Design Week articles from March 2006

Design Week archives from March 2006

Asda reviews roster as it expands across all formats.(not revealing names given contract for store deisgn)
March 2, 2006... Asda, the UK's second largest supermarket group, is reviewing its store design roster as the Wal-Mart-owned chain embarks on its most aggressive expansion strategy for five years. The retailer's existing roster contains four consultancies,...

The Core to rebrand Transport Museum.(London Transport Museum )(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... London Transport Museum is to reopen with an overhauled brand identity and has appointed Hull consultancy The Core to the design task, following a seven-way pitch. The branding overhaul is part of an ongoing #19m project to transform...

R&D&Co to develop LDF identity.(London Design Festival )(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... The London Design Festival has appointed R&D&Co to assess its corporate identity and design the official 2006 programme. The festival's logo, created by Frost Design in 2003, will not be altered, but R&D&Co will act as brand guardian and...

STOP PRESS: Fitch linked with Tesco project.(contract to design)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Design Week can exclusively reveal that Fitch is working with Tesco on undisclosed design projects. The news comes as the retailer prepares to launch a version of its portfolio of Express stores on the west coast of the US next year. The...

STOP PRESS: Edge leaves Interbrand to go it alone.(Jon Edge )(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Interbrand design director Jon Edge is leaving the group to set up his own consultancy. According to Interbrand executive creative director Andy Payne, Edge will not be replaced immediately. Edge, who has been with Interbrand for three...

STOP PRESS: All of Us shows the way to Rich Mix.(design contract)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Interactive design group All of Us has been appointed to create the wayfinding and signage for east London arts centre Rich Mix. The group will design positional signage, along with digital media elements, such as bulletin boards. The cafe and...

Campbell mixes old with new for London Library identity.(Ned Campbell)
March 2, 2006... The London Library is rolling out its first branding and corporate identity programme since its inception 165 years ago, with an identity created by independent design consultant Ned Campbell. The work is part of a broader modernisation...

Toni and Guy latest male haircare range.(packaging design by Pure Equator)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Toni & Guy is launching its latest male haircare range, Toni & Guy Men Only, with a packaging design by Pure Equator. The neon street signs of Soho were a major inspiration for the design, according to David Rogers, creative director at Pure...

Koolhaas tops bill at Architecture Biennale.(Rem Koolhaas will be the speaker)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas will give the keynote speech at London's second Architecture Biennale, it was announced this week. The ten-day festival takes place from 16 June and will encompass more than 130 events, ranging from...

Identity for the Garden Lighting Company.(by The Chase )(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... The Chase has designed an identity for the Garden Lighting Company. The marque uses flowers in place of light-shades to link the company inextricably with its core offer. The work will appear on stationery, marketing material and a website,...

Absolute Design adapts Fifteen's style to Cornish seaside.(restaurant been designed)
March 2, 2006... The first glimpse of Jamie Oliver's third Fifteen restaurant, designed by Cornish consultancy Absolute Design, depicts a contemporary beach hut interior scheme, Design Week can exclusively reveal. The interior concept for the Cornwall...

Lloyd Northover joins forces with Marketplace.(merges)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Lloyd Northover and Marketplace are to merge, it was announced this week. The new group will operate under the Lloyd Northover name, with both consultancies retaining their separate offices in London and Oxford respectively. The group will...

Saville to modify working practices at M&C Saatchi.(Peter Saville joins M&C Saatchi )(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Advertising agency M&C Saatchi has appointed graphic designer Peter Saville as creative director. According to M&C Saatchi executive creative director Graham Fink, the role is a part-time one, but he expects Saville will be in the office...

Liberty launches furniture collection.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Department store Liberty is launching an unusual bespoke furniture collection to boost its 4th floor furniture and lighting department. The range comprises items such as Victorian chaise longues and iconic Egg chairs, which are then covered in...

IN BRIEF: Path design.(for Brylcreem)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Path has designed a new-look range for men's hair styling brand Brylcreem. It features a refreshed identity that places more emphasis on the lion icon. Path won the project following a four-way pitch against Design Bridge, Dew Gibbons and...

IN BRIEF: TomTom appointment.(Martin Riddiford is appointed)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Navigation device manufacturer TomTom has appointed Therefore founder Martin Riddiford as design director. The part-time position will allow Riddiford to continue to work as technical design lead at Therefore. Copyright: Centaur...

IN BRIEF: Parker Williams creation.(for Sainsbury's sub-brand Kids)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Parker Williams has created packaging for Sainsbury's sub-brand Kids, which is in-store from March and replaces the retailer's Blue Parrot Cafe range. The group was appointed after a three-way pitch. Copyright: Centaur Communications...

