Design Week articles from March 2008

Design Week archives from March 2008

Liberty plans Knightsbridge flagship for accessories brand.
March 6, 2008... Liberty is set to launch its first flagship store for the Liberty of London luxury accessories brand. Sited at 197 Sloane Street, SW1, the store is being designed by Liberty of London creative director Tamara Salman and Paris-based...

Sainsbury's set to boost non-food in-house design capability.
March 6, 2008... Sainsbury's is to appoint dozens of product, branding and packaging designers to expand its non-food range. In all, about 150 new staff - buyers, technologists, merchandisers and planners, as well as designers - will be installed at...

Terence Woodgate collaboring with John Barnard.(Brief article)
March 6, 2008... Furniture designer Terence Woodgate is collaborating with Formula One car designer John Barnard on a limited-edition table. The Surface Table, which is 2.6m-long and comes in two different finishes, is currently in production, and will launch...

Apple sweeps the board at DW Awards.
March 6, 2008... Apple's iPhone has scooped the Design Week Awards Best of Show 2008. The product received top honour for Best Consumer Product Design, which Apple has now won three times. The iPhone also won the Digital Design - Information category....

Camden's Proud Galleries reopens after #750k revamp.
March 6, 2008... The Proud Galleries, based in Camden Town's Stables Market in north London, is poised to reopen next month, following a redesign by Russell Sage Studios and Proud creative director and Sunday Times style columnist Danielle Proud. The...

Lothar Bohm plans to expand in UK by establishing London base.
March 6, 2008... German branding and packaging consultancy Lothar Bohm plans to double the size of its British operation by the end of the year, after opening its first UK office in London's Soho last week. The group has just opened its doors in Denman...

Andree Putman and Jaime Hayon collaborate.(Brief article)
March 6, 2008... Designers Andree Putman and Jaime Hayon are collaborating with Italian glass mosaic brand Bisazza to create two furniture and accessories installations at Superstudio Pio, at the Milan furniture fair in April. They have worked with the...

Dave McKean crafts images for book.
March 6, 2008... Kent-based illustrator Dave McKean has crafted the images for The Savage, author David Almond's latest book, which is part children's story, part graphic novel. Published by Walker Books, it is due for release on 7 April. McKean's distinctive...

Ben Kelly headlines show celebrating 'Hacienda orange'.
March 6, 2008... International Orange, an exhibition of work by Ben Kelly and collaborators, opens today at Kingston University's Stanley Picker Gallery. It is inspired by the shade of orange used by the designer for the interior of the Hacienda nightclub in...

Buzzcocks film takes Garrett back to the 70s.(Movie review)(Brief article)
March 6, 2008... Graphic designer Malcolm Garrett is to revisit his 1970s musical roots, collaborating on Sam Taylor-Wood's forthcoming short film Love You More. Produced by Mirage Enterprises and Film Four, the film, yet to be given a release date, is...

Smith & Milton fills top creative post.
March 6, 2008... Smith & Milton has appointed Steven Anderson to the role of creative director, a post previously held by consultancy founder Howard Milton. Milton has held the role of chairman since January and is now looking to build the team. He...

Images by Adam Broomberg.
March 6, 2008... Fig, published by Steidl, features more than 80 images by photographers Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin. Designed by Victoria Forrest and Allon Kaye at Smith Design, the book features pictures of strange objects found at the Booth Museum...

COMMENT: Apple should aim to lead on achieving sustainability too.
March 6, 2008... The iPhone looks set to break all records for the sheer creativity behind the design. The award of Best of Show in the Design Week Awards this week - and its category wins for both product and interaction design - undoubtedly heralds a stream...

London Fire bodies sound alarm for brand consistency.(Brief article)
March 6, 2008... London Fire Brigade is launching a new identity by Hertfordshire design group The Creative Consultancy, which will be applied across the capital in coming months. The aim of the identity, says the consultancy's creative director Teresa...

Creative Exchange event set to push China-UK design link-ups.(Brief article)(Conference notes)
March 6, 2008... The Creative Exchange with China conference, a meeting point for creative industry companies from China and Britain, including design consultancies, takes place on Thursday 13 March. Key speakers on the day include Sir Michael Bichard,...

Cosmeceuticals adopt 'clinical' look for premium status.
March 6, 2008... 'Sexy, plump lips without injections', enthuses PureLogical's Lip Plumper blurb, summing up the excitement the skincare industry's expanding 'cosmeceuticals' niche wants to provoke in consumers. Two reports published by Datamonitor last...

