Phillips Design

Cue the insanity!

2010-11-07T21:31:00.000-08:00

Again, far too much time has elapsed since my last update. The past months have been exceedingly busy, but in an overwhelmingly good way. Subsequent postings will go into more detail for there is a lot worth mention. However, for now suffice to say, the summer was occupied by a extremely successful and rewarding internship at Kelton Research here in LA. A great deal of excitement and some interesting stories there...more on that later :)

Since September I've been feverishly working on my graduation term projects at Art Center, including a luggage concept and tube frame lounge chair. Additionally, I'm in the process of finalizing my print portfolio, neck deep in creating my personal identity and promo materials, as well as developing a website. Oh yeah, and then there's the actual grad show and various graduation-related requirements to handle. It's safe to say, I'm putting in the hours this term. But, things are on track, more or less, and it promises to be a strong culmination of my formal Industrial Design education.

Plus, I may have a few aces up my sleeve ; )

And now, for our featured presentation...

2010-04-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

Art Center has started a new monthly online newsletter, The Bulletin. One of the areas of interest is a blurb on a featured student the school has selected. For the premiere edition, I was chosen as the featured student, showcasing my ecoDeck sustainable skimboard concept.

Me, Expressed as Percentages

2010-04-11T22:52:00.000-07:00

...And now, what you've all been waiting for:
the results of my Myers Briggs Personality Test!

Extroverted (E) 70.97% Introverted (I) 29.03%
Intuitive (N) 51.72% Sensing (S) 48.28%
Thinking (T) 64.71% Feeling (F) 35.29%
Judging (J) 69.7% Perceiving (P) 30.3%

ENTJ - "Field Marshall". The basic driving force and need is to lead. Tend to seek a position of responsibility and enjoys being an executive. 1.8% of total population.

Take that, introverted-sensing-feeling-perceiving people!

Service-ism

2010-04-11T16:59:00.000-07:00

In the last five years or so, the world of design has undergone significant changes. Beyond the general advancement of craft in respect to materials, 3D software tools, and resulting form languages, Design as a discipline has started down a new road. The foundation of this path in a new direction had begun to be laid by thought leaders for over a decade. IDEO co-founder David Kelley was an early proponent of design's potential to transcend the accepted borders of the field. The concept of "design thinking," the use of abductive thinking and application of established design processes to situations and challenges well outside the traditional scope of those tackled by design, began to make more frequent appearances at increasingly diverse venues.

As a new school of thought, "design thinking" has surfaced in numerous top-tier educational institutions such as Stanford's d.School and Carnegie Mellon's School of Design. Another example of this thought taking hold are the recent appearance of titles such as Roger Martin's The Design of Business, offering fairly comprehensive commentary on the subject. Add to this gaining momentum a distinctly more analytical understanding of what "design" really is (ie. Richard Buchanan's Four Orders of Design framework which I adapted and reworked for the purpose of this project, seen above) and it's clear to see the profession has emerged from the last decade with renewed confidence...and a fresh new toolbox bursting at its computer CNC'ed live hinges with diverse, often surprising competencies.

Art Center College of Design has carved out its own niche in the burgeoning design/business world. While I'd personally like to see still far greater emphasis on design thinking and strategy, a good handful of courses are currently offered that either directly integrate this type of learning into their curriculum, or at least indirectly offer the opportunity and framework to explore this realm of thinking on one's own. Approaching graduation and wanting to position myself for a career in strategic design, I've very consciously taken courses which fall into both the former and later categories. It was in one such studio last fall that I worked on a project that has become at least a semi-permanent part of the college's Colors Materials & Trends Exploration Laboratory (CMTEL) and was dubbed "SERVICE-ISM."

The name "Service-ism" describes the dynamic and rapidly evolving convergence of three macro-level trends: technological advancement, an evolving economic landscape, and shifting consumer values. Each macro-trend has several associated sub- or "meso"- level trends, which in turn are comprised of numerous micro-trends. By looking at the broader picture, it's easy to see that large-scale changes are simultaneously the cause and effect of their sub-trends. In precisely the same way, these meso-level changes both influence and are themselves the collective result of their often myriad micro-trend manifestations. If it all seems a little ambiguous, that's because it is.

Trends by their nature are often ill-defined and as living, evolving things have a certain degree of inherent fickleness. This tendency to live in a constant state of flux is based on the nature of complex trends, which while not fully interdependent, are constantly and continually reciprocating influence on one another. My interest in developing the "Service-ism" project was an attempt to understand and make visual sense of the complex relationship between some of the most impactful trends currently being experienced by the western world. My hope in sharing this work is that you will find these ideas as interesting as I have.

Freshness on the Scene

2010-04-10T09:07:00.000-07:00

Let there be no ambiguity: Janelle Monae brings the freshness. She is without a doubt one of the most unique and talented artists to appear in recent memory. Her special blend of classic style, R'n'B appeal, and modern rock influence, all injected with a dose of hip-hop flavor makes for a tasty aural delight indeed. And Janelle, as a friend said, "please bring it, because the people need it." Enjoy!

First (real) Foray into Furniture

2010-04-10T08:10:00.000-07:00

I have dabbled in furniture design on a few occasions in the past. Examples of earlier work can be seen in previous posts (Reveal Table, Hohlümmeln chair). Last Fall, however, I had the opportunity to undertake my first real project in this area. Bernhardt|design, the contemporary division of the well-known furniture giant, Bernhardt, sponsored a furniture studio at Art Center. As it was a group project, I had the pleasure of teaming up with two other students, Ini Archibong and Stephanie Stalker. As anyone knows, working in a team presents its own set of challenges beyond those directly associated with the design brief. "Team Number One" as our team was aptly referred to was no exception. There were times we were almost literally at each others' throats. Three strong personalities in one group will do that. However stressful and chaotic it could be at times, these were far outnumbered by the good times. We each found our niche roles within the team and pulled together like a family in the closing days of the project.

The design brief was to develop and fabricate a full-scale working prototype of a new task table. If you're not familiar with this term, a task table is the type of table that would be used in highly professional settings such as boardrooms, executive conference rooms, or up-scale offices. Requirements included a tilting top, legs that facilitate "coving" (nesting multiple tables) for storage, full electrical & Ethernet connectivity, and cord management. Incorporating all these functional requirements while developing a fresh, unique and attractive aesthetic was no small challenge...and we certainly faced our share of difficulties.

We were nearly 6 weeks into the 14 week project before we felt we finally truly understood what the client wanted...at which point we were basically back at the beginning. The up side was we now carried a month and a half's worth of experience, styling exercises and knowledge of what WOULDN'T work. The team leveraged our refined understanding of the clients needs and, with a strategic push in the right direction, developed our final concept for presentation to the client in the last days of 2009.

Their response? With a lovely North Carolina accent, "It's drop dead gorgeous!"

Our design, called the SERIF TABLE, addresses the changing relationship people have with work and the need for a table which feels equally well suited in both residential or commercial settings. At the time of post, the table is in pre-production, and while it will be available for purchase through the Bernhardt|design website as of January 2011, the table makes it's official debut the following May at ICFF 2011. It is also scheduled to be on display at NeoCon next year as well. I would love to share the design with you now, but the details of the design must remain a secret until it's official unveiling.

Begin again...

2010-01-30T12:32:00.000-08:00

As evidenced by the date tags attached to these post, it's apparent I took a lengthy hiatus from updating. More than 5 months actually. There are a multiplicity of reasons, admittedly a degree of laziness not excluded. But in reality laziness is finds its place far down the list. In any case, it's time I resumed this stream of inspiration and interest. Much has been accomplished and even more has been envisioned.

The past months come with some stories, to be sure...

Stay tuned.

!!! LiGHT GRAFFiTi !!!

2009-08-13T23:08:00.000-07:00

Light Graffiti has been around for a while now, but this is just cool on a whole new plane! It makes me want to try some ideas out myself...

Reveal Table

2009-08-05T02:20:00.000-07:00

Inspiration is a blessed thing, but rarely arrives at the time of one's choosing. I was sitting in the spray booth at Art Center, alone and quiet save the white drone of the exhaust fans. I sat, respirator strapped to my head, contemplating the next step for the PHILLIPS vase you see in the previous post, literally watching the latest coat of paint dry. I had nothing to draw on, hands covered in paint and only the paint booth surface to serve as a table. And, naturally, that's when I thought of the concept for the Reveal Table.

