MIT Media Lab's Brilliant New Logo Has 40,000 Permutations

This is Cannes Design Lion potential. An algorithm can create 40,000 logo shapes in 12 different color combinations, providing the Media Lab an estimated 25 years' worth of personalized business cards.

MIT Media Labs lent some of their highly attuned brain space to logo design, and they really delivered. A single business card print-out could be a little confounding—but it’s only 1 in 40,000 permutations. Seeing it “in motion” makes total sense. We like how the logo speaks to the individuality of each member without straying too far apart from each other. We’re looking forward to their next logo design, after their 40,001th hire.

LEGO promotes Big Ideas

Ever wonder where big ideas come from? If you're a fan of LEGO bricks, eureka moments, or guys with odd mustaches, you really should see this.

Great ideas just CL!CK.

Resonance - what to do next

A short film by Continuum called “Resonance,” talks about the importance of consumer insights in generating design ideas. While most of us will be familiar with their approach and methodologies, it is a worthy case study of a clear presentation of services that caries a sense of transparency and honesty.

Design, designer, designst

Stijn loves cows and horses. Spends his freetime on a farm. Doesn't drink. Never goes out. In short, your typical creative internet guy. Stijn Pauwels was the founder and Creative Director of Milk&Cookies, made websites for the rich and/or famous (Diesel, Prada, MTV, dEUS, La Fille d'O,...) and is leading the interactive design department @famousbrussels

When I started my career as an intern at Milk&Cookies I could barely find most of the tools in Photoshop let alone know how to build a website. Working on the new website of Culture Club got my dragged down the whole interactive design thingy with Stijn leading the way. He's undeniably the nicest guy in the advertising business.

It's Nice That publishes 1st magazine

I've been following It's Nice That for quite some time now. I've started following It's Nice That by spotting this article. It's Nice That simply posts images on newly found and mostly/sometimes interesting artists, designers and illustrators and writes a small paragraph on what the post is all about. Informative and, to me, a great source of inspiration.

It's Nice That has been publishing 1 year now. To celebrate that it publishes a booklet with their reap of the most interesting topics and posts. I'd been thinking about doing something likewise for a while but I just haven't found the time to do it. Making of wrap of 3 years of posting is of course a whole other ballgame so I've let it be, though I have thought of pouring my top ten articles in a .pdf... if only time would be on my side.

It's Nice That

Apartment therapy

London-based Levitate Architects came up with this ingenious solution to a book storage problem and created a loft-like bedroom nestled under the roof of the top-floor apartment. Here's what Levitate's Tim Sloan had to say about the project:

The flat occupies part of the shared top floor of an existing Victorian mansion block. Our proposal extended the flat into the unused loft space above, creating a new bedroom level and increasing the floor area of the flat by approximately one third. We created a 'secret' staircase, hidden from the main reception room, to access a new loft bedroom lit by roof lights. Limited by space, we melded the idea of a staircase with our client's desire for a library to form a 'library staircase' in which English oak stair treads and shelves are both completely lined with books. With a skylight above lighting the staircase, it becomes the perfect place to stop and browse a tome. The stair structure was designed as an upside down 'sedan chair' structure (with Rodrigues Associates, Structural Engineers, London) that carries the whole weight of the stair and books back to the main structural walls of the building. It dangles from the upper floor thereby avoiding any complicated neighbour issues with the floors below.

from Apartmenttherapy

9 to 5 clock by BVD

Askul Wall Clock
Originally uploaded by SeptemberIndustry.

Askul Wall Clock

Tape closet

Young dutch designer Patrick Schuur has sent in images of his latest project 'cassette tape closet'.
the closet is built with 918 cassette tapes that are individually screwed onto a wooden frame. It can be used for both an office space divider and storage closet.

via DesignBoom

Uniformfreak

763 different stewardess uniforms from 334 airlines, Uniformfreak.com

"Sometime in 1980 I was given my first uniform by one of my mother's friends. I was so excited and I wanted to have more uniforms. In 1982 I heard that two charter airlines were introducing new uniforms. I wasted no time, I called these airlines and as a result I was invited to pick up a set of old uniforms. Between 1982 and 1993 I didn't do much to obtain any more uniforms, something I really regret now as I could have had many many more! Most of my uniforms were obtained between 1993 and today. At the moment my collection contains more than 700 different uniforms from various airlines worldwide.

When I was a small boy, I wanted to become a flight attendant. That was my big dream and my big dream came true! I started my career at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines when I was 21 and aside from a stint at Passenger Services for three years, I still hold that position, but now as a purser! As I travel the world, it gives me the opportunity to visit local airline offices and I meet people who can maybe help me to obtain new uniforms for my collection. One day, I hope to have my own museum. Another dream that will come true? Who knows?" — Cliff Muskiet

Kalmar Konstmuseum

The Kalmar Konstmuseum is a new space for contemporary art in southern Sweden and Stockholm-based studio Sweden Graphics were invited to design the identity and signage for the building. We asked Sweden’s Nille Svensson to talk us through the project, which involved stencilling directly onto the building’s walls…

Full article at CR

Ferrer store by Studio Arne Quinze

Carla Ferrer opens high-end concept store designed by Studio Arne Quinze in Nieuwpoort-Bad, Belgium.