NEWS IN PICTURES: Range of tiles.
March 6, 2008... Textile and wall coverings designer Annette Taylor-Anderson has created a range for Criterion Tiles using her signature urban, industrial style. The tiles will appear in stores later this month. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

NEWS IN PICTURES: Website for Julian Harrap.(Website overview)
March 6, 2008... Digital consultancy ID Media has created the first website for Julian Harrap, the architect currently working on the restoration of the Monument, in the City of London. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

NEWS IN PICTURES: New identity for Newcastle underground.
March 6, 2008... Gardiner Richardson is designing a new identity for Newcastle's underground system, the Tyne and Wear Metro. Illustrator Ian Bilbey has created Metro Ken for a marketing campaign advertising improvements to the network. Copyright:...

NEWS IN PICTURES: Nokia and University of Camabridge team up.
March 6, 2008... Nokia and the University of Cambridge have teamed up to create the Morph, a nanotechnology concept. The device lets users transform mobiles into radically different shapes, and will be on show at New York's Museum of Modern Art. ...

ANALYSIS: Airport growth gets the look.
March 6, 2008... As the UK's regional airports begin an era of unprecedented expansion, Gina Lovett examines the changing ways they brand themselves At a time when the debate about the expansion of Heathrow has thrust one of the world's busiest airports...

PRIVATE VIEW: A load of hot air.
March 6, 2008... You've got to hand it to Dyson. It claims it's on to something clever with the Airblade, and the same can be said for its marketing, says David Bernstein Hands up anybody who's been to the loo at London's Victoria Station lately....

INSPIRED: Aled Phillips.(Brief article)(Column)
March 6, 2008... Aled Phillips Departures In this age of megapixels, Raw files and digital photo frames, nothing beats a 35mm slide. I guess it may be a generation thing, but I loved getting together as a family for a slideshow. I remember spending...

PROFILE: David Hoe.
March 6, 2008... Maths graduate David Hoe is a self-taught interactive designer who specialises in on-line 'toys'. Clare Dowdy talks to the freelance creative with a 'can-do' attitude who enjoys giving something back to his Web-based community It's all...

TABLEWARE: Dinner designs.
March 6, 2008... Martino Gamper loves eating. He also loves design. Combine the two and you have Total Trattoria, his dining installation-cum-kitchen party that features everything from knives and forks to food and friends. Trish Lorenz tucks in Planning...

SIGNAGE: Crowd control.
March 6, 2008... Most museums have trouble coping with the crowds generated by blockbuster exhibitions. John Stones road tests three current shows and concludes that the signage could be much improved Picture the scene: you're in a crowd, being jostled...

CHINESE GRAPHICS: China rising.
March 6, 2008... After decades of inward-looking central planning, China is joining the international community. On the eve of a major exhibition at the V&A, how are the country's graphic designers responding to the sweeping changes of reform? asks Zhang...

BUSINESS INSIGHT: Staying one step ahead.(Column)
March 6, 2008... The business world is rapidly evolving, so designers need to think in new ways if they want to make a difference, says Jim Northover Venturing into design, or even starting a design business, is something on the minds of several hundred...

Ars longa, illustrata brevis.(Brief article)(Book review)
March 6, 2008... By Fiona Sibley This is a handy volume for designers and art directors, joining Taschen's many beautifully presented and affordable reference tomes, showcasing 150 illustrators from across the globe. With contributions from Seymour...

Bonadio-led review at Identica results in senior-level departures.
March 13, 2008... A root and branch review at Identica by chief executive Franco Bonadio has resulted in a major reshuffle that has seen, and will see, the departure of a number of senior-level employees. Creative director Chris Riley, who has been with...

Meadowlands plan sparks major projects.
March 13, 2008... US architect and interior design specialist Rockwell Group is to embark on a major branding, wayfinding and signage project for what is being hailed as the largest entertainment and retail space in the US. The $2.2bn (#1.1bn) Meadowlands...

New identity for Tottenham.(Lloyd Northover)(Brief article)
March 13, 2008... Tottenham, in north-east London, is rolling out a new identity by Lloyd Northover. It was commissioned by the Tottenham Partnership, a business and public sector consortium that is trying to drive business in the area. The logo features...

McConnell loses Co-op Bank brief.
March 13, 2008... The Co-operative Bank is to install new-look interiors and facias at its retail branches without the help of its long-standing design consultant. The bank, which operates 100 outlets, is rolling out new branding by former Pentagram...

