Design Week articles from March 2007

Design Week archives from March 2007

RNIB set for identity revamp by The Team.(Royal National Institute for the Blind)(www.rnib.co.uk)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... The Royal National Institute of the Blind is to review its entire identity, with a summer revamp by The Team. The RNIB is to drop the white stick from the logo because it says the current form suggests that the charity is only for blind...

Vitra bathroom range.(Ross Lovegrove designs for Vitra)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Ross Lovegrove has designed a bathroom range for Turkish brand Vitra, which will be launched at the ISH trade fair in Frankfurt between 6 and 10 March. This second collection is in response to a brief from the client asking for a 'vital and...

Interbrand tops design group brands.(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Interbrand has been rated the most recognised and trusted of the UK's design group brands, according to the latest Superbrands rankings. The consultancy is placed 235th, ahead of Omnicom stablemate Wolff Olins at 275th, and higher than...

Design Council steers next stage of planning for national centre.
March 1, 2007... Plans for Britain's proposed national design centre have taken another turn, with the announcement that the Design Council is stepping in to help steer the project towards its next phase of planning. Though the move does not guarantee the...

Form art and design show unwrapped at London's Olympia.
March 1, 2007... Form, a new show that crosses over between art and design, launches at London's Olympia this week, featuring the work of a range of contemporary designers on show and on sale. Exhibition design has been created in-house. Billed as the...

Passers-by can pedal on stationary bikes.(Michael Pinsky designed archisculpture)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... A permanent, new media 'archisculpture' designed by Michael Pinsky enables passers-by to pedal on stationary bikes at high speed through a semi-virtual race. Launched by Sustrans, the British engineering charity for sustainable...

V&A picks Cartlidge Levene for ceramics centenary task.(Victoria and Albert Museum)
March 1, 2007... The Ceramics Galleries at the Victoria & Albert Museum are being refurbished to celebrate their centenary in 2009, with identity, graphics and wayfinding by Cartlidge Levene. With a design update by architect Stanton Williams, the reworked...

The Isos Collection launches new products.(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... The Isos Collection launches a series of new products for 2007, including new lighting designs from Tomoko Azumi and Conscious Forms. Azumi's piece, Millefeuille, uses crumpled pieces of paper to transform cold fluorescent light into a...

Loewy creates card design toolkit for Visa partners.
March 1, 2007... Visa is to help its partner banks improve the design of their credit cards with the launch of a design toolkit created by Loewy. The transactional payments giant commissioned branding consultancy Bite to undertake the work in spring last...

Chivas single malt receives Nude revamp.(Chivas Brothers Ltd.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Chivas Brothers, the whisky division of Pernod Ricard, is poised to relaunch Longmorn Single Malt Whisky, with branding and packaging design by Nude Brand Creation. Positioned as Chivas's 'super-premium' flagship malt brand, Longmorn will...

Elmwood picks head of Edinburgh office.
March 1, 2007... Elmwood has appointed Jo Coomber, who previously oversaw global marketing communications at Sony Ericsson, as managing director of its Edinburgh office. Coomber will start her role at the beginning of April and takes over from Nick...

A sculpture of 1991 Intercity rail map.(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... A sculpture of the 1991 Intercity rail map, designed to look like a tree, has been shortlisted for the #25 000 Jerwood Sculpture Prize 2007. Designed by Jonathan Parsons, the Terminator sculpture is one of eight works competing for the top...

IN BRIEF: Southbank website.(SouthBank, A Federal Savings Bank (Corinth, Mississippi))(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... The Southbank 100 Ideas initiative, which is a series of talks at the Southbank Centre on issues affecting London, has launched a website, designed by The Design Conspiracy. The site, www.100ideas.com, aims to build a community around the...

IN BRIEF: Disability Rights Commission.(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... The Disability Rights Commission has launched a series of booklets and documents, designed by Manchester-based creative consultancy Corporation Pop. The consultancy was tasked with creating an instant visual impact to help the DRC leave a...

