It’s funny that both of Jerry Seinfeld’s movies have been pegged to such high-concept premises, as the sitcom legend famously built his brand with a show about nothing. In fact, that might be the funniest thing about them. First came 2007’s deeply strange “Bee Movie,” in which Seinfeld — who produced, starred in, and co-wrote the project — voiced a honeybee who starts getting hot for a human florist. Now comes Seinfeld’s directorial debut, a sketchy and surreal business parody that re-imagines the rush to invent the Pop-Tart as if the rivalry between Post and Kellogg’s were as crucial to the future of western civilization as the Space Race or the Manhattan Project.
It’s the perfect streaming comedy for anyone who felt that “Oppenheimer” had too many laughs.
Why would an aging billionaire spend two years of his life — and an ungodly amount of Netflix’s money...
It’s the perfect streaming comedy for anyone who felt that “Oppenheimer” had too many laughs.
Why would an aging billionaire spend two years of his life — and an ungodly amount of Netflix’s money...
- 5/3/2024
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Hulu on Wednesday unveiled premiere dates for its spring slate of original documentaries, including a film on the “cautionary tale” of WeWork and its charismatic co-founder Adam Neumann.
Weighing in with an 11-word title, WeWork: Or The Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn debuts on the streaming platform April 2. Jed Rothstein directed the documentary exploring the office space-sharing startup that attracted massive investment and then nearly collapsed in a twisted pile of Herman Miller chairs. Neumann, described as a “hippie-messianic leader,” was bought out to the tune of a billion dollars.
As Deadline reported last month, Apple TV+ has separately ordered WeCrashed, a limited series based on the WeWork debacle, to star Anne Hathaway and Jared Leto.
Hulu says its documentary benefits from interviews with “journalists, experts and high-ranking former employees” to tell “one of the biggest corporate flameouts and venture capitalist bubbles in recent years.” Campfire, Forbes and...
Weighing in with an 11-word title, WeWork: Or The Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn debuts on the streaming platform April 2. Jed Rothstein directed the documentary exploring the office space-sharing startup that attracted massive investment and then nearly collapsed in a twisted pile of Herman Miller chairs. Neumann, described as a “hippie-messianic leader,” was bought out to the tune of a billion dollars.
As Deadline reported last month, Apple TV+ has separately ordered WeCrashed, a limited series based on the WeWork debacle, to star Anne Hathaway and Jared Leto.
Hulu says its documentary benefits from interviews with “journalists, experts and high-ranking former employees” to tell “one of the biggest corporate flameouts and venture capitalist bubbles in recent years.” Campfire, Forbes and...
- 2/10/2021
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
The CW has now given a series order to the Vancouver-lensed reimagining of the martial arts action series "Kung Fu" (1972), focusing on a young female lead, who becomes a crime-fighting, mixed martial artist, with 'Shaolin' pacifist beliefs :
"...a young Chinese-American woman drops out of college to go on a life-changing journey to an isolated monastery in China.
"But when she returns to find her hometown overrun with crime and corruption, she uses her martial arts skills and 'Shaolin' values to protect her community and bring criminals to justice, while searching for the assassin who killed her mentor. Who is now targeting her..."
The original "Kung Fu" series was created by Ed Spielman, Jerry Thorpe and Herman Miller, from an idea by Bruce Lee, set in the Old West, airing three seasons starring David Carradine as 'Kwai Chang Caine'...
...followed by "Kung Fu: The Movie", plus TV series...
"...a young Chinese-American woman drops out of college to go on a life-changing journey to an isolated monastery in China.
"But when she returns to find her hometown overrun with crime and corruption, she uses her martial arts skills and 'Shaolin' values to protect her community and bring criminals to justice, while searching for the assassin who killed her mentor. Who is now targeting her..."
The original "Kung Fu" series was created by Ed Spielman, Jerry Thorpe and Herman Miller, from an idea by Bruce Lee, set in the Old West, airing three seasons starring David Carradine as 'Kwai Chang Caine'...
...followed by "Kung Fu: The Movie", plus TV series...
- 5/15/2020
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
The CW has greenlit a TV pilot, reimagining the martial arts action series "Kung Fu" (1972) now focusing on a young female lead, who is a crime-fighting, mixed martial artist, with 'Shaolin' pacifist beliefs :
"...a young Chinese-American woman drops out of college to go on a life-changing journey to an isolated monastery in China.
"But when she returns to find her hometown overrun with crime and corruption, she uses her martial arts skills and 'Shaolin' values to protect her community and bring criminals to justice, while searching for the assassin who killed her mentor. Who is now targeting her..."
The original "Kunk Fu" series was created by Ed Spielman, Jerry Thorpe and Herman Miller, from an idea by Bruce Lee, set in the Old West, airing three seasons starring David Carradine as 'Kwai Chang Caine'...
...followed by "Kung Fu: The Movie", plus TV series "Kung Fu: The Next Generation" and...
"...a young Chinese-American woman drops out of college to go on a life-changing journey to an isolated monastery in China.
"But when she returns to find her hometown overrun with crime and corruption, she uses her martial arts skills and 'Shaolin' values to protect her community and bring criminals to justice, while searching for the assassin who killed her mentor. Who is now targeting her..."
The original "Kunk Fu" series was created by Ed Spielman, Jerry Thorpe and Herman Miller, from an idea by Bruce Lee, set in the Old West, airing three seasons starring David Carradine as 'Kwai Chang Caine'...
...followed by "Kung Fu: The Movie", plus TV series "Kung Fu: The Next Generation" and...
- 1/31/2020
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
In anticipation of Marvel Studios upcoming martial arts, supernatural feature "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings", Universal Pictures recently optioned rights to the 1972 TV series "Kung Fu" for a potential movie franchise, to be directed by David Leitch ("Deadpool 2"):
"...a martial artist flees China after his master is murdered. He wanders a big Us city helping the downtrodden and weathering rampant racism while eluding assassins trying to kill him. A peaceful man until he is provoked..."
The original "Kung Fu" series was created by Ed Spielman, Jerry Thorpe and Herman Miller, from an idea by Bruce Lee, set in the Old West, airing three seasons starring David Carradine as 'Kwai Chang Caine'...
...followed by "Kung Fu: The Movie" (1986), plus TV series "Kung Fu: The Next Generation" and "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues".
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Kung Fu"...
"...a martial artist flees China after his master is murdered. He wanders a big Us city helping the downtrodden and weathering rampant racism while eluding assassins trying to kill him. A peaceful man until he is provoked..."
The original "Kung Fu" series was created by Ed Spielman, Jerry Thorpe and Herman Miller, from an idea by Bruce Lee, set in the Old West, airing three seasons starring David Carradine as 'Kwai Chang Caine'...
...followed by "Kung Fu: The Movie" (1986), plus TV series "Kung Fu: The Next Generation" and "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues".
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Kung Fu"...
- 1/21/2020
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
The CW is developing a TV pilot reboot of the martial arts action series "Kung Fu" (1972) featuring a young female lead, as a deadly, crime-fighting, mixed martial artist, with 'Shaolin' pacifist beliefs :
"...a young Chinese-American woman drops out of college to go on a life-changing journey to an isolated monastery in China. But when she returns to find her hometown overrun with crime and corruption, she uses her martial arts skills and 'Shaolin' values to protect her community and bring criminals to justice, while searching for the assassin who killed her mentor. And is now targeting her..."
The original "Kunk Fu" series was created by Ed Spielman, Jerry Thorpe and Herman Miller, from an idea by Bruce Lee, set in the Old West, airing three seasons starring David Carradine as 'Kwai Chang Caine'...
...followed by "Kung Fu: The Movie" (1986), plus TV series "Kung Fu: The Next Generation" and "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues...
"...a young Chinese-American woman drops out of college to go on a life-changing journey to an isolated monastery in China. But when she returns to find her hometown overrun with crime and corruption, she uses her martial arts skills and 'Shaolin' values to protect her community and bring criminals to justice, while searching for the assassin who killed her mentor. And is now targeting her..."
The original "Kunk Fu" series was created by Ed Spielman, Jerry Thorpe and Herman Miller, from an idea by Bruce Lee, set in the Old West, airing three seasons starring David Carradine as 'Kwai Chang Caine'...
