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Comparing the trends at NeoCon with independent design.
There is always a design zeitgeist that emerges from the various styles, methods of production, and materials that are popular at any given time. So, I decided to compare what I saw at NeoCon with what I am seeing from independent designers using rapid manufacturing.
the best company at NeoCon 2009
(above: portrait from MetropolisMag.com)
Stephanie Forsythe, along with Todd MacAllen and Robert Pasut, make up molo—a collaborative studio that approaches product design from an architect’s perspective. The outcomes are wonderful, multi-functional structures that can be interpretted for use as furniture, lighting, space dilineation, or custom installations. The molo aesthetic is strikingly unique yet versatile enough for a range of interior styles: residential, educational, corporate, or commercial.
(above: the very popular molo booth at NeoCon 2009)
Most people favor the deluxe permanent showrooms of to-the-trade-only manufacturers and their champaign and hors d’œuvre afternoon hours, but I have to say that the molo booth was my absolute favorite at NeoCon. They were really the freshest company at the event, and their products spoke most to what I think is the artistic vision, environmental outlook, and indie philosophy of today’s young designers.
Keep reading for the story on how molo came about, circumventing the traditional A+D route, and how their amazing designs were inspired by dollar store trinkets.
Mark Your Calendars for June 29
In celebration of World Industrial Design Day on 29 June, the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) invites designers from around the globe to initiate events reflecting this year’s theme ‘Industrial Design: the product of human creativity’.
This international day of observance is celebrated in order to raise awareness about the benefits of industrial design in improving our quality of life.
First declared in 2007 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Icsid, World Industrial Design Day received considerable attention following a successful series of international events held during the inaugural year in 2008. This year, designers and design enthusiasts are once again encouraged to mark the day by coordinating events within their region. World Industrial Design Day aims to provide designers with a collective outlet to acknowledge the merits of the profession of industrial design, as well as provide the general public with an opportunity to appreciate design not just as an abstract, but also as a tangible expression of everyday life.
Share your World Industrial Design Day event plans by posting a comment in the Icsid Blog. Be sure to include the name of the organisers, location of the event and any relevant links.
Congratulations to Carla Sapiain who was the winner of the first student poster competition for World Industrial Design Day, designed to represent nature’s essential role in the imagination, design and creation of products.
I wonder how long before we celebrate Post-Industrial Design day??
Ponoko users unite…
Discovering sustainable materials.
The Ecolect mission is to create an online resource for sustainable materials available to anyone for free. While checking out the Materials PettingZoo, I spoke with co-founder Joe Gebbia about the various ways Ecolect can assist designers in discovering, selecting, and ordering sustainable materials.
Anyone can browse the curated materials library. Each material has its own entry including information on the manufacturer, possible applications, how and from what the materials is made, and also user submitted reviews. Eventually, each material will be rated on a sustainability scale considering various factors such as recycled and renewable content, toxicity, energy costs, and carbon footprint.
Three-dimensional surfaces
3form is a design and manufacturing company that fabricates cutting-edge materials in the greenest way possible. The company formed in 1991 with a commitment to the environment, and their Path to Zero strategy will lead 3form to carbon neutrality by 2017. Their extensive collection of customizable materials contain a growing percentage of post consumer reycled content, and their reclaim program ensures that no 3form products will ever see a landfill.
Parametre is 3form’s range of 3D textiles. These flexible expanses of non-woven polyester come in three different cuts to add graphic dimension.
Read about 3form’s most extensive line of materials and take a look at their stunning surfaces after the jump.
ben® Color Capture™ VS ColorSnap™
Paint companies Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams recently released color applications for the iPhone. So, which one is the best?
Print technology for cloth and canvas.
(above: Perspectives in Print booth at NeoCon)
Textile design is gradually gaining the sort of respect and recognition given to architecture, furniture, and product design. The field of fibers and textiles has experienced a surge of innovation and experimentation as a result of technological advances and cross disciplinary practice. While it may take awhile for NeoCon textile exhibitors like Maharam, Mohawk, and Shaw to offer LED embedded felt flooring, rasterized rugs, or laser-cut leather room dividers, there were a couple of companies showcasing their digital printing capabilities.
Perspectives in Print offers custom design and both digital and traditional printing for fabric, carpet, wallpaper, and even plastics like acrylic and styrene. The advantage of digital printing, similar to other methods of rapid manufacture, means no minimum orders, on-demand production, and fewer design limitations. Below is a selection of different projects ranging from pop-up store displays to drapes and custom props to limited edition products.
Canvas On Demand is using digital printing to turn personal photos into artwork. Photo canvases can be ordered by uploading digital photographs or scanning or mailing in traditional prints. Below are some of the canvases submitted to the gallery by Canvas On Demand customers.
Sustainability + Creativity
Chicago based Skyline Design exhibited their Greenplay Furniture line of eco-friendly living and learning environments for kids. Designer Joe Fiacchino’s twenty-eight years in exhibition design comes across in Greenplay’s unique approach to creating a stimulating and playful world with their furniture. In addition to the recycled components, FSC-certified woods, and low-VOC coatings, Skyline offers a take-back program for the repurposing or donating of Greenplay products, similar to the services offered by previously mentioned furniture refurbishing company Davies.
Jonti-Craft serves the primary school and daycare markets with sturdy, kid-friendly furnishings. The Minnesota based manufacturer rounds all edges, reinforces material thickness, and installs piano hinges to minimize pinching little fingers. I would love to have that locker shelf.
Check out these recent posts for more kid-focused design.
• Kids have Arduino Fun Using Ponoko
• ontwerpduo—fun studio
• DIY Decorating for Kids from Elia
A furniture company that saves money and energy.
Whether you attended NeoCon physically or virtually this year, you probably noticed that Green/Eco/Sustainability was crucial. LEED certification has become both a badge of honor and a badge of cool in the world of architecture; so attendees were all looking for environmentally friendly products.
Davies Office Refurbishing started as an eco-conscious company in 1948—about sixty years before today’s Green Scene. As I inspected the giant wooden signs for laser-cutting burns and observed the rotating platforms at Davies booth, company President William Davies offered to give me a bit of background on his products and services.
(above: cool CNC table part of Davies display at NeoCon)
Virtualizing the business of Interior Design.
Myself and several other design enthusiasts joined in the twitter campaign to raise awareness for Chicago’s NeoCon 2009 now in its 41st year. Driving the campaign is the Manhattan based start-up Designer Pages. Designer Pages has set out to bring the Interior Design industry into the world of Web 2.0 by creating a user-generated platform for sourcing and sharing the multitudes of products all over the world that are available to interior designers and architects. (Ponoko users can submit their designs too where they could be viewed and speced by thousands of interior designers and architects.) Their service allows designers to streamline their product catalogs, create virtual inspiration and presentation boards, and eventually to export all of this information to PDF in order to share with clients and coworkers.
The DP team has been networking with industry professionals to demonstrate the advantages of submitting their product lines to the site and digitizing their product catalogs. They are also helping these companies become more familiar with social media tools like twitter. Anyone wearing a tweet printed black t-shirt can help exhibitors and attendees join the twitter conversation about NeoCon. As an incentive, they have been raffling off two red 8gig ipod nanos every day to twitter users including the #NeoCon09 hashtag. I was lucky enough to win the very first one. The twitter feed is broadcast live on five giant screens throughout the Merchandise Mart, so it’s a great way to draw attention to a particular product or booth.
