Gerry Judah for Audi

Designer Gerry Judah created a 32 metre-high sculpture for Audi at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England, at the weekend. The 44 tonne sculpture, created to mark the car brand’s centenary, features a vintage Audi and a modern car racing into the sky. This 44 tonne, 32 metre high innovative sculpture for the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2009 was sponsored by Audi to commemorate its centenary year. Designed by Gerry Judah it celebrates Audi’s achievements in motor sport with the legendary 1937 Auto Union Streamliner and the recently launched R8 V10 sports car at either end of a dramatic “swoosh” of tire tracks, as if they are driving off into the sky. The shear scale of this sculpture was put into perspective for us, after seeing images of children standing in the tire tracks.

Gerry Judah, Goodwood Festival of Speed, Audi installation, Audi automobile, art installation, R8 V10, West Sussex, England

Split Ring Key Blank

The key blank can be taken to your locksmith and cut to fit your locks, and it incorporates it’s own keyring. Instead of a tiny hole, you get a more-or-less standard split-ring, the kind found on most keyfobs. Yes, the idea is great, and you only need one per bunch as you can slip on all your boring old, stick-in-the-mud conventional keys onto this one. The other thing that sets this idea apart from many others is that the creator actually brings them to market and sells them — no tantalizing CGI mockups here. The split-ring keys can be bought for a very reasonable at $7 a pair, and if you really like the product, you may like to buy the company. The creator is selling a 30% stake in the “Split Ring Key Blank Intellectual Property”, although I’d guess that would be a little more than $7.

Split Ring Key Blank, key ring, kefobs

Mike Stimpson

Regular readers will recognize that HC2 has a penchant for all-things Lego. Many years ago, the toy of the millennium took over our parents’ living rooms and staircases, and they’re still at large even today. Mike Stimpson has combined this iconic toy with Star Wars; another one of our favourite things, to create some amazing photography, worthy of a frame in your home or prime real estate on your computer’s desktop. By employing a bit of tilt shift photography and playful backdrops, he’s amassed a set of 72 amazing images that are available on Flickr.

Mike Stimpson, Lego Star Wars, Star Wars photography, LEGO photography

Highway Monster

Nowadays, many pieces of unauthorized public art have a common trait. Essentially their creators are otherwise anonymous, or in the case of Banksy, their real identity is shrouded in secrecy. This is owning to the fact that many artists fear legal persecution, which the likes of Shepard Fairey know far too well. Joe Carnevale, a student of North Carolina State University is also becoming acquainted with the legal system, as he’s facing criminal charges for creating a highway monster out of construction barrels. Sadly, his fantastic statue was up for less than a day before authorities ripped it down. The wide grinned monster greeted motorists along a major road near the University’s campus.

Joe Carnevale, Highway Monster, North Carolina State University, art installation, road sculpture

Maison Monday: Cista

Welcome back to HC2′s Maison Monday! Today we’re featuring Cista, a rainwater harvesting system designed for urban environments, which enabled both water conservation and increased green space. It was designed by Carolyn Moss of Moss Sund Architects in partnership with Lee Fletcher and Terence Woodside. Made of stainless steel, flexible welded thermoplastic olefin, and ivy, the Cista can hold up to 100 gallons of water. Cista also comes complete with an LED water level indicator, climbing plant, and it comes ready to install in it’s vertical configuration. Although I doubt that this would be an affordable alternative to the H20G, it is nevertheless clever, and inspirational.

Cista, rainwater harvesting system, Carolyn Moss, Moss Sund Architects, Lee Fletcher, Terence Woodside, Maison Monday

Epic Thriller

It’s time to reflect on the insane amount of media coverage devoted to the tragic end to the tortured life of the King of Pop. Michael Jackson was a lot of things to a lot of people. His life was as strange as his death, and he will always remain the man in the mirror. When envisioning the King of Pop, what sort of image comes to mind? Do you see a member of the Jackson 5, a handsome man on the cover of the Thriller album, or a disguised lunatic hanging a child over a balcony? Artist Kelly Coats asked this same question when she created her phenakistiscope (old optical toy), titled Epic Thriller. This device was created for her solo exhibition at Rimjaus Gallery in 2005, and it was presented at The Brewery Arts Colony Gallery in 2008. Watching the wheel spin, is like watching a car wreck in slow motion, and so goes the life of the greatest entertainer of our lifetime. May he rest in peace.

