Design Week articles from October 2006

Design Week archives from October 2006

Dyson uses 'air knives' for fast hand dryer launch.(Dyson Ltd.)
October 5, 2006... Dyson is unveiling its first non-vacuum cleaner design in six years, with the global launch of an innovative high-speed hand dryer called the Dyson Airblade. Speaking to Design Week about the product, founder James Dyson also revealed his...

Mothercare gathers in-house teams together under one head.(Mothercare Ltd.)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Mothercare has made sweeping changes to its in-house design team, streamlining the department under a single head of design, Felicity Wade. Until now, Mothercare's in-house team has been run by two separate heads of design - Mark Hales,...

Pepsi brings Toma fruit drink to the UK.(Pepsi Americas)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Pepsi Americas is relaunching its Central European fruit juice product Toma, following a packaging overhaul by London consultancy SiebertHead. The Toma brand will receive limited distribution in the UK for the first time, as well as a...

STOP PRESS: Next denies building first design roster.(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Next has denied that it is reviewing its design consultancy relationships. A spokeswoman for the retailer says the group is not looking to build a roster, but confirms it is building a list of design groups for research purposes. A recent...

STOP PRESS: GLA appoints new director of urban design.(Greater London Authority)(appointment of Peter Bishop)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... The Greater London Authority's Design for London architecture and urbanism unit has appointed Peter Bishop, former Camden Council director of culture and environment, as its first director. He will take up the position in January. 'This is a...

STOP PRESS: Sony Ericsson to open first store.(Wolff Olins branding project for Sony Corporation)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Checkland Kindleysides is designing the interiors for Sony Ericsson's first dedicated UK store. It will open at the end of November on London's Kensington High Street. Wolff Olins has also completed a global brand analysis for Sony...

STOP PRESS: 35 Hosts dyslexia design discussions.(35 Communications)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... A design industry working group has been set up to explore the needs of dyslexia sufferers from a visual communications perspective. At the first meeting, held last week by 35 Communications, which is pioneering the discussions, Dyslexia...

Seymour Powell concepts for Virgin Galactic spaceships.(Seymour Powell Design Associates)
October 5, 2006... Seymour Powell has created the initial interior concepts for Richard Branson's space travel venture, Virgin Galactic, and created an animation of the passenger journey. The interior design is based on enhancing the zero gravity effect...

New identity for Ringtons.(branding designed by Davies Hall)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Davies Hall has designed a brand identity and packaging for the forthcoming shops by tea and coffee specialist Ringtons. The stores, designed by architect Gavin Monk, are the first retail venture by the family company, which was established in...

Spiekermann gives Birkhauser Swiss strip.(Erik Spiekermann designer and typographer)(Birkhauser Publishers)
October 5, 2006... Designer and typographer Erik Spiekermann has redesigned the identity for the Swiss architecture and science imprint Birkhauser Publishers. Launching at the Frankfurt Book Fair today, the revised visual identity will apply to all of the...

Microsoft to begin sales of Zune.(digital media player)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Microsoft is set to begin sales of its Zune digital media player in the US next month, in a bid to rival Apple Computer's iPod and iTunes products. The 30GB music and video player will cost $250 (#134), though a date and price for UK...

Fox's uses British icons to revitalise confectionery range.(Fox's Confectionery repackaging done by Vibrandt and Pure-Equator)
October 5, 2006... Fox's Confectionery is refreshing two of its flagship brands, XXX Mints and Paynes Poppets, with packaging designs by Pure-Equator and Vibrandt respectively, Design Week can reveal. Pure-Equator will redesign the packaging for XXX Mints,...

Era heads Internet mobile brand project.(Truphone)(Era product and interior consultancy)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Truphone, an innovative Internet telephone service for mobile users, is to launch with branding created by a collaborative group of designers. The project is being led by product and interiors consultancy Era, which was appointed after a...

The Information is released this week.(Big Active - creative agency)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Beck's album The Information is released this week, designed by Big Active, in a bid to rekindle interest in collectible album artwork. 'It has taken a year to complete,' says Big Active creative director Gerard Saint. 'Not to develop the...

Fitch to open new studio in India's Mumbai.(substantial contracts)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... WPP-owned Fitch will open its first office in India's Mumbai by the end of this year after winning a couple of 'substantial contracts' in the country, according to Fitch chief executive Rodney Fitch. Historically, the design work for...