...followed by "Kung Fu: The Movie" (1986), plus TV series "Kung Fu: The Next Generation" and "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues...
- 11/10/2019
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
The unofficial “screenwriters den” for film and TV screenwriters known as theOffice has reopened its doors in Santa Monica after relocating from its original home in Brentwood.
Not to be confused with the NBC comedy by the same name (although it would be cool if it had the same set up), theOffice is a communal workspace for writers who are working on the next big film screenplay or TV series — and they have a roster of alumni to back it up which include J.J. Abrams, Chris Weitz, as well as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. star Clark Gregg who wrote What Lies Beneath and Choke. Other alums include Stepmom writer Gigi Levangie, Finding Dory‘s Victoria Strouse, All the Money in the World‘s David Scarpa, and Noah Oppenheim, screenwriter of Jackie and The Maze Runner.
Brooke Shields wrote the first words of her book on postpartum depression at the workspace. Charter members include her husband,...
Not to be confused with the NBC comedy by the same name (although it would be cool if it had the same set up), theOffice is a communal workspace for writers who are working on the next big film screenplay or TV series — and they have a roster of alumni to back it up which include J.J. Abrams, Chris Weitz, as well as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. star Clark Gregg who wrote What Lies Beneath and Choke. Other alums include Stepmom writer Gigi Levangie, Finding Dory‘s Victoria Strouse, All the Money in the World‘s David Scarpa, and Noah Oppenheim, screenwriter of Jackie and The Maze Runner.
Brooke Shields wrote the first words of her book on postpartum depression at the workspace. Charter members include her husband,...
- 9/19/2018
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
One of this year’s most innovative design events, Architects for Animals “Giving Shelter” exhibit, returns to the Herman Miller Showroom in Culver City on October 19th 2017.
The event is expected to be a sold-out fundraiser for La-based non-profit FixNation, which provides free spay and neuter services for the city’s skyrocketing population of homeless cats.
La’s top architecture and design firms as well as individual architects and designers have been invited to design, build and donate one-of-a-kind and functional outdoor dwellings for cats. Shelters will be displayed at a cocktail reception attended by the public, VIPs and media representatives. Also on display: cat food bowls decorated by feline-loving celebrities such as Jay Leno, Beau Bridges, Morgan Fairchild, Tricia Helfer, Jackson Galaxy and Elvira; all bowls will be available for purchase via an online auction.
“These cat shelters are absolutely remarkable,” says FixNation’s Co-Founder and Executive Director Karn Myers.
The event is expected to be a sold-out fundraiser for La-based non-profit FixNation, which provides free spay and neuter services for the city’s skyrocketing population of homeless cats.
La’s top architecture and design firms as well as individual architects and designers have been invited to design, build and donate one-of-a-kind and functional outdoor dwellings for cats. Shelters will be displayed at a cocktail reception attended by the public, VIPs and media representatives. Also on display: cat food bowls decorated by feline-loving celebrities such as Jay Leno, Beau Bridges, Morgan Fairchild, Tricia Helfer, Jackson Galaxy and Elvira; all bowls will be available for purchase via an online auction.
“These cat shelters are absolutely remarkable,” says FixNation’s Co-Founder and Executive Director Karn Myers.
- 9/4/2017
- Look to the Stars
Pixar short film: Those three words bring to mind clever, charming little movies like “For the Birds,” “Geri’s Game,” and, of course, “Luxo Jr.” With the latest in that line of animated shorts, “Sanjay’s Super Team,” Pixar is going in a few new directions, with both story and animation style. “Super Team” will screen in front of “The Good Dinosaur,” Pixar’s new feature opening in theaters this Wednesday. It’s a very personal story. Similar could be said of “La Luna,” the short paired with 2012’s “Brave.” But with “Sanjay’s Super Team,” Pixar head John Lasseter encouraged director Sanjay Patel to make the short even more personal and more directly based on his childhood than his earlier versions of the film, and Patel was surprised that the studio wanted his name to be in the title. The short tells the story of little Sanjay, who is...
- 11/24/2015
- by Emily Rome
- Hitfix
Getty Images Dwyane Wade attends a private cocktail and dinner party at The Webster on December 2, 2011 in Miami, Florida.
There is the art this weekend at the tenth annual Art Basel Miami Beach, of course – 260 galleries and over 2000 artists. But there is the scene too, and lots of it as the industry, and the rich, fabulous and curious poured into town to drink it all up.
In between the Picassos, pictures of cheese sandwiches, a Leif Garrett retrospective, and a three-by-three platform covered in dust,...
There is the art this weekend at the tenth annual Art Basel Miami Beach, of course – 260 galleries and over 2000 artists. But there is the scene too, and lots of it as the industry, and the rich, fabulous and curious poured into town to drink it all up.
In between the Picassos, pictures of cheese sandwiches, a Leif Garrett retrospective, and a three-by-three platform covered in dust,...
- 12/3/2011
- by Stephanie Krikorian
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
Degen Pener
This story first appeared in the Dec. 2 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Eames chairs are beloved by Hollywood, and the release of new versions of two of the most iconic will only further whet the appetite. This winter, Herman Miller is imparting a light note to Charles and Ray Eames' famously comfortable lounger and ottoman, offering them in white-leather upholstered ash. And Eames' sleekly functional Executive Chair (Don Draper's choice) can now go out on the patio -- it has just become available in weather-resistant metal. In recent years, of course, Eames has become an easy signifier
read more...
This story first appeared in the Dec. 2 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Eames chairs are beloved by Hollywood, and the release of new versions of two of the most iconic will only further whet the appetite. This winter, Herman Miller is imparting a light note to Charles and Ray Eames' famously comfortable lounger and ottoman, offering them in white-leather upholstered ash. And Eames' sleekly functional Executive Chair (Don Draper's choice) can now go out on the patio -- it has just become available in weather-resistant metal. In recent years, of course, Eames has become an easy signifier
read more...
- 11/25/2011
- by Degen Pener
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Gabriel Macht, who stars as Suits’ Harvey Specter, one of New York’s best (and best-dressed) legal closers, had an idea that USA would renew the show for a second season even before creator Aaron Korsh announced it on set last week as they were shooting the Sept. 8 season 1 finale. In addition to making USA the most-watched network on Thursdays at 10 p.m. Et this summer, “Everybody at USA was constantly telling us how great the show is,” Macht says. “Jeff Wachtel, who co-runs the network, was like, ‘Gabriel, I’m telling you. We pull out our pens to take our notes for each episode,...
- 8/18/2011
- by Mandi Bierly
- EW - Inside TV
Let's upgrade the corporate killjoy.
"It Just Sucked the life force out of my body," says Scott Adams of his old cubicle at Pacific Bell. Luckily for him, that ennui inspired the megahit Dilbert comic strip. But for the rest of America's 40 million cube dwellers, there's little to love about the walled-in work space, whose average size has plummeted to just 75 square feet. Big-name design firms such as Knoll and Herman Miller are already working to modernize the '60s classic, adding features that emphasize comfort and collaboration. So we tapped their top minds -- and chose a few of our own -- to imagine a better one. After all, says James Ludwig, head of design at Steelcase, "my work space should reflect the way I work."
#wrapper p { float:left; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, serif; font-size:12px !important; height:235px; line-height:15px; margin-right:11px; margin-top:10px; width:141px; }
Plant life Those who work near plants -- and,...
"It Just Sucked the life force out of my body," says Scott Adams of his old cubicle at Pacific Bell. Luckily for him, that ennui inspired the megahit Dilbert comic strip. But for the rest of America's 40 million cube dwellers, there's little to love about the walled-in work space, whose average size has plummeted to just 75 square feet. Big-name design firms such as Knoll and Herman Miller are already working to modernize the '60s classic, adding features that emphasize comfort and collaboration. So we tapped their top minds -- and chose a few of our own -- to imagine a better one. After all, says James Ludwig, head of design at Steelcase, "my work space should reflect the way I work."
#wrapper p { float:left; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, serif; font-size:12px !important; height:235px; line-height:15px; margin-right:11px; margin-top:10px; width:141px; }
Plant life Those who work near plants -- and,...