This coffee table concept is actually two tables intended to be used together, the amount of empty space between the halves left to the user’s discretion. Following the first clean, geometric read, the piece begins to reveal more about itself, encouraging the eye to wander and explore. Lit from within, escaping light is only revealed through frosted “cuts” angling into its volume set against a surface of black mirrored acrylic.

PHILLIPS (Ambigram) Vase

2009-08-05T01:57:00.000-07:00

An evolution of an earlier concept, the Sørensen Vase, this project adapted that idea, pushing the form factor to the next level. Experimenting with pure aesthetics, it stands on an elliptical base representing the Golden Ratio, one of the most beautiful and frequently occurring proportions in existence. This form then twists and folds upward through soft, organic curves, evolving into an abstracted version of the PHILLIPS ambigram logo at the lip of the vase. The piece is finally accented by the stark contrast of its sleek, bright white facade and rough, copper-metallic depths.

Hohlümmeln Chair

2009-08-05T01:16:00.000-07:00

One of my interests in design as a practice and a profession is furniture. For various reasons, the opportunity to explore this area had, up until a few months ago, never presented itself. This summer I set about to change that. This was my first idea for a furniture piece, a concept for a lounge chair.

Pronounced “ho-lewm-eln,” the name Hohlümmeln is a play on the German words for “hollow” & “lounge.” The use of rich wood over cool polished stainless tube-frame is a conscious effort to let the wood express its full range of intrinsic qualities. Not only does it share its thermal and aesthetic characteristics, but users also experience its natural flexibility. While supported by the rigid frame, the body is also cushioned by the subtle give afforded by the sculpted hollow slats.

I've got an IDEA...

2009-07-31T16:25:00.000-07:00

BusinessWeek and IDSA just revealed the 2009 winners of their jointly-held International Design Excellence Awards (aka: IDEA Awards) with the exciting result that one of my designs was selected for an award! I received a Bronze Award for my ecoDeck Sustainable Skimboard in the Student category. As an additional compliment, my project is also featured on the article's cover page as the product to represent the whole body of student winners. The announcement will also be published in the latest hardcopy issue of BusinessWeek magazine. Also of note is a Silver Award given to a design by a fellow Art Center student and personal friend of mine, Juan-David Quiñones. Well-deserved congratulations to him as well. Thank you to everyone who supported and facilitated!

Below are images of the featured web pages, and you can see the whole article at BusinessWeek.com.

Stereo Styrofoam

2009-07-19T23:23:00.000-07:00

In keeping with the theme of visualizing everyday phenomenon in new ways, this is another awesome example of acoustic resonance propagating through a medium. In this demonstration, sound energy is manifested in styrofoam chips as patterns on a plate and as standing waves in a tube, respectively. I've seen this put to some great Drum&Bass...amazing!

Fun with Fire and Physics!

2009-07-19T19:22:00.000-07:00

I'm on a science kick right now and have either discovered or rediscovered a series of cool ways to visualize sensory phenomenon which otherwise don't have an inherent visual form. Almost as cool as a Ruben Sandwich, a Ruben's Tube is an old school way to visualize sound. Based on Heinrich Ruben's 1904 proof of concept, the idea is simple: pass sounds waves through a tube of flammable medium to see their effect over the length of the combustion. While I try not to make it a habit to get my inspiration from left-over Gen-Xers with bad hair (and probably a sweet '89 Firebird parked out front), this guy's visible pyromania was just too cool to pass up.

Reflections on France (part 4): "Customer Service?"

2009-06-20T21:28:00.000-07:00

I was hesitant to include this post in the "Reflections on France" series as I feel its almost so common knowledge...or at least "common stereotype." However, omitting this would leave a noteworthy hole in the cumulative experience of French culture and what it's like living in France, especially as an ex-patriot...especially for an American.

While the literal translation of customer service is "service clientèle," I am nearly certain there exists no actual word to describe either the concept or overall meaning that many other cultures associate with it. And why should it? Language is a living, changing thing that adapts readily to the needs of the people who use it. Where a concept doesn't exist, it logically follows there is no need for vocabulary to describe it. For the French, it is here in this functional void I believe the notion of true customer service can be found.

I have to catch myself when thinking about this for fear of falling victim to the default ethnocentric viewpoint we all subconsciously return to. That said, the only way to really look at the French way of life in this regard is to accept it as a wholly different paradigm. The language is distinctly different; why shouldn't norms, values, and customs be at least equally disparate? In France, more often than not it appears, the customer is not outwardly valued and nowhere is this more overtly demonstrated than in the hospitality industry. Restaurants suffer from this most noticeably.
As a brief example, a typical diner out at an average priced restaurant might go something like this: You arrive and are seated by the host. When twenty minutes have elapsed, a waiter comes by to take your drink order, in which time you may or may not have a menu, and you most certainly do not have any table water. Twenty minutes after the waiter disappears your drinks arrive and you most likely order your meal. The wait between order and service is the only real commonality between French restaurant service and that in most other places, however, somehow finds a way to be exaggerated in France. If more than one course is ordered there is approximately a 50% chance they will be served simultaneously. Upon finishing the meal you can expect to spend another half hour talking over your empty plates until the waiter returns and inquires about dessert. If you order dessert, repeat the experience you've had with the entrée. If, God forbid, you decline and just ask for the check, you may be forced to imagine them growing the trees in the back of the kitchen for the paper on which the bill is printed.

Here I remind myself that the ritual of dining in France is very different to that with which I'm most accustomed. For the French, like many Europeans, meals are thought of as more a journey and experience than they are in the States. Nevertheless, it was one of the few things that, throughout the duration of my four-month-plus stay, I could never get used to. While appreciating the change of pace and the additional subtle pleasures derived there within, I usually found myself distracted from truly enjoying the experience. The reason? As the customer I felt no degree of control over my experience whatsoever. While I was the one paying for the service/experience, the service element was conspicuously non-existent.

Passé sales catch phrases like, "the customer is always right," (whose out-dated sentiments we know are simply not true) aside, there is something to be said for at least pretending as if you value the customer and their business. Perhaps I'm particularly aware of this trend having worked in the hospitality industry most of my young adult life, specifically within fine dining. Nonetheless, despite the many elements of French and otherwise European culture I love and find very appealing, real customer service is a luxury, too often taken for granted, which I truly appreciate about the US.

From Trash to Thrash

2009-06-19T18:18:00.000-07:00

Recently I purchased a used Exile carbon-fiber skimboard. I've been skimboarding since high school and have been riding the same WaveZone fiberglass board for the last 4 years. It was really starting to not only show its age, but feel it too. Between dings, nicks, scratches and some insanely worn rails, battle scars of one form or another were beginning to dominate the real estate on the bottom surface. Similarly, I picked up the Exile board for a steal because it had some nose damage. With two boards in need of some TLC and the summer surf beaconing, it was time to get to work.
The photos are pretty explanatory, but basically I epoxied foam of a similar density to that which is in the boards into the damaged areas and shaped to fit. After mixing a batch of laminating resin, I alternated layers of resin and fiberglass cloth, liberally coving the affected areas. Allowing time to cure, I applied a second thick coat of resin to give it extra body, strength, and room to sand. Following the sanding I primed both boards and let them fully dry before painting the base colors. Getting closer to finished, the boards were masked with my designs and sprayed with the graphic colors. Once dry, the masking and stencils were removed revealing the first look at the final graphic. The final step was smoothing another double coat of resin over the entire bottom surface to create a seamlessly smooth rocker and protect the graphic. With just a few hours work, two skimboards that were ready for the landfill were refurbished and will live to ride another wave!

Reflections on France (part 3): Feeling Social

2009-05-28T21:42:00.000-07:00

No trip to France would feel complete without sampling some of the many sumptuous offerings Paris has to offer. Here, flavors are numerous, but my favorite taste is actually a taste of the nightlife. In search of just this I discovered with the other designers/exchange students a place cool enough to warrant repeat visits: Le Social Club Paris. Near the Bourse Metro stop at 142 Rue Montmartre, the club is an underground venue featuring a variety of well-known DJs catering to the still-flourishing electro scene in Paris. It has a number of chic (albeit expected) club-style lounge-booths, a large bar, fantastic sound system and most importantly great music. Décor is inspired by the would-be lovechild between Daft Punk and the movie Tron. So, if you're looking for some fun Parisian nightlife, I definitely recommend Le Social Club. Who knows, you might even meet someone...

Check out my own documentation of debauchery above and this cool making-of vid below!