Michael Jackson, Wacko Jacko, Kelly Coats, Epic Thriller, Rimjaus Gallery, phenakistiscope

2010 Olympics Posters

The 2010 Winter Olympics are fast approaching, and Vancouver has hit the home stretch when it comes to putting the final touches on games-related development. Thankfully, we’ve yet to be bombarded by soda cans, and fast food containers slathered in Olympic rings, and 2010 logos. But don’t worry, they’ll be here in due time. In the meantime, why not check out the official 2010 Winter Olympic prints that are on sale via Vancouver 2010. According to the accompanying description: “The official poster is one of the most coveted collector’s items of the Olympic Games and has had a place in history starting with the first Games poster in 1912. The Vancouver 2010 official poster represents both the beauty of the host region and the spirit of Canada’s Games. Cropped within the shape of a maple leaf, the bold Vancouver 2010 graphics are inspired by Canada’s cultural and environmental diversity as well as the energy and spirit of the Canadian people.” Starting at $150 per print, it’s no wonder these posters are a hot commodity.

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, 2010 Olympic Games, Vancouver 2010 posters, VANOC posters, limited edition print

Mixed Use by Moho

Rising above the skyline of San Jose in Costa Rica, this mixed use tower by Spanish firm Moho Architects will be a new landmark, providing crucial amenities for the city, sheltered from the local climate. The concept is driven by a progressive environmental strategy that is expected to establish new benchmarks for the region. The building offers an ideal model of sustainable urban living by reducing reliance on transport and balancing energy consumption between its mixed-use program of day and night time activities. Program include mixed commercial and retail spaces together with a business centre, offices, conference rooms, hotel floors and casino. The tower rises 25 floors consisting of a viewing platform and restaurant providing panoramic views over the city.

Moho Architects, mixed used tower, San Jose, Costa Rica, sustainable building, green architecture

The tower splits and creases independently as it rises into the sky. this ‘head split’ configuration, permits natural lighting, while sky courts filled with vegetation punctuate at intervals the tower and mitigate the hot climate. The development will take advantage of a number of sustainable energy strategies and key to the energy performance of the building are its wooden brise-soleil facades, designed to filter solar gain and to encourage daylight to permeate the complex. The tower is intended to be a paradigm for passive environmental control, providing an alternative to the more conventional models of sealed and air-conditioned glass stumps. The layered facade cuts air-conditioning load and the plan encourages daylight, reducing the need for artificial lighting. The project is currently in the schematic design phase and is expected to be completed in 2012.

Moho Architects, mixed used tower, San Jose, Costa Rica, sustainable building, green architecture

Good Food Bad Dog

As a pet owner, I understand the need to provide my furry friend with high quality vitals. Nutri Balance also saw fit to underscore this point in their new ad campaign, dubbed “Good Food, Bad Dog”. The series of four posters includes man’s best friend in situations where they’re not paying their owners any favours. Whether the dog’s are walking a blind man into a sink hole, unearthing a dead body, or uncovering a sordid affair, I’m not sure the humour lends itself to Nutri Balance’s cause. Sure the ads made me laugh, but if one were to feed this brand to their pooch, would similar, awkward situations arise? Why risk it, better buy the other brand instead.

Good Food Bad Dog, Nutri Balance, advertisement, ad campaign

Burton’s Alice in Wonderland

When Tim Burton makes a movie, he creates an experience that is unlike any other. He has an uncanny ability to create realistic fictional worlds, that immerse characters and audiences alike, in whatever story he is telling. From Batman, to Sleepy Hollow and his re-make of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Burton has made a name for himself as a visionary creative master. Recently, we caught wind of his involvement in another fairytale re-make, which instantly peaked out interest. Can you imagine what Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland will look like?