IN BRIEF: Co-op announcement.(it will make investment and open new stores)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... The Co-op has announced that it is to invest #3m in its home store format and will open two more stores by the end of 2006. In-store design in the first trial store was by The Nest. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Tonic website for Jasmine di Milo.(and JC Decaux)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Tonic has created a website, www.jasminedimilo.com, for Jasmine di Milo, the fashion designer daughter of Mohammed Al Fayed. The group has also been appointed to create a website for JC Decaux, the outdoor media owner. Copyright: Centaur...

COMMENT: Collaboration and personal space bring design results.
March 2, 2006... We pride ourselves, in the UK, on having a relatively sophisticated design industry. Our official bodies provide a model for designers in other countries to emulate, and no other design community anywhere in the world can sustain a weekly...

Metaphor gives visitors a taste of Michelangelo's time.(designs for British Museum )(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... The British Museum is poised to launch its first Michelangelo exhibition for 30 years, with a Renaissance-inspired design created by its in-house team in collaboration with Metaphor. The exhibition layout is designed to be reminiscent of a...

Colemanbrandworx looks to expansion in the Middle East.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Colemanbrandworx Worldwide Partnership, the US strategic branding consultancy, is looking to build its international network across the Middle East, following the launch of its first UK division, run by Bloom. Owen Coleman, the Coleman...

DBA survey says design groups' profits are at risk.(Design Business Association )
March 2, 2006... By Trish Lorenz Design groups across the industry could struggle to maintain profitability in 2006, warns a survey out this week, which finds that salary costs are going up, while charge-out rates are decreasing. The Design Business...

News in Pictures: New Arjowiggins paper product.(Inuit)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Typographer Jeremy Tankard has worked with Blast, copywriter Jim Davies and photographer John Ross to create the branding and design for a new Arjowiggins paper product called Inuit. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

News in Pictures: Silk Pearce design.(National Assembly for Wales buildings)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Silk Pearce has designed the commemorative miniature stamp sheet, first day cover and two postmarks to commemorate this week's official opening of the National Assembly for Wales buildings. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

News in Pictures: Moving Brands collaborates with Enterprise IG Japan.(to create design for J:COM)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Moving Brands has collaborated with Enterprise IG Japan to create a floral inspired identity for J:COM, Japan's largest TV channel. The 'bloom' identity uses a hyper-realistic, 3D animation style, depicting the lifecycle of flowers. The work...

News in Pictures: Volkswagen's Concept A.(styling used)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Volkswagen's Concept A, presented at this week's Geneva Motor Show, merges off-roader styling with cues normally found on sports cars, at the same time as providing a soft top, hatchback and opposing, opening doors. Copyright: Centaur...

News in Pictures: Eamz boot.(Eamz boot )(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... The Eamz boot is inspired by a chair leg created by Charles and Ray Eames and has been designed by Rem Koolhaas, nephew to the world-famous architect of the same name, under the United Nude brand. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

NEWS ANLAYSIS: Consuming concepts.(Bluewater to change its design)
March 2, 2006... Bluewater continues to spearhead innovation in retail, Sarah Balmond discovers, with plans to extend its leisure and entertainment offering When Bluewater shopping centre opened seven years ago to a media frenzy, its design credentials...

PRIVATE VIEW: From pillar to poster.(industry forecasts)
March 2, 2006... With the takeover of giant billboards, Adrian Shaughnessy laments the death of the poster and claims it has a central place in graphic design history Last May, I attended the International Poster and Graphic Arts Festival in Chaumont,...

Inspired: Ken Mackay, Mackay and Partners.(designers)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... We have very close links with the Clerkenwell community, having completed a lot of projects locally - the latest being Clerkenwell Workshops for Workspace Group. And it is the idea of community that inspired the scheme. The original site...

Voxpop: Design Professionals.(designers)
March 2, 2006... Peter Saville has insisted Adidas drops its branding for a quirky range of sports clothing he is designing. As more and more mainstream brands, in search of kudos, strive to align themselves with designers, how should design professionals...

LETTER: WAR OF THE WORDS.(Letter to the Editor)
March 2, 2006... Wow! All this fuss over 'hear' or 'here' (DW 23 February). As Mark Cox has badgered me for an opinion, I'd have to say that I agree with him. The 'hear' in 'Is it chilli in hear', is wrong. It spoils the playful pun on 'chilly' and does...

LETTER: Food labelling is a commercial battlefield.(Letter to the Editor)
March 2, 2006... Food labelling is a can of worms (DW 23 February). It's a conflict between the provision of public information and sales targets - and information design is the battleground. When politics and commercial interests go to battle over...