- 7/26/2011
- by Rachel Z. Arndt
- Fast Company
As a long-time Simpsons fan, I'm always a sucker for an episode bringing in old references. Angry Dad? Bart's comic book that was turned into an Internet cartoon nearly nine years ago? That's pretty obscure and definitely one for the loyal followers.
Unfortunately, when Angry Dad gets turned into "Angry Dad: The Movie," it turns the The Simpsons into a fairly mediocre awards show parody, complete with mediocre guest voices by Russell Brand, Ricky Gervais, and Halle Berry.
That's not to say I didn't enjoy the episode. The visual gags were spot on. Every clip from the various shorts during the award shows were all amazingly done.
It's just the rest of the award shows that were so... blah. Outside of Gervais' taking back his ten or his dialogue with Ridley Scott's stand-in post credits, none of the voice actors made me laugh.
There was much more potential for...
Unfortunately, when Angry Dad gets turned into "Angry Dad: The Movie," it turns the The Simpsons into a fairly mediocre awards show parody, complete with mediocre guest voices by Russell Brand, Ricky Gervais, and Halle Berry.
That's not to say I didn't enjoy the episode. The visual gags were spot on. Every clip from the various shorts during the award shows were all amazingly done.
It's just the rest of the award shows that were so... blah. Outside of Gervais' taking back his ten or his dialogue with Ridley Scott's stand-in post credits, none of the voice actors made me laugh.
There was much more potential for...
- 2/21/2011
- by eric@mediavine.com (Eric Hochberger)
- TVfanatic
She has lived, learned, and worked all over the world, leading her to a career as a pioneer of Programmable Environments at global office space and furniture design pillar, Herman Miller. Here's how she has honed her skills and passion for shaping the modern work environment.
[video_twistage 1]
*In Partnership with
About Jennifer Magnolfi: She has lived, learned, and worked all over the world, leading her to a career as a pioneer of Programmable Environments at global office space and furniture design pillar, Herman Miller. Between a rich architecture education at Auburn University, a masters program at Harvard, and a Fulbright Scholarship in Sweden, she has honed her skills and passion for innovating the modern workplace.
About Herman Miller: The way we work is changing dramatically as the world grows more connected, so naturally, the work environment must change to promote new ways of doing business. Magnolfi and her Herman Miller...
[video_twistage 1]
*In Partnership with
About Jennifer Magnolfi: She has lived, learned, and worked all over the world, leading her to a career as a pioneer of Programmable Environments at global office space and furniture design pillar, Herman Miller. Between a rich architecture education at Auburn University, a masters program at Harvard, and a Fulbright Scholarship in Sweden, she has honed her skills and passion for innovating the modern workplace.
About Herman Miller: The way we work is changing dramatically as the world grows more connected, so naturally, the work environment must change to promote new ways of doing business. Magnolfi and her Herman Miller...
- 1/5/2011
- by shatterbox staff
- Fast Company
Those famous Herman Miller chairs are comfortable--and apparently working for the company is too. The average Herman Miller employee has 14 years of service. Last year turnover was only 3.5 percent--and even that was inflated by Herman Miller standards due to a recent buyout. What makes people stick around? In this Q&A, CEO Brian Walker explains the company's unique approach to leadership, why openness breeds loyalty, and why good stewardship makes good business. He also explains how an accountant wound up at the helm of a creative design firm.
Kermit Pattison: Herman Miller often makes lists of best employers. Why is it considered such an employee-friendly place?
Brian Walker: People feel like they can bring their whole person to Herman Miller. Combine that with a creative culture that always seems to be trying to reinvent itself in almost anything that it does. People find it's exciting from that standpoint--it always feels...
Kermit Pattison: Herman Miller often makes lists of best employers. Why is it considered such an employee-friendly place?
Brian Walker: People feel like they can bring their whole person to Herman Miller. Combine that with a creative culture that always seems to be trying to reinvent itself in almost anything that it does. People find it's exciting from that standpoint--it always feels...
- 9/22/2010
- by Kermit Pattison
- Fast Company
In my last post, I told you that to make great design happen, you have to follow the money. There are many companies--Dyson, BMW, Nike, and Oxo come to mind--that have design in their DNA. And more companies are getting into design as fast as I can type. New direction setting for design is often initiated top down.
For example, Bob Ulrich, the CEO of Target, recognized design as an opportunity to compete against Walmart. He established a mantra--"Trend right, guest-focused and design-driven"--and commissioned several design superstars from outside the company to make an impact. It worked. Target built upon that success by developing an internal and fully integrated design organization; now the design solutions come from the bottom up.
So too, former Chairman Lee Kun-hee of Samsung recognized the value of design for his company, and set major corporate initiatives in place to build its capabilities: benchmarking,...
For example, Bob Ulrich, the CEO of Target, recognized design as an opportunity to compete against Walmart. He established a mantra--"Trend right, guest-focused and design-driven"--and commissioned several design superstars from outside the company to make an impact. It worked. Target built upon that success by developing an internal and fully integrated design organization; now the design solutions come from the bottom up.
So too, former Chairman Lee Kun-hee of Samsung recognized the value of design for his company, and set major corporate initiatives in place to build its capabilities: benchmarking,...
- 6/17/2010
- by Thomas Lockwood
- Fast Company
"Back to the future" best describes the new license plate issued by New York State in April. The "Empire Gold" design which is now appearing on streets, has been deemed "quite unappealing" by more than 80 percent of New Yorkers polled by Wcbstv.
New Yorkers: Consider yourselves lucky.
Compared to some states, New York's design is a prize winner. Proof can be found at David Nicholson's Web site 15q.net. It examines the evolution of U.S. license plate design over the past fifty years from the purely functional to the frightfully fanciful.
Plate designs have become graphically congested and legibility is often compromised. From a design standpoint I think license plates fall into three categories:
The Acceptable
This plate is so harmless it says nothing in the right way.
The Unfortunate
This is a "more is more" design where everything is as important as it can be....and the So...
New Yorkers: Consider yourselves lucky.
Compared to some states, New York's design is a prize winner. Proof can be found at David Nicholson's Web site 15q.net. It examines the evolution of U.S. license plate design over the past fifty years from the purely functional to the frightfully fanciful.
Plate designs have become graphically congested and legibility is often compromised. From a design standpoint I think license plates fall into three categories:
The Acceptable
This plate is so harmless it says nothing in the right way.
The Unfortunate
This is a "more is more" design where everything is as important as it can be....and the So...
- 6/3/2010
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
Jeff Weber spotted a design rarity: The market opportunity is massive, and the products out there are terrible.
When Jeff Weber suffered an injury to his left foot five years ago, he was given a set of standard crutches from the hospital. But the crutches were uncomfortable and seemed to only add ergonomic insult to the original injury: Weber's hands chaffed and his wrists ached because of poorly designed, badly placed grips. “All in all, it was a pretty awful experience,” he recalls.
Weber is a seating designer by trade, and apprenticed to Bill Stumpf, a legendary pioneer of ergonomic design and co-creator of the famed Aeron chair for Herman Miller; later, the two created the Aeron's heir, the Embody. It's no surprise that Weber set his sights on crutches, which account for $320 million annual sales on 10 million units in the U.S. alone.
He started working out sketches and...
When Jeff Weber suffered an injury to his left foot five years ago, he was given a set of standard crutches from the hospital. But the crutches were uncomfortable and seemed to only add ergonomic insult to the original injury: Weber's hands chaffed and his wrists ached because of poorly designed, badly placed grips. “All in all, it was a pretty awful experience,” he recalls.
Weber is a seating designer by trade, and apprenticed to Bill Stumpf, a legendary pioneer of ergonomic design and co-creator of the famed Aeron chair for Herman Miller; later, the two created the Aeron's heir, the Embody. It's no surprise that Weber set his sights on crutches, which account for $320 million annual sales on 10 million units in the U.S. alone.
He started working out sketches and...
- 6/3/2010
- by Kaomi Goetz
- Fast Company
Jeff Weber spotted a design rarity: The market opportunity is massive, and the products out there are terrible.
When Jeff Weber suffered an injury to his left foot five years ago, he was given a set of standard crutches from the hospital. But the crutches were uncomfortable and seemed to only add ergonomic insult to the original injury: Weber's hands chaffed and his wrists ached because of poorly designed, badly placed grips. “All in all, it was a pretty awful experience,” he recalls.