Science Museum unveils climate change exhibition.
March 13, 2008... London's Science Museum is set to unveil a major new exhibition about climate change called The Science of Survival. Design consultancy Ico is responsible for developing the brand, exhibition graphics and marketing collateral, and for four...

Branding briefs set to follow relaunch of Gizmondo console.
March 13, 2008... Plans for the relaunch of the defunct hand-held games console Gizmondo later this year have been uncovered by Design Week. Gizmondo/Blowfish Works chief executive Carl Freer reveals branding and marketing groups will soon be sought to...

Rollasole ballet pumps.
March 13, 2008... Rollasole is the name of a new range of rolled-up ballet pumps designed to relieve stiletto-jaded feet, and sold via vending machines. Magpie Studio has created the identity, packaging and stationery for the brand, which launches next month....

Celebrating Northern Ireland stamp sheet.
March 13, 2008... Royal Mail has released Celebrating Northern Ireland, a miniature stamp sheet marking St Patrick's Day. The stamps have been crafted by Silk Pearce and feature photographs of Carrickfergus Castle and the Giant's Causeway, and an illustration...

Five make the grade on to Northwest RDA design panel.
March 13, 2008... Five groups have been appointed to the Northwest Regional Development Agency's latest design panel. Manchester consultancies Glorious Creative, Mark Studio, Vivid and Hemisphere, as well as Liverpool group Kaleidoscope ADM have been...

Airside devises visuals for new BBC One film.(British Broadcasting Corporation)(Brief article)
March 13, 2008... Airside is designing the opening and closing visuals for BBC One drama The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, directed by Anthony Minghella. The show, about Botswana's only female private detective, will be previewed on 18 March along with...

All of Us creates interactive suite for Land Securities.
March 13, 2008... Property investment company Land Securities is launching an interactive marketing suite format by All of Us, to help sell space in its office buildings. 'The aim is to create a fully immersive experience that combines all the...

The Victoria & Albert catalogue of paintings.
March 13, 2008... The Victoria & Albert Museum's collection of more than 2500 paintings, including works by John Constable and Joseph Turner, is presented for the first time in a catalogue, designed by Sally Jeffery and published by The Public Catalogue...

IN BRIEF: Design Show Liverpool.(Brief article)
March 13, 2008... People Will Always Need Plates has designed a range of plates and mugs featuring graphic renderings of famous Liverpool buildings, commissioned by organisers of the first Design Show Liverpool. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

COMMENT: Frayling's legacy at the RCA will prove hard act to follow.(Christopher Frayling will be retired next year)
March 13, 2008... While it has been proved time and again that no one is indispensible, Professor Sir Christopher Frayling's departure from the Royal College of Art in the summer next year will make a huge dent in the college line-up (see...

Clare Brass returns with sustainability social venture.
March 13, 2008... The Design Council's sustainability project leader, axed from the organisation last year, has re-emerged with her own venture, a sustainability social enterprise called Seed. Clare Brass, who held the post of sustainability project leader...

British Council picks critic to curate British pavilion at Venice.(Ellis Woodman)(Brief article)
March 13, 2008... The Daily Telegraph's architecture critic, Ellis Woodman, has been appointed by the British Council to curate the British pavilion at the 11th Venice Architecture Biennale, which takes place this year. Woodman's exhibition will examine...

Fintellect finds digital profits rise, but sector is patchy.(Financial report)
March 13, 2008... Digital sector profits are up by 56 per cent, according to the latest New Media Agencies Financial Intelligence survey by Fintellect. Though the news will be welcomed, the survey reveals that there are still challenges ahead as the sector...

NEWS IN PICTURES: Sexy earplugs.
March 13, 2008... A competition run by RNID to make earplugs sexy has been won by De Montfort University design student Chi Shing Lo, with a credit card- style design called Earcard. The competition was judged by Ideo, Tangerine and Alloy, among others. ...

NEWS IN PICTURES: Lonley Buoy artwork.
March 13, 2008... Red Design has created the artwork for Joe Lean & The Jing Jang Jong's forthcoming single Lonely Buoy, to be released on Vertigo Records on 10 March. The design references 20th century Surrealist photographers. Copyright: Centaur...

NEWS IN PICTURES: First of four picture books.
March 13, 2008... Graphic consultancy Fivebargate has created the first in a series of four picture books aimed at both adults and children with work by Jim Davies. Outfoxed, pictured, will be available at Paul Smith stores and from www.fivebargate.co.uk. ...

