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Twinsies: Josh vs Chris

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 18:00:26 -0700

For your consideration: the latest installment in our ongoing series on intra-office stylistic synchronicity.

Well, this is awkward...

Ten-Pin Alley

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 15:30:12 -0800

The last Friday of every month, by the good graces of the prime minister, we are bade exit this popsicle stand en masse to go get our teambuiliding on (i.e., go goof off). This time it was for some ball-on-pins action at Portland's very own bowling alley 2.0, the excellent Grand Central Bowl. We may have all ended up with swollen middle fingers, but we had a blast duking it out in the lanes. (Even if the rental shoes were not so much smelly as too "grabby." You should be able to moonwalk in those things!) Mort (a.k.a. the Muscle) took the day—and an oh-so sweet, 1940s-vintage trophy/clock/thing—with a solid single-game performance of 184, despite the much-lamented fact that his ability to slide gracefully up to the foul line and unleash ten pounds of explosive English was mitigated by said footwear. Dane (a.k.a. the Beard) took secondary honors with a 174 and went home with an equally vintage and only slightly less awesome trophy/ashtray. Both were heard to thank the Academy before scampering off to buy some Swisher Sweets at a nearby Kwik-E-Mart.

The Official Parliament Toad admires zee Grand Prize!

Smoky Seconds. We puff like chimneys around here.

The Science Fairy

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 11:17:27 -0800

For a while there, our website looked...different. Some folks loved it, speculating that it was a placeholder site while we re-redesigned behind the curtain. Others dissed us, claiming it was a cheap publicity stunt. The truth, as usual, is more interesting.

One of our designers, Chris Arth, was invited back to his alma mater, Oregon State, for the Design and Human Environment Career Symposium, a sort of job fair geared toward graphic, interior, and apparel design. Chris was to be among a panel of six graphic-design graduates with successful careers who would talk to the students wandering the floor and, ideally, have some sort of visual aid or presentation as backdrop. Though we had approximately zero time to invest in his presentation, we decided to embark on a magical, breakneck, last-second Voyage of Discovery collabo: a third-grade science project!

The Science Fairy, like Santa Claus, leaves purest delight in her wake...

The finished bonanza featured (1) a truly masterly papier-mâché volcano we christened Mount Ginger (long story); (2) the aforementioned bleeding-edge site redesign, dredged up from some Netscape netherworld, powered via six Idaho Russet Burbank Grade A potatoes, and displayed on an IBM Thinkpad; (3) a much improved solar system, with Earth at its center and the sun upgraded to planet status (a bold move unintentionally redacted by Monsieur Arth in transit, when he lost our beloved homeworld in the bowels of his Jetta's trunk); (4) a trifold presentation that may or may not have been about itself and/or omniversal determinism versus (or vis-à-vis) reductive choice-based existential ditherings and/or the tactile experience of touching a "beard" made out of a secondhand grizzly bear's foot (not pictured, sadly); (5) some yummy candy for all the adorable attendees; and (6) some sash patches.

You'll find some documentary photography below. High fives all around. And, please, some Dramamine.

The Girl Scout–grade patches were a hit.

Self-explanatory.

Nick wrestles with the task of making the Earth the center of the Universe.

Mars, the nougat death star.

We upgraded the sun from a star to a planet.

Faux wheat was added to the tip of Mount Ginger for increased realism.

Potatoes, mayo and tempera paint — the essentials.

Ho Ho It's Magic

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 10:41:00 -0800

Happy holidays from Parliament! If you'd like your very own Peppermint Narwhal/Piratical Kringle Mer-Poster, give a holler. We're running out in real time...

Do you know this beaver?

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 16:18:00 -0800

This morning, we were both befuddled and delighted to find this little guy loitering outside our door, staring into the darkened corridors of our world headquarters and bearing a slightly disconcerting message. (Luckily, our firewood has been treated with BeaverBlock™.)

While a few heartless fiends called for turning Mr. Beaver into a fabulous chapeau, the boss warmed to him immediately. Whatever his origin, it looks like he's found a home. To distract him from gnawing at the walls, we've given him unlimited access to our Massive Snackage Cache—and an email address: thebeav@parliamentdesign.com.

