AWARDS, CONFERENCE, BAZAAR. FASHION 4, DESIGN IN THE CITY

Every year, Month of Design brings together developers of new products, technologies and marketing strategies who share a passion for design, marketing and brands, with entrepreneurs, designers, architects, academics, marketing professionals and other thinkers.

At a time when governments and companies are focusing increasingly on a better understanding of design in connection with creativity, innovation and culture, Month of Design adopts a critical stance towards selected achievements and explores the efficiency of Slovene design, stressing its creative design potential. With an international Design Conference, Zavod Big sets guidelines and draws attention to future challenges, and by organising events, exhibitions, presentations and experiments, it launches new ideas, encourages dialogue and creates a space for fresh deliberations. The main aim of Month of Design is to increase the competitiveness of businesses and society, establish knowledge transfers between developed and less developed economies, and emphasise the strategic, economic and cultural advantages of design.

Wednesday 23nd of October – Friday 23nd of November 2008
Venue: Ljubljana, Slovenia

The events taking place during the Month of Design 2008 between 23 October and 23 November in Ljubljana will be aimed at launching new names, discovering the diversity of available design, and presenting the importance of good design to the expert and general public. The events will be organised by designers, designer collectives, companies and organisations which seek to establish themselves as design-conscious figures in the market. The events are coordinated and supported by Zavod Big.

Programme

Ljubljana Castle, 23–24 October

The Design Bazaar is an interactive venue for presenting and evaluating the region’s latest design potential, which includes projects from the fields of product design, fashion and architecture.
The Design Bazaar is open to all designers, design studios and creative companies. Their appearance at the event is subject to the organiser’s reviewing and evaluating their projects in line with professional standards.

List of exhibitors

Ljubljana, 17. and 24.  October

Fashion 4 presents new collections and fashion trends, discovers new talents and fresh, challenging new approaches. Held at the Ljubljana Castle and other prominent locations around Ljubljana, the fashion shows enrich the diverse Month of Design dynamic.

Programme

Brisbane, Australia-based designer Alexander Lotersztain has created X-System, a shelving system for Australian brand Planex. Lotersztain’s modular system features X-shaped pillars that fit into rails on the shelves. As well, it’s stackable, and easy to assemble, requiring only an Allen key to put together.

X-System is a unique system that combines strength, simplicity, minimalism and versatility. Users can choose installation options and construction combinations that range from a simple credenza to an extensive wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling shelving system that makes use of spans of up to 3.5 metres.

The shelves are available in a variety of lengths and come in 120 colours. 

X-System is Australian-made and manufactured by Planex Melbourne. It’s totally  recyclable, designed for fast and complete disassembly, and flat-packed for convenient national and international transportation.

LUXO’s Ninety is the world’s most energy-efficient desk and general task lamp. It uses a mere 6W of LEDs, while offering a bright, warm light with excellent (3000 Kelvin) colour. It is dimmable and is designed to last for 25 years in a regular home or office environment.

The system employs four 1.5 watt LEDs for a total power consumption of just 7.8W, with  standby power consumption at a minimal 0.6W. Designed by Shawn Littrell, Ninety takes advantage of the classic Less is More credo, and introduces a new mentality of simplicity and efficiency into today’s contemporary design.

Producer Luxo is a group of companies with expertise in broad experience and a long (70 years) history in the production and marketing of lighting solutions for the professional market. The Group consists of 14 companies totally, with sales companies and production units  around Europe and North America.

With their head-office located in Oslo, Norway, Luxo appiles the latest technologies, high-design values and functionality, working together with recognized international designers to create innovative lighting solutions.

Evolution Accelerated

This year has been a big year in technology-driven and related sectors, which in turn has created a big stir in the (largely consumer) marketplace and back again in tech- and design-driven products and services.

Popular consumer electronics got a shot in the arm with Apple’s new iPhone 3G, which launched mid-July and sold one million units inside three days. Apple CEO Steve Jobs pointed out that it took all of 74 days to sell the first one million original iPhones, so things were clearly “off to a good start”.

Laptops too have seen some big developments at the highest and lowest (or most and least expensive, respectively) ends of the spectrum: Apple launched its sexy thin and lightweight portable with no internal moving parts, and Dell just announced the launch of a similarly minimal model. Perhaps more interesting is the Chinese HiVision and others introducing handy – and hard-working – mini-laptops for as little as $100.00 – proof that technology and design working well together can produce good results with small (end) investment.