IN BRIEF: Ella Doran wins award.(won the Laurent-Perrier Design Award 2006)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Ella Doran has won the Laurent-Perrier Design Award 2006 for her work with John Lewis on a range of stationery products. The award is open to participants of Eureka, a scheme that brings designers together with Design Nation retail members....

IN BRIEF: Udo's Choice design change.(premium health supplement range)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... N1 Creative has rejuvenated the branding and packaging for premium health supplement range Udo's Choice. It is the first time the brand has made a major design change in the UK. 442 Design has completed the interior design and store graphics...

IN BRIEF: Mitre sports catalogue.(product catalogue for sports brand Mitre)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Howdy has designed the 2007 product catalogue for sports brand Mitre, which focuses on its understanding of the 'amateur, grass-roots sportsman'. The memorial event planned in honour of Alan Fletcher is not likely to take place before next...

COMMENT: Craft skills and technical prowess are vital for design.
October 5, 2006... It is timely for the design industry to be debating the merits of craft skills through Design Week's pages at a time when Government-related agencies are addressing skills in the cultural sector generally. The discussion started by...

Design Leicestershire bids to lift local creative sector.(East Midlands Development Agency)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Design Leicestershire, an initiative to bolster the creative industries across the Leicestershire region, is seeking to secure #250 000 from the East Midlands Development Agency to invest in the region's design industry over the next three...

In-house team updates Littlewoods brands.(Littlewoods Shop Direct)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Littlewoods Shop Direct, the home shopping group, will relaunch its two key youth retail brands, Additions Direct and Abound, with a fresh brand identity, new-look catalogue and on-line offer, as part of a long- term strategy to overhaul the...

National roll-out for #20m business support scheme.
October 5, 2006... By Scott Billings Plans to boost UK business through the use of design and creativity will be kick-started by a #20m national programme for small- to medium- sized enterprises, unveiled by the Design Council last week. Designing Demand...

News in Pictures: Kaleidoscope-inspired identity.
October 5, 2006... Thomas Manss & Company has created a kaleidoscope-inspired visual identity for The Henry Lydiate Partnership, a business consultancy for the creative industries. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

News in Pictures: Alex MacLean's latest book.
October 5, 2006... Aerial photographer Alex MacLean's latest book, The Playbook, portrays America from the air. It is published by Thames & Hudson and designed by Luce Penot. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

News in Pictures: Hayes Davidson book.
October 5, 2006... Ico Design has created a book for architectural visualisation company Hayes Davidson, showcasing the group's most recent work in a way that is 'elevated above pure portfolio'. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

News in Pictures: Environmental Studies.
October 5, 2006... Environmental Studies is a photography show taking Brighton as its subject, featuring work by Adrian Talbot, a partner at Intro, and Peter Gates, a freelance designer. It is being held at HedSpace in Brighton from 6 to 29 October. Pictured is...

News in Pictures: Identity for Twentyfour:London.
October 5, 2006... And Advertising has designed the identity for club and bar Twentyfour:London, at 24 Kingly Street in London's Soho. The venue was formerly called Attica. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

News in Pictures: Report for Data.(Data report designed by Splendid )(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Splendid has designed a report for Data, the charity organisation set up by Bono and activists from the Jubilee Drop the Debt campaign to monitor the progress of promises made by the G8 nations, following last year's Live 8 event. ...

News in Pictures: Shisha publication.
October 5, 2006... Reform Creative has designed Beyond the Page: Contemporary Art from Pakistan, a 68-page hardback publication for Shisha, to accompany an exhibition running at Manchester Art Gallery until 15 January 2007. Copyright: Centaur Communications...

TRIBUTE: A sideways look at life.(Alan Fletcher)(In memoriam)
October 5, 2006... In the passing of Alan Fletcher, Britain lost one of its most inspiring designers. Mike Dempsey and others pay tribute to the brilliant mind I got to know Alan Fletcher rather late in my life. We were both members of the Faculty of Royal...

Inspired: Matt Baxter 300million.
October 5, 2006... I've just been flicking through some of our old copies of Design Week to find out what inspires previous contributors. As you might expect, it turns out we design types are very similar. We're sponges, soaking up everything and anything....

PRIVATE VIEW: Breaking free.(branding and graphic design)(Column)
October 5, 2006... Business loves branding - but by working within corporate constraints, design is in danger of losing its diversity and vision, says Adrian Shaughnessy At some point during the 1990s, every business, institution and corporate body...

Voxpop: London Design Festival comes to an end.
October 5, 2006... As the London Design Festival comes to an end, what has inspired you, and do you think it should stay the same or change its shape in the future? For me, 100% Design felt much the same as previous years. I didn't have any wow moments,...