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Tim Burton, Alice in Wonderland, Johnny Depp Helena Bonham, Mia Wasikowska

Although the concept images have been online for quite some time, we’re just getting around to sharing them with our loyal readership. Similar to the style of Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate factory, Burton will employ vivid colours, over the top characters, and highly detailed scenery. With Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Helena Bonham as The Red Queen, and Mia Wasikowska as Alice, you’d best be ready to eat giant mushrooms, and stuff yourself through a keyhole when it’s released in March 2010. Did we mention it will be in Digital 3D?

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Tim Burton, Alice in Wonderland, Johnny Depp Helena Bonham, Mia Wasikowska

Smellit

Smellit is the ultimate addition to your movie-watching experience. Basically, it stimulates smell to bring you into the action and transport you to a different place. Each odor is contained in a cartridge, which is similar to a printer cartridge. As described on their website: “as your DVD player reads the video and sound information from DVD, Smellit processes the same DVD, but the “smell card” decodes all the smell information from 10 to 20 seconds ahead of the actual scene so the odours have time to reach you. After decoding the smell information, the cartridge vaporizes a very small amount off concentrated “smell gel,” and the central fan equally distributes the smell in all directions.”

Smellit, Smellit DVD player, smell gel, smell card

Smellit can be loaded with 118 cartridges, each one with a different concentrated smell gel. All the cartridges can be easily changed and last 3 times more than a regular ink cartridge. That said, do you really want to smell the US military landing on Omaha beach during Saving Private Ryan, or the effects of mixing a laxative and a coffee, as depicted in Dumb and Dumber? I can see this application lending itself well to commercials on television and online, but I wouldn’t rush out to get a Smellit-equipped DVD player.

Smellit, Smellit DVD player, smell gel, smell card

Maison Monday: Spin Wash

In case you missed out last Monday (or two Monday’s ago), HC2 has started a brand new weekly series called Maison Monday where we’re featuring fresh, new furniture and decorating ideas for your humble abode. Today’s inspiration is for those of us who are struggling with bathroom renovations, and can’t decide whether or not to incorporate a bathtub or not. In our house, we simply have no need for a soaker tub, however if rug rats, or resale ever enter into the picture, a bathtub may be desirable. In an effort to balance the need for both a shower and bathtub, Spin Wash is a luxury bathroom fixture by Ron Arad and Teuco, has you covered. With a unique 180 degree swivel, the unit can function as either a bathtub, or a shower with a simple tunr. The great thing is, when it’s serving as a shower one would never know that it is also a bathtub, and vice versa. Although Spin Wash is only a concept design at the moment, creator Ron Arad is confident that Teuco will put his idea into full production.

Spin Wash Bathtub Shower, Teuco, convertible shower, convertible bathtub, Ron Arad

Dank! Second Hand Furniture

We instantly related and appreciated Dank! Second Hand Furniture’s campaign for slightly damaged goods. The series of ads designed by DDB&Co. depict stylish pieces of furniture with minor scrapes, tears and dents. As you can see, these blemished are used to mask one of the digits in the price, thereby making something that was once $2,490, a steal of a deal at $490. Although there’s no Dank! around our stomping grounds, we are huge fans of local used furniture stores. Used, and imperfect pieces of furniture add sustainable character to your home, and they’re easy on the pocketbook.

Dank!, Second Hand Furniture, DDB&Co, 2nd hand furniture shop, advertising campaign, gently used chair, advertisement

Dyson Energy Bracelet

Dyson, Energy Bracelet, Seebeck effect, sustainable energy, thermoelectric

The Dyson Energy Bracelet is a gadget that uses Seebeck effect to harness energy and power your mobile phone for a few precious minutes more, when you desperately need it. In case you slept through your advanced science class, the Seebeck effect involves thermoelectrics, and in this case, the direct conversion of temperature differences to electric voltage. Essentially, the temperature difference between the surface of the energy bracelet that’s touching the skin, and the other which is exposed to ambient air, produce electricity that is stored in a battery. When the wearer needs to recharge a mobile device, they simply plugs it into the Dyson Energy Bracelet through a micro-USB port.