Weber is a seating designer by trade, and apprenticed to Bill Stumpf, a legendary pioneer of ergonomic design. Weber helped Stumpf design the famed Aeron chair for Herman Miller; later, they created the Embody. It's no surprise that Weber set his sights on crutches, which account for $320 million annual sales on 10 million units in the U.S. alone.
He started working out sketches and eventually took them...
When Jeff Weber suffered an injury to his left foot five years ago, he was given a set of standard crutches from the hospital. But the crutches were uncomfortable and seemed to only add ergonomic insult to the original injury: Weber's hands chaffed and his wrists ached because of poorly designed, badly placed grips. “All in all, it was a pretty awful experience,” he recalls.
Weber is a seating designer by trade, and apprenticed to Bill Stumpf, a legendary pioneer of ergonomic design. Weber helped Stumpf design the famed Aeron chair for Herman Miller; later, they created the Embody. It's no surprise that Weber set his sights on crutches, which account for $320 million annual sales on 10 million units in the U.S. alone.
He started working out sketches and eventually took them...
- 6/2/2010
- by Kaomi Goetz
- Fast Company
In the spirit of full disclosure, I confess that I drank my last cup of coffee 35 years ago. So I shouldn’t care about the re-branding of a legacy Seattle coffee merchant. However, the new logo introduced last week by Seattle’s Best Coffee deserves a branding taste test.
Seattle’s Best is a subsidiary of Starbucks that offers, according to CEO Howard Schultz, a "more approachable taste profile for a mainstream market." Evidence of this is the fact that company executives plan to start distributing their product at Burger King and AMC theaters. Does this mean that coffee will be just coffee again? The answer is yes, if the logo is any guide.
The new look is a composite of visual clichés--a simple, reductive "sign," a neutral void that is open to wide interpretation. I don’t think it is intended to make you feel anything. In the end this is its strength.
Seattle’s Best is a subsidiary of Starbucks that offers, according to CEO Howard Schultz, a "more approachable taste profile for a mainstream market." Evidence of this is the fact that company executives plan to start distributing their product at Burger King and AMC theaters. Does this mean that coffee will be just coffee again? The answer is yes, if the logo is any guide.
The new look is a composite of visual clichés--a simple, reductive "sign," a neutral void that is open to wide interpretation. I don’t think it is intended to make you feel anything. In the end this is its strength.
- 5/25/2010
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
She has lived, learned and worked all over the world, leading her to a career as a pioneer of Programmable Environments at global office space and furniture design pillar, Herman Miller. Here's how she has honed her skills and passion for shaping the modern work environment.
[vimeo 11876978]
*In Partnership with
About Herman Miller: The way we work is changing dramatically as the world grows more connected, so naturally, the work environment must change to promote new ways of doing business. Magnolfi and her Herman Miller team are the minds behind the new "smart" office, featuring innovations such as moveable walls, lights and a room-controlling magic wand. Witness the workplace revolution as Magnolfi shares how it will make businesses more productive and sustainable.About Jennifer Magnolfi: She has lived, learned and worked all over the world, leading her to a career as a pioneer of Programmable Environments at global office space and furniture design pillar,...
[vimeo 11876978]
*In Partnership with
About Herman Miller: The way we work is changing dramatically as the world grows more connected, so naturally, the work environment must change to promote new ways of doing business. Magnolfi and her Herman Miller team are the minds behind the new "smart" office, featuring innovations such as moveable walls, lights and a room-controlling magic wand. Witness the workplace revolution as Magnolfi shares how it will make businesses more productive and sustainable.About Jennifer Magnolfi: She has lived, learned and worked all over the world, leading her to a career as a pioneer of Programmable Environments at global office space and furniture design pillar,...
- 5/19/2010
- by Fast Company staff
- Fast Company
It's fair to say that 99 percent of people on the planet would see Icff as 145,000 square feet of "unnecessary." However, for the remaining one percent of us who love design, it is an annual bazaar of the new and notable from the commercial and domestic landscapes that is not to be missed.
The booths are beautiful, the products are beautiful and the people are beautiful. But, all of this can be utterly exhausting so I found it helpful to attend the fair on a mission.
This year I decided to use the Editor's Award winners list as my road map. Editors from design publications such as Domus, Abitare, Dwell, and Metropolis determine 16 categories that comprise the winners circle. Categories include seating, carpeting, lighting, materials, accessories, textiles, and "body of work."
Some of these winners also have the distinction of being very well branded. Not only are they producing superior products,...
The booths are beautiful, the products are beautiful and the people are beautiful. But, all of this can be utterly exhausting so I found it helpful to attend the fair on a mission.
This year I decided to use the Editor's Award winners list as my road map. Editors from design publications such as Domus, Abitare, Dwell, and Metropolis determine 16 categories that comprise the winners circle. Categories include seating, carpeting, lighting, materials, accessories, textiles, and "body of work."
Some of these winners also have the distinction of being very well branded. Not only are they producing superior products,...
- 5/19/2010
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
The bad news at Toyota is in overdrive. Since the recall of the Prius for its deadly acceleration problems, the carmaker has been hemorrhaging sales and consumer confidence. Now, even its luxury brand, Lexus, is under investigation for "stability" problems. Ouch!
Megabrands implode all too often. The bigger they get the more fragile they become. It may be as troublesome as unethical labor practices or just too many coffee shops. Most are expert at crisis management and eventually survive. In the best case they fix the problem and a forgiving public embraces them once again. However, there's always a lingering memory of a tarnished image that can compromise a brand whether it is Toyota or Tiger Woods.
As part of the recovery process some brands seize this occasion to refresh their brand identity or logo to signal positive change. This is usually coupled with earnest ad campaigns to help shore up brand loyalty.
Megabrands implode all too often. The bigger they get the more fragile they become. It may be as troublesome as unethical labor practices or just too many coffee shops. Most are expert at crisis management and eventually survive. In the best case they fix the problem and a forgiving public embraces them once again. However, there's always a lingering memory of a tarnished image that can compromise a brand whether it is Toyota or Tiger Woods.
As part of the recovery process some brands seize this occasion to refresh their brand identity or logo to signal positive change. This is usually coupled with earnest ad campaigns to help shore up brand loyalty.
- 4/28/2010
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
It may be more legend than fact but when it was time to choose a symbol for our new nation it is said that Benjamin Franklin preferred the turkey to the bald eagle.
Wish granted.
The new $100 note that the Treasury introduced on Wednesday is a missed design opportunity. It was created with the criminal mind in mind and it looks it. It is a kitchen sink of high-tech security features including a 3-D ribbon, color shifting images, watermarks, raised intaglio, security threads, and micro printing. Very bling bling. The final result looks like "design by committee" with each technical device vying for a prominent position on the bill. Every element seems randomly placed and begs for some sense of structure. Couldn't the blue 3-D security ribbon at least be centered on the bill? Does its odd position make it more secure?
Even Franklin's pursed lips seem to express frustration.
Wish granted.
The new $100 note that the Treasury introduced on Wednesday is a missed design opportunity. It was created with the criminal mind in mind and it looks it. It is a kitchen sink of high-tech security features including a 3-D ribbon, color shifting images, watermarks, raised intaglio, security threads, and micro printing. Very bling bling. The final result looks like "design by committee" with each technical device vying for a prominent position on the bill. Every element seems randomly placed and begs for some sense of structure. Couldn't the blue 3-D security ribbon at least be centered on the bill? Does its odd position make it more secure?
Even Franklin's pursed lips seem to express frustration.
- 4/23/2010
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
What is photography? What is a photographer? And, what is photojournalism today?
These three questions came to mind as I studied the 300 photographs at the new Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibition that opened at MoMA last week. The show entitled The Modern Century focuses on the master's most productive decades, the 1930s through 1960s. Curated by Peter Galassi, the show features iconic images that brilliantly chronicle the joy and tragedy of the human condition, all in black and white.
Photography has advanced since the '60s and those of us involved in design, marketing, and advertising benefit from the medium's continuous innovation. It's been non-stop since the time of Daguerre and now we have more ways to take photos than ever before. In addition to conventional film and the host of digital cameras, images are captured on laptops, Web cams, surveillance cameras, by military drones and of course, cell phones. The number...