Reflections on France (part 2): Early Morning Apparitions

2009-05-22T00:51:00.000-07:00

During the last several weeks of the INSEAD exchange I was working on an extracurricular project with three MBAs (a business model competition sponsored by L'Oréal, in which our team placed 3rd out of an initial pool of nearly 15,000 teams globally!) In the final days before the competition we logged long hours while our normal class schedule required us to meet very early and/or very late. It was on one such early, misty morning I experienced something that genuinely alarmed and affected me.

The walk from my house to campus was about 25 minutes and took me through one of the oldest neighborhoods in Fontainebleau, an area of narrow, cobblestoned pedestrian streets. It was probably 6:30am, none of the stores were open and the streets were completely deserted. I walked alone, looking at the cobblestones a few paces ahead and mentally preparing for the tasks soon to be undertaken. As I continued I somewhat absently noticed there was a couple walking in the other direction about 10 meters ahead, coming toward me through the light fog. Without paying close attention it appeared to be a middle aged man about my height and a female companion, either a girl or shorter woman. They were walking arm-in-arm and were both dressed in muted earth tone clothing. As they neared I raised my eyes to take a more thorough note of them, and perhaps give a small gesture of greeting to the only other people braving a chilly spring morning. At a half glance they appeared unremarkable in every way...except one.

As my eyes came up to meet them they vanished into thin air. Naturally I was startled and stopped dead in my tracks. Were my eyes playing tricks on me? There was no street or alley they could have disappeared down; all the store fronts remained shuttered and locked. Everything remained perfectly quiet. Quickly looking all around I confirmed there was nowhere they could have gone. They had simply disappeared! And that wasn't all. At the very instant I witnessed it a strong chill ran through my body, the hair on the back of my neck stood up, and the temperature seemed to drop 10º. I said something out loud, probably along the lines of, "what the f*#@? that was weird!", turned, and continued on my way.

THE CHECKLIST

2009-05-21T14:02:00.000-07:00

Where I've been and where I most want to go...
Already visited (18):
Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Germany, Grenada, Hungary, Jamaica, Mexico, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States

On the short list (15):
Alaska, Australia, China, Croatia, Egypt, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey

The World Is Flat!

2009-05-20T14:36:00.000-07:00

In 570 BC, the famous mathematician Pythagoras (best known for the Pythagorean Theorem for finding the values of a right triangle) theorized that the Earth was round. At the time this was pretty radical thinking. However, given evidence such as the curved horizon of the ocean, the fact that a sphere is the most stable geometric form, and the clearly observable shape of the shadow cast by the Earth on the Moon during a lunar eclipse (seeing is believing), the scientific community began to take note. It was not until Columbus' famous expedition in 1492 that the then 2000-year-old theory was proven.

However...

Now Jack van Wijk of the Technical University of Eindhoven uses math again to show us iterations of what the world would look like if it were indeed flat. Enjoy this simple but beautiful animation.

Reflections on France (part 1): Curious Corners

2009-05-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

This is the first of what will likely be a short series of posts reflecting on my brief but sweet experience living in France. I reserve the right to arbitrarily move between genuine, considered cultural observation and outright mockery. However, having said that, I have no discernible agenda and will most probably find a balance somewhere in the middle. My aim extends only so far as providing an informative whilst entertaining overview and I will try to exercise my savoir-faire. Now then, on to the point...
It is with real interest and nearly genuine concern that I feel I must report: the French seem to have an inexplicable aversion to inside corners. It took me some time to really identify this puzzling trend as its really not something one consciously looks for. Nevertheless, as I became aware of it, this construction habit became glaringly obvious. Examples of this odd architectural fixation are almost ubiquitous. I asked myself if this was just a perceptual thing, and if filleted corners where just traditionally part of French form language. This theory was quickly abandoned as observation soon proved the phenomenon is limited to inside corners between vertical planes. C'est bizarre! Eventually I began to snap photos of random occurrences for documentation and future reference just such as this. These are but a fraction of the examples I personally came across, and they don't stop with masonry. Many inside corners are cordoned-off by iron grates or single, quarter-circular railings.
Inquiring with numerous people, I found nothing more than conjecture...and perhaps equally as curious, a seemingly complete lack of awareness of the trend (which is odd given France is the only place I've ever seen this). I was offered some creative hypotheses, however, ranging from preventing people from hiding in dark corners, to abatement of places to discretely urinate in public, or even an effort to compensate for the pervasive sharp corners found in provincial French architecture.
*In my best Robert Stack voice* Effectively it remains an unsolved mystery. If you, or anyone you know, has information regarding this trend, please contact me at your earliest convenience.

Put It Where You Want It

2009-04-21T11:53:00.000-07:00

As anyone knows, I am a man of few words. *pause for irony* However, as the end of my French excursion draws near I may have a few things to say about Fontainebleau, INSEAD, the French people, and my cumulative experience of living, albeit rather briefly, in the great nation of France. Check back soon for lighthearted literary elucidation. But in the meantime, here's a little something featuring Remi Gaillard, as French as it is fun. (psst!...Wait for 2:58!)

Easter in France

2009-04-13T12:15:00.000-07:00

Fresh off the press, a first look at some Easter pictures with the new camera!
Easter was a blast, and it merely confirmed my suspicion: there's not much in the world like mimosas and an early diner followed by picnicking in the Château gardens on a lazy Sunday with friends, wine, and snacks.

Sample Work

2009-04-12T16:50:00.001-07:00

This post is a work in progress...

He is Risen!...My New Toy, That is.

2009-04-11T08:08:00.000-07:00

Just in time for Easter, I have a happy tale of resurrection. A few posts ago I disclosed the sordid details surrounding the loss of my beloved Canon SD600. Its been about 5 weeks since it was stolen, but in the spirit of the holiday, I have forgiven those that trespassed against me. Yes, I have completely forgiven the filthy, lawless hoard of disease-ridden, vagrant, gypsy prostitutes who stole it from me. But I digress. Today I received a very welcome package, a gift from my parents, a brand new digital camera, reincarnated as a Canon SD880 IS!

This camera is sa-weet! I love Canon products, its one of the few brands I have true loyalty for. I got the dual-tone champagne & chocolate version with matching chocolate leather Canon case. It's got everything a top-of-the-line pocket digital should have, including one of the highest customer reviews out there for any camera in its class this year. I can't wait to use it and post some of my own pictures again. And what better an opportunity, the expats are having a little Easter dinner tomorrow and going to spend a few hours in the Château gardens hopefully too.

A Fantastic Adventure Through the Forests of Fontainebleau

2009-04-05T18:07:00.000-07:00

This weekend I had the opportunity to do something distinctly out of the ordinary: bouldering. Fontainebleau is nestled square in the middle of France's 2nd largest forest, La Foret de Fontainebleau. Aside from its historical significance as the royal hunting grounds, the forest is also literally world-renowned for its extensive and well-developed boulder fields. Climbers from all over the globe regard the area as the Mecca of bouldering, and this weekend I found out why.
Driving north along the A6 toward Paris there are a number of turnouts at some of the more accessible boulder fields. Entering the geological formation is surreal. The entire area is virtually covered with giant odd-shaped rocks ranging from the size of a dumpster to a two story house. Covered in moss and lichen, the boulders each have their own unique personality. Some provide formidably challenging and even quite dangerous routes for advanced climbers while others are scaled easily by novices. Most have bizarre natural formations like holes and channels, deep crevices, and are separated by narrow winding pathways between their vertical sides. I had an incredible time clamoring around on them, jumping from one to another, and seeing how far I could get without touching back down to the ground. It was an incredible adventure, and all against a natural backdrop whose beauty was only surpassed by its unusualness. I'm definitely going to go back out for some more climbing fun before my Fontainebleau experience is finished!
Check out this video of someone bouldering to get an idea of what its all about, just know i'm not nearly this hardcore.

Facebook Like You've Never Seen It

2009-04-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

We all know and love Facebook, but what's going on behind the scenes? Jack Linden, an engineer at Facebook, uses jME open source software to reveal in a rather dynamic graphic format, just what it "looks" like in real time when you send a friend request or any other action. Useless? Virtually. But Cool? You bet. Take a look!

R.I.P. Canon SD600

2009-03-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

In one of my recent posts I described the fun and intensity that defined my spring break adventure in Barcelona. The city is truly amazing with a vibrancy and energy that was at once appealing and intriguing. There was, however, one incident that left a bad taste in my mouth...and unfortunately left me without a camera for the duration of my travels. The element in question, which is now referred to by those present at the time simply as "the hooker incident," was the sole experience to put a tarnish on an otherwise fantastic holiday.