IN BRIEF: Brand identity for Omneport.(Cohesion Design Services)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Kent-based consultancy Cohesion Design Services has created a brand identity for an on-line travel security product called Omneport. The identity will appear on brochures, stationery and other marketing collateral as well as a website...

IN BRIEF: Lakeland to launch new identity.(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Kitchenware brand Lakeland is set to launch a refreshed identity on 1 March, with design by Lumsden Design Partnership. The rebrand includes a reworked website by digital group Snow Valley and catalogue by CHS Creative. Copyright:...

IN BRIEF: Extradia identity and banding.(HGV's contract)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... London design company HGV is to create the identity and branding for Exradia, a new technology that provides protection from the potentially harmful radiation from mobile phones, laptops and other wireless electronic devices. Copyright:...

COMMENT: Architecture and interiors needn't be at loggerheads.
March 1, 2007... Concerns aired by Royal College of Art alumni over the status of interior design at their alma mater have prompted an interesting response within the industry. Sarah Harkins' letter (see page 11) paints a picture of personal angst at...

Pinko picks HMKM to develop store look.(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Italian fashion house Pinko is set to increase the number of its stores in the UK, and has appointed consultancy HMKM to develop a new retail design concept. HMKM has unveiled a refurbishment of Pinko's only standalone London store, in...

O Street maps out identity for Edinburgh Film Festival.(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... The Edinburgh International Film Festival has appointed Glasgow-based consultancy O Street to create a fresh visual identity for each of its next three festivals. The consultancy triumphed in a final three-way pitch last week, and is...

How many bodies does the South West really need?
March 1, 2007... By Trish Lorenz Designed in Devon, a regional forum that aims to build the profile of design in the county and hopes to develop a Devon Design Week, launches in Exeter tonight (28 February). DiD joins the Cornwall Design Forum and...

News in Pictures: IPC Media identity.
March 1, 2007... Agenda Design Associates has created a fresh brand identity for IPC Media and each of its publishing divisions. The new logo includes a reference to IPC's new home, the Blue Fin Building, on the South Bank in London. Copyright: Centaur...

News in Pictures: David Lynch exhibition.(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... The Air Is On Fire, an exhibition of filmmaker David Lynch's paintings, photographs and drawings, takes place at The Fondation Cartier Pour L'Art Contemporain in Paris, from 3 March to 3 June. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

News in Pictures: Fantasy book.(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Children's fantasy book Physik (Septimus Heap), by Angie Sage, follows Silas Heap on a dark adventure. The book is published by Bloomsbury Publishing, with illustrations by Mark Zug. It will be available from the beginning of April, priced...

News in Pictures: Derby-Shire brand identity.(Derbyshire Building Society)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Peacock Robinson & Hall has created a brand identity and materials to promote Derby-Shire, a collective of councils, developers and investors from Derbyshire, at the international market for real estate professionals and investors MIPIM 2007...

News in Pictures: The Future Past exhibition.(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... The Future Past exhibition features new works by painter Alexandra Baraitser, focusing on the artistic element of classic designs, including chairs, lighting and textiles. It takes place at the Mark Jason Gallery, Bell Street, London NW1, from...

ANALYSIS: Shedding light on the future.
March 1, 2007... Public and commercial awareness of lighting design is growing, but the sector can also take a lead on energy consumption, says Emma Rubach Lighting design has traditionally been viewed as the poor relation of architecture. It has...

PRIVATE VIEW: Just a matter of time.(automobile industry and its outsourcing operatinons in Asia)
March 1, 2007... With more Asians studying design, here and abroad, creative services will no longer be immune from the threat of outsourcing, says Adrian Shaughnessy I was speaking to a whip-smart adman the other day - no, seriously, he was...

Inspired: Ivan Cottrell Design Week.(graphic design, a view)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... If I think back to my distant youth the strongest influence that inspired me to do design at all would be album covers. I'm talking 12- inch vinyl, of course. Yes, I'm one of those. Being a young, naive Cornish lad I had no idea it was...