Dyson Energy Bracelet, Dyson, Energy Bracelet, Seebeck effect, sustainable energy, thermoelectric

Villa Moniuszki

Via Arch Daily. Villa Moniuszki is an intimate complex composed of two residential buildings. Both edifices belong to blocks of residential Wrzeszcz – one of the most exposed districts of Gda?sk – taking advantage of all directions on the compass and proximity of the adjacent buildings. The town center can be easily reached, and the proximity of public transport as well as large recreational areas nearby make this localization exceptional and prestigious.

Villa Moniuszki, Trójmiejski Park Krajobrazowy, Wrzeszcz, Gda?sk, Wojska Polskiego Street

The lot is a rectangle with two sides running along Moniuszki and Wojska Polskiego Streets and two other sides adjoining other lots with existing residential buildings on them. The proximity of this neighbourhood was a fundamental limitation to the designers who worked on the design. The main aim of the design was to create the building in such a way that it will have a minimal impact on its surroundings. The goal was achieved by designing two separate blocks and diverting the north wing of one of them. Thanks to that, residents of the building on the adjoining north lot can still enjoy the sun. The designer arranged the blocks in a way that one building makes an acoustic barrier to the internal court. Another reason for this solution was that the designer wanted to preserve the existing trees. The whole complex consists of two blocks: the lower one is running along Wojska Polskiego Street and the higher one is pushed to the back. Thanks to this solution, the court with a children’s playground has been exposed.

Villa Moniuszki, Trójmiejski Park Krajobrazowy, Wrzeszcz, Gda?sk, Wojska Polskiego Street

The lower block has a gable roof and is similar to the front elevations of Wojska Polskiego Street, typical of the architecture from the beginning of the 20th century. A typical element of this block is a ceramic facade extending up and making a roof. The gable walls are different: folded materials, alcoves and shades make a dynamic composition that attracts attention and makes the front less static. The building has two floors above the ground level and one underground floor. The total height is no more than 15 m. The other block is nearly 16 m high. The lowest, underground level has two-floor apartments. Below the whole construction, there is an underground car park which can be reached through two entrances directly from the staircase equipped with noiseless lifts. The view from the flats on the last floor is on the wooden hills of Trójmiejski Park Krajobrazowy.

Helvetica

Helvetica is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which celebrated its 50th birthday in 2007) as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives. The film is an exploration of urban spaces in major cities and the type that inhabits them, and a fluid discussion with renowned designers about their work, the creative process, and the choices and aesthetics behind their use of type. Helvetica encompasses the worlds of design, advertising, psychology, and communication, and invites the audience to take a second look at the thousands of words we see every day.

Helvetica A Documentary, Gary Hustwit, Helvetica font, fond documentary, South by Southwest Film Festival

Interviewees in Helvetica include some of the most illustrious and innovative names in the design world. Helvetica had its World Premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March 2007. The film subsequently toured film festivals, special events, and art house cinemas worldwide, playing in over 300 cities in 40 countries. It received its television premiere on BBC1 in November 2007, and was shown on PBS as a part of the Emmy award-winning series titled “Independent Lens” in fall 2008. The film was nominated for a 2008 Independent Spirit Award in the “Truer Than Fiction” category, and was shortlisted for the Design Museum London’s “Designs of the Year” Award. An excerpt of the film was included in an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Helvetica A Documentary, Gary Hustwit, Helvetica font, fond documentary, South by Southwest Film Festival

LightLane

Bike lanes are an effective means of improving safety for motorists and cyclists. However, due to the high cost of installation, bike lanes are not widely available. Instead of forcing cyclists to adapt their behaviour to the existing infrastructure, the bike lane should be able to adapt to the cyclist. Or at least, this is the rationale of the creative minds behind LightLane. LightLane was originally created for a design competition to promote commuting through cycling. Although the concept did not win, the response was overwhelming, encouraging the inventors to continue development. Preliminary contextual research shows that the device, which clips onto your bike’s seat post, performs best when lighting conditions are at their worst. Thus LightLane improves safety by creating a virtual, and highly visible lane in the most critical situations.

