An Animalphabet for UNICEF

{image by. Geoff McFetridge via Animalphabet}

I came across this somewhere deep in the bowells of Lost at E Minor, a project in which 26 artists and designers have come together in support of UNICEF. The Typographic project Animalphabet is a collaboration between the artists in which each creates a limited edition poster featuring an animal - real or made up - somehow illustrating their designated letter of the Alphabet. The animals will later be displayed on the projects website and the posters will be sold off, with all profits going to UNICEF.

Charles, Ray and the Polaroid SX-70

I visited The Mid-Century Modernist this morning and saw this great Polaroid promotional film done by the Eames office. What better way to Save Polaroid, then to showcase such a beautiful film done in promotion of the original Polaroid camera. How could someone possibly not want to save this most amazing technology, when you see it explained so beautifully. I would highly suggest watching the video and then popping over to Save Polaroid to find out how you can help keep Polaroid film in production.

An Amazing Fabric + Updated Classics

I happened upon Parkhaus this evening, a company dedicated entirely to making products of high-quality wool felt. At first the company reminded me of another great wool based company, Hard Graft. Though upon further inspection, their product range extends to far more than simply personal accessories. They've created storage boxes, notebooks, lamps, and a great deal of other home furnishings and accessories as well.

{photo of key fob via Canoe, photos of classic chairs via Parkhaus}

However, one of their most notable projects came just under a year ago. They began creating seating pads specially designed to accompany some of the most classic and recognizable chairs out there. They are intended to not only provide additional comfort to the chairs - a concept I'm not entirely fond of - but also to protect them from the everyday wear and tear of use - a concept I can certainly get behind. And that key fob isn't half bad either, I'm pretty sure I'm going to be placing an order for one of those.

Grandmother Friendly Design

I was reading through the October issue of Dwell on my flight home this evening, and came across a great article entitled Salvage Love. The article is essentially about a recent college graduate and his after school plans. Which as opposed to some of the wonderful after college clichés, he decided to very simply build himself a home. Or, at least rebuild himself a home.

{logo and photos via Rural Theory}

He rebuilt the two bedroom Austin bungalow using almost exclusively salvaged materials, with a few of his own custom fabricated pieces as well. After doing so he founded his own design studio called Rural Theory, not a bad first year out of college if I do say so myself. Click here for the full story.

Sincere Apologies + A Giveaway

So I wasn't able to accomplish what I set out to accomplish this weekend, and sitting in Oakland International Airport right now, I'm feeling pretty bad about it. So my secret project is going to have to wait to be debuted until the next time I find myself in either the bay area, the greater Los Angeles Area, or Phoenix - hintity, hint, hint. However, because of my betrayal to you, my wonderful readers, it is giveaway time. In light of my previous post about Phaidon publishing, I will be giving away a copy of the Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture (Travel Edition). To be entered into the contest just leave a comment on this post sometime before next sunday at 4:00 PM Pacific time. I apologize again for my failure, and thank you for your continued support.

Thanks again,
bran

rtn. in the East Bay

I'm in the bay area this weekend, partly on a social visit and partly on assignment. I flew into Oakland this afternoon, and it was a fairly eventful day. At nine o'clock this evening a mild 4.2 magnitude earthquake hit and rattled everyone's cages a little bit. The earthquake's epicenter was located just a few miles east of Alamo California. I am staying with some family in a town just a few miles outside of Danville California. As you can see from my somewhat crude illustration of the earthquake's path, the epicenter was very near my current location. Aside from that, the day was rather uneventful. Sorry to disappoint. I do have some big plans to take care of for rtn. while I'm here, so check back regularly for updates. I promise it will be worth it.

So Consistently Beautiful

I found myself in the bookstore this evening - in search of a new Moleskine® - and I inevitably found myself in the art and architecture section flipping through this wonderful book from Phaidon press. I was first introduced to Phaidon by my dear friend Nell when she purchased It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want to Be. Since then I've come to recognize that whenever I see that logo on the spine of a book, that book is guaranteed to be two things: 1. Entertaining/Inspiring 2. Beautiful. Whenever I pick up one of their books I find it extremely difficult to not simply buy it right then.

{photos via Phaidon Press}

Phaidon was founded in Vienna, Austria in 1923. The company was named after Phaedo, a dialogue in which either Socrates or Plato - I'm a little confused as to which - discussed the immortality of the soul. The company was founded on a simple concept, provide quality books a affordable prices, which they accomplished through co-editions and large print runs. They initially printed books on literature, philosophy and history, their first large format art books were not introduced until 1936. The company moved to England after the Nazis occupied Vienna. After the war their focus turned primarilly to art books and has stayed that way ever since. Phaidon has established itself as the preemminent publisher of books concerning all the visual arts. Nigel Spivey - Professor of Classical Art at Cambridge University and author of a short book entitled Phaidon History - put it best, “a readership is rightly disposed to buy a Phaidon book for no other reason than that Phaidon has produced it”.

The Swag Leg Desk

While researching for that last post I had to constantly tell myself that I did not need to talk about my personal favorite Nelson™ design. I finally broke, what can I say, the Nelson™ Swag Leg Desk is beautiful. It's simple and playful, yet retains a certain level of refinement. Not to mention the plethora of details that went into making the desk completely user-friendly. From its easily collapsible construction, to its multiple dividers and almost hidden pull-out drawers. It is as brilliant today as it was when it was introduced in 1958.

{photo of Nelson™ Swag Leg Desk & Eames® Armchair via Hive}

cotw. Nelson™ Coconut Chair

"Total design is nothing more or less than a process of relating everything to everything." What better example of that concept could there be than a chair inspired by a coconut? George Nelson was undeniably a brilliant designer, and his Coconut Chair is a wonderful example of that. According to Nelson the chair "was developed to give lounge seating comfort together with great freedom of movement." It was introduced in 1955, the same year that Eero Saarinen finished the Kresge auditorium at MIT. The shape of the chair's molded plastic shell seems likely to have been inspired by Saarinen's auditorium, though I wasn't able to find anything directly linking the two.

{photos of Nelson™ Coconut Chair via DWR}

I really enjoy this chair, it just exudes comfort. My only complaint lies in the fact that it is only being manufactured in black leather. Especially after reading the Sept. issue of Dwell; accompanying a blurb about a Nelson™ museum exhibit is a photo of five Coconut Chairs all in different earthtone fabrics. Come on Vitra, give us some options.