Par-tay

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 01:19:00 -0800

Oh, yeah, this is how we do it. Our Christmas party at PDX/Pearl hot spot Irving St. Kitchen was ten kinds of awesome. There was of course much rejoicing, and some really good eats and a bit of libation, but besides the exquisite company, the highlight would have to be our white-elephant gift exchange, which saw some creative entries among the rabble of regifts and unmentionables. Some highlights from the event:

Scenesters. Nice space. Mort (foreground) holds court to nobody.

The Dane with Handmade Clarence Doll.

Um, "Drawnye West on a Locker Door"?

Kevin Bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich!!!

Lovely people.

What's so funny?

Snackus Maximus

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:19:00 -0800

Holy Ding Dongs, we may have overdone it. It was recently decided that Parliament's minions needed something besides their nails to nibble on while performing their top-secret duties. Thus a giant, encyclopedic catalog was acquired from junk-food overlords Snaktastik! and pored over by everybody in the office. Director Witherspoon said (and I quote), "Don't hold back." Boy, did we not hold back. And then he went and ordered everything requested, the madman. Days later, two full pallets' worth of Made in the U.S.A. snackage was delivered.

After the workers finished offloading the crates, it took a day of all hands on deck to organize our little emporium. (Interestingly, our world HQ now qualifies as a federal bomb shelter, with enough calories to sustain 500 people for at least 50 years.)

Despite most staff members eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner out of crinkly cellophane packaging for the past week, the cache actually appears to have grown. I'd say more, but I'm about to go break off some Funyuns and a Yoo-Hoo.

Gift bag sneak peak

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 01:32:00 -0800

We be the judge

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 14:39:00 -0800

And the honorifics continue apace. This time, our beloved Prime Minister, Chris Erickson, has been asked to judge (harshly) Charleston creative studio Fuzzco's How Low Can Your Logo contest. Chris joins other heads of state the, um, Heads of State, Frank Chimero, Mikey Burton, Jessica Hische, and tag team Bryony Gomez-Palacio and Armin Vit. There will be no laughter, only tears, as he and his seven fellow law-layer-downers choose the absolute worst from among the merely egregiously bad.

From the faux brief: We're very drawn to the colors one finds in a rainbow but color wheels are a significant turn-off. I have attached a picture of our puppy. We [Excellencico] don't want the puppy incorporated into the logo but we do want you to capture her spirit and attitude and expect that to be conveyed through design elements.

Who can clobber all contenders and win the dubious distinction of having created the world's baddest logo? Maybe you? Who knows...

When It's Best Made

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 00:19:00 -0700

I've been loving Best Made for a while, and I wanted to take a moment to spread the love.

We're Big Overseas

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 10:02:00 -0700

It's no secret Hasselhoff still rules foreign soil, but this month we're proud to announce that we've been featured in two outstanding overseas publications, the UK's Computer Arts and South Korea's Interiors. Many thanks to the good people at these magazines for their inspired write-ups of our recent work and studio remodel. Cheers and gamsahamnida, respectively.

Computer Arts, April 2010

Studio of the Month. Photography: Gabriel Boone and Lincoln Barbour

Interiors, April 2010

Part of an eight-page spread in Interiors. Photography: Lincoln Barbour

The bear rug makes an appearance. Photography: Lincoln Barbour

Quest for the Golden Tusk

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:59:00 -0700

After months of personal toil, I am proud to announce the opening of the Academy of Classroom Liberation, and I personally welcome your application of internship and your petition to join the Quest for the Golden Tusk. Please submit your application posthaste.

As the highest-ranking admiral on the S.S. Parliament, I commend your decision to seek passage aboard the finest internship vessel in the world. The voyage will not be without peril, nor the rations without exotic spice, but should you overcome the hardships and return safely to harbor, you shall disembark vastly more competent at charting your own course toward a profession in creative passions.

However deeply you feel the call within, do not underestimate the task at hand. You will be expected to toil relentlessly in fierce conditions or find yourself at the mercy of admiralty law. Furthermore, you will receive no compensation, save classroom credit as negotiated with your advising officer. Should this not deter you, may the wind be at your back as you proceed.

Feeling the Love

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:00:00 -0800

Our hearts were full this Valentine's Day. Thank you to all of the people who took the time to write, blog, or tweet about our studio remodel and portfolio. A few of our favorite posts...

