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sub-studio design blog

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APAK - workspace

Posted: November 6th, 2009, 10:00am PST by sean

Tags: artist [edit]

Saw this great print by APAK while browsing the workspaces tours on Share Some Candy. Even though their workspace is pretty clean, it's good to know that other people keep it pretty messy. Like everyone else in NYC, we wish we had more space.

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Cite du Design by LIN

Posted: November 5th, 2009, 10:00am PST by sean

Tags: Architecture [edit]

Great move of pushing into the ground plane and bridging the gap with walkways in the International Centre for Design in Saint-Etienne, France by LIN. Its material and siting really integrates into the plaza site, but the same material and siting make it very distinctly different from the context of the historical buildings. Inside, the scale switches from massive shell to hyperactive framing. Even though the building is massive, the scale of the triangular frame makes the skin feel much smaller.

via AR

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Y+M Design - Stairs House

Posted: November 4th, 2009, 3:55pm PST by Anna

Tags: Architecture [edit]

How awesome is this house? Y+M Design designed the Stairs House for two teachers and their children. The roof of the house is one giant set of stairs, which allows light into the house, while still maintaining a private interior. It's a great, playful space - I'm jealous of those kids!

Via Spoon & Tomago.

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National Geographic - Animal Robots

Posted: November 4th, 2009, 10:00am PST by sean

Tags: Technology [edit]

National Geographic has a neat mini-article on aquatic animal robots that take their cue (form and purpose) from real-life animals. Amazing to see how complicated it is to design and build something as simple as a lobster or something that can swim as naturally as a penguin.

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The Working Proof: Justin Richel - The Jewel Of The Mind Becomes Jaded In Time

Posted: November 3rd, 2009, 3:16pm PST by Anna

Tags: the working proof [edit]

I'm so excited about the print that Justin Richel did for The Working Proof. The Jewel Of The Mind Becomes Jaded In Time is about potential and the gift of our minds, which we can either take advantage of or squander. The print itself is pretty gorgeous - originally created as a gouache painting, it has been digitally printed on Hahnemühle german etching archival fine art paper with pigment-based inks. The colors are amazing.

15% of each print sold will be donated to Architecture for Humanity, a nonprofit design services firm bringing design, construction and development services where they are most critically needed.

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Crossbird 2010 Calendar

Posted: November 3rd, 2009, 10:15am PST by Anna

Tags: silk screen [edit]

I want this calendar. It was designed and Gocco printed by Felix Wong aka Crossbird in a limited edition of 80 calendars. The illustrations are beautiful, and the use of the white ink on colored paper creates a very subtle graphic. Even better, all of the proceeds after the production costs go to aid World Relief.

Via Notcot.

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Susan Bradley - Shelf Life

Posted: November 2nd, 2009, 2:08pm PST by Anna

Tags: [edit]

I love this shelving collection by Susan Bradley. Simple, graphic and clever!
The striking simplicity of silhouettes provide this series of wall shelves with their interesting graphic form. Based on the shadows created by absent objects you may find on shelves - from vases to coffee pots, cake stands to jugs. Inspired by a visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum and and household domesticity. You can join the different designs into longer lengths and mix and match objects and colours.
Via Oh Joy!

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The New Yorker - Art Factory

Posted: November 2nd, 2009, 10:00am PST by sean

Tags: [edit]

Last week's issue of the New Yorker had an article about Art Factories in China. I have to try to grab a copy, but the synopsis on the slide show is very interesting: The business of copying paintings for export and the implications of blurring the line between artist and worker. If art is a fully commercial venture, is it still 'art'? And if a piece is simply executed, is there still authorship?

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Halloween 2009

Posted: November 1st, 2009, 5:52pm PST by Anna

Tags: us [edit]

Sean and I were butter and corn this Halloween. For the first time in our six years in New York City, we walked in the Halloween Parade. It was pouring out so we got soaked (note to self - bring an umbrella next time), so this is one of two photos we have of our costumes - boo!

What did you do?

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The Bumper Issue by Crumpler

Posted: October 30th, 2009, 11:30pm PDT by sean

Tags: accessories [edit]

I came across one of these Bumper Issue bags from Crumpler yesterday and I was really impressed by the build quality. It feels like a nice balance between durable and lightweight. It carries about 450 cubes and has an spot for a hydration bladder and the tube comes straight through the shoulder strap. The back is mesh padded for sweat evaporation. And even though it's small, it's still got compression straps in case you don't have anything to pack with you but don't want the shape flapping around. It's hard to see in the pictures, but there are even reflector tabs stitched behind the clips for the compression straps. The bag is full of these very well-thought details.

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Alex Creamer - NYC Spaghetti

Posted: October 30th, 2009, 11:20am PDT by Anna

Tags: Packaging [edit]

This was way too awesome not to post about here - Alex Creamer, a student at the University of Central Lancashire designed the conceptual NYC Spaghetti packaging:
"I created this spaghetti packaging for a university project last year. The brief was to package one of 5 difficult items i.e. eggs, a rose, custard powder, spaghetti or marbles. I chose spaghetti. The spaghetti sits on a 3d model of the chrysler building that was modelled on CAD by my friend Ben Thorpe. And then modelled out of high density foam at uni. Creating a spaghetti model of the Chrysler building!"
My only critique of the packaging itself is that it would have been nice to have the spaghetti graphic run all the way to the bottom of the packaging (ie. complete the building), rather than starting only at the top half of the box.