LETTER: RSA and CSD awards confusion gets cleared up.(Letter to the Editor)
March 2, 2006... It is quite understandable that you were confused in respect of the awards offered by the Royal Society of Arts and those of the Chartered Society of Designers (DW 23 February). The RSA does run an award for students, but it is called...

LETTER: Tesco's GDA-based food labelling is also designed by Rocket.(Letter to the Editor)
March 2, 2006... Sarah Balmond stated that 'Tesco ditched its traffic light food labelling, designed by Rocket Design, in favour of a GDA-based scheme' (DW 16 February). She failed to mention that this GDA-based scheme was also designed by Rocket and it is...

Profile: M/M (Paris).(interview with Mathias Augustyniak and Michael Amzalag )(Interview)
March 2, 2006... The work of M/M (Paris) can broadly be described as graphic design, yet it crosses boundaries and attracts superstar clients. The French duo tell Richard Clayton about the benefits of design over art Apart from saying the pair are French...

SHOEHORN ARCHITECTURE: Pet project.(designers)
March 2, 2006... Parts of Tokyo may be filled with prestigious department stores, but what about the awkward plots between these giants? Clare Dowdy talks to an architect that has turned one of these neglected spaces into an ideal showcase for a local...

INTERACTIVE SIGNS: Personal service.(Interactive media)
March 2, 2006... The public is slowly becoming accustomed to interactive signs, but perceptions have to change before services that respond to individual needs become commonplace, says John Stones Mention interactive signs and most people will respond...

TORONTO HOTELS: Art houses.
March 2, 2006... Two trend-setting hotels in Toronto put the city's classic Victorian architecture to good use - they have kept their accessible, bohemian roots, while offering a quirky design. Unique, rather than boutique is the way forward, says Liz...

DESIGN BUSINESS: Put staff on the career ladder.
March 2, 2006... Give your employees a variety of challenges and make career development a top priority if you want to hold on to them, says Mark Gandy Talent management and staff retention has always been an inherent feature of our industry, but they are...

Strip search.(Cartoon Museum)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... By Steve Way The good thing about this country taking so long to finally get a cartoon museum is that the old stuff is now even older and better. We Brits are good at this cartooning lark and it shouldn't just be left to Danes. The fun is...

British Airways in-house design management team falls under axe.
March 9, 2006... British Airways is axing its head of design position and dissolving its design operations, Design Week can exclusively reveal. As part of a swingeing, cost-cutting exercise, involving the removal of half of BA's senior managers, the...

Curtis to head Nokia's new global design unit.(Alastair Curtis appointed)(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... The design industry broadly welcomed the appointment of Manchester-born Alastair Curtis as Nokia's new global head of design this week. Curtis replaces the American Frank Nuovo, who is leaving Nokia to 'pursue his own design interests',...

Landini to give Jurlique a refresh.(Jurlique International Proprietary Ltd.)(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... Premium herbal skincare company, Jurlique, is poised to reveal a new look across its international portfolio of products, spas and flagship stores, designed by Landini Associates. The Sydney-based studio is working on its international...

STOP PRESS: Creativity institute to open in Fife.(University of St Andrews )(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... The University of St Andrews in Fife is to become home to the Institute for Capitalising on Creativity, the latest academic venture to take advantage of growing commercial interest in the creative industries. Launching this September with a...

STOP PRESS: Morrison goes to the bathroom.(Ideal-Standard Ltd. signs Jasper Morrison)(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... Jasper Morrison is working on his first UK-based industrial project, creating a series of bathroom products for Ideal Standard, which will include sinks and taps. There may be a preview in September, but it is more likely that the collection...

STOP PRESS: AKQA looks to telecomms.(appoints Don Rosen)
March 9, 2006... AKQA has set up a dedicated team to work on mobile telephony. The digital media group has appointed Dan Rosen to head the division, AKQA Mobile, which will 'focus on innovation and creativity for the mobile platform'. Rosen was previously...

STOP PRESS: Benchmarks 2006 call for entries.
March 9, 2006... The call for entries for Design Week's 2006 Benchmarks Awards has gone out, with an entry deadline of 4 May. For details contact Cassie Brasier on 020 7970 4772, or e-mail benchmarks@centaur.co.uk. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd....

Jasper Morrison designs new kitchenware for Alessi.
March 9, 2006... Jasper Morrison has designed the debut collection for A di Alessi, one of two new Alessi sub brands being launched by the Italian-based manufacturer, as it seeks to boost sales and target more specific groups of consumers. The Alessi...