Now, I know what you're thinking. It wasn't like that, I swear! What actually happened is Marcus, Stephanie and I were out enjoying a night out on the town at what became our favorite bar. On our way back to the hostel in the darkest hours of the morning we suddenly came across a hoard of hookers. The hookers, surely sensing our vulnerability (we'd had a few), came at us like a school of sharks to fresh blood. I never would have imagined hookers to be so aggressive! There were hands everywhere as they swarmed us in a feeding frenzy of pickpocketing madness. It was all over so quickly. Unfortunately, although my personal assets were still intact, not all of my personal affects were. That dirty, marauding gang of thieving hookers got my digital camera. And while the camera itself was beginning to show its age, the real loss were the 200 or so irreplaceable photos I'd snapped thus far.

Despite that little stain on the city's reputation in my eyes, Barcelona remains a place of wonder and excitement. Like my grandfather used to say, "live and learn, die and know it all." I can't wait until I get to experience it again...but next time I'll be prepared for the unexpected. (photo by Marcus Koosmann)

A "Page-Turner" for the Design Inclined

2009-03-24T05:13:00.000-07:00

Today I came across a fascinating and informative article about the all-too-covert relationship between form, surfacing, and meaning in design. I found "A Periodic Table of Form", expertly written by Gray Holland of San Francisco's Alchemy Labs, on Core 77 as one of this month's permanent links. Structured in a way that seems derived of a slide show presentation but with the verbal element transcripted, Holland walks readers through the evolution of surface sophistication and makes insightful comparison/contrasts between form languages found in nature and those created created for man-made objects.

Please, if design is an interest or if it even merely intrigues you, take a few minutes to read and absorb the content. If it sounds dry, its my own failure in not properly describing it. Remember, the day we stop learning is the day we stop caring.

P is for PORTO

2009-03-09T08:55:00.000-07:00

Feb 28-March 3

Portugal. It always seemed so exotic, truly foreign among other countries which were merely not my own. Now that i've been there I know my perception was more accurate that I could have guessed. Tucked into the far corner of Spain, furthest from anywhere, Portugal is beautiful and distinct. Arriving at the Porto Airport, far larger and nicer than a city of a quarter million should have, we hopped the metro and were in downtown minutes later. It was late, we had no map, and the narrow cobblestoned streets seemed labyrinthine. And then, from the doorway of a tiny corner market came a little old woman. In a gesture symbolic of our whole Portuguese experience, she closed her shop and guided us down darkened narrow streets very nearly to the door of our hostel. We were taken aback at her kindness and courtesy, especially after being immersed in the French culture for the past several months. It really set the mood for the next several days.

Porto, Portugal's second largest city, hangs on hills overlooking the Rio Douro in the north of the country, just in from the coast. There we wandered old streets twisting steeply up the banks of the river and ate amazing grilled local delicacies in restaurants recommended by locals. We crossed the river and took tours of a few of the more than 40 port wineries, including Sandeman, tasting their products and truly enjoying life. We had drinks 17 stories above the city in Porto's tallest building, and wandered the pedestrian streets filled with galleries and boutiques. On the last day we took a port-fueled stroll through an lush old park where I was nearly assaulted by a peacock, then later rode the bus along the river out to the beach and watched the sun set over the Atlantic while the choppy surf crashed against an ancient stone pier. Porto was completely different than our previous destination, and a total surprise in general. We had picked it on sort of a whim without knowing a thing about it, but it proved to be a idyllic place to let both the mind and feet wander. It was absolutely beautiful; I hope to have the chance to visit again.

B is for BARCELONA

2009-03-09T08:22:00.000-07:00

Feb 25-28

Barcelona was the first leg of my spring break travels this year. I had never been to Spain before and, despite a journey that became long and arduous, it was well worth the effort. Arriving in the city we settled at the hostel, heard our stomaches growling, and headed out for our first night. We walked up Las Ramblas, the huge pedestrian boulevard that divides the city, running inland from the towering tribute to Colombus at the harbor. The other expats I was traveling with, Arthur, Marcus, and Stephanie, had never been there either and we were quickly absorbed into the chaos and fun the city had to offer. Over the course of the next three days we did it all...or damn near. We ate amazing tapas, drank more than our fill of sangria, and stayed out most of the night. We got lost in the Gothic District, had drinks at a hill-top restaurant perched above the harbor with a 270 view of the city and ocean, and wandered into outdoor markets the likes of which i'd never seen. We bought beer from shady dudes on the beach and waded in the Mediterranean.

And then there was the Gaudi work. The Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's masterpiece cathedral, is without a doubt one of the most stunning, striking, mind-boggling structures ever created. I wandered its concrete forest floors, hiked its dizzying spires, and studied the baffling interplay of complexity and simplicity present in every detail.

When it was time to depart for the next leg of the journey it was hard to go. Barcelona really wasn't what i expected...it was better.

Inspiration for One Humble Designer

2009-02-23T13:01:00.000-08:00

I surround myself with design in one way or another constantly. Graphics, products, branding, architecture... They're all of interest and quite often a source of inspiration. But every now and again I come across a design that truly refreshes me. These are few, and generally too far between. But when they do appear, the wait is worth it. They change paradigms, alter our previous perception of possibility and have the ability to affect us deeply.

I saw this on DeTnk, a fantastic site that aggregates a lot of design-related content, much of which just happens to be my favorite types of design. This structure - beautifully transferred from concept to manifestation, and beautifully captured here - is an example of one such a design. When I see this, I see the realization of cloudy ideas i've had floating around my brain and endless possibility as a result of this new found clarity.

Spring Break Euro Style

2009-02-23T11:08:00.000-08:00

This past Friday was the culmination of the first segment of my exchange program at INSEAD. By the grace and good will of the school, we get to indulge in a week of freedom before resuming for the second period. Accordingly, a few friends and I have made arrangements to head south and take in some of the gratuitous beauty that is Barcelona and Porto. I've never been to either city, or country for that matter, so nothing but adventure awaits!

There should well be, in the not-so-distant future, documentation on the fun and debauchery sure to take place. Fuel for future postings!

A Dream Realized

2009-02-12T08:04:00.000-08:00

Rare is the day one gets to actualize a wish they've genuinely held for most of their life. Just such a day for me came February 7th when I hit the slopes for a weekend of snowboarding in the French Alps. Skiing the Alps has been a dream for at least half my life, ever since I picked up snowboarding. I came tragically close in 2004 while i was living in Berlin. Some friends and i planned to make a trek to the Bavarian Alps in southern Germany, but the plans fell through at the last minute. Now, five years later, i'm back in Europe and made a pact with myself that i would not let the opportunity escape me a second time. As fortune had it, some friends from INSEAD invited me to join them at a beautiful chalet in the ultra-quaint resort town of Chamonix near the French-Italian border for a weekend of bliss. The snow was amazing, the scenery unbelievable, the chalet incredibly cozy, and the cumulative experience all that i'd ever hoped it would be.

Dream: realized.

Fat Cars

2009-02-04T04:26:00.000-08:00

Ironic humor? Artistic statement? Social commentary?

Who cares? Behold the work of artist Erwin Wurm. How cool is this!?

The Secret, ressurected!

2009-01-27T10:20:00.000-08:00

Here's a little something from the archives, c. April '07.

Blur Pavillion

2009-01-27T10:11:00.000-08:00

The "Blur Pavillion" as its known, was the centerpiece attraction for the 2002 Swiss National Expo by architects Diller & Scofidio. From a practical perspective, the structure which seems to float above the surface of a lake, uses over 30,000 spray nozzles to atomize lake water around the framework, effiectively creating a man-made cloud. From a conceptual standpoint, however, the cloud acts as the structure's only skin, a constantly changing, ever-moving, almost "living" facade. As the name suggests, the concept blurs the line between interior and exterior, static and dynamic, inannimate and alive.

The sensation of walking around its maze-like spaces is surely surreal. Add to that uncertainty the incorporation of intelligent raincoats that wirelessly communicate visitors' basic personality profiles and glow in a corresponding color code, and you have the makings for a truely unique experience.

Check out the full article here.

Congratulations America

2009-01-20T10:23:00.000-08:00

And Congratulations to Barack Obama.

