Extensions

It has been a long time sice I posted my last entry...
I would like to try to do daily update.
It might make me more sensitive about information of design.

Recently I have focused on my project in my course.
Now, I'm trying to make "sacred" small living space, and I found a good book, which is actually about extinsions of houses, but it has a lot of good ideas for small spaces.



For me, the last chapter "innovative additons" is the most inspiring.
If you are looking for some references about small spaces, small houses and big effects with small gesture, this book might be helpful.

loftcube

This house is famous, so you might already kknow it, but I would like to introduce the video about it.

English Idioms: The sky is the limit.

The sky is the limit. (The possibility is endless...)

http://www.goenglish.com/TheSkyIsTheLimit.asp

Robin Hood (TV)(2006)

I watched BBC’s TV series “Robin Hood”.
I like the character of Much, who is a right-hand man of Robin Hood, and the relationship among Robin, Marian and Guy.

the attitude of Robin about love is very indirect, so sometimes it was very frustrating in a good meaning…

the website:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/robinhood/

Best Global Brands 2007

It's a ranking of best global brands.
When I saw it, I felt the center of the world is still the U.S.

http://www.interbrand.com/best_brands_2007.asp

Design London

Design London is a joint venture between RCA and Imperial College London.
London focuses on making synergy between business and design.

... how Britain uses design to build an innovation culture over the next 20 years will play a big role in determining its place in the global economic pecking order. Failure to turn creative ideas into market innovation will cost the country dear, as China's manufacturing might casts its shadow over the whole picture.

p.6, New Design, 2008, issue 58

Design London
http://www.designlondon.net/

Cambridge

I went to Cambridge with my classmates.
My favourite thing in Cambridge was punting.
The punting guy was the same university student as us by chance.
Two other girls were aboard the same boat, and the one girl was a high school student, who wants to enter Cambridge University.
She asked him why he didn’t enter the university, and he replied her London is better place because you can experience many things, there is expensive though.
I agree with him.
Cambridge should be very good to study because it is quiet and beautiful, but life is not just studying.

In terms of architecture, King’s college chapel was very interesting for me.
The ornament of ceiling and stained glasses are exquisite.

The landscape is very traditional, so if you are not used to it, it must look very beautiful.

Cambridge punting:
http://www.punting-in-cambridge.co.uk/
king's college chapel
http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/chapel/

Copyrights of Star Wars

I think it is very difficult for Ainsworth to win the lawsuit....

The result becomes clear next Tuesday.

from Guardian:
http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2271561,00.html
Shepperton Design Studios:
http://www.sdsprops.com/

City of the Future

This competition was hosted by discovery channel. It already finished, but very interesting.
It was held in 2006 and the task was to imagine the city of 2106.

This video is the introduction of this competition:






This is about Los Angeles competition:







The website:
http://www.history.com/marquee.do?marquee_id=51808

Car traps against car thieves

http://www.wired.com/cars/coolwheels/magazine/16-04/ps_baitcar

It’s very effective, I don’t know how much it costs though.
What can design do for reducing crimes?
It must be indirect ways.

Spirit Trap (2005)

I watched Spirit Trap, because I saw Billie Piper playing in Dr. Who.

According to Wikipedia, it got “generally poor reviews”.
The reason might have been that the characters were too typical, especially the bad guy character, but I felt that the psychology of people who felt guilt about a death of a person who is very close to them is very interesting. It is very difficult to understand it, because sometimes they seem to blame themselves too much.
I think it’s kind of a dilemma.
If you don’t blame yourself and feel nothing when someone die, you should feel you are cold and merciless…

The web site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_Trap
Billie Piper:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billie_Piper

ET?

Are there any ETs in the universe?
I like sci-fi, but it is a bit difficult for me to feel a reality from works about aliens, but if they are in the world, it should be more fun, we might fight against each other, though…

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7333155.stm

Enchanted (2007)

Before, I liked complicated movies, but recently my taste has changed.
Now, movies which are easy and clear to understand are also my cup of tea.
“Enchanted” is one of such kind of films.
I think it is very difficult to convey some messages to viewers even if the message is very tiny, but easy movies resolve the problem in a way. It might be not a perfect solution, but I recon it is sometimes very powerful.

We can’t be always cold and realistic, nor romantic and optimistic, and we should be well-balanced between them.
Usually, I laugh at the naiveness of romantic stories, but I found myself attracted with it.

The website:
http://adisney.go.com/disneyvideos/liveaction/enchanted/

Amy Adams
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Adams

John Soane Museum

I went there with my classmates.
It was John Soane's house, but he change it into a museum for students and beginners of art, architecture and sculpture.
I like the intention. Famous artists and designers should do the same thing.

The most interest thing there for me is the sarcophagus of Seti I. I wondered why it is here, not in Egypt.
It must have been stolen or robbed, but I’d like to imagine the history it has been seen.

The website:
http://www.soane.org/

Sea Change

The UK invests 45m pounds for Sea Change for three years.
I think how to keep the cities clean is also very imoprtant as well as their design.
If sea side cities become beautiful, many people come and they flourish, but at the same time visitors bring a lot of rubbish. It can make them dirty easily...

from DCMS
http://www.culture.gov.uk/Reference_library/Press_notices/archive_2008/dcms034_08.htm
World Wide Words: Sea Change
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-sea1.htm

Ron Arad/ Timothy Taylor gallery

Exhibition of Ron Arad will be held at Timothy Taylor Gallery in spring 2009.
It's just my opinion, but his works, such as Tom Vac, are very popular in Japan as well.

Ron Arad
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Arad_(industrial_designer)

Timothy Taylor Gallery
http://www.timothytaylorgallery.com/
The map:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=Timothy+Taylor+Gallery&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

Timothy Taylor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Taylor_%28art_dealer%29

Gordon Russell Museum was opened

At 4th Apr, Gordon Russell Museum was opened.
http://www.gordonrussellmuseum.org/
Opening Times 2008 Open November - February 11 am - 4 pm Tuesday through to Sunday Open March - October 10 am - 5 pm Tuesday through to Sunday Closed every Monday (except Bank Holidays)From 2009 onwards the Museum will be closed during January Admission Charges Adults - £3.00 Concessions - £2.50 Children under 16 - £1.00

Gordon Russell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Gordon_Russell

Terence Conran
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terence_Conran