Showcase of music emerging from the folk scene.
March 9, 2006... Roots and Shoots, the Institute of Contemporary Art's showcase of music emerging from the folk scene, kicks off this weekend in London, with artwork, flyers, a logo and an ink stamp created by illustrator Rob Ryan. An ex-Royal College of Art...

Christian Aid revived by Johnson Banks.(banking services)
March 9, 2006... International development charity Christian Aid this week launches a radically overhauled visual identity, as it seeks to invigorate interest in the organisation. The identity and design guidelines have been developed by Johnson Banks in...

Design work by BRandMe.(Merchant Gourmet contracts with Brewer Riddiford )(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... Speciality foods brand Merchant Gourmet has overhauled its brand identity and packaging, with design work by Brewer Riddiford (now BR&Me). The consultancy was appointed to the job a year ago (DW 10 February 2005). The packaging's blue and gold...

Royal Mail starts formal review of its design roster.
March 9, 2006... Royal Mail is reviewing its marketing communications design roster for the first time since 2003, and is looking to appoint up to five consultancies. The company is seeking applications from design groups to allocate design work for all...

Carpet cleaner gets new look from Dragon.(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... Carpet-cleaning brand 1001 is relaunching its brand packaging next week, following a brand refresh by Dragon Brands. Dragon was appointed to review the look of the brand's six core cleaning products, following a two-way pitch last...

Vault49 Exhibition.('The Greatest Show On Earth'at Coningsby Gallery in Tottenham Court Road)(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... New York graphic consultancy, Vault49, is holding its third London- based exhibition at Coningsby Gallery in Tottenham Court Road. The Greatest Show On Earth is inspired by the lives of early twentieth century travelling entertainers. It is a...

Tilley & Tilley to create archive of Sir Basil Spence's life works.(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... Tilley & Tilley has been appointed to create an identity for a public archive of architect Sir Basil Spence's lifetime works. The collection, handed to the Royal Commission of Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland three years ago by...

IN BRIEF: Aubrey Hastings-Smith.(passes away)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
March 9, 2006... Aubrey Hastings-Smith, production director of Pi Global, died suddenly of a heart attack at the end of last month. After working for a number of advertising agencies, he became a group board director at Michael Peters in the 1980s. He then...

IN BRIEF: Rufus Leonard creation.(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... Rufus Leonard has created a brand to merge the operations of Mymarket.com, an electronic marketplace for the hospitality industry, and its sister business 3663 Client Purchasing. The combined hospitality business will be called Makella. ...

IN BRIEF: Final call for entries.
March 9, 2006... By Designers For Designers is making a final call for entries to its moving image competition, being run with Diesel's 55DSL clothing label. Motion designers, graphic designers, film-makers and animators are invited to submit a 55-second...

IN BRIEF: Red Letter Design appointed.(contracts with design services )(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... The London Borough of Lambeth's Young People's Drug and Alcohol Action Team has appointed Red Letter Design to develop and market a website for 12-18-year-olds, to improve awareness of the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Copyright:...

COMMENT: Design personalities could motivate UK businesses.
March 9, 2006... It's ironic that British Airways, an acknowledged champion of design, should dumb down its design management operation just as the Government steps up its commitment to creativity in business (see News, page 3). BA has come in for some...

Volvo branding gains extra Bite in bid for consistency.(Volvo Car Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... Volvo Car Corporation is making one of its most significant branding changes in 75 years, as it drops its primary logotype identity in favour of a redrawn version of its car badge. Under consultation with branding and communications group...

Lloyd Northover to aid education initiative.(education services)(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... Lloyd Northover has created the brand identity for University Campus Suffolk, a new joint venture between the University of East Anglia and the University of Essex. The #150m initiative will create a space to service the higher education...

IF criticises ascent of marketing-led design commissions.(International Forum Design )
March 9, 2006... By Sarah Balmond As Germany's International Forum Design announces the winners of its annual product design awards this week, the jury has lashed out at what it sees as the growing trend towards marketing-led design and is calling for a...

News in Pictures: Green & Black's launching range of mini chocolate bars.(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... Green & Black's is launching a range of mini chocolate bars, called Impulse, with packaging design by Pearlfisher. The four flavours will be available from the middle of March. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

News in Pictures: Oscar for best animated feature film.(Wallace and Grommit )(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... Aardman Animation's Wallace and Grommit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit scooped the Oscar for best animated feature film on Sunday, ahead of Howl's Moving Castle and The Corpse Bride. The Best Visual Effects Oscar went to Weta Workshop's...

