Design

…is the MeekFM Typographic Synthesizer. Too bad there’s only one of them.

But, young interactive netizens, take heart because you can fiddle around with the java version online. Like Lady Sovereign said, “Fiddle with the volume, I beg ya.”

This is a personal geek-out moment, Charles and Ray introduce the Eames Lounge chair on TV. It’s great to see them being interviewed and not making awesome stuff, for a few minutes. Via Core77

Fantastic. I will spare you anymore Star Wars jokes. Via Core77

Interactive tables rendezvous with business cards to reveal fashion portfolios. Software become tactile to bridge the physical / virtual gap. An Interesting application.

Nike has done it again. With their ooka-billion dollar marketing budget, which creates campaigns in every meaningful market throughout the globe, both for itself and for its subsidary companies (ahem… Converse, Hurley, Cole Haan, and Wal-Mart favorites Starter), they’ll manage to reach out and touch you somehow. Like with a postcard from a friend telling you that you suck. Read the rest of this entry »

Japanese commercial artist Ryohei Yanagihara’s (b. 1931) illustrations are symbolic of a graphic style that has sadly disappeared from today’s digitally driven aesthetics. Somewhere between Mary Blair, Alain Gee and Ed Emberley, Ryo’s drawings are simple, light hearted, yet surprisingly complex. His fascination with drawing passenger ships, like the one above, are documented and wonderfully organized on his website. Via Drawn

We have Starwood Hotels & Resorts to thank for the trendy W experience. A design heavy chain of boutique hotels where one nights stay will generate a small hole in your child’s college tuition. In what seems like a mad scientists attempt at selling lighting in a bottle, Starwood has created a large amount of sub-brands looking for a W 2.0. One of those brands, Aloft is attempting to capitalize on the Loft trend by offering ‘loft style’ accommodations. Thats expected, until you visit their web page to find out what marketing genius decided to call guest services. Is it me, or does the design resemble an Apple Store that got hammered in Tiajuana and doesn’t recall where it got it’s bitchin haircut.

Airspace Workshop has signed on to redesign Soljah.com, home of the hardest to find clothing in Hawaii. Who else remembers Blaisdell Garden Cafe? I think I went to this party.

Could this be as much of a debacle as the $82,000 UH logo redesign? Probably not, since the U.S. Mint is actually involved in the process, and has officially approved of the five finalists, which reflect the Hawaiian icon status quo: surfing, hula, diamond head, and the monarchy.

“Ultimately our quarter design will serve as a symbol of Hawai’i’s people and culture and we encourage everyone to participate in the commission’s public opinion poll,” said Jonathan Johnson, chairman of the commission

Eventhough Lingle gets the final say, we encourage you to engage yourself and vote.

So what’s the difference between options 4 and 5 again?