You will reach all the 800 past posts through different links in the left hand column. You can make a search for a word, go for a tag, click one of the contributors or dive deep into the archives. I’m quite sure you will find some interesting reading.

This is a new post by David Report contributor Kristina Dryza.

This is a new post by David Report contributor Kristina Dryza.

Textile Ceylon by Josef Frank from Svenskt Tenn.

Textile Aramal by Josef Frank from Svenskt Tenn.

For an hour last week, just as dusk crept over the streets of Daikanyama, the Royal Danish Embassy hosted a small launch reception for its new building façade.

Curated and art directed by Per-Ole Lind the facade features Danish furniture designers of both the classic and new generation. Wanting to create a direct link between the customer and the producer, QR codes were integrated into the façade so people passing the busy thoroughfare can explore the featured designers further with their mobile phones.

For the reception, music came from a laptop placed in the Embassy’s front garden that was also showing loops of Lind creating the façade’s images. Admiring the scene from the footpath, guests drank champagne, ate wasabi peas, downloaded the QR codes to their phones and enjoyed the balmy autumnal weather. There was also a Louise Campbell lamp and Arne Jacobsen chair in the garden that made an appearance courtesy of the Ambassador Franz-Michael Skjold Mellbin’s private home and office.

Denmark is well known for its furniture design of the 50s and 60s and typecast by designers such as Arne Jacobsen and Hans J. Wegner; but this showcase attempts to introduce the Japanese to a fresh set of designers. A few ‘oldies but goodies’ are included, but the focus is on emerging Danish design talent. As the Ambassador said at the launch, “I’d like the Japanese to see the new generation of young Danish designers – not just the big giants – and how they’re holding onto tradition, but designing in a modern way.”

The eight designers featured are Thomas Petersen, Arne Jacobsen, Hans J. Wegner, Louise Campbell, Ole Jensen, Komplot, Gamfratesi and Cecilie Manz.

The Embassy plans to change its façade every three months to a topic of interest to the Japanese people. To see this Design Week influenced façade, visit the Embassy at 29-6 Sarugaku-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0033 Japan.

This is a new post by David Report contributor Kristina Dryza.

Ping Intressant.se

The magazine from the event DesignBoost 2009 - Design for Life has just been published online. You can view it in fullscreen by clicking on it above. Among the contributing writers are Jennifer Leonard, Kristina Dryza, Martin Hoenle, Brent Richards, Kristina Börjesson and Katarina Graffman, Vanessa Gandy, Magnus Lindkvist and Kristin Heinonen. The BoostChat and BoostTalk of the event took place October 14-15. The BoostShow is open until November 14.

This is the manifest for the event:

It’s time to rethink design. To create long time value instead of short time profit. To build the future on generosity instead of greed. We need optimism, new spirit and change! We need Design for Life.

Design for Life is all about how we can create better lives for the many. How we plan, produce, deliver and consume everything from cities, transportation and infrastructure to food, entertainment, products and brands. Together we have a joint responsibility. We can all make a difference.

Design is always about humans – about satisfying needs, solving problems and attracting us towards new experiences. This implies that great design often is founded on a social and cultural perspective. Unfortunately design has partly turned into a major source of pollution. Just look at everything modish and the hunt for newness. A big part of the industry are focusing on more when we actually need better.

Design for Life is about concern and cooperation. Even a long journey starts with a first step. Doing something is always better than nothing.

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One of the many striking things to spot when moving to Sweden from southern Europe is that alla bakar - everybody bakes - their own bread, buns and cakes. Maybe a result of being taught in school or, just to fill the dark snowy winter into something yummy and warm.

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The ninth issue of Acne Paper addresses the dual themes of Art and Spirituality, and explores the relationship between these two inextricably linked areas of study.

The cover story sees a unique collaboration between Tilda Swinton and Paolo Roversi. Other collaborators include David Lynch, Marina Abramovic and Maureen Paley, and an extensive art portfolio is curated by Lisa Rovner and Neville Wakefield.

Portrait of Tomas Maier together with Manabu Chiba, very famous Japanese architect and associate professor at Tokyo University.

The competition challenge, which was presented to students in early October, is to design a piece of furniture that serves a function for someone seated, taking into account Bottega Veneta’s traditions of quality, timeless design, and handcraftsmanship. Each student had the opportunity to present his or her initial sketches and ideas in person to Bottega Veneta Creative Director Tomas Maier, who flew to Tokyo specifically for the design review. Students are now in the process of refining their design proposals for formal submission, after which ten finalists will be selected. On December 18th, the three winners will be announced. For these young designers, winning is the beginning of an experience that will take them to Bottega Veneta’s atelier in Vicenza in January, where they will inspect the design prototypes being built for them, and then back to Milan in April to present their projects to the design world and global press attending Bottega Veneta’s 2010 Salone del Mobile presentation. Finally, the winning designs will be available for special order through the Bottega Veneta stores worldwide and on display in Ginza later in the year.

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