Belgians be forewarned for a new addiction, as Ferrer, a new high-end fashion store designed by Studio Arne Quinze, just recently opened its doors to the public.

The clothing in the store is clustered around carpets and hanging screens or laid on pearlescent, textured shelves, walls and counters.

Mysterious shining curtains, ornamented with little crystals knotted into the strands seclude these little fashion paradises from the rest of the space. The sparkling gems lure the shopper inside.

Owner of Ferrer, Carla Ferrer, is a well-known figure in the international fashion scene. Backing up on years of experience in the fashion industry and given her Southern European roots, opening Ferrer seemed only a logical next step in her career. ‘I want customers to discover their own style in my shop,’ as she puts it.

via DEZEEN

Cristiano Cora

"I'll have the coupe-classique, and some sunglasses please, oh and you can leave the sidebeards on, tnx."

Cristiano Cora is some fancy hairdressing salon at 3 West 13th Street, NYC. the interior is designed by architect Avi Oster.

Mr Doob

Mr Doob has some very nifty stuff posted to his blog/portfolio, amongst a lot of 3D and Flash-projects there'r lots of nice graphics as well. Oh btw he was awarded "best website ever" by the PWA :)

Great Color Legends

Some colors become huge successes early on and then fade off into obscurity… while other colors go the distance and become international icons.

Read more about the great color legends…

Why is the US Dollar Green? Why is Red the International Color for Stop? Why is Pink a Girl Color and Blue a Boy Color? Why are Republicans Red and Democrats Blue? Why is the Green M&M the Horny One? Why is Purple a Lesbian Color? Why is Black the Color of Death? Why is the Sky Blue? Why are Road Signs Green? St. Patricks’s Green? Why is Raising a White Flag the Symbol for Surrender? Why is Envy a Green Monster? Why is Ferrari Red Iconic of Sports Cars? Why Are Mental Institions Light Green? Why Are Highlighters Bright Yellow? Why Does a Guy Get Blue Balls? Why is Purple A Royal Color? Why is The Red Cross, Red? Why Does the Tour de France Leader Wear a Yellow Jersey? Why Do US Imigrants Apply for a Green Card? Why Does a Bride Need Someting Blue on her Wedding Day? Why Do Masters Golf Tournament Winners Get a Green Jacket? Why Do Wear a Yellow Ribbon to Support the Troops? Why Are Some Americans True Blue?

All this and much more at ColourBlog

Jawbone

“If it is not beautiful, it does not belong on your face,” claims Yves Behar, chief designer of the new Jawbone Bluetooth® headset. This new design is 50% smaller than the original Jawbone and is operated by ‘invisible buttons’ on the touch-sensitive outer surface. The Jawbone is constructed with ultra smooth medical-grade plastic and available in black, gold or silver with optional leather ear loops. It is the only Bluetooth® headset with a Voice Activity Sensor that touches the skin of the wearer, feeling the speech and distinguishes the human voice from background noise, effectively removing ambient noise from the conversation. We’re happy to start seeing ear pieces that look more like an accesory that works with your sunglasses and your watch than one from the set of Star Trek (we’re looking at you Motorola). Get yours here for 129.99, package includes wall charger, USB Cable, 3 earbuds, and 4 earloops.

Read more

new-synthesis

Reports on Visual Culture; design fashion art lifestyle interiors architecture technology innovation science.

La fille d'O

Damn is and stays HOT that Murielle, waow. I'd like to call her the belgian Madonna of with the missing part of rock'n'roll. She can get you, she can get me. moaaahaa

Swims

Ever walked out in the rain with your best pair of shoes? Ever wore your brand new fancy pair of shoes while having to walk through the mud? - Well, Mr.Swims has, and therefore he "invented" (well, industrialised) a galosh under the name of Swims.

a galosh is an overshoe that slips over the wearer's indoor footwear butis made of waterproof material to protect the more delicate materials of the shoe as well as the wearer's foot from cold and damp.

Font Clock

The Font Clock is a 21st century take on the British 24 hour clock design icon. Twelve different fonts are printed within the mechanism of the clock providing a random, mixed display of graphic language within a single time piece. Font clock is offered in three sizes.

by Sebastian Wrong, for Established & Sons

Ann Demeulemeester Boutique } Green Seoul

Here's some more global green! Check out Ann Demeulemeester's green boutique in Seoul, Korea. Designed by Minsuk Cho of MassStudies. All I can say is WOW!!!! Click here for a slideshow and click here for more examples of modern greenery in retail environments.

via Lotushaus