NEWS IN PICTURES: Monogrammed mobile phones.
March 13, 2008... Vertu is launching a collection of monogrammed mobile phones on 1 April. The special-edition handsets have been designed by Vertu principal designer Frank Nuovo. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

NEWS IN PICTURES: London showroom has been expanded.
March 13, 2008... B&B Italia's Brompton Road showroom, London SW3, has been expanded to include Stephen Woodhams' Italian garden installation, which showcases B&B Italia's first outdoor collection, Canasta, designed by Patricia Urquiola and Swell Seating and...

NEWS IN PICTURES: Brochure for Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation.
March 13, 2008... Consultancy Form has crafted a brochure in collaboration with the Helen Story Foundation and Creative Partnerships for the Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation, which documents the research and findings of its Energy Project. The study aims...

NEWS IN PICTURES: Hand washes and shower gells.
March 13, 2008... King of Shaves head of design Simon Watson has overseen the design of a range of ethical and eco-friendly hand washes and shower gels called Patently Obvious. The packaging is made from 100 per cent post-consumer recycled plastic by M&H...

ANALYSIS: Taking the customer for a ride?
March 13, 2008... It has been the subject of much debate, and the focus of several recent shows, but what does 'design art' really mean? asks Emma Germain Bags that look like saddles, Persian tables with holes in the top and vacuum cleaner chairs might...

PRIVATE VIEW: All part of the process.(Viewpoint essay)
March 13, 2008... Persuading clients to value Greenness is something designers should build into their everyday practice, just as they do creativity, says Adrian Shaughnessy Graphic designers may not rank alongside oil companies or mining conglomerates as...

INSPIRED: Mark Wickens.(Brief article)
March 13, 2008... Mark Wickens, Brandhouse As designers, we quickly develop a shorthand language, shared by many, exclusive to none. We've all referenced the same iconic work, flicked through the same books and been to the same shows. We've questioned if...

LETTER: Designers have a big responsibility on obesity.(Letter to the editor)
March 13, 2008... I was very interested to read Emma Atkinson's letter (DW 28 February) regarding design's role in tackling obesity. Ironic that it was next to a letter from Clive Grinyer about the danger of the word 'design' being misunderstood among the...

VOXPOP: Apprenticeships.
March 13, 2008... The Government is looking to make apprenticeships a key initiative across the creative industries. In your opinion, should apprenticeship placements for school children be a feature within design consultancies so that practical skills can be...

LETTER: Abbreviated research will confuse everyone.(Letter to the editor)
March 13, 2008... I was taken aback to read the piece on the London Contemporary Orchestra's new identity (DW 28 February) and its intention to use 'LCO'. In the article Muireann Sheahan stated that she didn't feel that there would be any confusion between the...

LETTER: Chuffed with credit, but more is needed where it is due.(Letter to the editor)
March 13, 2008... I was pleased to see that Land Securities is named in this year's Hot 50 (DW 21 February). And while it's great to see that I was credited as the architect of the roster and the scale and breadth of the design work commissioned, I have to...

PROFILE: Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer.
March 13, 2008... They were up for an Oscar after their work on Atonement, but set designers Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer are far too busy to bask in the limelight. They talk to Nick Smurthwaite about their next projects Los Angeles was recently gripped...

INTERIORS: Dental pampering.
March 13, 2008... How about glass candelabras and scented candles at the dentist, along with blond wood floors, flat-screen TVs and piped music? Trish Lorenz looks at how clinics are using spa tactics to pull in the punters If you hate going to the...

TYPE: Global forming.
March 13, 2008... Creating non-Latin alphabets poses specific challenges for designers, says Simon Loxley, but the growth of international markets means that an increasing number are taking on Mandarin, Cyrillic, Arabic and Hindi typographies IF YOU...

MUSIC GRAPHICS: Changing tunes.
March 13, 2008... The music industry is set for massive upheaval, with digital distribution destabilising long-held business models. How will this affect the designers who create the all-important visual imagery? asks Adrian Shaughnessy THOSE OF YOU who've...

RETAIL: Make a stand.
March 13, 2008... There's more to merchandise systems than meets the eye, as Callum Lumsden discovers at top retail trade fair Euroshop in Dusseldorf, Germany. Here he outlines his top picks of the display ranges on show at this year's exhibition EUROSHOP...

BUSINESS INSIGHT: The art of staying afloat.
March 13, 2008... Worried about an economic downturn? Irene Maguire offers advice on how to develop a consultancy so that it stays strong during tougher times Having launched during the grip of the early 1990s recession, Caulder Moore is perhaps less...

Figures of expression.(Brief article)
March 13, 2008... By Oliver Bennett These ghostly graphic human forms constitute part of a just-opened exhibition at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Made by collaborative art trio Brass Art, they can be variously seen in installation, video and drawing formats at...