LETTER: There's a lot to learn from the speed and emotions of fashion.(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... With regard to your Voxpop on London Fashion Week (DW 22 February): 'With more and more fashion labels launching products, should other design disciplines pay more than a fleeting attention to the fashion industry?' Fashion is one of the...

Voxpop: Branding culture.
March 1, 2007... 'Graphics has hit a watershed, not knowing which way to go from here. With all stylistic trends plundered, is there anywhere to go but backwards?' So asked Mike Dempsey while judging this year's Design Week Awards. Is he right, and where can...

LETTER: Design education should be more than vocational.(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... Oh dear, here we go again with this myth that the only reason people study, or should study, design is to be designers (DW 22 February). As Professor Sir Christopher Frayling points out (and why does no one listen to him?) there is no...

LETTER: It's time to raise profile of interiors at Royal College of Art.(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... I wholeheartedly support the claim for a more interiors-dedicated course at the Royal College of Art (DW 22 February). I graduated (or convocated as they like to call it) from the RCA in 1996. I was lucky enough to get a place in 1994 on the...

Profile: Tim Greenhalgh.(Tim Greenhalgh speaks)(Interview)
March 1, 2007... Fitch's global creative chief Tim Greenhalgh conforms to none of the usual designer stereotypes. As Trish Lorenz discovers, he is gregarious and unpretentious - and he loves public speaking and the art of selling Designers come in two...

PHOTOGRAPHY: Fool's wisdom.(Foto Follies: How Photography Lost Its Virginity on the Way to the Bank)(Book review)
March 1, 2007... Much respected as a 'photographer's photographer', Duane Michals mocks the art photography establishment in his new book. Is he just a joker in his twilight years, or does he have some serious points to make? asks Ed Barber Duane...

SIGNS: Curing the hospital.(wayfinding strategy in hospitals)
March 1, 2007... Finding your way around hospitals can be notoriously tricky. Pamela Buxton weighs up the merits of some mooted solutions - such as colour- coding and personalised navigation systems - and argues that the wayfinding strategy must be central to...

FURNISHINGS: Festival folio.(Royal Festival Hall)
March 1, 2007... Despite some criticisms about the exterior treatment, the refurbishment of the Royal Festival Hall is sparking renewed interest in the 1950s - a decade that many designers are now turning to for inspiration, says Hannah Booth The 1950s...

BUSINESS INSIGHT: Taking a risk to share rewards.(royalties of design industry)(L and Co.)
March 1, 2007... Royalty or equity deals are good ways to benefit from a client's success, but first you must do your homework and get advice from professionals, says Paul Barlow I am sure I am not alone, as a (graphic) designer, in envying the royalties...

Finishing school.(Alvar Aalto: Through the Eyes of Shigeru Ban )(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... By John Stones A show dedicated to the great Finnish Modernist Alvar Aalto, 'through the eyes of Shigeru Ban', might suggest the use of designers and architects as flavours, like so much cinnamon added to a Starbucks cappuccino. However,...

Coutts board losses prompt strategy review.(Coutts Retail Communications board director resigns)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Coutts Retail Communications is undertaking a strategic review of its business, following the exit of three of its board directors within the past fortnight. The departures include that of managing director Richard Saysell, operations...

Simon Gofton creates vinyl-DVD hybrid.(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Simon Gofton has created a vinyl-DVD hybrid for the release of Alarm Clock by The Rumble Strips. Record company Island claims the design of the reversible disc, which can be played at 33 RPM and comes in a 'classic' cardboard sleeve, is a...

Chaloner co-designs Dutch post offices.(David Chaloner and Postkantoor under design contract)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... The Netherlands post office, Postkantoor, is preparing to unveil a branch design concept created in collaboration with David Chaloner, former retail director at Conran & Partners. Scheduled to launch this May following tests with an initial...