ISO50, Abduzeedo, Design Sponge, Contemporist, Pinball Publishing, RecycleBank, Unplggd, We Heart

Northern Outpost Candidate

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:42:00 -0800

Now you see it, now you don't. This cabin might have come in handy last winter when our Arctic Circle observatory was ruthlessly attacked by a pack of hungry wolves and one small child. With the ability to completely blend into any forest backdrop, the design delivers instant refuge in times of danger while simultaneously bestowing modern comfort and airflow when the tundra is tranquil. And if the view gets tiresome, there's even wheels to roll away on. The Dutch think of everything.

Via Gizmodo

NOW YOU SEE IT

NOW YOU DON'T

I WOOD THINK THIS GUY IS PRETTY HAPPY

What Type Are You?

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:24:00 -0800

What types are the Parliamentards? Great question, and to get it answered some of our folks took Pentagram's What Type Are You? quiz. If you want to take it, the password is "character."

Without further ado, here are the results.

Aaron and John Brown are Couriers

Rational, Understated, Progressive, and Disciplined

Rational, Understated, Traditional, and Relaxed

Rational, Assertive, Progressive, and Disciplined

Emotional, Understated, Progressive, and Relaxed

Emotional, Assertive, Progressive, and Disciplined

Rational, Understated, Traditional, and Disciplined

It’s Been a Great Year

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 13:37:00 -0800

With so much already planned for the next year, 2009 feels like a world ago. She was good to us, though, and I reckon it's worth the effort to pay her some respect.

Over the past 12 months, we had the the privilege of working on more projects than we can count, for clients old and new, some of which managed to rack up some sweet awards and accolades. Our studio renovation was wrapped up, as well as our long-overdue site launch and membership cards. Most important, we made some good friends along the way and added some great folks to the fold.

Goodbye, decade. Here's to 2010.

Our Lady of Lucha Libre

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:21:00 -0800

Mega-props to Pale Horse for, well, just about everything they do. Really, really nice work. I feel small. I'm especially loving their Our Lady of Lucha Libre illustration, which apparently was inspired by a Tijuana wrestling match. It's now available on candles and skate decks. An unlikely duo, but it certainly works.

A Night at the Races

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 10:44:00 -0800

Last night we represented at the first annual Stumptown 40, at the Kennedy School, hosted by the Portland Advertising Federation. Legend has it that the 40 is the only pinewood derby whose contestants don't pretend that children made the racers, and we brought it, hard. After the plastic hit the road and the smoke cleared, we ended up doing all right, coming away with trophies for most creative car (The Plush Wonder) and second place overall (Mort's Oh Oh It's Magic was smokin').

Mega-props go out to the Stumptown folks who fashioned the trophies. They killed it.

Here's a rundown of our racers. There's not a bad one in the lot.

Li'l Cy

BSG fanboys got their nerd on when John Brown revealed his Cylon racer, complete with chasing LEDs. Li'l Cy killed it until another racer plucked it off the track and tried to change the channel.

Li'l Cy came complete with chasing lights.

For those outside of the B.S.G. loop, this was John's frackin' inspiration.

Oh Oh It's Magic

Mort's finely crafted racer cruised on to a second-place finish. It reminds us of something; we just can't quite put our finger on it. Regardless, Mort's racer crushed every car sans The Flaming Turd. You can't win them all.

Magic Missile!

The coveted backwards-2 trophy is finally ours!

Timber!

Made from 100% old-growth.

I'm sure Chris scored points with Lindsay with this move.

Falkor

Without a doubt one of the more disturbing racers, our little luckdragon made a real run for it. But without Atreyu he got bogged down in the Swamps of Sadness and was stopped short of the Oracle. Our thanks go out to Aaron Noah for his derby child.

I mean, seriously, it's like an albino tube of Chester the Cheetah.

"I like children."

Ridin' High

And it was. Real high. Belly laughs and awkward moments were brought to the crowd courtesy of master crafter John Escher.

We know what you're thinking.

Hoof-Hearted

Dane's longtime inside joke made its incarnated debut as what some would describe as a fox and others as a wiener pony. Either way, it displayed a whole lotta hoof and a whole lotta heart.