LETTER: Design's pressing issue.(Letter to the editor)
October 5, 2006... I share Howard Milton's plea for a craft revival (DW 31 August), albeit from a slightly different perspective, namely that of a pre-press house. Along with the decline in designers' own craft skills, there has also been a decline in the...

LETTER: Tory scribble harks back to 1960s Swiss design.(Letter to the editor)
October 5, 2006... No doubt most people will have seen the Conservative Party's new symbol. Without discussing the merits of this new identity and whether it communicates the values the strategists are aiming for, I am amused that this scribble metaphor is...

LETTER: Grundy-Northedge partnership splits after 25 rich years.(Letter to the editor)
October 5, 2006... Next week sees the dissolution of a very special British design institution. After 25 years, Grundy and Northedge are going their separate ways. From the striking corporate literature for Shell to the beautifully detailed diagrams for...

LETTER: Greek design - thousands of years in the making.(Letter to the editor)
October 5, 2006... In response to Jim Davies' despair of poor design while on summer holiday (Private View, DW 21 September). Greek plumbing is designed with narrow diameter pipes to prevent fresh water wastage into septic tanks. Water is Greece's most...

Profile: Christin Donnier-Valentin.
October 5, 2006... Photography is an approach as much as an art form for Christine Donnier- Valentin. Trish Lorenz gets a snapshot of the French Anglophile's team ethics, her tranquil aesthetic and her infatuation with abandoned sofas Photographers spend so...

PACKAGING: Know logo.(packaging)
October 5, 2006... Heritage brands play with logo and packaging redesign at their peril. A light-handed approach can prolong and enhance iconic status but when, asks David Benady, is a more radical approach appropriate? Few brands can emulate Tate & Lyle's...

THE SUN: Bold print.
October 5, 2006... Love it or loathe it, The Sun's distinctive design and high-impact headlines have captured some of Britain's defining moments. John Stones reflects on some of the tabloid's most memorable front pages Mention you are a journalist, and,...

PHOTOGRAPHY: A century in camera.(photographic exhibitions)
October 5, 2006... European photography has often struggled to get the recognition it deserves. Ed Barber previews a Barbican exhibition that seeks to provide the first overview of this field, tempering familiar greats with some obscure unknowns Not so long...

BUSINESS INSIGHT: The benefits of going global.(Turquoise Dubai)
October 5, 2006... Setting up an overseas office can be a complex and stressful business, and not for everyone, but Sharon Wheeler says it's worth it As new entrants to the market make the UK design sector increasingly competitive, and pressure on client...

Crafty business.(reports of crafts fair)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... By Liz Farrelly It's been a hectic year for the Crafts Council, what with the closure of their renowned gallery in London's Pentonville Road, the departure of a truly innovative director, Louise Taylor, and the current overhauling of...

Morgans hotels sever old ties for big design overhaul.(Company overview)
October 12, 2006... Morgans Hotel Group, the boutique hotel venture founded by Ian Schrager, is poised to undertake a raft of design-led projects under the direction of newly appointed vice-president of design Mari Balestrazzi. Morgans Hotel Group will...

DBA warns of ongoing margins squeeze at design groups.(Design Business Association)(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Design consultancies are facing a continued squeeze on their margins as charge-out rates fail to keep up with inflation, according to the Design Business Association's annual member survey. The amount that consultancies charge clients...

Event to create Bristol Museum.(Museum of Bristol appointed Event Communications)(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... The Museum of Bristol, formerly the Bristol Industrial Museum, has appointed Event Communications to masterplan the exhibition design and branding of the redeveloped museum. A second-stage pitch will be held next March to appoint a design...

STOP PRESS: Age laws set to affect staff policies.(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Design consultancies are being advised to review business processes following the introduction of the Employment Equality Age Regulations legislation this month. The Design Business Association is warning that members should review all...

STOP PRESS: EU logo drawn from student pitch.(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... A controversial student-designed logo to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome will be revealed by the EU next week. The winner receives E6000 (#4000). Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

STOP PRESS: Sino-British design event in London.
October 12, 2006... A seminar to explore tie-ups between Britain and China's creative industries will take place next Tuesday at the Design Council in London. The one-day Creative Industries in China event features the founders of Chinese animation group...

STOP PRESS: Design Week Awards judging panel.
October 12, 2006... Science Museum design head Tim Molloy, new Pentagram partner Harry Pearce and Malcolm Garrett are among the judges for the 2007 Design Week Awards. They will be joined by Transport for London design head Innes Ferguson, Michael Johnson, Jeremy...