Brody team set to uncork results of Dom Perignon brand repositioning.(Neville Brody)
March 8, 2007... Champagne brand Dom Perignon is set to reveal the fruits of a year-long strategic brand review and repositioning by Neville Brody's Research Studios. In 2004, Dom Perignon brought in Research Studios to assess its identity, briefing...

Major cosmetics push by top grocers benefits consultancies.
March 8, 2007... The supermarket giants aren't skimping on the make-up at the moment. Both Sainsbury's and Tesco have been busy working on their cosmetics ranges this month, keeping a host of design consultancies busy. R Design, Pemberton & Whitefoord...

Charity hands Hat Trick a marching order.(Hat Trick Design appoints Christian Aid)(Christian Aid )(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Christian Aid has appointed Hat Trick Design Consultants to devise a concept, identity and marketing communications materials for its July protest march against poverty and climate change. Hat Trick was selected from a raft of lead design...

Watershed Design creates WWF International annual review.(World Wildlife Fund)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Watershed Design has created the WWF International annual review for the third year running. The review features images of the programmes the charity runs, such as those relating to climate change, forests, freshwater, marine species and...

Tony Cragg to present his works at an exhibition.(Haunch of Venison)
March 8, 2007... British artist Tony Cragg will present his graphic and sculptural works at an exhibition at Haunch of Venison in Zurich. The exhibition, which will take place between 16 March and 21 April, will feature 50 graphics works ranging from...

FCO seeks team to design Shanghai Expo UK pavilion.
March 8, 2007... The organisers of a design competition for the UK pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo 2010 are hoping to drum up a 'tremendous response' from the industry, but say initial expressions of interest have been lacklustre. Overseen by the...

Moggridge to lead interaction design forum.(Bill Moggridge )(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Ideo co-founder Bill Moggridge is to head a forum on interaction design in products and services, as part of a series of multidisciplinary discussions about design and innovation. The Innovation Forum aims to bring together key figures...

Calcco designs new look for wine lable.(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Spanish design group Calcco has designed a new look for Gruppo Faustino's Portia wine label, which launches in the UK this month at Selfridges in London. The label is inspired by a frozen moon, as Portia is one of the moons circling Uranus....

Pilot designs interactive First Direct website.(Pilot Interactive)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... First Direct is to expand its interactive services throughout 2007. Leeds-based design group Pilot Interactive, which designed the bank's existing site, is in talks with the bank to extend its interactive features and content. Plans...

IN BRIEF: Hand Design launched.(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Hand Design, a Midlands-based retail consultancy, has been launched by Craig Marshall, formerly of the defunct consultancy Interpret. The new group will take on clients, such as BAA, Next, Marks & Spencer and British American Tobacco, which...

IN BRIEF: Rib Charter rebranded.(Idea markets Rib Charter Solutions)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Idea has rebranded boat rental company Rib Charter, which is now named Activ Power & Sail. The consultancy was tasked with creating a logo, stationery and brand positioning to highlight that Activ not only hires out boats, but also offers...

IN BRIEF: Visual identity created.(Switch Design Consultancy in contract National Federation of Demolition Contractors)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Switch Design Consultancy has developed a visual identity for the National Federation of Demolition Contractors, to be rolled out across all communications material, including the NFDC website, designed by Switch's new media division. ...

IN BRIEF: Noteworthy magazine unveiled.(alumni magazine of University of Bedfordshire)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... The University of Bedfordshire has unveiled its alumni magazine Noteworthy, designed by Axon. The publication is designed to resemble a book and will be distributed to more than 30 000 alumni. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

COMMENT: Design should take centre stage in the transport debate.(First Great Western)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... We spend a lot of time in design proving the value of our creative output to the client. It's the stuff of design effectiveness awards. This is to the good. But there are other areas where design has less tangible, but arguably more...

SomeOne brands jewellery start-up.(Scanlan and Sequino)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... London design consultancy SomeOne has created the launch branding for start-up jewellery business Scanlan & Sequino. The bespoke jewellery maker, which is being set up by founding partners Frances Sequino, Gian Paolo Scanlan and Virginia...