Miniature MP3 players, some featuring high-quality video and high-quality games  graphics continue to develop – and sell; but the news is more in the accessories and peripherals, with high-end, high-design playback stations appearing with increasing frequency.

The hot buzz-word in consumer electronics and appliances today is “touch”. Phones, PDAs and players are navigated – pinched, pushed, dragged, placed and played – with the brush-touch of a finger. Also high on the priorities list are compatibility, transfer and conversion. Increasingly more devices are now able to communicate with each other, some formats are being streamlined, and more controlling applications are available, shareable and applicable. And GPS technology is developing in leaps and in its many growing applications, with prices coming way down and performance increasing at a similar rate.

Fortunately, with all of these “more” developments we also see more attention given to energy consumption, cleaner components and processes and other environmental concerns. Batteries are getting smaller and more efficient, drives and screens consume less power, the automotive and other vehicle sectors are taking electric and hybrid technologies very seriously, and problem component materials are slowly making their way out of products which tend to have increasingly shorter life-spans.

Best of Technology 08

Apple Changes the Phone – Forever;  iPhone 3G

In June, Apple introduced the new iPhone 3G (supports Wi-Fi, 3G and EDGE networks), combining the features of iPhone with 3G networking that is twice as fast as the first generation iPhone, built-in GPS for expanded location based mobile services, and iPhone 2.0 software. “Just one year after launching the iPhone, we’re launching the new iPhone 3G that is twice as fast at half the price,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. 

Multi-tasking is easy with simultaneous voice and data, so you can browse the web, get map directions, or check your email while on a call. You can also mass move and delete multiple email messages, search for contacts, save images directly from a web page or email them to your iPhone and transfer them to your photo library on Mac or PC. It also features 10 hours of talk time on 2G networks and 5 hours using 3G, with up to 5 – 6 hours of web browsing, up to 7 hours for video playback and up to 24 hours for audio playback.

iPhone 3G also takes advantage of Apple’s new Internet service that pushes email, contacts, and calendars to native applications on iPhone, iPod touch, Macs and PCs, so all data can stay synchronised (the same) on all devices. 

The interface is bright, clear and easy to use, and is touch sensitive, which means no more buttons; nor styluses. Available in 8GB and 16GB models, Apple says iPhone 3G will be available in more than 70 countries later this year, beginning with customer availability in 22 countries, many here in Central Europe. 

Like it or not, it’s already changing mobile communications, information and entertainment; and pushing the others, big and small, to innovate and compete.

 1. Brave New Waves; SONY BRAVIA X4500

The new Sony Bravia X4500 boasts full high-definition with superior clarity, colour, contrast and definition and reduced power consumption from a new RGB Dynamic LED backlight (on the 46, 55-inch models). Motionflow 100Hz with Image Blur Reduction technology produces smoother, sharper fast-moving action. And with 4x HDMI ports it plays digital music and photos from many networked DLNA devices.

Using an integrated light sensor the TV can automatically measure ambient lighting levels and dynamically adjust the brightness of the TV, resulting in lower power consumption.

2. Cutting Edge Radio / Porsche Design P´9120 Table Top Radio

The marvellously moulded P´9120 is a multi-band table-top, with three wide-range loudspeakers for clear, authentic sound. A powerful, active 3-inch subwoofer makes the radio a strong acoustic and visual experience. Clear contours are shown to advantage through extruded aluminium and die cast metal. There’s a universal dock for iPod and external analogue audio sources, channel save, 12 | 24 hour time display, alarm clock and  safety battery.

3. ASUS Eee 900 Series

Launched in Europe late spring, mobility is a key feature of the Eee, with (most switchable) Solid State Disk (SSD) technology which provides for energy savings and quiet, shock proof, stable computing. It also weighs a mere 1kg, and has a multi-touch trackpad for  two-finger scrolling and zooming, and is available in Linux and/or Windows XP configurations. And it’s  a fraction of the price of other lightweight ultra-portables.

4. Sony VAIO AW

Sony’s new high-definition notebook boasts an extra-wide 18.4-inch LCD display and Sony’s own XBRITE-Full HD LCD technology. It comes standard with a Blu-ray Disc optical drive, uses new Intel® Centrino® 2 technology, has up to 1TB of storage, and a built-in CompactFlash slot makes image transfer easy. They also feature optional dual 64GB solid state drives (SSD) and are available in titanium grey and glossy piano black finish.

