01.08.10 Micycle
Just spent my Sunday afternoon in the best bike shop in London. Not your regular bike shop but thats ok by me. More of an open workshop and generally a nice place to hang out, I think they are onto something. It is reassuring to see that some inspired people are taking a risk and stepping out of line from the traditional mind set and linear approach to retail. More than creating a market for their services, at only 3 months old, Micycle is already building its own community (and not an online one). By taking the time to think through what cyclists, aspiring and seasoned, need and enjoy, they have blured the line between customer and retailer so much they you forget that you are in a shop. In fact they are not really a shop at all; most of their services are free and do-it-yourself please, but help is always on hand. I would say a bike service station is a more apt description: London's first Bike Station. Facilities incudes workshop, bike stands, tools, bike wash, garden. Refreshments, spare parts and bicycles also available for purchase. Bookings taken for bike maintaince classes from ages 8+. Find your way to Micycle on Barnsbury Road in Islington and see what else they have up their sleve.

12.07.10 camouflage
Spotted this bin on Petherton Road.

16.06.10 start them young
I passed by this bike on my way home at lunch today and it made my day. Chained up by itself outside the corner shop down the road, I thought about the three year old who had just popped out on his bike to get a chocolate bar or some cigarettes. They grow up fast these days.

12.01.10 Logo
This bit of photoshop just about sums up my feelings after working the Christmas/New Year period in a Covent Garden shop which will remain anonomous. On the positive side it has reminded me that I would like to read Naomi Klein's book, No Logo.

07.12.09 upgrade
Since the zip on my purse had broken I have been after a strong, simple, leather purse. After a good deal of hunting around for a replacement I discovered that a friend was already making exactly what I had been looking for and more.
Code name Zippy Lovelock makes beautifully thougthful purses (and bags) from old leather scraps, lined with mens shirts or other colourful fabrics offcuts. There are even two neat tucks in the shirt for bank cards which unwittingly reference their former life. Whatsmore, if I break the zip I know where to go for a repair.

02.12.09 Je suis un arossoir
I had read that Jasper Morrison had converted part of his studio on Kingsland Road in London into a shop, so popped in today on my way home to shelter from the rain and check it out.
I was comforted to find in the far corner of the shop a familiar watering can - the same watering can I chose to use when making Je ne suis pas un arossoir two years ago; Watering Can Number 9 to be precise (pictured above). All of the objects in Jasper Mossison's small shop have been selcted for their super normal quality and were formally exhibted in the Super Normal exhibition in 2007. Only a handful of the objects are designed by Morrison, with the large magority produced by anonymous designers. For me Super Normal acknowledges humble design optimums and serves as a highly refined reminder of why we create objects. Given the current state of the planet and it's people, this is at last, gradually becoming a serious consideration for deisgners and their consumers, who might start to feel contented.
I chose Watering Can Number 9, after much thought and disucssion, as an architype watering can. I was seeking the super normal quality that would silently engage without a word. For this reason I was even compelled to remove the number 9 and zig zag relief and apply a bright grass green finish colour. Maybe now I should find out a bit more on Watering Can Number 9's own history before I go changing the story. RESPECT YOUR ELDERS. Watering Can Number 9 is officially super normal.

17.11.09 Grassworks
Jair Straschnow's bamboo furniture pieces have been on display in the UK for the first time over the last six weeks in the Aram Gallery. Grassworks is tucked away on the top of the Aram Store in London's Theatreland.

17.11.09 Tinderbox: take only what you need
A tinderbox is a small container containing flint, firesteel, and tinder (typically charcloth, but possibly a small quantity of dry, finely-divided fibrous matter such as straw), used together to help kindle a fire. (Wikipedia)
Tinderbox is also a cafe is Islington, London, containing the ingredients to make a good hot drink. Interesting how the small sign on the wall asking customers to be frugal with their hot drink additives also resonates with the respect that must have been associated with the cafe's namesake. A tenuous connection but it made me think. (Apologies for the poor quality photo, but you can go for a cuppa and see for yourself).