LightLane, cycling safety, bike safety, bike lane, virtual bike lane

Chris Craymer

London born photographer Chis Craymer recently launched his new book, Romance. Craymer wanted the book to be “essentially emotional rather than intellectual or fashion led.” As he states, “Romance for me was the perfect vehicle to make pictures which can covey a number of emotions…I wanted to try to make pictures which could be for example sexy, funny, joyful and also powerful and even soulful.” Craymer captures special, raw moments by enlisting the help of real life couples who have a strong sense of personal style and individuality. Their love shines through in each beautiful photo.

Chris Craymer, Romance, Dazed Digital, love photos, couple photos, romance photos

In a recent interview with Dazed Digital, Craymer provides additional insight into the Romance project. “When I first started this project I just wanted to make one test shoot with a couple. The first attempt was with two models who weren’t a real couple and frankly it rather showed. Somehow, the pictures lacked emotion, so I tried the next shoot with a real couple who were really going out together. This proved far more successful and from there I just kept on asking the models who inspired me with if they were interested in doing a shoot with their partner. I was specifically looking for people with a strong sense of personal style and individuality and in the end I worked with street cast couples as well as models. Once I had a number of shoots together I put them into a special portfolio which I called “Romance”. I initially used it as a way of showing my work in a raw form without any outside art direction or fashion concepts. The book is really the development of that particular portfolio of personal work I am totally thrilled with the results and am hoping the book will be a success.”

Chris Craymer, Romance, Dazed Digital, love photos, couple photos, romance photos

Maison Monday: Lightfacet

Today we’re continuing on our newest programming initiative titled ‘Maison Monday’ where we feature a fresh new find from the world of home decor, furniture and the like. Dutch design studio Bloomming have designed a modular system where diamond-shaped components can be individually rotated to vary the amount of light allowed to penetrate a room. Called Lightfacet, the product can be used as a room divider or window blind. Light Facet makes it possible to play with both light and shadow. It is produced in the Netherlands and made of an injection-moulded, polycarbonate-ABS blend and stainless steel. Its “smart click” modular construction means the divider or blind can be any size.

Lightfacet, Bloomming, Maison Monday, Dutch, Netherlands, window blinds, modular blinds, designer blinds

New Kingstonist Logo

New Kingstonist Logo, Kingstonist.com, Kingston, Ontario, City Hall, Time sculpture, wind turbine

As you may know, HC Concepts focuses our business efforts in our native land of Kingston, Ontario. In that respect, our crown jewel is a community centric blog titled Kingstonist. Over the past year and a half, Kingstonist has surpassed all of our grandiose expectations. From drawing in a daily readership of over 200 people, to attracting dozens of contributors, we’ve come a long way baby. That said, blogs such Kingstonist require constant nurturing to ensure positive growth. Hence all of our accomplishments are the direct result of hard work, mixed with a little bit of luck. To help our burgeoning blog on it’s way, HC2 provides front line administrative and editorial support, as well as back end development and design. Today, we’re getting around to unveiling the new logo we created for Kingstonist. Previous iterations of the site’s logo included silhouettes of popular landmarks including City Hall, Murney Towers, and the ‘Time’ sculpture. This time around, we’ve added a bit of background scenery, showing off Kingston’s waterfront as well as the view across to our newest landmark, the Wolfe Island Wind Farm. We’re extremely happy with the outcome, as well as the associated re-branding of Kingstonist’s Twitter page.