The Other Side of INSEAD

2009-01-15T12:28:00.000-08:00

I've been at INSEAD in Fontainbleau for more than two weeks now, and have thus begun to form various opinions about the school, its students, and the overall culture. I arrived wide-eyed and ready to dive in head first, something I think is safe to say about the vast majority of the MBAs here. After all, INSEAD has a reputation for being one of Europe's finest business schools, and as such has a long-standing association in the minds of those familiar with the institution as being a formidable undertaking. Considered for many years to be a popular "finishing school" for many of Europe's elite, there are certain elements of the culture at INSEAD that go hand in hand with this environment. Students typically wear business suits, dialog is focused intently on furthering status and career, and the whole institution feels more like the atmosphere of a corporate headquarters than a school. Club membership is another element with a strong presence. As you might expect, there are clubs tailored to a wide array of interests and career directions. There are sports clubs, hobby clubs, and professional clubs. And then there are the private clubs.

Membership in any club has its perks. Membership in one of the private clubs is by no means an exception. There are three private clubs (I've since learned) within the INSEAD community, at least that I am yet aware of. Tradition is an integral part of any culture and the preservation of that culture is important, bearing its own intrinsic value. Having said that, I will choose my following words very carefully.

As I mentioned, there are three private clubs that find their roots at INSEAD: Renaissance, VIP, and The Valmont Club. They are not secret clubs, per se, (or you wouldn't be reading this) but they are, however, very private. During the first week, I was approached by a very well-connected student I'd met in one of the classes. I'd explained earlier the details of the exchange program and my interests in being here, both professionally and personally. This student inquired as to whether I would be interested in attending a private party later in the week. They explained that this would be a private event, by personal invitation from a club member only, and that it was exclusively for "friends of friends." I was told to meet at a building on campus the evening of the event and the rest of the details would be revealed once there.

When I arrived (the building was deserted and dark) there was a small but growing number of other people looking as clueless as I. Just as I headed for the door, the student who had extended the invitation showed up and asked everyone to follow him. We descended to the basement where we were greeted by a number of the club's existing members, bottles of champagne, and other treats. After some mingling, the organizer began:

"Welcome to The Valmont Club. This is a private club, for friends of friends only. The Valmont Club is a tradition at INSEAD for deserving students. It has its benefits as you'll see, and once you're a member, you remain a member. Tonight, the party is at the club's château; there will be a tour bus departing in 15 minutes to take you there and returning later. Enjoy the champagne, there is a lot more at the château. Oh, and no cameras are allowed."

A half hour ride through the French countryside later we arrived at the Valmont Château. Club members guided us to the party, descending into a courtyard lined with glowing candles. The scene was straight out of a secret society movie. I remember thinking at the time, as cool as it was, I knew nothing about what was going on. However, soon it didn't matter. We climbed a small stone stairway, passed through a giant wooded door, and entered the party.

This is the part where I have to leave you, the reader, hanging to some extent. You have no choice but to trust me, I have no choice either. The details of the party will now and forever remain within the club. I can say I saw things there I cannot disclose, here or anywhere else. In short, the party was amazing, sometimes strange and even surprising, but always exciting. I'm now proud to say I am a member of The Valmont Club and I look forward to what other surprises await. It isn't a secret. But I wouldn't say it above a whisper.

Home Sweet Fontainebleau

2009-01-12T07:32:00.000-08:00

Downtown Fontainebleau: on a par with the Sunset Strip.
Château Fontainebleau

After the madness of being on holiday in London and celebrating New Years in Paris, life has taken a distinct turn back toward the slow life. I cannot say it's returned to normal, in fact it's anything but, however, life is back to a more standard pace. That being, one dominated by a single activity: school. The new term started on January 5th. So far I've started 2 of my 4 courses, already enjoying the change in learning style and subject matter. It's the business channel all day every day here, a dramatic turn from the focus on design process, creative problem solving, and sketching. In fact, so far there has been nothing save a single project proposal layout that remotely resembles the coursework at Art Center. There HAS been a great deal of reading case studies though. Hardly a complaint, i'm finding i really enjoy the business side of things, even if it is dry in comparison to design. And i really enjoy reading, something i don't do much of during term.

It hasn't been all work and no play though. Since only half my classes have begun the coursework is still relatively light. Knowing this, if you follow this fact through to its logical end you find it no surprise the other ACCD exchange students and i have taken full advantage of both Fontainebleau's proximity to Paris and the beginning-of-term parties at châteaus in the surrounding countryside. More on that later ; )

From the the Land of Tea & Crumpets to that of Baguette & Brie

2009-01-07T07:57:00.000-08:00

Pleasure: Ice drinks at the Absolute Ice Bar
Pain: Dragging our excessive luggage up one of the nearly infinite train station stairways

December 28th was D-Day for me. At 6pm local time I departed LAX for Europe, and a few days of adventure before undertaking what I previously described (see below) as "The Next Big Thing." That being, beginning a 4-month executive-level business course at INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France.

Those courses have subsequently already begun, however, that is subject matter for a future posting. For the time being, I humbly submit to you the following story purely for the sake of entertainment. Expect to find within nothing but the truth, albeit abridged for the purpose of brevity, depicting the events of the week between my departure and the commencement of my studies at INSEAD. I offer no promise of traditionally redeeming qualities other than a thorough appreciation of how to have a good time. Without further ado, let me begin...

Following an uneventful and relatively painless 10-hour flight courtesy of Virgin Atlantic, we landed at London Heathrow. As you may know, VA is a premium carrier and in true form they even gave us gift bags, to which I added my very own VA blanket via five-finger-discount. Sweet, swag! Through customs and on to brave the London Tube system with over 100lbs of luggage each (7 of us). We checked into what is likely the shadiest hostel I’ve ever stayed at but we more or less had our own room so that helped.

The next two days were spent exploring the city, checking out all the must-see attractions (Buckingham Palace, Parliment, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge, The Tower of London, The London Eye, Harrod's, Hyde Park, St. James Park, Covent Garden, Picadilly Circus, etc.) interspersed with a healthy dose of pubs, naturally. We also literally stumbled upon the Absolute Ice Bar, a small but quite posh club owned and operated by Absolute Vodka and in which everything is made of ice, straight down to the cups. Walls, furniture, décor, “glassware”, bar, everything. Its -5 Celsius and they gave us special thermal hoodies/overcoats and gloves. Pretty unique experience I must say.

On NYE day we chunneled it to France and by sheer serendipity met our French friend Jean-Hugues right as we exited the EuroStar train. He helped us get a taxi for all our stuff and while the others tested le Metro, I rode with the luggage and made friends with the cabbie who supposedly worked for the US state department doing semi-covert communist data collection in France and eastern Europe during the cold war before the iron curtain came down. Once settled at the nicest Holiday Inn I’ve ever seen (seriously) in northern Paris we headed out for what proved to be on an even par for the craziest NYE I’ve ever had, right up there with the NYE I spend in Berlin. After a quick dinner and several bottles of wine (we were 9 people now) we headed to meet another member of the INSEAD exchange group at his cousin’s (who knew we’d be there, and decided to rent an EXTRAORDINARY flat directly across Rue St. Severin from a cathedral directly south of Ile de la Cite in the Latin Quarter). There they had a smorgasbord of cheeses, meats, baguette and…here’s the kicker…a CASE of VERY nice champagne. We ate, drank, and stared at the gorgeous view and the cathedral’s gargoyles almost eye to eye for the next couple hours.

When it was time we grabbed the remaining 5 bottles and headed down to le Tour Eiffel where we met the rest of Paris, just as jubilant and intoxicated as we. We did the countdown, popped our bottles and cheers-in 2009 on a bridge near the foot of the tower. It was absolute madness all around. We walked back toward the centre of the city, witnesses a group of girls get mugged which was bizarre and reminded us of the other side of Paris, kept walking and got tired near the Louvre. There we found what must surely be Paris most expensive bar…where we of course had to stop for drinks. When our check came we were shocked to see the now 11 of us had run up the equivalent of a $650 bar tab! We’d only had two drinks each. Wait, I’ll do the math for you…that’s more than $27/drink (yeah, that’s how we do). Ah, c’est la Vie! Lots of debauchery, getting lost on the Paris Metro, and other mayhem later we stumbled in around 6am. We nursed ourselves back to health, which happened remarkably quickly (champagne of that quality doesn’t give hangovers apparently), and spend the next day or two wandering the city, seeing sights, and found some of the coolest restaurants I’ve ever eaten at. Lots of café au lait was also consumed.

On the 3rd (I think, its fuzzy at this point) we headed out to Fontainebleau, 45 min southeast of Paris. Our house is three stories plus the closest thing I’ve ever seen to a genuine dungeon. But it makes a perfect wine cellar! My room looks as if it may have once been a nursery, but it was quickly my favorite bedroom when walking around and I’m glad I got it. Its on the second floor, shares only one common wall, and is right across from a huge bathroom with open-format stone shower and Jacuzzi tub. Not too shabby! The last member of our group joined us the next day and we’ve settled in nicely.