17.11.09 Union Chapel
Have you visited the Union Chapel in Islington?
Shroud in scaffold outside, you might have never noticed the Union Chapel which makes only a modest impact on the London skyline and Islington's busy Upper Street. But once inside, without fail people are easily overwhelmed by the sancturay and sense of calm which prevails. Every detail and corner of this building has an honest and unassuming beauty which feels like a rare find nowadays. The charm of the Union Chapel will only grow on you the more you visit. Don't take my word for it, go and see for yourself.

17.11.09 The Bigger Picture
You can google The Bigger Picture or New Economics Foundation to find out more about this event, but for me as a volunteer usher on the stairwell, the main thing that stuck in my head and distracted me for alot of the day was the paint pealing off the wall. The building the event was housed in was not a welcoming community or conference centre or something of that ilk, it seemed almost to be literally falling down and boarded up in places; on the face of it, it was almost an ironic contradiction to the talks of change and new futures going on inside. With the long view it was not though. The layers of paint were so interesting, untouched and appealing. Much more so than if I had been standing opposite a white painted wall with signs in helvetica. I think we must not forget how much we enjoy discovering things for ourselves, reading stories, finding out secrets and making our own decisions. There is a temptation with making improvements to discard the past and any sense of individual human connection. Other buildings I have visited which appear to be resepcted for what they are include Wilton's Music Hall and Union Chapel.

17.10.09 know where your money goes
This is an enlightened online customer service tool bought to you by a truly radical bank. Harnessing the framework of Google maps, Triodos Bank's new online tool allows you to literally see where your money goes in the world, giving you the power of judgment on your savings and investments.
Triodos Bank has recently been awarded the title of the Financial Times Sustainable Bank of the Year 2009, and rightly so I think. They are pioneering a genuinely transparent model of banking, which strictly only finances companies, institutions and projects that benefit people and the environment. This latest online tool reminds me of the ideas discussed at the Greengaged Cooportunity workshop day. It is exciting to see that this area of thinking is already an accessible reality.

06.10.09 carfree
Why do people try to keep reinventing the wheel when it comes to the issue of future modes of trasportation? Its not big and its not clever. I doubt that making ever shinier versions of the electric or hybrid car is never going to offset the melting of the ice caps.
Since the advent of green issues in consumer society, electric vehicles have always been subject to ridicule in the shadow of their fosil fuel counterparts, in spite of their commercial success or failure, from the GWiz to the C5. Yet, contemporary big name designers including Tom Dixon and Marc Newson continue to contribute to the morphed assortment of stylised boxes on wheels branded as the future of transport design. Electric cars might have in fact already had their hay day back in 1912 when they outsold petrol models in America for all the same reasons as we sing their praises today (except CO2 emissions): quiet, smooth ride, no gear shift, no unpleasant smells.
Perhaps then it is time to think outside the box. Literally. Transport design has never been product design issue; it is a challenge that requires creative thinking and an understanding of the scale and context of the people and places involved. The London Underground opened in 1863, born before the Ford Model T, still expanding and evolving today and will arguably outlive the motorcar altogether. Thankfully there are some pragmatic and enlightened thinkers out there who are up to speed. One inspired project by Exploration Architecture is illustrated by the Carfree London Overground Map (above), which proposes to pedestrianise and link up all of London's parks and open spaces with with greenways and cycle routes. There are also some radical ideas to get you on your bike, including cycle stations and fan-assisted cycle tubes which provide shelter from the rain, protection from traffic and tail winds of up to 10mph.
I don't believe that cars belong in cities. With more than half the world's population now in urban areas, I think they are a totally inappropriate mode of transport for such a dense concentration of people and services.
Architect Michael Pawlyn, of Exploration Architecture, is one of the most optimistic, convincing and intelligent speakers I have heard talk about a real future for our civilization on this planet, with ideas and solutions to match. Listen to him here.

