and innovators from around the world who are changing the way we see the planet. This year the theme of the GRAVITY FREE conference is “The Geography of Curiosity”.

Curiosity is the beating heart of innovation, the driver in problem-solving. This year, each speaker will explore one essential question at the heart of his/her work, a curiosity driver, if you will. Here’s just some of what we’ll be discussing:

• Why do clients fire designers? HENRY BEER • Where do “branded environments” most often fail? EVA MADDOX • Can we be creative on demand? (Creativity, Ego and Abundance) PAUL BUDNITZ • How do you make the boring better? KARIM RASHID • Why is 'real' important in contemporary culture? JIM GILMORE • What is common sense? FRANCO LODATO • In what ways are transformational environments changing? RON POMPEI • How can packaging be more than just a box? YARON KOPEL • What is Graphic Design For? DANA ARNETT • Why do the great cities of the world have no comparative data? RICHARD SAUL WURMAN • Why is EMOTION the next battleground in design? FRANK STEPHENSON • If narrative design is the answer, what is the question? KIT HINRICHS • Why does exhibit design still (mostly) suck? — the sequel. MARTY SMITH • How is technology helping to form new communities? JENNIFER SIEGAL • Why do we eat the way we do? HOMARO CANTU • How can design make the world better for five billion people? CAMERON SINCLAIR • Humor in design? MICHAEL VANDERBYL • What matters most to people now? LARRY KEELEY • Where to? LARS UWE BLEHER • Why has IBM failed to introduce a strategic product in the last 30 years? FRANK SOLTIS • What are the essentials of storytelling? JEANNINE OPPEWALL

This, of course, is what GRAVITY FREE is about. We bring together extraordinary people from an eclectic mix of design disciplines and — shazam — magic connections are made, electricity is produced, ideas are cross-fertilized, inspiration follows. We love the concept. We think you (and your clients) will, too.
GRAVITY FREE: 2007 provides a lighting fast way to cross-fertilize your own creative grab bag. It leaves you appreciating your role in the design community. Gives you a larger view of the world. Adds value to your company and your clients. Provides you personal and conversational access to design genius you wouldn’t have any other place. In short, it rocks!
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Registration is now open. The price is $1650.

Please note that seating is limited. Designers and clients get first priority. Others will be notified as space becomes available. If the Book Club premiums are important to you, you should consider registering at the earliest possible date to receive the most free books.


GRAVITY FREE: 2007 COME CURIOUS. LEAVE INSPIRED.
http://www.exhibitoronline.com/gravityfree/2007.asp

SMALL JENGA

Not the most obvious of games to be made portable, Jenga can finally be with you wherever you go. Petit Jenga is a complete miniature Jenga set featuring a little “prodder” to assist the removing of blocks (your massive hands will be too big to remove with accuracy), as well as a little clear plastic carrying case that can be attached to your keys or belt loop if you’re a Jenga obsessive. Petit Jenga is 504 yen (£2.10/$4.20) from Strap-Ya.

Source : http://www.plasticbamboo.com/2007/05/11/tiny-jenga/

ARCHITECT+ARCHIVE LINK EXCHANGE

Lighthouse Decor & More

Our lighthouse decor with its tranquil seaside scenery displaying lighthouses and sailing ships will bring the call of the ocean to your living room or den. These discount priced home accent pieces are sure to bring out the seafarer in you.

Thaiblog.info : the next step of thai blogger

ThaiBlog.info building up blogger community among Thai internet users. Could be the first for 'Blog Search Engine' or 'Blog Directory' in Thai version and own by 'Keng' the popular blogger in Thailand.This site is giving quite 'quality' blog by using approval system before your blog has been added.

Social bookmark will be popular after blog has become very popular in our life time. Many services design for blogger, site statistic, directory, community and blog become more than a personal journal.

Another interesting social bookmark website is Zickr, very various link come up every hours. This is the sign of blogger movement that going more popular and will be an important part of internet community and our daily life.

about : www.thaiblog.info , www.zickr.com , www.keng.com

THE LOUVRE OF THE MIDDLE EAST : A project by Jean Nouvel

The Louvre of Abu Dhabi giving a 24,000 suqare meters to serve 4 museums including contemporary art museum, national art museum. Look like a floating UFO isn't it?

No timeline notice in Jean Nouvel's website. Keep update at

CAR NOT CARBON : SOMETHING NEED TO BE CHANGED

The Cars NOT Carbon competition aims to reward the best examples of creativity focused on greener motoring. It will be the centrepiece of the LowCVP annual conference on the 28th of June when the winners will be announced.

It will provide a platform for an interchange of ideas between participating professional agencies and further-educational establishments, and those responsible for deciding the marketing and advertising approaches of the motoring and fuel companies.

The objective of the competition is to raise awareness of the opportunities for promoting greener motoring in the UK and to encourage engagement between motor and fuels industry decision makers and the creative industries.

The competition aims to further raise the profile of low carbon transport in the context of meeting the urgent threats posed by climate change.The challenge is to develop an effective marketing campaign or execution based on 'real world' low carbon issues.ObjectivesTo reward creativity for campaigns which meet the brief.

To engage marketers and educational institutions around the issues of low carbon fuels, vehicle technology and responsible motoring. To create debate within the motor industry, media and general public. To encourage the uptake of new cleaner vehicles and use of cleaner fuels by fleets and consumers.

To encourage the efficient and responsible use of vehicles as well as reducing travel. Judging will take place between 29th May and 1st June.

More : http://www.lowcvp.org.uk/carsnotcarbon/

THE FRONDS : they are moving in....

The the 8th wonder of this world, the Palm Jumeirah, a fastest growing project become real fantastic living place. The Fronds, a residence section, member are moving in and almost finish.

This project will sovle Dubai's beach shortage and extending tourism business. The villa connected to the Sub-Sea tunnel and surrouding by club house, retail shops and soon with hotel and resorts.

What a wonderful place to go....More image available at gallery.
found at http://www.thepalm.ae/jumeirah/tour-the-island/the-fronds/

URBAN OCTOPUS : The new Praque's national library will complete in 2011

Praque, the city of art and beauty, a combination of architecture of the past and future. Within 2011, this city will have a new extraordinary and very unique design of a new Praque's national library which will be one of the top famous design in this world.

The new national library (octopus look a like) was desiged by Jan Kapliky, a Czech architect base in UK. Kapliky told press for the inspiration of this project that come from a sugar bolw,as well as World War II bunkers, baroque forms, the human body and jellyfish.

This project cost ~93 $ Million and giving 'Praque' a 35,000 square-meters for holding 10 million books and about 300,000 copies for public access that serving by a robot deliver book from the book shelfs automitically. (this should be a very .efficien way to manage books)

More about Jan Kapliky at http://www.future-systems.com/
Image from radio.cz/en/article/88974
Text by Pack

ARCHITECT'07 : Day 5

ARCHITECT'07 : Day 5

Today I walking around the exhibition area which include project and international project from Thai architect also student workshops and I found thoes are very interesting.
Many international projects showing by 'Digital Gallery', the big plasma screen, and reveal the hidden potentail of Thai architects.

The Palm Jumeirah in Dubai was developed by Inter Design Co.,Ltd, a Thai design firm that released many international project in Dubai, Srilanka, Malaysia etc. Some gallery showing their awards winner design.

Jump to student's workshops. Many school and collage presenting such a creative, fresh and wicked idea to develope their work in architecture and interior design.

Many companies are very outstanding in their booth design which attract many visitor to step inside and meet the products. This is the last 2 days in this fair and more people comming during weekend.

For more information please visit http://www.architectexpo.com/
Text by Pack