5. Good Vibrations / Bose SoundDock Portable

The SoundDock Portable digital music system offers full, rich, clear sound unlike other battery-powered iPod speaker systems. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides more power and longer playing time, the rotating dock disappears for storage and protection, and a moulded handle makes it easy to carry the system. Just dock and play. The iPod charges as it plays, a remote controls the system and an auxiliary input lets you play other portable sources, too. Sounds good.

6. Heavy Weather / MacBook Air

The MacBook Air is almost paper-thin, yet still has a backlit 13.3-inch widescreen LED display, full-size keyboard, and large multi-touch trackpad. It’s the result of a slimmer hard drive, strategically hidden I/O ports and a lower-profile mercury- and arsenic-free efficient battery; even the MagSafe power connection has been slimmed to fit. With 1.6GHz or 1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM and 80GB hard drive; option to upgrade to a 64GB solid-state drive. The first and sexiest.

7. Double Cool / Maytag Refrigerator MFI2067AEW

This is the industry’s first counter-depth French Door with external ice and water dispensing. This generous 560 litre refrigerator puts fresh food at eye level with twin doors that fit any kitchen design. The PuriClean II filter provides great-tasting water and ice, and the glide-out freezer drawer is easy to open and close. Cool.

8. 100 Percent Coverage / Sony Alpha 900 

Sony’s long-awaited professional digital SLR, the Alpha 900 features a full-frame (35.9 x 24.0mm) 24.6-megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor with two-stage noise reduction, dual BIONZ image processors for ultra-fast operation (5fps at full resolution) and a glass pentaprism viewfinder with 100 percent frame coverage. The chassis is aluminium with magnesium alloy body panels and weighs 850g, and all sensitive areas are protected from dust and moisture by rubber seals.

9. The Revolution Returns / HiVision Linux Notebook

The ultra-low cost PC by HiVision features a MIPS-based processor and 128MB of RAM along with built-in Wi-Fi and just 1GB of flash memory, offset with an SDHC card reader and three USB ports. And the Linux-based laptop is set to retail for just under $100 when it launches in October.

10. Get out the Lead / B&W Zeppelin

A full stereo system in one unit with great detail. A unique floating arm and universal docking platform let you play any iPod on a Zeppelin and control it easily. It employs aluminium dome tweeters, Nautilus tube loading, and twin glass fibre midrange cones dramatically reduce unwanted standing waves. The elegant cabinet is a composite shell featuring a stiff polymer inner-casing and a heavy stainless steel cover. Sleek and solid.

11. Smart Steam / Maytag Dishwasher MDB7851AWW

Maytag’s built-in tall tub steam dishwasher gets glassware clean with the power of high-heat steam to loosen residue so dishes get cleaned right the first time. Premium dark nylon racks protect dishes from scratches and resist rust, and a stainless steel tub interior provides higher heat retention for better drying performance.

12. Creature Comforts / JBL Creature II 3-Piece desktop speaker system

JBL’s Creature II three piece speaker system produces high-quality stereo sound for movies, MP3’s, movies and gaming experiences. It’s a “plug and play” solution compatible with all Macs and PCs. The system includes a touch volume control and a powerful subwoofer provides clean, low – and very inexpensive – bass. 

Made of 18-8 stainless steel, this ice cream spoon, by Hisakazu Shimizu / Sabo Studio, feels smooth and velvety on the lips, and is meant as an homage to the much loved inconsequential or unnecessary products of the 20th century. In this way – with this sleek bit of culinary hardware –  say the designers, they grant immortality to the marvelllously familiar wooden ice cream spoon.

Similarly, their ice cream cup is a replica of a cheap, fantastically mass-produced cardboard ice cream cup, but done in stainless steel along the theme-lines of ‘lovable bad design’. Even the angle of the spoon, the way it’s inserted into the slit in the tray, looks very much like a spoon stuck in a ball of ice cream.

Japanese designer Hisakazu Shimizu is a member of Canon’s in-house design team, whose better known works include product lines such as the canon digital IXUS. Shimizu also develops his own products under the name of ’sabo studio’, creating colourful and simplistic pieces that sometimes border on art installations.