Awesome work, Alex! Via the Dieline.

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Torsten Neeland

Posted: October 29th, 2009, 10:29am PDT by Anna

Tags: textiles [edit]

Spotted these gorgeous pencil sharpeners by Torsten Neeland over at Omami.ru. Love the simplicity of the shape and the height of the sharpener.

Torsten has some pretty nice product designs in his portfolio, including gorgeous walnut veneer salad cutlery for Donna Karan Home (below) - another exercise in simplicity of form. The thinness of the veneer reinforces the sculptural form of the cutlery.

Finally, hello funky rug (below), which actually looks more like a plaster relief, but in reality was fabricated with some special weaving technique that allows for a 3D surface.

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Tom Rossau

Posted: October 28th, 2009, 11:04am PDT by Anna

Tags: [edit]

I used one of these lamps (the standard metal version) all throughout architecture school. While Tom Rossau's version really doesn't modify the design at all, I like his use of wood veneer - it makes for a beautiful, soft light, and it's totally appropriate for all those late nights making basswood models.

Tom makes beautiful, sculptural lights out of wood veneers, primarily out of birch. Check out his website for more.

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Gretchen Wagoner - Mating Hera Buckmoths

Posted: October 27th, 2009, 3:51pm PDT by Anna

Tags: the working proof [edit]

We just launched Gretchen Wagoner's Mating Hera Buckmoth print over at The Working Proof. This is a two-color Gocco print on Arches Rives BFK 100% cotton rag paper. 15% of each print sold goes to the Jane Goodall Institute, a global nonprofit that empowers people to make a difference for all living things.

About the print:
The print Mating Hera Buckmoths is the continuation on a theme I have been exploring within my work for the last year or so. I am fascinated with butterflies and knots. My interest lies in the delicate yet resilient characteristics of a butterfly as opposed to the robust and stabilizing mechanisms of a knot. Natural examples of conformity and a deviation – both are symbolically used to describe physical characteristics brought on by strong emotional reactions. Having butterflies or knots in your stomach may physically feel similar but evoke completely different emotional connotations.
Check out our interview with Gretchen here.

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Miller Goodman - PlayShapes

Posted: October 27th, 2009, 12:17pm PDT by Anna

Tags: children [edit]

I love this super versatile set of PlayShapes by Miller Goodman. One set comes with 74 geometric shapes that can be arranged and rearranged in any number of ways. This is a great toy for kids and adults! Also fun - their Rubberwood Block sets.

Via Bloesem.

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Matix - Domepiece Headphones

Posted: October 27th, 2009, 10:33am PDT by sean

Tags: accessories [edit]

It seems like everyone is getting into the headphones game and the newest ones I've seen are the Domepiece from Matix. Who can argue with simplicity of black, gold and a single cable? I'd rather have that than yellow, purple, red, green, orange, cats, skulls, etc.

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Old Maid Collaboration

Posted: October 26th, 2009, 4:09pm PDT by Anna

Tags: letterpress [edit]

Kathryn Hunter of Blackbird Letterpress asked us a few months ago to be a part of a collaboration she was putting together - a limited edition Old Maid letterpress deck! 33 artists were asked to design an Old Maid character. We decided on Greasy Grimes - drawn as a double portrait inspired by a standard face card. The two opposing sides of the card represent the inner and outer character of a single person in two different forms. What is more desirable, inner or outer beauty?

"Beauty is but skin deep, ugly lies the bone; Beauty dies and fades away, but ugly holds its own." - John Davies of Hereford.

Being that we don't letterpress ourselves, we paired up with Kseniya Thomas who did an awesome job printing our Greasy Grimes pair.

Below are some of our favorites from the collaboration:

Knitting Kneena - Katrina Andry.

Tattooed Tina - Bon Vivant Press.

Her Majesty Marie - F Street Letterpress.

Ethel Early Bird - Heroes & Criminals Press.

Lucia Libre la Luchadora - Flatbed Splendor.

Nola Nora - Gutwrench.

Biker Babs - Skybound Press.

Unsinkable Undina - Slow Industries.

You can see all of the cards here.

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Mick Lacy - Duck Calls

Posted: October 26th, 2009, 10:00am PDT by sean

Tags: Tools [edit]

Mick Lacy makes a line of duck calls that are simply beautiful. I have no experience in hunting anything, so I couldn't tell you if they work or not. Their forms are simple and echo their function while their colors and transparency satisfy the eye, without having to follow the tradition of wood grain and brass. If I didn't know what they were, I might think they are perfume bottles because they are so stylish.

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Nendo - Cord Chair

Posted: October 23rd, 2009, 10:06am PDT by Anna

Tags: Furniture [edit]

Spotted the Cord Chair over at Designboom - designed by Nendo for Maruni, the Cord Chair's wooden skin belies the metal structure beneath. It's an interesting exercise in deception - manufactured parading as natural, strength portrayed as delicateness, heaviness hidden by the appearance of lightness. Each leg is little over .5" in diameter - tiny!

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Emocja - Kokoi Side Table

Posted: October 22nd, 2009, 11:30am PDT by Anna

Tags: Furniture [edit]

Love the profile of the new Kokoi side table by Emocja. It would be a fun addition to a kid's room. Check out Emocja's website - they have some great projects (which I didn't profile here, because the photos on their website are too small...), especially the Felt Cubic sideboard.

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