Part Dachshund, part thoroughbred.

MJ

Almost indistinguishable from the real deal, this bad boy moonwalked his way right down the track, did a little spin, and finished off the race by grabbing his muffler. We can't wait to find out how Jono will choose to offend people at next year's derby.

You can't take Neverland with you, but you can make great time getting there.

Rest in peace.

The Plush Wonder

This upholstered steed had a rather lackluster win column but nonetheless brought home the trophy for crowd-voted most creative car. The title may or may not be due to the sheer number of fanboys who came to cheer Parliament to victory coupled with some strategic voting. Shameless.

A.K.A. the Babymaker.

Leica & Hermes Ltd Edition M7

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:47:00 -0800

I certainly don't claim to be an expert on photographitism, but I know what looks good, and, goshdarnit, the limited-edition M7, from Leica and Hermes, is one of the best-looking devices I've ever seen. If it takes pics half as good as it looks, I want to go to it. Learn more from our friends at Limited Hype.

Preparing for Stumptown 40

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:51:00 -0800

Parliament is taking on Portland's finest creative talent in the first annual Stumptown 40 Pinewood Derby. Twenty-five bucks will get you four wheels, a pair of axles, and a two-ounce block of wood. What you do with it is completely up to you.

Check it hard.

The Big Book of Green Design

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:23:00 -0800

Many thanks to the publishers of The Big Book of Green Design for including explorethecycle.com. Grab yourself a copy when you get a chance.

Pie!

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:17:00 -0800

We just finished up a Longitudinal Study about the Global Boredom Epidemic for Edelman and Xbox 360, and upon delivery we received this tasty treat. Nothing says job well done like an eight-pound home-baked apple pie. Many thanks to Gabrielle for her baking expertise and PR magic. We're looking forward to working with her again.

There was even a P carved into the crust—so thoughtful.

In the year 2004

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:37:00 -0800

"Scientists from the RAND Corporation have created this model to illustrate what a 'home computer' could look like in the year 2004. However, the needed technology will not be economically feasible for the average home. Also, the scientists readily admit that the computer will require not yet invented technology to actually work, but 50 years from now scientific progress is expected to solve these problems. With teletype interface and the Fortran language, the computer will be easy to use."

Hwy 99

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:36:00 -0800

On the way back from a midnight press check, we came across a dying strip mall on Highway 99 that had a half-dozen or so killer vintage neon signs as well as a few hand-painted backlit wonders. They just don't make 'em like they used to.

A to Zero of Refrigeration

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:30:00 -0800

There is something about midcentury products, branding, and overall visual communication that really speaks to me. Perhaps it's just old-fashioned nostalgia, but I like the identifiable and likable personalities of so many of yesterday's brands.

Ninety Years of Refrigeration, and Logos, an article by Brand New about Frigidaire's branding history, does a great job of charting their visual evolution. It reminded me to appreciate the brands that manage to age with a bit more grace (e.g., Coca-Cola and GE).

I love this related booklet, "A to Zero of Refrigeration," by General Motors.

A simple story of man-made cold.

A diagram explaining absorption-type refrigeration.

This helpful illustration shows how monkeys are involved in the refrigeration process.

SHIFT: A Green Salon

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:01:00 -0800

Chris delivered a midgie presentation to a rapt audience at AIGA's latest Shift event. His topic? Parliament's green-friendly office renovation. In our humble opinion, it was the best performance of the night. And we're not saying that just because he cuts the paychecks.

Objectified on DVD

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:56:00 -0700

Gary Hustwit brought his latest documentary, Objectified, to Portland this past summer, and we were fortunate enough to catch the showing at Cinema 21. Diving into the world of industrial design, the feature-length documentary explores the relationship between manufactured objects and consumers. We're happy to hear it's now available on DVD for those that missed it in the theaters. Enjoy.

Mort Gets a Gold Star

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:17:00 -0700

We've been living without handles on our kitchenette because we couldn't find anything worthy, until Mort came up with this genius idea...

Welcome, John & Chris

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:53:00 -0700

We mopped the floors and spritzed our billiard table for the arrival of Parliament's newest recruits, John Brown and Chris Arth. John joins the crowded Plaintext Command Center, while Chris will rub elbows with the designers in the Working Prototypes Division. Congratulations, guys, we're so proud of you.