The Dutch UNStudio architects recently launched their first chair design, called MYchair. The chairs are upholstered in two colours and were created for the German Walter Knoll company.

The architectural approach to furniture is different from that of the industrial designer: the architect begins with the space and the environment that the chair will become a part of.

Designer-architect Ben van Berkel refers to the capacity of three-dimensional objects to produce many different impressions when seen from different angles. These multiple views result in a kaleidoscopic experience, achieved in the MYchair by the arrangement of the soft elements, the inward and outward curves of the chrome frame and the duo-tones of the upholstering. 

The name MYchair reflects its potential to appropriate, adapt, use and customize the chair in many ways, which contribute to the idea of really making it one’s own.


Size: H 800mm, D 755mm, W 865 mm
Materials: Chromed steel bar frame, foam seat upholstered with Trevira and Kvadrat fabrics or Walter Knoll leather.

Big: Why did you decide to become a designer?
Maša Okršlar Popovič: Becoming a designer actually wasn’t a decision at all. It was simply a path, that always seemed very natural to me. If I remember correctly, my first awarness of that appeared when I was eleven.

Big: What do you think is the most important thing in designing/the design profession?
Maša Okršlar Popovič: In my opinion the most important is a continuous development of one’s personality. In intelectual, empirical and spiritual aspect. Only then can you and your designing make a progress. Developing yourself can help you see usual everyday things in a different perspective, look at them in a new way – as if seeing them for the first time. And it is this freshly gained juvenile enthusiasm over new revelations that helps you in your creativity.

Big: How do you work – as a free-lancer or are you employed at a company?
Maša Okršlar Popovič: Together with the first awarness of the path I want to follow came the recognition of a desire never to »be employed«. Meaning independance, which I managed to maintain till today.
Big: Do you discuss your work with other designers/architects?
Maša Okršlar Popovič:I ask for their opinion whenever possible. Especially in case of a complex project – when there is enough time of course to sleep on it and think it over, which is pretty rarely in today’s tempo and the environment we live in.

Big: Describe your style, like a good friend of yours would describe it.
Maša Okršlar Popovič: I can hardly label myself with a style. Characteristics that could describe my designs are warmth, grace, freshness, harmony, openness …

Big: Please describe the evolution of your work, from your first projects to the present day.
Maša Okršlar Popovič: Most of the projects followed my interes. It began with visual identities, followed by book and magazine designs, tipography, and after came the development of web pages. At the moment there is a greater stress on visual identities again and much broader knowledge and experience in the field of web pages – i.e. new technologies.

Big: Which of your projects was the most satisfying to work on?
Maša Okršlar Popovič: It was mostly smaller projects, where the customer’s ideology completely coincided with mine so I could feel the project with all my heart. The customer has assigned everything to me and supported me, while the financial barriers presented an extra challenge. The result made us all proud.

Big: Who would you especially like to design something for?
Maša Okršlar Popovič: In my case it would perhaps be more reasonable to ask with whom and not for who. Considering I create mostly alone while having so many creative persons around me, I would prefer a lot more to cooperate in some imaginary project with one of my creative friends. This way we could achieve some kind of a fusion of different knowledges and experience, which would lead to a greater professional progress. We have been talking about it for while now, but unfortunately none of us has enough time along all the other duties.

Big: Is there a designer/architect from the past you personally appreciate?
Maša Okršlar Popovič: There is of course a lot of designers in history that influenced me. However, two that I really appreciate are modern designers. David Carson helped me to make a move in my perception and broke down my limited views of tipography and understanding of its rules. The other is Philippe Apeloig, whom I appreciate mostly because of his methods of teaching visual communication and because of this s  pecial relationship he keeps with his students.

Big: Which of the contemporary designers/architects seem especially important to you?
Maša Okršlar Popovič: The people who influenced and still influence me mostly are not designers or architects, but different persons that walk in and out of my life and enrich me with their own experiences of relations and revelations. On this basis I am gaining my empathy again and again and this helps my work a lot.

Big: What would your advice to the young designers/architects be?
Maša Okršlar Popovič: Don’t think of the payment. Design, research, experiment and again design. The payment is only the consequence of the effort made.

Big: What are your fears regarding the future?
Maša Okršlar Popovič: As a mather of fact I have no (more) fears. You cannot be afraid if you are honest and fair and you live in harmony with yourself every single moment. We will be taken care of.  Everything that has to happen will happen.