Monday started class, have had a couple each day, and am enjoying the very different type of coursework than is the norm for design classes. The other students seem pretty nice so far, but I feel underdressed at all times in the presence of MBAs. The students very much live up to what one would expect given this college’s reputation. Luckily the cafeteria is cheap because the rest of France is NOT. Fontainebleau is a wealthy city by French standards and this fact is overtly reflected in the cost of living. It’s $5 for a cup of coffee. The resurgent Euro recently against the dollar is not helping either. But I’ve been frugal before, I will just have to be again. In any case, its clear to me this is just the start of what will be a phenomenal term abroad, and I leave it to you to check back for regualar updates on the goings on in Fontainebleau.

Cheers for now.

SLO 360

2008-11-30T11:39:00.000-08:00

Home for Thanksgiving I hiked the mountain that I grew up most of my life at the foot of, Bishop's Peak, in San Luis Obispo. Here's what it looks like from the 1,546' summit.

Wet Inspiration

2008-11-30T11:36:00.000-08:00

This is the coolest fountain I've seen in quite a while. Its in a mall in Japan (where else?) and is very reminiscent of the stuff Wet Design does, although I don't think it's their work.

Rocky Mountain High

2008-11-26T23:43:00.000-08:00

Another term down (almost) so the task of deciding how to celebrate was recently at hand. It's winter break and I've got the fever. Not the kind treated with oodles of chicken noodles, the kind soothed only by a generous dose of cold, white champagne. I'm going to Aspen, baby!

Helping Science, One Playstation 3 at a Time

2008-11-22T11:18:00.000-08:00

The following article is out of the new BusinessWeek and features one of the 2008 winners of Japan's prestigious Good Design Award. Not only is this just plain awesome, it makes use of a concept I'd personally like to see find application in many more venues throughout society: the involvement and utilization of technology and the vast computing power now found ubiquitously in the modern world. "Parallel computing" as it's called, is akin to more efficiently using our own brains. The power and capacity is already there, ready and waiting to be tapped. By finding appropriate and responsible application of this latent potential, we move toward creating a truly synergistic and sustainable network. In essence, a more complete and holistic use of the our resources, both physical and digital.

"Call it philanthropy for the technorati. In 2001, Stanford University researchers launched Folding@home to analyze the structure of proteins in cancers and diseases such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's. Normally they would need a supercomputer for the number-crunching involved in simulating these proteins in action—proteins fold before they perform their function—but buying one would cost billions of dollars. Instead they decided to tap into the power of many computers connected over the Internet—a concept known as parallel computing.

Sony offered to help. In March 2007, Sony released a software add-on for its network-connected PlayStation 3 console that lets users lend power from their machine's powerful processing chip to the Folding@home project. Sony has sold more than 16 million PS3s so far, but it would only take about 10,000 machines to add 1 quadrillion floating-point calculations per second, or one petaflop. That's as fast as the latest supercomputers, which are used for weapons development, scientific research, auto safety testing, and product design. The more computing power they have, the easier it is for researchers to study complex proteins. The beauty of Sony's idea was that PS3 users contribute without paying a penny—except maybe in the form of an uptick in the electricity bill."

See the full article here: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/11/1121_japan_design/

Several years back UC Berkley and SETI, an organization devoted to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, started a joint project based on parallel computing. The aim was to harness the combined processing capability of thousands of idle home computers to assist in the analysis of huge quantities of data collected from space in the form of radio signals. The hope of course was that the program could expedite the discovery of a coherent signal from extraterrestrial origins. Check out the site at http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/

Even if the XBOX is better looking (and it is), this is cool stuff. I want to see more of it, and I give Sony and Standford big props for it!

Boeing/Teague Presentation

2008-11-04T02:26:00.000-08:00

This Wednesday the 5th I'm attending a special IDSA ofNOTE Presentation jointly put on by the leadership of Boeing and Teague Design. The talk will highlight the design and development of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the aeronautical manufacturer's spankin' new flagship plane and the most technologically advanced commercial airliner in the world. The design is of particular interest because it utilizes crazy composite material for the wings, which are designed to naturally flex in flight, while being dramatically lighter. The cumulative effect is a fuel efficiency improvement of nearly 30%. Not to mention the badassness improvement of well over 80%. I'm really looking forward to the event, especially because I have the privilege of meeting and interviewing the presenters for IDSA before the presentation. It's going to be a great evening of learning, networking, and fun! Can't wait!

This is the promotional poster I put together to advertise the event. For some unknown, annoying reason the reds and blues are in negative.

The Next Chapter

2008-11-02T14:35:00.000-08:00

For the past several weeks I've worked my ass off creating an application package for a study abroad program. The application involved an essay, resume, transcripts, and a three part portfolio highlighting several of my product design projects. In true Art Center fashion I finished about 20 minutes before the deadline...but that's still before the deadline. The final element was a personal interview which went well and I felt good about the whole experience. Then came the fun part: waiting for the results... And what was the result you may ask? A week later an email appeared in my inbox. Without opening it I read the fist line. "Dear Student, Congratulations! You have been selected..." Not only was I selected, but several of my good friends at Art Center, including my roommate, were also selected to the small group of participating studens.

So what does this translate to in reality? I will be leaving for France sometime during the last few day of the year. The program is 15 weeks long, so I'll be living, studying, and traveling in Europe again for the first four months of 2009 at least. It goes without saying I am extremely excited. Admittedly, there are nicer times of the year to be in Paris, but its going to be amazing regardless and being there during the winter also means one thing: snowboarding in the Alps, bitches! The time line also has me in Paris for New Years Eve and in the French countryside through spring. Could be worse. There's a lot of time between now and the end of April which means a lot of things can happen, however, there are a number of options on the table depending on how well the program goes and what comes of it. One option I've already been introduced to is taking on a European internship following INSEAD. I know I want to do an internship after INSEAD, in fact that was one of the primary alternatives I'd been considering for the spring had I not been selected. I wouldn't be opposed to an internship on either side of the Atlantic, or elsewhere for that matter, but as they say time will tell. Now I just need to get my paperwork in order...
Part of the campus is this 12th century Château. It could be worse.

Nerd Alert v2.0

2008-10-27T23:04:00.000-07:00

I just saw this on yahoo news! This is really cool! Good for them. Even if it is sort of a soap box, it's the highest soap box anyone's ever shouted from!

ACCD: an excercise in love/hate relationships

2008-10-20T00:13:00.000-07:00

If you're reading this blog there's a good chance you're aware I attend Art Center College of Design. The school is not quite you're typical college. It offers bachelors degrees in nine majors as well as several graduate study programs, each of them disciplines of the creative arts. There are three programs of study that fall under the Industrial Design umbrella: Product, Transportation, and Environmental Design. I am a Product Design student, at roughly the junior level. It's not as cut-and-dry as at most colleges as the BS degree curriculum is squeezed into just a three year program. It's intensive and it's stressful and it's more than a full time job, but it's also fun. In a sort of masochistic way.

Art Center has a reputation of design excellence, a label that's once again been validated by the impressive representation of student work at the 2008 IDEA awards. My training here has given me a solid grasp of the traditional skill set associated with ID, as well as the concepts, methodologies, processes and schools of design. I've made lifelong friends who share my fundamental interests and connected with a wide range of professionals eager to impart their knowledge of the industry. These things are largely a result of one's own proactivity, but Art Center has also fostered in me a deep interest in entrepreneurialism, leadership, and bigger-picture ambition. Anything worth having comes at a price though. Both literally and in less tangible ways, the school is extremely costly. The program is notorious for aiding in the breakup of relationships, something for which I am part of the statistic. It also costs a great deal of cold hard cash, missed sleep, anxiety, unhealthy eating habits, and the occasional formation of any variety of chemical dependencies. Which reminds me of something else I've learned here: Red Bull is both a gift and a curse. However, when all is said and done, it really is a unique environment and one that I will look back on with fondness more than anything else.

United Skim Tour

2008-10-14T01:46:00.000-07:00

Skimonline just released the video of the 2008 Santa Cruz Skimbash. Do your eyes a favor and check out this video! Suuuuuper cool. Watch. Learn. Revel.
http://unitedskimtour.org/video/2008/santacruz/index.html

Melissa + Zaha Hadid Boot

2008-10-12T16:34:00.000-07:00

Zaha Hadid's work is pretty stunning, and even if it's not exactly your style, it at very least can be described as casual sex for the eyes. I really dig the way the sense of construction and aesthetic typically suited for a structure on the monumental scale is used here in the discrete. The video works well I think because it helps tell the story and gives the design meaningful context.