JP Creative stirs up Aikens brand with new ventures.(Tom Aikens restaurant)
October 12, 2006... Michelin-star chef Tom Aikens is launching his second restaurant, Tom's Kitchen, next month with a brand identity and interior design by JP Creative. The consultancy has also designed his first cookbook, Tom Aikens Cooking, which is...

Benchmarque seating.
October 12, 2006... Gavin Thomson Design has created a seating product called Benchmarque, which has been pioneered using a new laser-cutting process that enables one-off designs to be cut into metal. GTD founder Gavin Thomson says he not only hopes to exploit...

Studio MB revamps Our Dynamic Earth.
October 12, 2006... Edinburgh-based visitor centre Our Dynamic Earth has appointed Studio MB to undertake a #200 000 redesign of its Polar Gallery to bring it more in line with current environmental thinking. Studio MB was appointed to the project following...

Ecologic Driving.
October 12, 2006... Ecologic Driving is the latest design from Paris illustrator Miss Bean (Marie Levesque) for the web store www.splittheatom.com. Designs submitted to the site are rated by visitors and the most popular are made into T-shirts. According to...

AIG's Legible London scheme takes a step ahead.(Applied Information Group)
October 12, 2006... Ambitious plans to improve the walking experience throughout central London will enter public consultation this week, following a two-year study by Applied Information Group. There will then be a tender to appoint a consultancy for the...

New Arsenal museum from Mather & Co.(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Arsenal is opening a museum at its Emirates Stadium complex next week, designed by Mather & Co with graphics by 1977 Design Creative. It will tell the story of the renowned London football club. Mather & Co was appointed to the project a...

Fitch gives fast-fit depots a make-over.(Goodyear Dunlop)(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Fitch has rebranded Goodyear Dunlop's fast-fit retail division, Hi-Q, with an overhauled brand identity and interior store concept, following a strategic review of the business. The move comes as Goodyear Dunlop seeks to roll out...

Form has designs Global Warning.(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Form has designed Global Warning, a 320-page publication written by former Guardian environment correspondent Paul Brown for Dakini Books. The title will be used as a vehicle to inform businesses, politicians and the public of the environmental...

IN BREIF: Relaunch of website.(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Waterstone's has relaunched its website www.waterstones.co.uk, created by Manchester digital consultancy Code. More than two million titles will be available on-line. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BREIF: Butcher & Gundersen design.(health and safety training )(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Butcher & Gundersen has designed a series of business-to-business brochures for St John Ambulance to help market first aid and health and safety training to businesses across the UK. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BREIF: DogStar design.(DogStar has designed the literature and website for Black History Month)(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... DogStar has designed the literature and website for Black History Month, which is taking place in the London boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham throughout October. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BREIF: Corporate identity for architect.(Feilden & Mawson celebrates its 50th year )(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Corporate Edge has redesigned the corporate identity for architect Feilden & Mawson, which celebrates its 50th year this year. The group has offices in London, Norwich, Prague and Cambridge. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

IN BREIF: Corporate identity for property developer.(Stanhope)(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Figtree has redesigned the corporate identity for property developer Stanhope, introducing the strapline 'Behind great developments' and creating stationery and the website www.stanhopeplc.com. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

IN BREIF: Corporate identity.(name changes of The Association of Investment Trust Companies)(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Spencer du Bois has designed the corporate identity for the Association of Investment Companies as it changes its name from The Association of Investment Trust Companies. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

COMMENT: The big consultancies are beautiful in the Benchmarks.
October 12, 2006... The debate about whether greater design creativity resides within independent groups than in 'owned' consultancies entered a new phase this week with big branding groups taking top honours in the Benchmarks for outstanding work across various...

CSD to launch diploma for design business management.(Chartered Society of Designers launched a Diploma in Design Business Management )(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... The Chartered Society of Designers is to launch a Diploma in Design Business Management through its Design Association arm to help increase the range of business-related services it offers. As part of a drive to offer designers and...

Ico wins interactive installations for Life.(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... The Centre for Life in Newcastle has appointed Ico to develop six interactive installations for its forthcoming biomedical science exhibition Human Life. A shortlist is also being compiled for a second multimedia design appointment for the...

Wolff Olins picks up Best of Show Benchmark award.(Design Week Benchmarks)
October 12, 2006... By Scott Billings Major network branding consultancies have emerged triumphant in this year's Design Week Benchmarks as some of the strongest performers in cross-platform brand communication. Omnicom-owned Wolff Olins took the Best of...