Design Council spins off Designing Demand initiative.(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... The Design Council is to spin off Designing Demand, its recently launched design for business programme, to become a separate standalone operation. Design Council head of partners and programmes Ceri Willmott has been named as Designing...

Developing store formats to meet Web 2.0 challenge.(retail trade using latest technologies)
March 8, 2007... By Gina Lovett The advent of Web 2.0, wireless broadband and developments within mobile technology are changing the traditional retail store format. This is the principal finding of a report published last month by trend forecasting group...

News in Pictures: Chris Turner to receive award.(Association of Photographers)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Photographer Chris Turner will receive an award from the Association of Photographers on 26 March for his Fashion and Beauty series entitled 'Diamonds are Forever'. Commissioned by Swedish magazine Plaza Watch, the series features luxury...

News in Pictures: Moet & Chandon rose champagne refresh.(marketing contracts with Daisy de Villeneuve)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Daisy de Villeneuve has given Moet & Chandon rose champagne a refresh. Using cartoon tulips, the artist and designer has created two gift-set boxes, one for the standard rose and one for the mini-size bottles. For the larger set, she has...

News in Pictures: A Tale of Two Cities.(Form designed album for Mr Hudson and The Library)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Form has designed and art directed the album A Tale of Two Cities from Mr Hudson & The Library, released on Mercury Records this week. The artwork is presented as a 'potted history of editorial and publishing design over the centuries', says...

News in Pictures: RH Form series of chairs.(services of Zenit Design Group)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... The Ambio series of chairs, from RH Form, will be launched at Design Prima, running from 15-17 May at Old Billingsgate in London. Developed in conjunction with Zenit Design Group, RH Form claims the products have better ventilation than...

News in Pictures: Fairtrade instant coffee.(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Fine Foods International is launching a Fairtrade instant coffee, with 'documentary-style' branding and packaging by Martin Dawe Brand Design. The range initially comprises instant granules and freeze dried 100g jars, featuring photographs...

News in Pictures: Tord Boontje book.(Rizzoli International Publications to publish Tord Boontje book)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... A book of illustrations, sketches and photographs by industrial and product designer Tord Boontje is to be published by Rizzoli International Publications in May, priced #45. The book is designed by Graphic Thought Facility, with text by...

ANALYSIS: It's all about bums on seats.(UK rail passengers overcrowd)
March 8, 2007... Train overcrowding has long been a problem, and it's getting worse. What can designers do to cheer the put-upon commuter? asks Sarah Woods It's a familiar scene. Morning rush hour, packed in like sardines, iPods blaring, a fellow...

PRIVATE VIEW: Clutter and debris.(promotional structures visual pollution )
March 8, 2007... Our streets are brimming with discarded design, like vast junkyards of ill-conceived schemes. Hugh Pearman rages against the visual anarchy out there Somebody designed all this stuff. A herd, an army, of people at drawing- boards and...

Inspired: Giles Brookes The Nest.(Lego Star Wars video game)(Product/service evaluation)
March 8, 2007... Like most children of the 1970s, Star Wars and Lego both had a significant influence on my young imagination and now, 30 years on, they have joined forces and returned to my life as a parent... and it's brilliant! Lego Star Wars has been...

LETTER: Interiors deserve a better deal from the Royal College of Art.(Letter to the editor)
March 8, 2007... Yet again, architecture - a profession with credible representation and influence - has, it appears, influenced the decision-makers at the world's best design college, the Royal College of Art (DW 22 February). It is not, then, surprising...

LETTER: Confusion of objectives is undermining design.(Letter to the editor)
March 8, 2007... Your comment on the need for wider recognition for awards such as the Inclusive Design Challenge (DW 8 February) is a timely observation on the lack of visibility the work of designers generally has in the 'real world'. Your comment...

LETTER: Unpaid pitches are bad for clients and consultancies alike.(Letter to the editor)
March 8, 2007... We took the decision, some time ago, not to engage in unpaid speculative work of any kind. This means that valuable resources are not diverted away from paying clients. We are sometimes asked, by a new, prospective client, whether we would...

