The Gift of Design

Inspiration can be found throughout all walks of life. You may happen upon it walking through a local park, visiting a museum, or on your drive home from work. Every day our team is truly INSPIRED by the clients we have the pleasure of working for, the colleagues we enjoy teaming with, and the projects we love working on.

We would like to share with you a selection of fun facts, articles, and images that our team has collected this year. Hopefully, there will be a few magical pieces of information that spark inspiration in your hearts and minds this holiday season and in the new year to come. Enjoy!

Can You Imagine 20 Rooms in Just One Studio Apartment ?

"Urban dwellers worldwide dream of someday trading a studio flat for a spacious house. Hong Kong designer Gary Chang, however, has fashioned his 32-square-meter (350 square feet) apartment into a space that can transform into 20 separate rooms!" To read the original article, see photos, and videos visit CNN.com !

The Quest for Defining and Designing for Basic Human Needs

" Each Monday and Wednesday morning at 8:30 a.m., a small group of college seniors and graduate students from Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Design meet to discuss and question how design can be used to improve people's lives. The course is “Social Impact by Design,” taught by Professor Bruce Hanington. Design for social impact, although currently very much in vogue, is a nebulous area. During the course, we’ve had many discussions about definitions, especially the definitions of “design for social impact” and “humanitarian design.” Although these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, I believe they are not the same. Defining the difference, however, is not easy. The words are an attempt to describe movements in design that are organic and in a constant state of change." Dive into this intellectual deliberation on the impact of design and the definition of human needs via  Imprint-The Online Community for Graphic Designers.

Down to the Fibers of Design....Literally! 



Courtesy Fast Company.com

One of our more detail oriented designers came across this interesting interview on a most highly detailed topic - scaling all the way down to the fibers of design!  Cayewah Easely, chair of the fiber department at SCAD, Savanna College of Art and Design, states,  "The thing is, textiles are so ubiquitous, we don't even notice them. Clothes, curtains, carpet, couches, chairs, carseats, trivets, potholders, bedclothes, blankets, rugs, toys, shoes, even lampshades and light fixtures. That's all fibers and surface design. The only time we're not in direct contact with fibers is when we're in the shower." Read more courtesy of author Paula Wallace and FastCompany.com.

P.E. Guerin | Courtesy of "The Anthrophologist"

"These are fast times. We've come to value the immediate over the meticulous, the easy over the purposeful. Until we are confronted with true craft, we forget its worth.  And yet, true craft remains. At P.E. Guerin, the nation's oldest decorative hardware firm, artisans craft intricate metalwork just as they did when the company was founded in 1857. “Take a journey through  P.E. Guerin's unique craft and process courtesy of The Anthropologist.

More than Meets the Eye: Bonheur Provisoire

Let's take a trip overseas to take in an architectural marvel courtesy of  SHSH Architecture + Scenography . This innovative firm was tasked with the design and construction of a temporary pavilion that would celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the 1958 Universal World Exhibition in Brussels, Belgium.  The element used in this structure just may surprise you! Enjoy a glimpse of this structure achieving its intended "Temporary Happiness."

The Powerful Land of Giants



Showcasing Choi + Shine's Brilliant Work

Your eyes will widen when you take a look at this highly futuristic design project.   Choi + Shine Architects out of Boston, Massachussetts have transformed once standard electrical pylons into monumental statues on the Icelandic landscape by making strategic alterations to existing pylon designs.

We Invite you to View "Ways of Seeing" with Rob Forbes

Courtesy of TED Talks, "Ideas Worth Spreading": "Rob Forbes, the founder of Design Within Reach, shows a gallery of snapshots that inform his way of seeing the world. Charming juxtapositions, found art, urban patterns -- this slideshow will open your eyes to the world around you." View his presentation here at ted.com!

AND.... just for some final Holiday fun...a tiny gingerbread house that perches on the edge of your coffee mug!! (Courtesy of notmartha.org )

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR TO ALL!