These three questions came to mind as I studied the 300 photographs at the new Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibition that opened at MoMA last week. The show entitled The Modern Century focuses on the master's most productive decades, the 1930s through 1960s. Curated by Peter Galassi, the show features iconic images that brilliantly chronicle the joy and tragedy of the human condition, all in black and white.
Photography has advanced since the '60s and those of us involved in design, marketing, and advertising benefit from the medium's continuous innovation. It's been non-stop since the time of Daguerre and now we have more ways to take photos than ever before. In addition to conventional film and the host of digital cameras, images are captured on laptops, Web cams, surveillance cameras, by military drones and of course, cell phones. The number...
- 4/16/2010
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
In the year 100,010, some evolved species will be digging through ancient digital rubble and find a strange visual iconography made of tiny colorful squares with rounded corners. They will diligently attempt to decipher what we meant by "I am T-Pain," "Doodle Jump," and "Zombie Farm." Finally, they will conclude that our native tongue was something called Apps.
Every day new apps are introduced for the iPhone, iTouch, and now the iPad (not to mention Android apps). Each represents a new business and the touch-screen icons serve as their "logos." With over 100,000 apps to date and more on the way, this is a creative gold rush for graphic designers and fuels our insatiable lust for designing logos.
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Logos, symbols, and trademarks present the decisive creative challenge of reducing ideas to their essence. It's like a book jacket or poster, but with the potential for much greater exposure, recognition, and longevity. Evidence...
Every day new apps are introduced for the iPhone, iTouch, and now the iPad (not to mention Android apps). Each represents a new business and the touch-screen icons serve as their "logos." With over 100,000 apps to date and more on the way, this is a creative gold rush for graphic designers and fuels our insatiable lust for designing logos.
[youtube p10UE3O8s24]
Logos, symbols, and trademarks present the decisive creative challenge of reducing ideas to their essence. It's like a book jacket or poster, but with the potential for much greater exposure, recognition, and longevity. Evidence...
- 4/10/2010
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
Steve Frykholm is the creative director and vice president of design for the iconic furniture company Herman Miller, where he's worked for an incredible 40 years. A series of posters he created for the company's annual picnic are in MoMA's collection.
John Maeda recently began his term as president of the Rhode Island School of Design, after a long career as a researcher and professor at the MIT Media Lab. His work spans the realms of technology, research and art, like this piece for his 2007 show MySpace. He was also named as Fast Company's 2008 Masters of Design.
Jennifer Morla was formerly chief creative marketing officer for Design Within Reach and now runs Morla Design and teaches at California College of the Arts. While at Dwr she was responsible for the branding and identity of the corporation, like its new Tools for Living stores.
The three join an impressive roster of...
John Maeda recently began his term as president of the Rhode Island School of Design, after a long career as a researcher and professor at the MIT Media Lab. His work spans the realms of technology, research and art, like this piece for his 2007 show MySpace. He was also named as Fast Company's 2008 Masters of Design.
Jennifer Morla was formerly chief creative marketing officer for Design Within Reach and now runs Morla Design and teaches at California College of the Arts. While at Dwr she was responsible for the branding and identity of the corporation, like its new Tools for Living stores.
The three join an impressive roster of...
- 4/8/2010
- by Alissa Walker
- Fast Company
Three...Two...One...Liftoff!
Well, from a graphic design standpoint, not exactly.
Last week Great Britain announced the formation of a new space agency. At the event Science and Innovation Minister, Lord Drayson, said: "The action we're taking today shows that we're really serious about space. The U.K. Space Agency will give the sector the muscle it needs to fulfill its ambition." Britain's space industry can grow to £40bn a year and create 100,000 jobs in 20 years." This all sounds exciting, but the new agency's logo unveiled at the event is nothing to cheer about.
The design recipe is simple, right? Take a square, add a Union Jack, thrust an arrow through it and Bam!
This logo is anything but tasty. The net result looks terribly fractured and unstable. Not the ideal visual for space flight.
To make matters worse, the U.K. Space Agency will have the inevitable and unfortunate acronym "U.
Well, from a graphic design standpoint, not exactly.
Last week Great Britain announced the formation of a new space agency. At the event Science and Innovation Minister, Lord Drayson, said: "The action we're taking today shows that we're really serious about space. The U.K. Space Agency will give the sector the muscle it needs to fulfill its ambition." Britain's space industry can grow to £40bn a year and create 100,000 jobs in 20 years." This all sounds exciting, but the new agency's logo unveiled at the event is nothing to cheer about.
The design recipe is simple, right? Take a square, add a Union Jack, thrust an arrow through it and Bam!
This logo is anything but tasty. The net result looks terribly fractured and unstable. Not the ideal visual for space flight.
To make matters worse, the U.K. Space Agency will have the inevitable and unfortunate acronym "U.
- 3/31/2010
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
Herman Miller owes a big part of its current success to Toyota, which schooled the furniture maker on its legendary production philosophy.
In the furor over Toyota's recent recall failings, it's easy to forget what made Toyota one of the most admired companies in the world: An unsurpassed production process and supply chain. And Toyota hasn't been stingy with its learnings. One of the beneficiaries was Herman Miller, one of our 2010 Innovation All Stars. Apparently, Herman Miller, eager to boost its efficiency, hounded Toyota for help. Toyota eventually relented--and proceeded to send a production expert to refine Herman Miller's processes. That expert ended up staying for five years, on Toyota's dime:
A bit of background. The backbone of Toyota's process is, of course, something called Kaizen. The idea is to empower individual managers and their production teams to continually tinker with and improve their own work flow. For Herman Miller,...
In the furor over Toyota's recent recall failings, it's easy to forget what made Toyota one of the most admired companies in the world: An unsurpassed production process and supply chain. And Toyota hasn't been stingy with its learnings. One of the beneficiaries was Herman Miller, one of our 2010 Innovation All Stars. Apparently, Herman Miller, eager to boost its efficiency, hounded Toyota for help. Toyota eventually relented--and proceeded to send a production expert to refine Herman Miller's processes. That expert ended up staying for five years, on Toyota's dime:
A bit of background. The backbone of Toyota's process is, of course, something called Kaizen. The idea is to empower individual managers and their production teams to continually tinker with and improve their own work flow. For Herman Miller,...
- 3/5/2010
- by Cliff Kuang
- Fast Company
After the popularity of Pixar's Up and the dynamic digital illusions in Avatar, could the next big technical step in animation come from a piece of charcoal?
Opening today at the Museum of Modern Art an exhibition entitled William Kentridge: Five Themes celebrates the work of the enormously influential South African artist who is a dominant force in contemporary art. Kentridge emerged from relative obscurity in the late '90s with a series of animated films entitled "Nine Drawings for Projection." These were films of expressionistic drawings done in stop motion technique or what Kentridge calls "stone-age animation." These were not mere moving comic strips but grand tableaus that offered rich visual narratives executed in charcoal with astounding virtuosity. Accompanied by an eclectic soundtrack they were thematically dark and complex confronting the social and political turmoil of South Africa with total absence of irony that was refreshing.
To fully appreciate...
Opening today at the Museum of Modern Art an exhibition entitled William Kentridge: Five Themes celebrates the work of the enormously influential South African artist who is a dominant force in contemporary art. Kentridge emerged from relative obscurity in the late '90s with a series of animated films entitled "Nine Drawings for Projection." These were films of expressionistic drawings done in stop motion technique or what Kentridge calls "stone-age animation." These were not mere moving comic strips but grand tableaus that offered rich visual narratives executed in charcoal with astounding virtuosity. Accompanied by an eclectic soundtrack they were thematically dark and complex confronting the social and political turmoil of South Africa with total absence of irony that was refreshing.
To fully appreciate...
- 2/24/2010
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
True, every picture tells a story. But which one?
The front-page photo in Monday's Wall Street Journal gave me a chill. Did Iran detonate a nuclear device? The Cold War era image of stern men donning protective glasses shielding them from an atomic blaze came to mind.