Quattro & Rhodia

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:20:00 -0700

Truth be told, I'm a sucker for two things (at least): shoes and sketchbooks. I recently came across two families of sketchbooks and it was love at first sight, but I can't find them for sale online anywhere! If anybody knows where to get some, please let us know. Our small stash is dwindling, and it's stressing me out. The perfect sketchbook is not a trivial thing.

Membership Cards

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:23:00 -0700

Parliament's membership cards are fresh and hot! Now better than ever, our cards sport one of six different ID photos (real photographic prints), different departmental seals, and Clarence Witherspoon's official signature. Thanks to Pinball Publishing for all their production guidance and attention to detail with the printing.

Specs [for the nerds]

Each card is printed 5/5, with Pantone soy-based inks, die-cut corners, and voluptuous thumbprints. We manually added a post-production black-and-white photograph to each card to really pull off the midcentury secret-agent vibe, and we're pretty pumped with the results.

Front

Mort is one hot agent. He'll be making design groupies hot and sweaty for sure.

The back comes complete with our studio's contact information, a set of thumbprints, and director Clarence Witherspoon's official signature.

Many thanks to Clarence for carving out some time in his busy schedule to make sure we had a signature that adhered to his strict standards.

It took about eight pages before we finally created the perfect pair of thumbprints.

Dane had an old roommate who left this Underwood typewriter in his basement, and we used it to type out all of our information, giving it all a really authentically imperfect feel.

Carlos, in our production facility, undertook the tedious business of adhering the ID photos to every single card. Our prayers are with him as he recovers.

Sidewalk Evandalism

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:28:00 -0700

I came across this treasure while walking back from lunch on SE Washington.

Getting Our Glamour On

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:34:00 -0700

Clarence announced that we were to come to work on Monday morning prepared for glamour headshots ("Brush your hair, no Daisy Dukes...").

There was enough hair product and mustache in one room to qualify us as a fire hazard, but the only thing getting hot was the camera lens. With the help of a couple of combs from our good neighbor Draplin, we knocked out a photo shoot for the ages.

Aside from taking up room on our social-networking sites, we plan to use the photos as part of our new ID project that'll be coming soon. Stay tuned.

Parliament World Headquarters

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:13:00 -0700

Parliament's world headquarters is now finished, and we halted production for the day to document our new digs with photographer Lincoln Barbour. Although we probably got in his way more than we helped, it was great to watch Lincoln work, and we couldn't be more pleased with the results. Peruse our comprehensive gallery or get the details shorthand below.

All images copyright Lincoln Barbour.

Office

One of our spaces had a funky post that made the room difficult to use, but we remedied that with the addition of a floating L-shaped desk.

Staffers dine and unwind upstairs alongside a nice pile of firewood and a pool table.

Using wood reclaimed from a 1904 barn and retired fruit and whiskey crates, this little fellow was built out of more than 600 individually milled pieces.

We built sit-down and stand-up workstations out of a pair of salvaged pizza-oven bases, vintage Brooklyn street signs, and wood reclaimed from a 1942 barn.

Every desk was made from reclaimed fir from an early 20th-century church, and the wood for the lath walls came from a 1904 barn.

This is where the magic happens.

This is where we clean up the magic.

Did we mention that we're suckers for posters?

Late-Night Poster Session

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:10:00 -0700

Aside from close calls with inappropriate Snoop Dogg and a YouTube meltdown at 3:12 a.m., we managed to power through and get the office finished. And, yes, the Vitamin Water and supercool 2003 cellphone belong to our writer. Obviously.

R.I.P

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:35:00 -0700

Keatley Visits

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:32:00 -0700

Get on the John Keatley train while you can (yes, we said that). He's leaving the station on his way to photography stardom, but as of yesterday he was still willing to visit the old chaps at Parliament and sit down for some lunch and good times. Check out his unbelievable body of work.

Prime “Time” Minister

Fri, 22 May 2009 04:42:00 -0700

In yet another blow to our self-esteem, the staff at Parliament was forced to halt production today (again) to accommodate our Prime Minister's personal agenda, this time for the paramount importance of... having his portrait taken.