Voxpop: Is RCA losing sight of importance of interior design?(Royal College of Art)
March 8, 2007... Following the recent reports of concern over the status of interiors on the Royal College of Art's MA Architecture course, do you think that the RCA is losing sight of the importance of interior design? At the RCA we think that interior...

Profile: Will Sweeney.(children book illustrator)(Biography)
March 8, 2007... Fantasy illustrator and part-time musician Will Sweeney - the man who is behind the Greenfuzz characters and the Alakazam T-shirts - tells Paula Carson he would love to experiment with film and draw children's books When illustrator...

PROTYPING: Digital touch.(rapid prototyping used by product designers)
March 8, 2007... Rapid prototyping is revolutionising product design, but not necessarily at the expense of traditional craft skills. Trish Lorenz talks to designers from different ends of the spectrum about their approach Rapid prototyping is becoming...

EXHIBITIONS: Rare commodities.(Surrealism exhibition at London's Victoria & Albert Museum)
March 8, 2007... The influence of Surrealism continues to outlive that of other 20th century movements, perhaps because its imagery has been embraced so unselfconsciously by the very elements it set out to criticise, says John Stones, previewing a new...

BUSINESS INSIGHT: Poacher or gamekeeper?(creative training for customer for better design service deals)
March 8, 2007... Old distinctions between client and creative sides are beginning to blur, and if this leads to better-quality work, all the better, says Simon Manchipp 'The work would be great if it wasn't for the client,' says a friend of mine. He...

Disney plush.(Cartoon chairs show at London)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... By Mark Delaney Brazilian design duo the Campana brothers have built their reputation upon their ability to transform everyday objects into individual pieces. Working with unexpected combinations of found materials, they create products...

IoD marketer poached by Start Creative.(Institute of Directors)(appointment of Jonathan Cummings at Start Creative )(Brief article)
March 15, 2007... The Institute of Directors marketing director Jonathan Cummings has quit to join the board of Start Creative next month. Cummings leaves after ten years. At the IoD he has been instrumental in promoting the benefits of design to UK...

Piero Lissoni unveils minimalist office system.(Knoll International Inc.)(Brief article)
March 15, 2007... Piero Lissoni last week unveiled a minimalist office system for Knoll called Wa. It was launched in London ahead of its appearance at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile next month. The architect and designer, who runs Lissoni Associati,...

BFI replaces NFT name in #5m relaunch.(British Film Institute)(National Film Theatre renamed as British Film Institute Southbank)(Brief article)
March 15, 2007... The National Film Theatre is relaunching today, following a #5m extension by its owner, the British Film Institute. In a contentious move, the venue will drop its NFT name and become known as BFI Southbank. Extending into space formerly...

Robilant Associati redraws Lancia identity ahead of UK brand relaunch.
March 15, 2007... Italian car group Lancia relaunches its visual identity this week to mark the company's centenary. The new-look badge has been drawn by Italian design consultancy Robilant Associati. Robilant Associati collaborated with the group's...

Bournemouth Oceanarium 'expefloats dive cage rience'.
March 15, 2007... What is claimed to be the world's first interactive 'dive cage' is set to open at the Oceanarium in Bournemouth later this month, showcasing the design work of audio-visual specialists Mice Amigo and digital consultancy Flaming Pear...

The Rising Stars of Manga exhibition.(Brief article)
March 15, 2007... The Rising Stars of Manga exhibition features artwork from the winning entries of a competition by Manga publisher Tokyopop. The competition aims to identify artists in the UK and Ireland who can express the essence of Manga with Western...

Defence contractor Paradigm hails Taxi Studio revamp.
March 15, 2007... The firm behind the Ministry of Defence's global military satellite system, Paradigm Secure Communications, is launching an overhauled brand identity created by Bristol consultancy Taxi Studio. Skynet 5A, the satellite that provides...