We Feel Fine

I am in LOVE with Jonathan Harris' Universe, which displays modern "mythology" information through storytelling in a beautiful and compelling way. The site, which was created way back in 2007, may seem less "informationally" relevant than other modern sites (it has not been updated), but in terms of concept, the site remains an inspiration.
Harris, who created "We Feel Fine" (also mind-blowing) in 2006, recently came out with a book about it!! He has also released Sputnik Observatory, a sort of home video meets Ted talks (watch his ted talk here) sort of thing.

Both Cool Hunting and 99% have covered Jonathan Harris and his project "We Feel Fine," and I recently read a photo-article he created in Good Magazine about an Alaskan Whale Hunt.

CHIFOO

Had an awesome time at CHIFOO, which is now being hosted at the Art Institute of Portland's open space. James changed her presentation topic last minute to cover- you guessed it- the ipad, and how it changes the game for ipod/ iphone apps. (think big, right?)
Fantastic!


March 3rd, Jessica Coffey, with Teneo Research speaks about Advanced Research techniques- I wouldn't miss it for the world.

Litl might get Big

Remember the Imac? One of the most popular computer booms in history, and it never appealed to me- but this does.




The new Litl promises good design to users, where everything is automatic. It's a fun computer, "and while you sleep, it updates itself".... I'm not sure how it knows you sleep at 2pm, but way to go litl. It's flip screen does more than change the orientation of a screen view, but the entire way the computer takes in that information. For instance, weather.com turns from it's regular screen to a very very simple look and feel aesthetic (as seen above).
Other neat things (that make me nervous)? The way you find files is through a search box. period. This sounds fantastic for women, but my memory of mens' navigation studies doesn't usually include "and he goes straight to the search box" ... isn't that why those jokes about men asking for directions exist? I just have this idea of the ol'e hubby sitting at the thing for an hour (refusing to ask me how to find something)to look for a drop down menu that doesn't exist (much like my first experience with a Mac).
All in all, I think the litl is beautiful. I just hope users can keep up with it!

Digital Book Revolution

One Laptop Per Child has finally begun designing a digital book that I can understand. ...there's just something about the fold... about the rock of your eyes that move back and forth over the left and then the right page.... there's something about transitioning back and forth and holding a book in your hands that makes it worth while.... in a way that the I could never adapt to a kindle.
But now.
Now, that all may have changed.
I can only hope that other design firms will see this and run with it. The future is changing.... and we may one get to marry our comfort habits with the ease of technology.

Project H Design

Just learned about Project H, a non-profit started by twenty-something Emily Pilloton. The organization collaborates with product designers to create humanitarian solutions.
Not just another "Design can change the world" group, this organization actually does stuff worldwide- from the developing world to rural North Carolina.

Check out Pilloton's new book just out:

Kitchen Within A Kitchen

A small news show covered new kitchen trends in an interview with Ellen Cheever, a well-known kitchen designer, educator, and frequent contributor to industry publications like Kitchen and Bath Design News. Cheever states that people need their kitchen to be expandable and collapsible..."On the weeknights, they need to be able to navigate their kitchen quickly when they're just warming up a simple meal. But on the weekends, they need it to open up enough so they can prepare a fancy gourmet meal and entertain a large group of friends while they are cooking."
To answer these needs, designers are creating quick prep areas, read: small sink, cutting board, and microwave. Larger kitchens use a small butler's pantry the same purpose, with an added small refrigerator (I can see this turning into a fridge drawer, once all the seal kinks get fixed). Cheever goes on to talk about islands with sinks in them["The days when kitchens always had one sink right under the kitchen window appear to be over...."], and that the kitchen counter height is becoming more variable in kitchens: taller counters that act as a bar between rooms and lower counters for kneeding bread- this reminds me of IKEA's kid's table set-up for their kitchen...which I, of course, can't find....
I guess that prep-cook triangle is long gone, too!

Non-sterile Kitchen

This picture was accompanied by a quote by Antonio Citterio on Dwell. The quote? “As the kitchen assumes its place as the most important part of the home, we are thankfully moving away from the idea of designing the kitchen as if it were a clinic or a sterile environment."

...Looks pretty sterile to me. After several interviews, I've found that another kitchen trend is a movement toward industrial equipment in the kitchen, and a desire for much much more than any one person or family needs. This picture says it all: does anyone need 6 ovens, really?