The headline read "Iran Points Up Its Nuclear Challenge to the West." However, given this bizarre picture any of the following headlines could have, at first glance, been a viable alternative:
"President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Studies Avatar for Secret Weapons Program"
"A-jad's Debut Hip Hop Album, Plutonium Goes Platinum"
"Defiant Iranian Swim Team Holds Press Conference Stating 'We're Number One!'"
"Top Iranian Officials Patiently Await Next Solar Eclipse"
"New Karim Rashid Eyewear is All the Rage in Tehran!"
The photo caption actually read "President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, touring a laser-technology exhibit in Tehran ordered Iran's nuclear agency to start enriching uranium for a research...
The front-page photo in Monday's Wall Street Journal gave me a chill. Did Iran detonate a nuclear device? The Cold War era image of stern men donning protective glasses shielding them from an atomic blaze came to mind.
The headline read "Iran Points Up Its Nuclear Challenge to the West." However, given this bizarre picture any of the following headlines could have, at first glance, been a viable alternative:
"President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Studies Avatar for Secret Weapons Program"
"A-jad's Debut Hip Hop Album, Plutonium Goes Platinum"
"Defiant Iranian Swim Team Holds Press Conference Stating 'We're Number One!'"
"Top Iranian Officials Patiently Await Next Solar Eclipse"
"New Karim Rashid Eyewear is All the Rage in Tehran!"
The photo caption actually read "President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, touring a laser-technology exhibit in Tehran ordered Iran's nuclear agency to start enriching uranium for a research...
- 2/10/2010
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
What do you do if you want to advertise on the Big Game but only have a $100,000 ad budget? Try a one–second "blink" ad. It's a daunting design challenge to get a powerful brand message to stick.
Seventy-five thousand fans will jam into the Sun Life Stadium on Sunday to watch the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts compete for the Super Bowl ring. If you can't afford the obscene ticket price, you can join the other hundred million who will be in their living room or man cave glued to an HDTV with guacamole, chips and six pack in hand, cheering on their favorite... commercials.
That's right, 51% of the Super Bowl audience tunes in mainly for the commercials, according to Nielsen's Homescan survey. Advertisers know this and pay a fortune to get eyeballs on their brands. What's the winning formula for a $3 million 30-second spot? Cast a sexy model,...
Seventy-five thousand fans will jam into the Sun Life Stadium on Sunday to watch the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts compete for the Super Bowl ring. If you can't afford the obscene ticket price, you can join the other hundred million who will be in their living room or man cave glued to an HDTV with guacamole, chips and six pack in hand, cheering on their favorite... commercials.
That's right, 51% of the Super Bowl audience tunes in mainly for the commercials, according to Nielsen's Homescan survey. Advertisers know this and pay a fortune to get eyeballs on their brands. What's the winning formula for a $3 million 30-second spot? Cast a sexy model,...
- 2/4/2010
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
With every new day, the phrase "I'm just not the target demographic" seems to be more relevant for me.
Earlier this week I saw a couple of striking posters that caught my eye. They were bold, typographic and used hot colors. That was the good part. Then I read the message: Smart Listens To The Head. Stupid Listens To The Heart. Be Stupid.
This is a new ad campaign from Diesel fashions. Their pitch is that smart is cold, intellectual, and cautious, and has only one good idea. Stupid is exciting, hot, emotional full of possibility, and has "balls." The logic seemed pretty weak.
I decided to visit their Web site for some clue as to what I was missing, I found an animated typographic video with thumping soundtrack spewing wisdoms such as "Stupid is the relentless pursuit of a regret-free life" and "Smart has the plans, stupid has the stories.
Earlier this week I saw a couple of striking posters that caught my eye. They were bold, typographic and used hot colors. That was the good part. Then I read the message: Smart Listens To The Head. Stupid Listens To The Heart. Be Stupid.
This is a new ad campaign from Diesel fashions. Their pitch is that smart is cold, intellectual, and cautious, and has only one good idea. Stupid is exciting, hot, emotional full of possibility, and has "balls." The logic seemed pretty weak.
I decided to visit their Web site for some clue as to what I was missing, I found an animated typographic video with thumping soundtrack spewing wisdoms such as "Stupid is the relentless pursuit of a regret-free life" and "Smart has the plans, stupid has the stories.
- 1/27/2010
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
Banished to the fringes of the spectrum are innocent color combinations that are doomed forever to be associated with holidays. This time of year the world is awash in red and green signaling the spirit of Christmas, good will toward men and mass hysteria at the mall.
When it comes to design and branding, red and green are categorically rejected by clients unless the company is a global pizza conglomerate.
Present these colors with deep strategic rationale and conviction and a CEO's reaction remains swift and direct: "Too Christmasy." At times I've tried some presentation sleight-of-hand by introducing these colors as "wine and pine." No good. The association with a poinsettia plant and industrious elves is so strong that red and green get their due for only weeks a year.
Red and green are not alone in their plight. With the help of Autodesk's Sketchbook Mobile on my iPhone, I've...
When it comes to design and branding, red and green are categorically rejected by clients unless the company is a global pizza conglomerate.
Present these colors with deep strategic rationale and conviction and a CEO's reaction remains swift and direct: "Too Christmasy." At times I've tried some presentation sleight-of-hand by introducing these colors as "wine and pine." No good. The association with a poinsettia plant and industrious elves is so strong that red and green get their due for only weeks a year.
Red and green are not alone in their plight. With the help of Autodesk's Sketchbook Mobile on my iPhone, I've...
- 12/23/2009
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
Years ago, I participated in a brainstorming session with Richard Saul Wurman, the entrepreneurial whiz and founder of the Ted Conference. During our meeting he made a simple statement: "Ideas are free, it's what you do with them that counts." A chill ran up my spine. I said nothing for the rest of the meeting, for fear that any creative spark I offered would be fair game.
This memory begs the question: Who owns an idea? What's the difference between being influenced by someone's creativity or simply stealing it?
The ubiquitous "I (Heart) NY symbol designed by Milton Glaser must hold the world record for the greatest number of design ripoffs.
However, somewhere in the back of Glaser's virtuosic mind was Robert Indiana's Love sculpture a seed of inspiration?
Shepard Fairey's infamous Obama campaign poster, with its questionable appropriation of an AP photo, appears Warholesque to some. Fast Company...
This memory begs the question: Who owns an idea? What's the difference between being influenced by someone's creativity or simply stealing it?
The ubiquitous "I (Heart) NY symbol designed by Milton Glaser must hold the world record for the greatest number of design ripoffs.
However, somewhere in the back of Glaser's virtuosic mind was Robert Indiana's Love sculpture a seed of inspiration?
Shepard Fairey's infamous Obama campaign poster, with its questionable appropriation of an AP photo, appears Warholesque to some. Fast Company...
- 12/22/2009
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
In an exclusive interview, new Design Within Reach CEO John Edelman talks about knockoffs, Dwr's desperate need for a better Web presence, and China.
John Edelman, the new CEO of Design Within Reach, officially starts work on January 3, but he's already unofficially on the job and trying to orchestrate a turnaround for the woebegone retailer. He recently spent four days in San Francisco, brainstorming and meeting people. (For the time being, he'll be commuting between his home in Connecticut and Dwr headquarters in California.) In his first interview since his appointment, he talks about the big mistakes that Dwr has made, his background running his family's leather business, and the disrespect that many people show "to the entire nation of China." Here are some choice bits from the conversation:
Fast Company: What's the first thing you did on the job? Edelman: The first thing when I got to San...
John Edelman, the new CEO of Design Within Reach, officially starts work on January 3, but he's already unofficially on the job and trying to orchestrate a turnaround for the woebegone retailer. He recently spent four days in San Francisco, brainstorming and meeting people. (For the time being, he'll be commuting between his home in Connecticut and Dwr headquarters in California.) In his first interview since his appointment, he talks about the big mistakes that Dwr has made, his background running his family's leather business, and the disrespect that many people show "to the entire nation of China." Here are some choice bits from the conversation:
Fast Company: What's the first thing you did on the job? Edelman: The first thing when I got to San...
- 12/21/2009
- by Jeff Chu
- Fast Company
Photograph by Jonny Valiant
Out Of Fashion: "It throws people off," says ousted CEO Ray Brunner of his white-stocking style. So did his controversial reign. Then-ceo Brunner said that Dwr Kitchen was ahead of plan. That "plan" must have been extraordinarily conservative. Only one person purchased a Dwr kitchen in 2009. | Photograph by Clay Patrick McBride
Retailer Design Within Reach helped create a new appreciation for the modernist aesthetic. With design more mainstream than ever, why is the company in such dire straits?