News in Pictures: Immprint.(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Immprint has designed a series of type-based posters for American artist Jessica Voorsanger, under the heading Jessica Voorsanger's Hull Heroes. The posters will form part of an exhibition in Hull this month. The event is organised by Hull...

News in Pictures: Third Eye Design.
October 12, 2006... Third Eye Design has created the identity, packaging, teaser campaigns and a book for the launch of a collection for fashion label Begg Scotland, created by Italian artist Davide Pizzigoni. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

News in Pictures: Kinersley Kent Design.(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Kinnersley Kent Design is working with House of Fraser to create a retail concept for Roja Dove Parfumerie, a specialist area within the department store's fragrance halls. The concept is inspired by Art Deco interiors and opens in Manchester,...

News in Pictures: Red Design.
October 12, 2006... Red Design has created the sleeve for On A Holiday, the debut single from Alterkicks, released through B-Unique/Fiction on 12 October. The cover features a Pop Art collage by Liverpool artist Ellie Overs, who describes the image as an...

News in Pictures: Creative Leap.
October 12, 2006... Creative Leap has designed gift pack packaging for Chivas Regal whisky. The Pernod Ricard-owned brand is hoping to compete more effectively with its main rival, Diageo's Johnnie Walker Black Label. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd....

News in Pictures: Kiss FM.(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Kiss FM this week launches a dance music album series, with packaging designed by Scott Parker, former Ministry of Sound and Amp Associates creative director. Parker commissioned photography from London-based French duo Absynth Photo and...

News in Pictures: Touchstone Books.
October 12, 2006... Touchstone Books' joint creative directors Paul Turner and Sue Pressley have completed the design of In the Company of Dali, by Bob Whitaker, which is due to be published next month. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

NEWS ANALYSIS: Battle of the handset brands.(Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB)(Nokia Corp.)
October 12, 2006... In an attempt to stand out, Sony Ericsson and Nokia are gearing up to open UK flagship stores that offer media-rich experiences, says Sarah Balmond Bringing in Checkland Kindleysides to design its first UK flagship store on London's...

Inspired: Oleg Beriev Midlberry Moscow.(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... I came to the most creative business from the most creative science - mathematics. Unfortunately, I am not imaginative enough to be good at maths, though my other skills and characteristics are handy for success in the design business. ...

PRIVATE VIEW: Packing it in.(food packaging trends)(Viewpoint essay)
October 12, 2006... Some food packaging is so iconic that it deserves to be in a museum. Hugh Pearman pays due respect to the oldest and most enduring domestic brands Once upon a time I bought a rather nice glass cabinet, Minimalist mode, with cute,...

Voxpop: Virgin Galactic design.
October 12, 2006... In the same week that Richard Branson called for Greener air-flight fuels, Seymour Powell revealed its interior designs for Branson's space rocket, Virgin Galactic. Is such an extravagant brand a step too far? Whatever one's earthly...

LETTER: Alan made me feel special again as a young designer.(Letter to the editor)
October 12, 2006... I still remember landing my first job at Pentagram fresh out of art school. As a designer, it was the ultimate place to be and Alan Fletcher was the godfather. I was assigned to a senior designer who wasn't that talented and, as a result,...

LETTER: Alan will be sorely missed at University of the Arts.(Letter to the editor)
October 12, 2006... It was with great sadness that I learnt of the death of a towering figure in the world of design and a great friend of University of the Arts London, Alan Fletcher. Alan's association with the university began in the 1950s when he studied...

LETTER: We'll raise a glass to Alan - and won't forget his example.(Letter to the editor)
October 12, 2006... I am so sorry and saddened to hear of the loss of Alan Fletcher. I am sure I will echo the thoughts of the many designers and staff who were fortunate to have worked at Pentagram and experienced the phenomenon that was Alan. His legacy of...

LETTER: Alan's bestowal was a characteristic wonder of timing.(Letter to the editor)
October 12, 2006... Alan Fletcher was my friend from the moment he first taught me in 1972. Like Bob Gill, he carried a phenomenal depth of humanity beneath his gruff exterior of Bleu de Travail and Masonic handshakes. Those of us fortunate enough to have...

Profile: Frau Jenson.(type designer Ute Harder)(Narrative biography)
October 12, 2006... Frau Jenson refuses to be rushed, taking up to a year on her unconventional font designs, which draw inspiration from Germany's rich typographic history. Wiebke Lang meets up with her to find out more In Gutenberg's time, the French...