Mobile Evolution

Kyle Bean’s, project ‘Mobile Evolution’ highlights the advancements we have experienced in mobile phone technology over the past two and a half decades. The series of eight phone variations which line up from biggest to smallest (which also indicates oldest to newest models), can be nestled inside one another much like Russian Babushka dolls. The models which bean has selected to highlight are: Motorola DynaTAC (1985), Nokia Mobira Cityman 1320 (1988), AEG Teleport (1991), Ericsson GH198 (1993), Motorola Micro TAC 650 (1996), Siemens C10 (1998), Nokia 3210 (2001), Motorola Razr V3 (2005), Samsung Tocco (2009). It’s hilarious to see the Zack Morris phone beside the likes of the i-phone equivalent. Give it two decades, and the i-Phone and today’s best technology will look just as foolish as the DynaTAC does today.

Evolution of the Mobile Phone, Kyle Bean, Motorola DynaTAC, Nokia Mobira Cityman 1320, AEG Teleport, Ericsson GH198, Motorola Micro TAC 650, Siemens C10, Nokia 3210, Motorola Razr V3, Samsung Tocco,

Henry Gunderson

Henry Gunderson is an 18 year old Bay Area native who has just wrapped up his first year at The San Francisco Art Institute. Regarding his process, Henry responds: “Usually I have a sort of idea for where I want to go with a piece but don’t really know where it’s going to end up… might start by painting one image then work from there building up different images. I usually make decisions along the way and watch the piece unfold.”

Henry Gunderson, San Francisco Art Institute, painting, paint, graphic design

Regarding his decision to remain in San Fran, as well as his affinity for skating, Henry states: “I applied to some East Coast schools just cause I wanted to get far away from home and try a new place, but I found out that I didn’t like any of the schools out there so I stayed in the Bay Area. The Bay Area’s great. I don’t know if there’s anywhere else in California I would want to live…Yeah I’m skating, not quite as often though. I go to the Potrero Park sometimes. That’s where I broke my teeth a few months ago. But I’ve been doing a lot more street skating. I think now that I’m living in the city just rolling around town hitting different little spots, the library is pretty fun to skate at night.” Check out Fecal Face for more from the Henry Gunderson interview.

Henry Gunderson, San Francisco Art Institute, painting, paint, graphic design

Müvbox

Via Inhabitat: Daniel Noiseux, owner of well-known Montreal Pizzaiolle restaurants, placed his first concept restaurant at the Old Port in Montreal and is serving fresh, local and gourmet food at reasonable prices. The fact that his Müvbox is portable means he can pick it up and take it anywhere he wants – an outdoor festival, a new venue, a convention. But what we really like about it is with a push of a button, the restaurant goes from closed as tight as a drum to deployed in 1.5 minutes, and with only 3-4 employees the restaurant can be fully open and running in 15 minutes. At the end of the night, take down is just as simple, and all is safe and contained inside.

Müvbox, Old Port in Montreal, Daniel Noiseux, Pizzaiolle, shipping container restaurant, Montreal, Quebec

Müvbox is constructed from a standard 20-foot shipping container and has been retrofitted with a modern kitchen and seating for 28 people. Solar panels on the roof generate 40% of the restaurants energy needs, and most likely the remaining 60% comes from propane to fuel the kitchen appliances. The shipping container is reused and the floor is made from recycled tires. The menu is primarily local, healthy, and fresh, serving local delicacies like, Îles-de-la-Madeleine lobster, Brome Lake duck and Bilboquet ice cream.

Müvbox, Old Port in Montreal, Daniel Noiseux, Pizzaiolle, shipping container restaurant, Montreal, Quebec

Noiseux wants to expand this concept beyond his own restaurant into other local eateries around the world – possibly cupcakes in London, ptarmigan in Reykjavik, sushi in Japan, pizza in New York. But he also thinks that the concept is applicable for other types of businesses, since the shipping containers are completely customizable. It is a stellar idea, beautifully executed and refreshingly mouthwatering. After our visit to Müvbox, HC2 can confirm this is a destination you should not pass up.