Well-founded Fears "Dwr was a profitable, audacious business until the evil forces of mass-market retailing took over," says Dwr founder Rob Forbes. | Photograph by Clay Patrick McBride
The Wigan Garden Spade is a thing of verdant beauty. Its hunter-green steel and sunny ash-wood handle evoke the pastoral fantasias of an aspiring gentleman farmer -- a dwarf maple in your yard, perhaps, around the base of which you can,...
Out Of Fashion: "It throws people off," says ousted CEO Ray Brunner of his white-stocking style. So did his controversial reign. Then-ceo Brunner said that Dwr Kitchen was ahead of plan. That "plan" must have been extraordinarily conservative. Only one person purchased a Dwr kitchen in 2009. | Photograph by Clay Patrick McBride
Retailer Design Within Reach helped create a new appreciation for the modernist aesthetic. With design more mainstream than ever, why is the company in such dire straits?
Well-founded Fears "Dwr was a profitable, audacious business until the evil forces of mass-market retailing took over," says Dwr founder Rob Forbes. | Photograph by Clay Patrick McBride
The Wigan Garden Spade is a thing of verdant beauty. Its hunter-green steel and sunny ash-wood handle evoke the pastoral fantasias of an aspiring gentleman farmer -- a dwarf maple in your yard, perhaps, around the base of which you can,...
- 11/27/2009
- by Jeff Chu
- Fast Company
Man Ray has one of the coolest names in the history of art. However, he was born Emmanuel Radnitzky. He rejected his birth name moved to Paris in 1921 and became the sole American in the vanguard of Parisian Modernism. This transformation represented a conflicted identity and his deep desire to escape the limitations of his Russian Jewish past.
"Le Violon d'Ingres," 1924. Rosalind and Melvin Jacobs Collection. © 2009 Man Ray Trust / Artists Rights Society (Ars), New York / Adagp, Paris.
Opening this Sunday at The Jewish Museum in New York City, is an impressive survey of Man Ray's art. The show entitled Alias Man Ray: The Art of Reinvention includes a stunning collection of drawings, paintings, sculptures, photographs, "rayographs," poetry, and short films. This work is evidence of a curious mind in the fast lane of continuous experimentation.
Man Ray is also an artist that any graphic designer could love.
"Lingerie," print from the portfolio Électricité,...
"Le Violon d'Ingres," 1924. Rosalind and Melvin Jacobs Collection. © 2009 Man Ray Trust / Artists Rights Society (Ars), New York / Adagp, Paris.
Opening this Sunday at The Jewish Museum in New York City, is an impressive survey of Man Ray's art. The show entitled Alias Man Ray: The Art of Reinvention includes a stunning collection of drawings, paintings, sculptures, photographs, "rayographs," poetry, and short films. This work is evidence of a curious mind in the fast lane of continuous experimentation.
Man Ray is also an artist that any graphic designer could love.
"Lingerie," print from the portfolio Électricité,...
- 11/13/2009
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
We've all heard the news that the traditional Mba framework is broken, but adding courses on business ethics and financial crises won't solve the problem. And although Harvard, Wharton, Kellogg, and the rest are all considering bringing new ways of thinking into their hallowed halls, a relatively small school in Canada is actually transforming the meaning of an Mba right before our eyes. The Rotman School of Management, helmed by Roger Martin, proposes a radical idea: to develop business leaders who are well-grounded in multiple disciplines. The Rotman faculty aim to mold managers who are equally comfortable and adept at using tools and frameworks from business, popular culture, and design to solve the most urgent challenges of the day--what Rotman calls integrative thinkers and what I call hybrid thinkers. He's a bit of a kindred spirit.
Earlier this week, I had the chance to sit down for a public lecture...
Earlier this week, I had the chance to sit down for a public lecture...
- 11/10/2009
- by Dev Patnaik
- Fast Company
The conservative columnist George Will once said football combines the two worst things about America: violence punctuated by committee meetings. As a designer who occasionally gets caught up in the fury of the game, I'd like to add graphic design to what's wrong with football.
With the help of Skycam I spend as much time enjoying the color, patterns and graphics that add to the spectacle of the sport, as I do enjoying a deftly-completed pass. Now that the Yankees have won the World Series and the season shifts from batting balls to banging heads, I've been musing about NFL helmet design. For inspiration (and some truly bizarre helmet design), I visited the Art of the Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armor at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Created centuries ago, these designs (left) are more about shock and awe than waging battle but are truly extraordinary.
Today's...
With the help of Skycam I spend as much time enjoying the color, patterns and graphics that add to the spectacle of the sport, as I do enjoying a deftly-completed pass. Now that the Yankees have won the World Series and the season shifts from batting balls to banging heads, I've been musing about NFL helmet design. For inspiration (and some truly bizarre helmet design), I visited the Art of the Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armor at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Created centuries ago, these designs (left) are more about shock and awe than waging battle but are truly extraordinary.
Today's...
- 11/10/2009
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
To quote the late, great sportscaster Jim McKay, "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" never looked better than in high-definition TV. The pristine, crystal clarity of the widescreen image adoringly captures an athlete's grace, strength, speed and--in the case of baseball--his saliva.
Major League Baseball is the expectorator sport.
I don't recall seeing Tiger Woods spitting on the green. I don't think Brett Favre would risk letting one loose on his facemask. Roger Federer? No way.
But our national pastime is different. The intensity of the game seems to cause these players to salivate more than most. Blame it on a wad of gum or a jaw of chaw but the spitting during the 2009 World Series seems to be at an all-time high. It's an age-old tradition, honored by players and coaches alike. Can you imagine the dugout floor? Yeah. Don't.
The tight, HDTV camera shots of...
Major League Baseball is the expectorator sport.
I don't recall seeing Tiger Woods spitting on the green. I don't think Brett Favre would risk letting one loose on his facemask. Roger Federer? No way.
But our national pastime is different. The intensity of the game seems to cause these players to salivate more than most. Blame it on a wad of gum or a jaw of chaw but the spitting during the 2009 World Series seems to be at an all-time high. It's an age-old tradition, honored by players and coaches alike. Can you imagine the dugout floor? Yeah. Don't.
The tight, HDTV camera shots of...
- 11/5/2009
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
There was no better place to spend part of a Halloween afternoon than in the basement room of the Nature Lab at Risd, a wonderful collection of flora and fauna specimens--most dead, some alive--made available for study at the Rhode Island School of Design. And in its corner stands a true cabinet of curiosities...an old library card catalog named Tiny Town.
Tiny Town is organized and filled with teeny samples, all kept in identical plastic boxes. There's one drawer just for spider parts, and another for minerals (including a box of ashes from Mount St. Helens). The categories are broad--Animalia:Insects may have anything from a dried beetle to unidentified long limbs. Glass slides that show cross sections of an eyeball or heart muscle can be viewed under a microscope. Little handwritten and manually typed labels meticulously catalogue each specimen, many of which date back decades.
Part of the experience...
Tiny Town is organized and filled with teeny samples, all kept in identical plastic boxes. There's one drawer just for spider parts, and another for minerals (including a box of ashes from Mount St. Helens). The categories are broad--Animalia:Insects may have anything from a dried beetle to unidentified long limbs. Glass slides that show cross sections of an eyeball or heart muscle can be viewed under a microscope. Little handwritten and manually typed labels meticulously catalogue each specimen, many of which date back decades.
Part of the experience...
- 11/2/2009
- by Karin Fong
- Fast Company
What could possibly drive two men to spend $500,000 of their own money over four years, become employers of a million female spiders, and rekindle an indigenous tradition on the island of Madagascar? The answer: To create an incredibly beautiful artifact that is unique in the world.
The American Museum of Natural History is currently exhibiting a 11-foot-by-4-foot tapestry made completely of spider silk. In this age of everything being "awesome," it is so wonderful to see something that truly is. If you are arachnophobic, seeing this beautiful cloth might cure you just in time for Halloween.