06.10.09 Work Hard and Be Kind to people
The words that graphic design studio IMAGIST London work by. I was lucky enough to do a placement with them over the summer where among other kind things they did for me, they have lent me a few books from their shelf. I am new to the rules of graphic design and typography so I am very gratful of the chance to share their books and keep learning.
A couple of other kind and forward thinking companies who understand the importance of sharing knowledge and books are howies who also have bookshelves in their shops, and 72 Rivington Street in London, whose library I have recently joined.
By the way, One Red Paperclip is not a zen guide to stationary items for designers but after reading I definately want to take a leaf out of that book.

05.10.09 Heart
Have you visted Daniel Eatock's website? Its worth a good nose around. Full of thoughtful and oblique observations and experiments, it is also built using Indexhibit which Eatock has pioneered as a community web project for promoting content focused websites.
The matter of fact aesthetic of the site merged with Eatock's off beat logic is addictive. If you're inspired by his narative you can contribute to Thank You Pictures.

22.09.09 In Residence
I have been helping out at the Design Museum office this week and been checking out the work of their new Designers in Residence for 2009-2010. I was snapping some pictures of Dave Bowker's new wayfinding system for the museum which makes thoughtful reference to the architecture of the building, the images are here. Also interesting are Asif Khan's dry freezing research and plastination experiments - his latest update is here.

23.09.09 Gum
This another great food innovation I discovered a couple of months ago now. I've seen quite alot of attempts at new ways of clearing up chewed up chewing gum. Its so refreshing to see a product that has cut right to the core of the issue and reinvented the stick of chewing gum. The name is Chicza and its organicly grow and 100% biodegradable. There are 3 keys points: the gum is made from all natural ingredients, the main one being being natural latex, tapped from rainforst trees which sustain the supply for up to 300 years; the gum production employs cooperatives of workers who receive a fair price for their labour; the gum is totally natural and biodegradable, free from sticky non-biodegrable polymers so will return to the ground with the fallen leaves.
Available in 3 flavours at Whacca restaurants and also Waitrose, Whole Foods, Planet Organic and a few others. Check out the official Chicza website for the full story.

23.09.09 A Glass and a Half and 70% Fairtrade in every bar
It was all very controversial when Green & Blacks sold out to Cadbury Schwepps a couple of years ago. Well looks like some maya gold dust has rubbed off on one of the most established names in British chocolate. What a nice suprise to see the new Dairy Milk packaging sporting the little green and blue Fairtrade logo on the wrapper.
Cadbury's was an innovator in social change and workers rights in its early years, in Britain at least, so this seems a sensible, if a rather overdue move to respect their heritage and reinstate their brand values. Read more about Cadbury's Fairtrade on the Cadbury Fairtrade Blog.

12.09.09 Trains with a view
Just pulling out of Euston Station and even though I have a book in my bag I want to read and my laptop with work to do, I am compelled to look out of the window. I love going on the train. First off you get to go fast which is exciting. Secondly you get to see stuff you don't ussually see, like car parks and road layouts, the patterns that fields are ploughed and trees are planted, other trains and trucks, warehouses for highstreet shops and supermarkets in generic metal sheds with their logos badges to tell them apart. Thirdly, on a train your view of the world is often from a slightly elevated perspective, Not dissimilar from when you have just taken off in a plane. This slightly higher viewpoint allows you to see the often banal landscape slightly more objectively. The moving image is a bit like watching a movie for me, where I make up the narative with the thoughts in my head. Maybe a communting journey is more like a soap opera, rather repeatative, where you become familiar with the charaters and scenery and it ussually shows at the same time every day; after a while it becomes a little teedious. I find the good film scenario the most exciting, where you have a start point and an open ending which leads onto new adventures.
The film above is a composition of 76 photos taken on the train from Brighton to London a few weeks ago. I've done this journey tens of times but I still look out the window.
Please note that this post excludes undergroudn trains. Maybe I will write something about them in another post as I think they are interesting for other reasons.