Big Rig Jig

I’ve never been to famed music festival Burning Man, although I’ve often come across various installations that are showcased at the popular event in the Black Rock Desert. This year, Big Rig Jig instantly grabbed our attention. This sculpture utilizes two decommissioned tanker trucks, which is meant to reference the global oil industry at the nexus of our world’s political, social, and environmental systems. By repurposing these symbolically rich objects, Mike Ross conveys his admiration for and anxiety over humanity’s powerlessness and control over energy. Ross states: “our source objects are fundamental to the world’s oil distribution infrastructure, and are pertinent examples of our culture’s unmatched production of carbon dioxide. By altering these symbolically rich objects, the sculpture is a celebration of humankind’s raw power on earth, a visual metaphor for non-sustainability, and a contemplation of our unique ability to recognize and change our most destructive actions.” Big Rig Jig is a fantastic concept, and it’s awesomeness is elevated once e-readers realize that this is not a Photoshop rendering.

Big Rig Jig, Black Rock Desert, Burning Man, art installation, vehicle sculpture, automobile sculpture

Zurich Orchestra Campaign

It’s often said that math, and music are universal languages. Regarding the latter, music is something that transcends borders, race, gender and socioeconomic layers, due in part, to it’s ability to evoke an emotional response. With this in mind, the Zurich Chamber Orchestra’s newest ad campaign by Rob Hartmann demonstrates how symphonic music plays on our senses. By incorporating percussionists drumming on our heartstrings, and cellists making our hairs stand on end, Hartmann drives home our physiological reaction to beautiful orchestra music. This is a brilliant, and original campaign that connects to both young and old audiences.

Zurich Symphony Orchestra, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Rob Hartmann, symphony advertisement, advertisement

Maison Monday: Ribbon Stairs

Today we’re launching a new program for HC2′s Design News, which will focus on house-related finds from all across the Internet. Each and every week, we’ll post furniture, home designs, and accouterments as a part of Monday Maison! In this inaugural edition, we’re showing off Ribbon Stairs by the Czech architecture firm, HSH Architects. And this isn’t a jazzed up rendering either, as the firm actually created this staircase for a home in Prague. Despite the utter impracticality of having ribbon stairs in your average home, they are visually amazing, and add instant contemporary cred to your humble abode.

Ribbon Stairs, HSH Architects, Czech, weird stairs, strange stairs, designer stairs, Monday Maison

Sony’s Foam City

I think I’ve said this a few times in the past, but just so we’re clear, I am a bit of a Sony fanatic. I should clarity that. It’s not as though I consume, or own everything Sony’s ever put out. I’ve never owned a Sony gaming system, or one of their cellular phone, or one of their laptops. What else is left? As of late, I have a big place in my heart for Sony’s televisions, studio series headphones, and mp3 devices. Regarding the latter, Saatchi & Saatchi have created a new ad campaign for the Sony Ericsson W705 cellphone / media player, which depicts folks traveling through foam cities. The use of foam is meant to drive home the power of the Ericsson W705′s clear audio system, which keeps good noise in; like a foam padded studio, and external distractions out. Just remember to pay attention to your surroundings, as we’d hate to see more vehicular incidents caused by audio distractions.

Sony's Foam City, Sony Ericsson W705, Sony advertisement, Saatchi & Saatchi

Dave Kinsey

via Format Magazine: When it comes to artists, many would like to be considered someone who can do it all. Dave Kinsey, an almost excessively accomplished designer and fine artist has done just that. From shoes and music to murals and corporate designs, Kinsey has managed to dip his brush into practically everything. He hails from the east coast, but his work has stretched across Europe, Australia, and beyond. In an effort to bring the artistic integrity of advertising back to life, he created BLK/MRKT, a design company that exhibits artwork in various venues, galleries being the most recent. From creating books for the hopefuls to crafting designs for an environmental cause, Kinsey continues to stamp his name on anything that has artistic potential. And for him, that’s everything.