This daring idea was conceived by Simon Peers, a British art historian and textile expert, and Nicholas Godley, an American fashion designer, both of whom who live in Madagascar. In 2004, they began a seemingly impossible mission to harness spiders to make silk in the same way that silkworms have been used for thousands of years.
The American Museum of Natural History is currently exhibiting a 11-foot-by-4-foot tapestry made completely of spider silk. In this age of everything being "awesome," it is so wonderful to see something that truly is. If you are arachnophobic, seeing this beautiful cloth might cure you just in time for Halloween.
This daring idea was conceived by Simon Peers, a British art historian and textile expert, and Nicholas Godley, an American fashion designer, both of whom who live in Madagascar. In 2004, they began a seemingly impossible mission to harness spiders to make silk in the same way that silkworms have been used for thousands of years.
- 10/30/2009
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
The new pieces reflect changes in the way work gets done: It's less about the desk, and more about the coffee-break gabfest.
PearsonLloyd, the British design firm, has a knack for making boring design challenges sexy; one of their greatest hits has been their nightclub-ish interior spaces for Virgin Atlantic. And now, they've taken on contract furniture, for the Austrian company Bene.
You won't find any cubicles here. The Parcs range aims to encourage workers to lounge--since lounges, after all, are where the ideas flow. As they told Wallpaper*:
What is Parcs? Parcs is a new collection of furniture that we have designed for Bene. In any office people can often be productive and creative away from their desks so the idea was to create furniture--and by extension new meeting environments--that acknowledges this. The range includes Causeway (a collection of simple modular benches, fences and walls), Toguna (a semi...
PearsonLloyd, the British design firm, has a knack for making boring design challenges sexy; one of their greatest hits has been their nightclub-ish interior spaces for Virgin Atlantic. And now, they've taken on contract furniture, for the Austrian company Bene.
You won't find any cubicles here. The Parcs range aims to encourage workers to lounge--since lounges, after all, are where the ideas flow. As they told Wallpaper*:
What is Parcs? Parcs is a new collection of furniture that we have designed for Bene. In any office people can often be productive and creative away from their desks so the idea was to create furniture--and by extension new meeting environments--that acknowledges this. The range includes Causeway (a collection of simple modular benches, fences and walls), Toguna (a semi...
- 10/9/2009
- by Cliff Kuang
- Fast Company
I've never ridden a motorcycle and probably never will. Too fast, too dangerous. However, this conviction was seriously challenged when I visited Full Throttle: Vintage Motorcycles, Custom Choppers and Racing Machines at the Shelburne Museum in Vermont this past summer. Now I can almost imagine leather pants, a cut off denim jacket, and maybe a star-spangled helmet in my designer wardrobe.
The exhibition was a shock to my “less is more” aesthetic leanings, but it was also just what I needed. The more radical the designs, the better they were.
It was also a shock to the Shelburne Museum. Located in the scenic Lake Champlain valley, it's one of the nation's finest museums of art and Americana. Over 150,000 works are exhibited in a beautiful pastoral setting of 39 exhibition buildings, 25 of which are historic and as such were relocated to the museum grounds. There's even an immense iron-clad steamboat on the grounds.
The exhibition was a shock to my “less is more” aesthetic leanings, but it was also just what I needed. The more radical the designs, the better they were.
It was also a shock to the Shelburne Museum. Located in the scenic Lake Champlain valley, it's one of the nation's finest museums of art and Americana. Over 150,000 works are exhibited in a beautiful pastoral setting of 39 exhibition buildings, 25 of which are historic and as such were relocated to the museum grounds. There's even an immense iron-clad steamboat on the grounds.
- 9/24/2009
- by Ken Carbone
- Fast Company
People often ask me if I collect anything. I do, but it's not a tangible collection the way a collection of toy figurines, or Swiss posters, or snowglobes would. I "collect" words that aren't translatable in English. Not just unusual words, but words that are don't have an equivalent in English, for these show us where the holes are in our thought patterns. The classic example used to illustrate this kind of word is the German word schadenfreude, which means "the happiness felt at another's misfortune." As a personal project, I create flashcards to depict these strange species that live outside our language.
Another word with a similar spirit would be mokita, New Guinea for "the truth everyone knows but nobody says."
Many of these words are useful concepts that take a closer look at what is valued and beautiful, which are helpful in rethinking how we live and design.
Another word with a similar spirit would be mokita, New Guinea for "the truth everyone knows but nobody says."
Many of these words are useful concepts that take a closer look at what is valued and beautiful, which are helpful in rethinking how we live and design.
- 9/18/2009
- by Karin Fong
- Fast Company
Have a spare moment? Here's a selection of favorite books that explore the idea of crossing transitional space, each with its own take on what lies in-between...
1. Understanding Comics by Scott McCloudAn entertaining analysis of how comics work, in comic book form. Scott McCloud dissects just how a comic artist gets the reader to experience time and space in a flat, "still" medium. I particularly enjoy his explanations about what happens in between the panels. That's were he says the unique power of comics lies.
2. The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics by Norton Juster A witty picture book that tells a love story between two characters from different mathematical states. Double entendres abound. Especially like the modernist, mixed-media illustrations. It is also an Academy Award-winning animated short film, animated by Chuck Jones.
3. Flatland: A Romance of Many Directions by Edwin A. AbbottWritten in 1884, it's the great...
1. Understanding Comics by Scott McCloudAn entertaining analysis of how comics work, in comic book form. Scott McCloud dissects just how a comic artist gets the reader to experience time and space in a flat, "still" medium. I particularly enjoy his explanations about what happens in between the panels. That's were he says the unique power of comics lies.
2. The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics by Norton Juster A witty picture book that tells a love story between two characters from different mathematical states. Double entendres abound. Especially like the modernist, mixed-media illustrations. It is also an Academy Award-winning animated short film, animated by Chuck Jones.
3. Flatland: A Romance of Many Directions by Edwin A. AbbottWritten in 1884, it's the great...
- 9/16/2009
- by Karin Fong
- Fast Company
I figured I needed a theme for this blog. So I started kicking around the idea of exploring the "in-between space"--an area that has always interested me.
In animation, in-betweening refers to adding the frames between two images so that the movement appears smoother. The in-betweens are key in creating the illusion of motion. They are the blend between one state and another.
There's another term that's loosely used to talk about existing between different dimensions: "Two-and-a-Half D" (I originally was going to call this blog that--2.5 D--before self-consciously thinking that it looked too much like a bra size). Two-and-a-Half-d refers to an effect that plays with planes placed within a space. The parallax, lighting changes, and other cues that result from the movement make the flat visuals live in a world with depth. You might recall this technique in the animated sequences for The Kid Stays in the Picture.
In animation, in-betweening refers to adding the frames between two images so that the movement appears smoother. The in-betweens are key in creating the illusion of motion. They are the blend between one state and another.
There's another term that's loosely used to talk about existing between different dimensions: "Two-and-a-Half D" (I originally was going to call this blog that--2.5 D--before self-consciously thinking that it looked too much like a bra size). Two-and-a-Half-d refers to an effect that plays with planes placed within a space. The parallax, lighting changes, and other cues that result from the movement make the flat visuals live in a world with depth. You might recall this technique in the animated sequences for The Kid Stays in the Picture.
- 9/15/2009
- by Karin Fong
- Fast Company
A few years ago I headed to Vegas with the express purpose of visiting Steve Wynn's new hotel and casino, The Wynn. I'd read plenty about the classy decor (including surprisingly non-cheesy carpet patterns), but I was most intrigued by its outdoor theater called the Lake of Dreams. Taking our seats at a bar on the shores of a pretty-enough manmade lake, we steeled ourselves for that awful/awesome blend of Vegas "entertainment." But instead of a drag-queen pirate swooping onto the scene, to our pleasant surprise the lake began bubbling to a beat, dancing with choreographed lights like an underwater disco. And then a head--yes, a 25-foot head!--emerged from the water, its "face" a projected, lip-syncing pastiche of stop-motion, claymation, and stunning makeup artistry, singing to the head-bobbing hit by Yello, "Oh Yeah." This blend of film, graphic design, animation and live-action drama reflecting on this lake-theater...
- 9/15/2009
- by Alissa Walker
- Fast Company
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