News in Pictures: Red Design album artwork.(design services)(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... Brighton consultancy Red Design has created the album artwork for Breaking Up, the debut record by The Research, released by Large Recordings last week. David Ellis's photography evokes images inspired by the album's lyrics. Copyright:...

News in Pictures: Red Bee Media creates identity.(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... Red Bee Media has created an identity for ITV's dedicated children's channel CITV, which launches on Freeview on 11 March. The design, which features variants for pre-school and school-age children, is part of the overall ITV Network rebrand...

News in Pictures: Launch of iPod Hi-Fi speaker system.(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... Apple Computer has unveiled its latest strike to the music entertainment market, with the launch of the iPod Hi-Fi speaker system. The all-in-one unit is designed to operate as a home stereo system, docking with the iPod and controlled by the...

NEWS ANALYSIS: Saville proves that less is more.(graphic design)
March 9, 2006... Peter Saville talks to Scott Billings about his homespun and 'hands- off' approach to design for Manchester and M&C Saatchi Graphic design supremo Peter Saville is in what appears to be a very enviable position. Everyone's after him, it...

PRIVATE VIEW: Grubby graphics.(case studies on graphic design)
March 9, 2006... With trade magazines increasingly mimicking the slick design style of glossy consumer titles, Hugh Pearman looks back on the golden age of fanzines I was sitting at a magazine awards ceremony recently, where each publication was flashed...

Inspired: Richard Eisermann, Prospect.(Nippon Telephone and Telegraph)(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... I would secretly sit, eight years old, in the TV room of my family's house in New Jersey and watch 1930s-era Universal Pictures horror films on WPIX. Dracula, Wolf Man and The Invisible Man would keep me up to the wee hours. But no film...

Voxpop: Employment costs.(increasing)
March 9, 2006... With the Design Business Association warning that employment costs are increasing ahead of fee income again, what should design groups be doing to control costs, and how can they avoid ramping up staff costs?Perhaps the question should really...

LETTER: Non-executive directors are worth their weight in gold.(Letter to the Editor)
March 9, 2006... I read Jim Davies's piece on the value of a non-executive director with interest (DW 16 February). Navyblue invested in two non-executive directors in our tenth year - one based in Edinburgh with my partner and one working as a mentor...

LETTER: Blue Sky copywriting is lacking in imagination.(Letter to the Editor)
March 9, 2006... I'm afraid that I, too, have to admit to being slightly bemused by the phrase 'Is it chilli in hear', in the Coley Porter Bell Blue Sky designs. Was the idea just to use homophones in the text, wherever possible? If so, to what effect?...

LETTER: Investing in people is the key to growth in design business.(Letter to the Editor)
March 9, 2006... I wholeheartedly agree with Mark Gandy's article 'Put staff on the career ladder' (DW 2 March). Investing in people is an important part of the long-term growth and development strategy in any service industry sector, and is absolutely...

LETTER: The design industry would do well to tread carefully.(Letter to the Editor)
March 9, 2006... It is interesting to note that, since both the Treasury and the Mayor of London identified the creative services as a sector worthy of public investment, some strange things have been happening within the hallowed halls of the design elite....

Profile: Jaime Hayon.(Biography)
March 9, 2006... Jaime Hayon tackles everything, from chic bathroom interiors to cult toys, with a playful enthusiasm, rejecting the uniformity that plagues modern design. He takes Max Fraser into his imaginary world 'Industrial design is going to become...

Palm Springs: Spring forward.
March 9, 2006... Palm Springs's architectural past is being propagated by a new generation of designers, making it the perfect host for the annual Modernism show, held last month. Yolanda Zappaterra looks at what the future holds The organisers of the...

Phototyping: Natural selection.(graphic designers)
March 9, 2006... While rapid prototyping is still science fiction, it could lead to a new era in manufacturing, with consumers designing and customising products themselves. John Stones looks at a recent project at the Royal College of Art IMAGINE, rather...

Illustration: World class.(graphic design)
March 9, 2006... Liz Farrelly profiles the itinerant illustrators who have developed their own inimitable styles through exposure to a variety of different cultures - this cosmopolitan approach is winning them commissions from all over the world Not so...

Paper: Hard copy.(paper-maker product design)
March 9, 2006... Predicting trends in texture and colour is as crucial to paper-makers as fashion designers, but long lead times mean trend forecasting has to be accurate to be profitable. Lauretta Roberts finds out how the paper trade sorts the pulp from...

DESIGN BUSINESS: Use some strong language.
March 9, 2006... More and more design groups are offering writing courses these days - Jayne Workman explains why When a company called Envirotech came to us looking to distinguish itself in the murky business of sewage disposal, the outlook could have...