Awesomeness in a Product

2008-10-11T12:53:00.001-07:00

Daniel Dery's "Water-Gate" for MegaSecur is another designer's work that helped inspire me to pursue Industrial Design. Its a perfect example of how ID can directly and meaningfully impact our lives in a very positive way. The concept is so simple and so effective. When I first saw this product, I couldn't help but think, "why didn't somebody think of this a long time ago?" Products like this are perhaps the best thing about ID, things that solve real problems and genuinely make people's lives better.

Art-gineering

2008-10-08T01:04:00.000-07:00

I heard about Theo Jansen a few years ago and just stumbled onto this video. His work is one of the most unique and awe-inspiring things I've seen in as long as I care to remember.

GINA

2008-10-07T12:50:00.000-07:00

It's relatively old news now, but it's still just about the coolest thing going on it the transportation design world. Gotta love the name too.

BERLIN

2008-10-07T01:13:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me is aware of my deep love and almost fanatical fascination with Berlin. I knew nothing of the city before living there in 2003 and 2004, but what I lacked in knowledge then I've more than made up for since. There is something magnetic about the vibe in Berlin. It's a people's city, full of art, music, design, nightlife, cafe lifestyle, punk culture, expression, history, and the unshakable old-meets-new dichotomy. It's shockingly affordable, has an immaculate public transportation system, and is just big enough to feel metropolitan, just small enough to seem cozy. You're never more than a few blocks from a corner grocery, and never more than a few hours away from the next flea- or farmers market. Some people think its dirty. And they're right, it is, but somehow that's the charm. The city has a unpretentious, sometimes raw, and often proletariat feel. And although The Wall has not stood for nearly 19 years, Berlin gets a lot of its vibe, attitude, tourist mileage...and strength I think from being in many ways a city still divided. It's not really a negative thing; spend any time there and you gain a clear sense of the sub-cultures that evolved on each side. Much of the beauty and intrigue of Berlin comes from this diversity. From what was a dark chapter in the city's long history stems an absolutely unique atmosphere; vibrant, energetic, and beckoning.

This photo was taken in Lustgarten in front of the Berliner Dom, Aug 2008.

The Most Beautiful Camera of All Time

2008-10-06T12:09:00.001-07:00

The Kodak Bantam Special.
A creation of the famous industrial designer Walter Dorwin Teague, it was first produced in 1936 and is an ideal example of Art Deco styling. It has an enamel-coated, machined aluminum body with distinctive chrome speed lines that wrap around the entire camera. Its compact size, uniquely sleek shape and clamshell design made it one of the earlier cameras to be truly pocketable. It is an icon of modern industrial design.

I want one bad.

IDSA invades MOCA

2008-10-05T18:59:00.001-07:00

One of the many hats I wear is a Copenship company baseball cap. Another is serving as Art Center's IDSA Student Chapter Chair. The Industrial Designers Society of America is a national organization and the official voice of the profession. IDSA works to increase connectivity between designers, elevate the influence and perceived value of design, and inspire design quality and responsibility. Toward these ends, one thing I've been working on at the local level is organizing joint events between the CSU Long Beach and Art Center Student Chapters. The two chapters have had the opportunity to get together several times in the past year. This weekend a mixed group from both schools met at the MOCA Los Angeles for a private tour of their current exhibit, a showcase of German artist Martin Kippenberger: The Problem Perspective. It was a fascinating show and a lot of fun getting design students from different programs together. Next time we'll go for drinks too.

Alternative Mobility

2008-10-05T11:24:00.001-07:00

Toyota I-Real personal mobility conceptBombardier Embrio Concept. (Yes, the same Bombardier that makes corporate jets!)The Alé Car concept : 92 mpg on fuel vapor. How do it do it? 20:1 compression ratio!

"Schwepped" Away at 10,000 fps

2008-10-05T11:23:00.001-07:00

This is an awesome commercial, visually. It doesn't make me want to buy Schweppes though.

The Best Way to Waste an Hour

2008-10-05T02:52:00.000-07:00

I'm really into AMC's show MAD MEN. It's historical fiction about the early advertising industry in the US coming into its own following World War II. One thing I really find fascinating is the inclusion of historically accurate social and business events from the early 1960s. As a designer, I think its particularly cool how the show sneaks in historically important ad campaigns, campaigns that actually went public in real life, and show the psychology and deliberate manipulation of the public. In some ways it's almost an expos`e of the way the advertising industry very consciously established the modern paradigm of mass consumerism that has dominated the last 50 years of American life.
The show has unique cinematography and is shot in a simple, subtly filtered way that emphasizes color and contrast. The writing is superb and the show has a uncanny addictiveness about it, but for me it's the style of the show that wins the most points. The wardrobe is immaculate, the atmosphere of each shot luscious, and the overall aesthetic has a rich, saturated feel. The credits and opening sequence are stunningly graphic as well, reminiscent of both Hitchcock and early James Bond movies.

Design Inspiration

2008-10-05T02:25:00.001-07:00

Janjaap Ruijssenaars Floating BedMathias Koehler Rocking Wheel ChairEero Saarinen Luna Vase

Custom Vases and More!

2008-10-03T16:35:00.000-07:00

During the summer term I wanted to do a few extracurricular projects to bolster my portfolio and practice certain elements of the skill set I've been learning at Art Center. My first personal project was to design and build custom planter boxes to hang off the railing of my balcony. I wanted to grow my own vegetable garden, cantilevered off my third story patio. The custom planters were a success, as was the garden throughout the summer...until someone killed them all. But that's a different story.
My second side project was a personalized light box. I did some sketch comps, designed the final vector image in Adobe Illustrator, and laser cut the design out of clear acrylic. I sorted the pieces by their intended finished color and painted the backs, fitting the pieces together again like a jigsaw puzzle. The light box was actually a gift for a friend and it was very well received.

The last personal project of the summer was the pièce de résistance. Actually a decorative custom vase, it was the fruit of quite a lot of labor and a many step process. I began by ideating some concepts for the vase and when I'd reached a direction I liked I used Solidworks to model the final design in 3D. The physical properties of the vase required me to use tools and features in the Solidworks program I wasn't familiar with so the project was really a learning experience, adding to my overall knowledge of the software. I printed the rough vase full-sized in plaster, then hardened, sealed, primed and sanded the piece prepping for pearl paint finish. Using a really shitty HVLP gun, I sprayed the vase (and almost ruined it). I should invest in a better gun because you get what you pay for. Another lesson learned from this project!

I painted the exterior a creamy, off-white pearl essence shade and the inside a bold true red. What made the piece truly beautiful was the way the two colors contrasted each other at the mouth of the vase. Starting as a narrow degree ellipse at the base and morphing into a more abstract organic form as it climbs upward, the top of the piece is actually a name when view from above. The stark red interior forms the interconnected characters framed and punctuated by the pearl white lip of the vase. This project was also a gift but I have to say, it pained me a little seeing it go. The project though never really belonged to me. Its conception was with gifting in mind, and in fact the project may never have been thought of if it wasn't tied to that meaning. Almost needless to say, this present was also very well received. I may make more vases based on this concept in the future, but time will tell because it's a very laborious process. Although, things always take a lot longer the first time...so who knows.

FOREVER SKIM

2008-10-03T13:22:00.000-07:00

I love skimboarding. It's kind of like surfing, except you don't have to wait for just the right wave nearly as much. The sensation of gliding across the sand on 1/16" of water is unique and addictive. And then it gets even better as you move out into the shorebreak. The sport is also a great workout, its really just a series of sprints and jumps. Unlike surfing, there's no upper body, everything is lower body, but its very cardio-based. Not to mention, it just looks sick.

Mindshare

2008-10-02T21:18:00.000-07:00

For the past eight months or so a new type of event has popped up in LA. A mix of raucous party, catered gathering, and intellectually stimulating presentations, Mindshare is a unique monthly evening of fun. Mainly populated by all variety of young creative and scientific professionals, the event is a casual venue to meet and network with all sorts of people outside one's usual circle of influence. Actually the brainchild of a good friend of mine and his colleagues, it's underlying purpose holds entrepreneurism central. But its not all business. The beauty of Mindshare is the balance it finds between social and intellectual growth, and of course the inherent flexibility of the event allows each person to be as engaged or disengaged with either part as they'd like.

http://mindshare.la/events/08-09.html

Soap Box Time

2008-10-02T03:13:00.000-07:00

"If you don't vote, you're a moron."