Under the hot lights and the expert eyes of stylist Casey Boyd, talented photographer Matthew Brush snapped off a torrid set of dazzling pictures that even the faceless working class here at Parliament can appreciate, even if we did spend all day crammed into a closet (just to make sure we're not in the pictures...) without access to water or the internet. Even our grizzly was forced to take part...

The Cycle Is a Webby Finalist

Tue, 12 May 2009 01:55:00 -0700

The Cycle is a Webby finalist. We're so pumped! Congrats, RecycleBank and all of our folks who burned the midnight oil to make this project such a success.

Just Call Me Mort

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 03:31:00 -0700

Scot "Call Me Mort" Mortimer just nailed his interview and will become the latest addition to Parliament's blooming body of designers. We welcome Mort with open arms and refrigerator. And we hope he'll have a nice library of music to add to our collection.

Draplin Spotting

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 10:25:00 -0700

While wandering the halls of the OMCC (where our headquarters is headquartered), one of our crackpot designers spotted a beast of a man heavily Carhartted out and sporting a powerful goatee. This was, of course, none other than Aaron Draplin himself. And as it turns out, he also calls the Mill home for the very mysterious Wilderness. The pleasure of introduction was all ours and we're happy to be connected.

Carry on, Draplin. Carry on.

Victory at SXSW

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:43:00 -0700

Parliament's finest delegates took to the red carpet this past weekend at the ever-blossoming SXSW Festival in downtown Austin, Texas. Despite battling a crowded field of iPhone-toting, Twitter-mad tech nerds, they still managed to hit up all the right parties and walk away with top honors in the Educational Resource category for our Explore the Cycle project for RecycleBank.

Even in the winner's circle (while wearing rolled-up jeans and flip-flops), our delegates performed admirably, finding time to schmooze with the hotshots from Odopod and give an interview with the Adobe and the New York Times. No big deal; happens all the time.

Many thanks to the good people at SXSW and RecycleBank.

Explore the Cycle Sketchbook

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:16:00 -0700

This morning I was cleaning out my desk and stumbled upon some sketchbook gems from our Explore the Cycle project for RecycleBank. Here are some of my faves. Enjoy!

P.S. You can learn more about the project here or just cut straight to the chase at www.explorethecycle.com.

Kyle Sharp ID

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:46:00 -0700

A while back we hired Kyle Sharp away from his beloved Los Angeles to help renovate our Portland office. A custom fabricator with roots in carpentry and fine arts, he specializes in creating new spaces using reclaimed and found materials.

After watching him repeatedly write down his phone number on scraps of paper and hand them to potential clients, we got to work designing an ID and business card that allows for flexible messaging about his ever-changing location and body of work. The new look is inspired by midcentury working-class aesthetics and reflects his artisanal style.

Magnetic Walls

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:39:00 -0800

Anybody who likes to develop ideas without a keyboard and hates whiteboards as much as I do is sure to appreciate our floor-to-ceiling magnetic walls. We didn't want to pay through the nose for the tiny pints of Home Depot magnetic paint, so we made our own.

Starting with raw iron in powder form, we mixed it with primer and then covered every painted wall with it. Magnets now stick to more than half of our walls, giving them the flexibility of accommodating brainstorm sessions, artwork reviews, or whatever else.

The dressed-up walls have become one of my favorite parts of every project. In fact, disrobing a wall at the end of a project is sort of like losing an old friend...

Bantam

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:21:00 -0800

Today's shipment brought in a glorious Bantam couch from Design Within Reach. The destination? Our Prime Minister's office, of course.

Explore the Cycle Launched

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 02:26:00 -0800

Thanksgiving came to Parliament a little early this year with the launch of RecycleBank's new microsite, www.explorethecycle.com. There's always satisfaction in a job well done, but this site is especially exciting to see live. We had all hands on deck to deliver an animated world of interactive recycling goodness that helps folks discover what happens to their cans, jugs, and jars once they leave the curb. One visit to the site and you’ll be embracing green.

Partners in Crime

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:04:00 -0800

Parliament welcomes Dane Leach and John Escher into the fold. Dane's good looks earned him a spot on the design team, while John's bronzed tan found a home on the writing squad.