Dave Kinsey, graphic design, fine art, BLK/MRKT

Regarding his newest portrait, Audacity, Kinsey states: “This print was created from the original painting ‘The Audacity of Hopelessness’ which was basically a comment on the futility of struggle – the more you fight the more you become the same. Or it could be about the recent Black Friday where a shit-load of people stampeded each other to get to a department store sale leaving someone dead on the floor. I don’t know. I honestly prefer to leave my work somewhat open to interpretation. The use of Zebras as a metaphor is not meaningful in and of itself—it could have been tigers or beetles—I just thought the dynamism of the stripes would allow me to visually convey what I was after.” For more from Dave’s interview, head on over to Format .

Dave Kinsey, graphic design, fine art, BLK/MRKT

Gordon Graff’s Skyfarm for Toronto

Via Inhabitat: The UN predicts that we will need 60% more food over the next 30 years in order to meet the demands of the world’s ever-growing population, and one designer has found an interesting place to look for other alternatives for growing food as agriculturally viable land becomes more and more scarce. That is, up! Skyfarm is a vertical farm designed by Gordon Graff, a student in the Master of Architecture program at the University of Waterloo. The vertically set farm for Toronto is intent on meeting the needs of a tightly packed planet in the face of a limited food supply, while removing dependence on the food transportation via energy intensive and emission heavy methods.

Gordon Graff, Skyfarm, University of Waterloo, Skyfarm Toronto, urban farming, vertical farm

Instead of soil, Skyfarm’s plants float on trays of nutrient-rich water, growing hydroponically over 59 stories stacked half a dozen storeys deep. Farmed within a controlled environment, crops will no longer be subject to the vagaries of climate, infestation, or disease and the dense hydroponic agriculture can guarantee considerable yields. With the potential to operate year round, one indoor acre has been estimated to be able to yield the equivalent of between four and six outdoor acres, or enough food for 50,000 people a year. With the installation of several Skyfarms in the neighborhoods of especially large cities, the prospect to dramatically transform local food production is there.

Gordon Graff, Skyfarm, University of Waterloo, Skyfarm Toronto, urban farming, vertical farm

The building will be equipped with its own bio-gas plant able to produce methane from its own waste which could be burned to generate its own electricity. Moreover, to the city’s advantage, when Skyfarm is unable to produce enough waste to power itself (approximately 50%) Graff suggests reclaiming the waste and sewage that travels to civic composting facilities and diverting it to Skyfarm’s anaerobic digester to produce the methane it needs. And the water issue? Enter the Living Machine, a patented biological water-filtration system that would recover waste water from sewage and redirect right on over to Skyfarm’s hydroponic system.

Flowing Gardens

Plasma Studio has been commissioned to design the International Horticultural Fair in Xi’An, China taking place in 2011. The project involves structures totalling 12,500 square meters and over 35 hectares of landscape. This massive project aims to synthesis ‘horticulture and technology where landscape and architecture converge’. The main buildings include an exhibition hall, greenhouse and a gate building. Plasma studio will be working with Arup (structural and civil engineering) and Groundlab (landscape design) for this ambitious project slated for completion in 2011.

Flowing Gardens, Plasma Studio, Arup, Groundlab, International Horticultural Fair, Xi’An, China

The three buildings mimic the landscape design, sitting at major interactions along the pathways. The masterplan design weaves the landscape, circulation system and architecture into one seamless unit. The expected 20,000 daily visitors can enjoy four different climatic zones of plants and flowers in the greenhouse, overlooking the exhibition hall and outdoor gardens across the water.

Flowing Gardens, Plasma Studio, Arup, Groundlab, International Horticultural Fair, Xi’An, China

Drug Consupmtion in the US

The war on drugs keeps law enforcement busy – 13 percent of all arrests made in 2007 were drug related in the US – but the kinds of battles police are fighting vary widely across the country, from meth labs in California to cocaine dealers in Florida. This is an infographical representation of what drugs local law enforcement officials said were posing the greatest dangers to their communities, when asked by the Department of Justice. Visually stimulating, and sobering at the same time.

Drug Consupmtion in the US, meth lab, cocaine dealer, info graphic, drug enforcement, Department of Justice