Design For Zero Waste

2008-10-02T02:43:00.000-07:00

The design brief for my Product Design 2 class over summer term was designing for sustainability, more specifically zero waste. The goal was to take an existing product and totally redesign it as well as a system in which the product would create zero waste. I choose something close to my heart for the project, skimboards. We studied existing products, created full Life Cycle Analyses for its material components, conducted in-depth material reseach, generated alternate concepts, refined our concepts, developed business plans and product life cycles, and finally fabricated our final prototypes. It was an intensive 14-week project, more heavily bias toward research than any other project i'd worked on previously. On the day of our final presentation, I wore conservative gray suit pants and as my presentation began, Heidrun, one of the instructors remarked that I should have worn board shorts to make the presentation more authentic. That's when I took off my pants. Little did anyone know I was wearing board shorts underneath my suit pants, and I figured starting off the presentation by dropping my pants would definitely get everyone's attention. And it worked. The presentation was strong, the response to my project was overwhelming, and my patent-
pending sustainable skimboards, called ecoDeck TM, are now on display in the Art Center student gallery.

The End Game

2008-10-02T01:04:00.000-07:00

My interests in design and in general are diverse and ever-evolving. What inspires me therefore has a highly variable relationship with my interest. Sometimes new inspiration is responsible for shifting my course. Alternately, conscious and often deliberate changes in my interests affects the inspiration I seek out. There are, however, a few things that sit somewhere in the gray area between interest and inspiration which never change. One such thing is something I call the "Cafe del Mar" lifestyle. Whether I eventually own a place like this, or if I simply have the means to enjoy such places frequently, I will be happy. Regardless, this is long-term inspiration for me. Take a look. Is it so hard to believe?

Phillips Design Ambigram Logo

2008-10-02T00:53:00.000-07:00

This is one of the concepts i've been toying with on the back burner for a while. I got the idea after reading about ambigrams and wondering if I could make a personal one. Reconciling the P/S character was tricky, as was the H/P, but admittedly Phillips isn't the hardest name to turn into an ambigram. It was actually kind of fun. Creating these is like a puzzle, just one that you develop the answer to visually.

Nerd Alert!

2008-10-01T23:19:00.001-07:00

Warning! The above video should only be watched if you meet the following criteria:
1. you are at least mildly intelligent
2. you have something that vaguely resembles an interest in science
3. you don't believe the world was created 4 thousand years ago

This is probably the single largest thing going on in the science world right now, and many physicists believe it has the potential to blow open whole new volumes in our quest to understand the nature of the universe and existence. Some nay-sayers have said it could create a black hole on earth, but these are the same type who thought the Y2K bug was gonna wipe us out and the millennium was going to be Doomsday or the "second coming" or something. I'm sorry (for you) if you're one of those people.

C'mon, Bebe, You Know I Love You!

2008-10-01T22:25:00.000-07:00

I really dig Bebe's new ad campaign. The direction they've taken the brand for the fall and winter line has a saturated feel, dripping with attitude and atmosphere. Part boudoir, part 80's chic, part Eyes Wide Shut...all kinds of sexy.

The colors are classic but bold. Lips that red are nothing but power. I like the heavy, deliberate use of background shadow, it emphasizes the glam-lit feel of the photography.

I recently worked with a professional photographer and its given me renewed respect for the profession. I've also been paying more attention to fashion lately, though not in my own life it would seem! You need "money" for that.

The down side to Bebe's new campaign? It sort of reminds me of the girls in the Robert Palmer "Addicted to Love" video. Not something to shoot for. On the up side, however, it's kind of like some of Paulina Porizkova's work for Estee Lauder in the 80s. That, on the other hand, IS something to shoot for.

http://www.bebe.com/ Click on Ad Campaign on the bottom left.

Hiro Yamagata and the Laser Buddhas

2008-10-01T20:10:00.000-07:00

The work of Hiro Yamagata is one of the things that inspired me to pursue industrial design professionally. His work exemplifies creative use of radical technology, the pushing of limits, and just having fun. However, one of his most recent projects showcases the power of imagination put to work through the framework of design to produce cultural healing and humanitarian/world heritage aid.

If you think back to that now oft-forgotten time known as pre-9/11 era, you might recall news of the destruction of 1500-year-old gigantic Buddha statues in Afghanistan. The destruction was ordered and carried out by the Taliban. Yes, that Taliban. The same group, just before the rest of the world knew or cared anything about them. This was a loss to world heritage akin the destruction of the Egyptian pyramids or Peru's Machu Picchu. However, out of destruction comes creation and out of problem comes opportunity. Hiro Yamagata considered what had happened and decided he wanted to do something about it. He developed a concept for digitally recreating the lost statues through the magic of modern technology and has unveiled a plan for images of the Buddhas to be projected onto the same cliff walls via powerful, long-range lasers. I think this work is as remarkable as it is inspiring. I hope to affect change in my own life and career through positive social action in ways not unlike this.

the project: http://www.bamiyanlaser.org/en/exhi.html

the artist: http://www.hiroyamagata.com/

The Other Louisiana

2008-10-01T19:38:00.000-07:00

Recently I had the great pleasure of visiting Louisiana. I say great pleasure because the Louisiana I went to has nothing to do with the devastation of hurricane Katrina and the political shit storm that followed. Nor does is have anything to do with racial bigotry. Nor Cajun food. In fact the Louisiana I went to has nothing to do with the US.

North of Kobenhavn, on a small bluff overlooking the Oresund Sound is a very special place, the Louisiana Museum. It's a place of immense beauty, from its picturesque setting to the striking mix of modern and traditional Danish architecture, and of course its substantial collection of modern art.

When I visited in August of this year, they had an amazing exhibition about museum architecture featuring avant guard and notable museum design from all over the world. They had huge, gorgeous models to view the buildings in walk-around 3D and the walls were dripping with dynamic aerial photographs of the finished projects. It was a fascinating show, equally for its content as well as its message. It made me consider the dynamic relationship between art and the environment art is viewed in. How much does the aesthetic of a setting, the mood of the space, and a hundred other factors like materials, lighting, room proportion, etc have a bearing on the effect of the art itself? Perhaps it would be better to ask how much it can have an effect.

If you have the means, I highly recommend a visit to this Louisiana. Just don't expect to find any fried chicken.

http://www.louisiana.dk/uk/

Daniel Simon

2008-10-01T00:19:00.000-07:00

Thought that might grab your attention. The artist, Daniel Simon is a graduate of Pforzheim University in Germany, an industrial designer, digital art media god, and all-around player. I met him at a special presentation at Art Center in 2007 too, cool guy. This beautifully twisted piece of elegance is indicative of his style. If you care to have your mind blown, check out his website.

http://www.cosmic-motors.com/main.html

A Cooler Segway

2008-09-29T18:20:00.000-07:00

I love this thing. The Segway Concept Centaur. It's been out since about 2004, but was never really "released." I would ride the shit out of one of these if i could get my hands on one. The versatility of riding styles and positions, together with the speed, stability, maneuverability and fun factor is crazy cool! I bet they're a fortune on the black market...

Troika "Cloud" Sculpture

2008-09-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

Digital sculpture is fascinating. The effect it has is mesmerizing. It's rhythmic yet dynamic, cold but simultaneously alive. It reminds me of so many dominos: a continuous, reactionary wave flowing over the surface, engulfing and consuming itself and thereby changing its appearance, only to change again in a new way seconds later. Constant evolution and redefinition.

I wish it had been taken to the next level though. I envision the changing surface to be a reflection of its environment at any given time. Adapting the speed, patterns, and mood of its autonomous movement to external factors such as the ambient noise level, lighting conditions, etc.

The First Word

2008-09-25T09:34:00.000-07:00

I just started a new blog. This is it.
You'll find projects, thoughts, artwork, links, photography, inspiration, science, news, video clips, rants, world view and the like. Like an extra fat snowflake landing at just the right spot high on a mountain slope, this is just the beginning. That seed of creativity will begin to grow and snowball into a dynamic, evolving avalanche of madness. When that avalanche has laid waste to all that stands before it, cutting a wide swath of inspiration into the landscape of those minds that would stand in its path, my work will be done. However, that snowflake, born of a love for all things design, is at the top of a very large mountain.

You'd be wise to bring earmuffs and a flask of the good stuff.