Navyblue axes London design team as it ventures overseas.
March 20, 2008... Anglo-Scottish branding group Navyblue looks set to disband its London design team as part of a reconfiguration of the consultancy. It is gearing its business to enter overseas markets, particularly Eastern Europe. Navyblue confirms it...

Conran anxious to resolve Havas dispute.
March 20, 2008... Terence Conran says he is prepared to meet Havas chairman Vincent Bollore to resolve a long-standing dispute over the use of the Conran name which erupted in the press at the weekend. Conran Holdings publicly attacked Havas's plans to roll...

Karim Rashid unveils his latest work.(Brief article)
March 20, 2008... New York-based interior and furniture designer Karim Rashid has unveiled his latest work, the 'endless Nile table'. Rashid, who is half- Egyptian and half-British, produced the piece for a consortium of Egyptian interior designers called the...

Behar Green laptop wins inaugural gong.
March 20, 2008... Industrial designer Yves Behar has won best of show in the Design Museum's inaugural Brit Insurance Designs of the Year. The designer scooped the top accolade at a ceremony in London last night, from a shortlist of 100. His winning project,...

Design Futures event to showcase Welsh potential.
March 20, 2008... The flagship event of the Welsh design industry - Design Futures - takes place tonight, with the announcement of the winners of the third Ffres student design awards, backed by a host of industry pundits. Among these are Welsh deputy first...

Green kitchen concept.
March 20, 2008... Whirlpool Europe has unveiled its Green kitchen concept, based on sustainable principles. Devised by head of global consumer design at Whirlpool Alessandro Finetto and an in-house team, it features high- efficiency appliances, and a...

Virgin Atlantic Airways may take plane interiors work in-house.
March 20, 2008... Virgin Atlantic Airways is considering how to manage the interior design pitch for its new fleet of Boeing 787 aircraft. The airline worked with Softroom and Pearson Lloyd on the interiors and seats for its current fleet, but claims that...

The Palm Springs Art Museum.
March 20, 2008... The Palm Springs Art Museum in California, in conjunction with Rizzoli New York, will next month publish its companion book to the Julius Shulman: Palm Springs photography exhibition. Designed by Zand Gee and written by Michael Stern and...

DIUS minister supports role of design in the public sector.
March 20, 2008... Minister for Innovation Ian Pearson is pledging his support for the design industry, following the release of the Department for Innovation, Universities & Skills' White Paper, Innovation Nation. Published last week with the Budget, the...

Heatherwick cladding system ripe for development.
March 20, 2008... A prefabricated stainless steel cladding system being used by Heatherwick Studio at Aberystwyth Arts Centre could be developed into a specifiable product. HS project manager Tom Chapman-Andrews says that the methods used to develop the...

Two share top DBA Inclusive Design Challenge honours.
March 20, 2008... Two groups are celebrating after the conclusion of the 2008 Design Business Association Inclusive Design Challenge. Winners Judge Gill and communications group Adare were named last night at a ceremony at the Royal College of Art. Entrants...

Village Green limited edition.
March 20, 2008... Web design consultancy Village Green has created a limited edition, multi-room set-top box for MTV and Sky, the first time broadcasters have commissioned a branded design for this type of box. It features an image of a human X-ray, with the MTV...

IN BRIEF: Erin overhauls sauces and gravies range.(Brief article)
March 20, 2008... Batchelors-owned Irish soup and casserole brand Erin has overhauled its sauces and gravies range, with the help of Irish consultancy Mesh Design Consultants. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Canadean overhaul corporate identity.(Brief article)
March 20, 2008... Global beverage market research group Canadean has overhauled its corporate identity for the first time since its launch in 1973, in conjunction with Bloom Design. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Language Farm revamps two of its products.(Brief article)
March 20, 2008... Dairy producer Language Farm has revamped two of its products - Devonshire Clotted Cream and Devonshire Creme Fraiche - with designs by Devon consultancy Biz-r. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

COMMENT: When the going gets tough, the tough look further afield.
March 20, 2008... The strength of its reputation overseas might decide the fortunes of many a design group if, as we are told, we are heading for straitened times. With financial services and retail already hit in the UK by the so- called 'world financial...

V&A launches exhibition on UK's 'first interior designer'.
March 20, 2008... The Victoria & Albert Museum launches an exhibition this week showing the collections of the 'UK's first interior designer', Thomas Hope, who established the Regency style in England. Taking place in the Temporary Exhibition Hall, Thomas...