j pegs

A fellow named Jack Crossing made these cheeky 'j pegs.' I like the humor, but the execution could be better...
(link)

The Miles Carpet

(by Big Game for Balouga)
LOVE this! Its simple, straightforward, and lets the imagination run wiiild! It even includes your first three cars.

in defense of...travel

Here is a photo of what got me thinking about paper cups at athletic races... this is from the New York marathon on Bedford Ave in Brooklyn this past Sunday. We stopped to watch after many, many runners had already passed the water stop. The street was littered with hundreds (thousands?) of paper cups, many of them still containing a slurp or two of Gatorade. This looks like a problem to me.

So, since I took this photo, I guess it is obvious that I spent last weekend in New York City. The weekend before that I was in Los Angeles. Why? Well, mostly to visit friends (and soak up some sun in California). But also because I really believe in the value of traveling. To me, I would rather spend money on a plane ticket to see a friend on the other side of the country- or the other side of the world- than buy a new stereo system. Not everyone would agree with me on this. A stereo system is something you can use every day while a trip will only last a few days. So whats the point? Where is the return on value? Most importantly, how can this help to shape my thesis?

thesis thoughts...

I have been thinking about my thesis, and have a few ideas brewing. For the sake of not forgetting them, here is what they are:

- a better mouse/insect/animal trap

- airplane oxygen bags

- 'home' kit for college students/people who move a lot/nomads

- alternative to paper cup filled water stations in athletic races

>bigger. broader ideas- What makes people willing to spend money?

-difference between retail, (buying objects), restaurant, and other services

- what role does social interaction play in determining willingness to spend money?

I would love to hear any thoughts or suggestions you have for these ideas or the thesis project in general. Our theme is 'intimacy,' but is meant to be defined by the close personal interaction between person and product or product and product.

giorgio biscaro

Last weekend I visited my friend Alex in Long Beach, CA. Alex already has a degree in biology, but is currently pursuing her BA in product design. She has a real affinity for patterns, especially those inspired or derived from nature. This wall divider by Giorgio Biscaro reminds me of Alex. I like the pattern (who doesn't like honeycomb?), but also the customizability, the simplicity of each piece, and the fact that the whole thing is made out of textiles.

the role of designer as synthesizer

The blog has been a little slow lately because all the design work I am doing is...at work, and I can't exactly share that in real time. What I can share is the importance of immersion- and eventual synthesis- for designers.

What I mean is that being a designer is an active profession. We're making consumer products, changing the processes people go through every day, altering and affecting their lives. As such, we have to 'stay connected.' Its our job.

For example, an exhibit we saw at the Danish Design Center while traveling through Europe was relevant to a recent work project. I looked up the exhibit online and found the website with loads of relevant information. It wound up being a very valuable resource.

Staying connected takes many forms, from staying up-to-date with current blogs (like design boom and lost at e minor) to getting out and doing more cultural things (like going to the MFA or ICA here in Boston) to just walking around people watching, seeing what people are up to. People watching can provide invaluable insight into culture- I find it to be particularly good on public transportation.

One last link for today- I have to give another nod to Jan Chipchase. His job is to stay culturally connected and understand where market opportunities lie, particularly for NOKIA. His blog is one of the best out there.

(the product pictured here is the LaCie USB hub)

carly's boston book club: born on a blue day

I finished my third book of the quarter on Monday evening at the gym. It was 'Born on a Blue Day' by Daniel Tammet. Tammet is an highly-functioning autistic savant, and the book follows his journey basically from birth to where he is now. The book was good, but not great. It was interesting to read about Daniel's trials and tribulations and his day-to-day experiences. Some parts of the book were very hard to relate to, though, and others were too complex. Savants brains work differently than most, and that comes across in the book.

So, if you are particularly interested in savants, this would be a great book for you. If not, you might be able to find a better book to fill your time. Personally, I have moved on to the next book in the Twilight saga... intellectual, I know...