Sketchbook: Fabrica 2013 Informal Annual Review: Code: “News Machine” & “Sadly By Your Side”
Code was something we had to rebuild a bit at Fabrica this year. Although there had been a strong code culture at Fabrica in the past, from the likes of Jonathan Harris, Oriel Ferrer Mesià, João Wilbert, Bethany Koby & Daniel Hirschmann and the late Andy Cameron of course, when I arrived the then Interaction department […]
Journal: Fabrica
I’m writing this flying over the Alps, on BA579 from Venice to London. It’s a big blue sky lit by hazy sunshine, and the Alps look unreal. We just flew a few metres over a contrail, a perpendicular arc into the sunlight, hundreds of kilometres long, a surprisingly distinct temporary structure of curly vapour. Best […]
Stadsmuziek, by Akko Golenbeld
Difficult to resist giving this one a quick nod, given the subject. A physical model of Eindhoven rolled onto a drum and attached to a piano. A form of player piano with the city as the score. [By Akko Golenlbeld for Design Academy Eindhoven, exhibited at Salone del Mobile in Milano.] Instantly triggers all kinds […]
World Design Congress 2009, Beijing: Carsten Nicolai / Alva Noto
(Continued from World Design Congress 2009: Day three. Written at the time, last October.) As noted, I’ve followed Carsten Nicolai’s work for years, so it was a pleasure to see — and hear — him in the flesh. Nicolai, aka Alva Noto, is one of the stalwarts of the avant-garde electronica/noise/sound scene, but also works as […]
‘Urbanism in the House’, Tuomas Toivonen
One of the related highlights of HDL Global was meeting Helsinki-based architect Tuomas Toivonen (who has the great studio NOW), and in particular hearing him perform his new record ‘Urbanism in the House’ a couple of times. Put simply, which is probably the best way with something like this, ‘Urbanism in the House’ is a […]
Method designing
Over the years I’ve realised that, like many designers, I have to immerse myself in the cultural context of my work in order to get results. I’ve come to think of this as ‘method designing’, after method acting; a way of ‘getting into character’ that consciously and subconsciously informs the design process. This approach might […]
Three taxis: Melbourne, Beijing, Milan
http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=12216455&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=ffffff&fullscreen=1 http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=9419704&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=ffffff&fullscreen=1 http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=12396137&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=ffffff&fullscreen=1 See alsoThree taxis: Shanghai, Helsinki, TurinThree taxis: Sydney, Hong Kong (arrival), Wellington
14 Cities: City of Sonovac
From the 14 Cities series: "Though some claim it is merely a frivolous architectural theme park without the attractions, others have declared it to be the most interesting urban experience in Australia. For Sonovac is a city designed with as much attention given to sound as is usually given to sight. After the independently wealthy […]
Journal: Cars b/w Are Friends Electric
An article in The Economist suggests that electric cars should generate a noise to compensate for the loss of combustion engine noise, as they are so quiet. Despite noting there is little research (thought I’ll note some later), The Economist says “Some drivers say that when their cars are in electric mode people are more […]
Steve Roden (Postopolis! LA)
(Photos and links to follow) Steve Roden was, for me, one of the stand-out performances at Postopolis! LA. He’s an artist whose work I’ve admired for a long time, and it was a pleasure to meet him at last. His background is as a visual artists, primarily painting, but his work has freewheeled across film […]