12.09.09 Show and Tell
I went along to a day of talks today going by the word 'interesting'. And they were. During the course of the day it began to remind me of Show and Tell which we had at primary school. I used to really enjoy Show and Tell. I think we also had a session more on the lines of just Tell, where you didn't have to bring anything in. But I much prefered Show and Tell. Age 5 or 6 years it was off course already a sort of Show Off and Tell, where people often bought in their new toys etc. But that was still interesting and at age 5 or 6 we started to fromulate opionions about stuff in our lives. I think Interesting was a bit like this for me. It might have seemed a bit of a cliche geeky day, where arty types talk about sutff they find thought provoking, but I think this is a good thing. In fact I think it is something which alot of us as we grow up loose touch with. The theme of one of the speaker's talk, Asi, was children's drawings and how revealing they can be in terms of semiotics, emotional prefernce, social stereotypes, bought the day full circle for me.
Other things I liked about the day was the bunting, tea, cakes, sunny intervals and other interesting people.
Big thanks to Russell Davies who organised the event. He is pretty interesting too. Read his blog here.

22.08.09 Elephant Bed
I popped into Fabrica Art Gallery in Brighton on my way back to the train station this weekend and had a nice surprise. The interior of this converted church is currently hung with paper sculptures by American artist John Grade. Constructed from precise drawings, folded then pritt stuck together and hung in sections, these huge hollow funnels float serenely in the atrium of the church like lungs. Coincidentally the space rather remind me of the giant lily pad glasshouse I visited only a few days ago at Kew Gardens. Watch the time lapse video of the installation here and more images here.
Elephant Bed is open until the end of August and on the bank holiday Monday, volunteers will carry the paper sculptures down to the sea where they will be taken in by the water.

19.08.09 Kew
Making the most of unemployment, I cycled with two other recently jobless friends to Kew Gardens. Apart from the cycle there, my personal highlight was the lily pond glass house. We were lucky to go when there was only a couple of others inside. The atmosphere was one of complete tranquility and serenity, the dark still pond like a portal to parallel world. More photos here.

10.08.09 Airplot
This is such a great idea from Greenpeace and really worth while, supported by celebrities including Emma Thompson, Alistar McGowan and Zac Goldsmith. Watch the video and join the plot here. Nice graphics and bespoke typography too, by Airside.

13.08.09 Now Boarding at Glastonbury
At Glastonbury this year Greenpeace had done a great job at turing their small field into a parallel version of Sipson village, complete with skate park, climbing wall, solar powered hot showers and a lounge bar. They had made also a giant version of the bed of blunt nails that you can use to make a relief image of your face or hand with, from all the little silver nitrous oxide canistors. This was particularly satisfying for me as a litter picker at the festival this year, as these devious little bottles are perfectly adapted to boring their way into the mud and also fail to comply with any of the specified recycling categories. It looked pretty cool too and worked!
On a more serious note, Sipson is the village which is earmarked by the goeverment to disappear under concrete in favour of a third runway at Heathrow. The deal is 2.5km of concrete and 11.7 million tonnes of CO2 annually (estimate by WDM), equal to Kenya's total annual output, traded for 700 homes, 3 pubs, village shop and school. I had heard about this on the news before but wasn't quite aware how much will be lost in order to make Heathrow the UK's biggest source of CO2. Cunning Greenpeace have made a stealth purchased of a small piece of land right in the centre of the proposed site in order to hold a stake in the land. By signing their petition you can become a beneficial owner for free. A nice way to feel like your support is more than just a signiture. Become a beneficial owner online and check the details at the Airplot website.

10.08.09 bused up chair
I stopped walking when I saw this broken chair at the bus stop opposite Essex Road Station yesterday. I wondered why it had been left there. Evidently it had been in good condition until it had been shattered accross the back somehow. Had it been chucked out of home just because it was looking a bit tired? Or was it more complex than that? I think I can make a good home for this chair even if its back is broken; I dont think the bus stop will miss it too much, there was no queue anyway.
This picture was taken on my camera phone, supprisingly good. Think I will have to start using it more often.

06.09 Please take your litter home
I took this photo when I was back in Brighton and was struck by how beautiful the litter looked in the evening light on the beach. It never looks that good the day after though. Please take your litter home.

03.09 More ceral box drawings
At dusk.

03.09 Room with a view
I love this view from our flat. Can't help but be complled to record what I see on the inside of the ceral boxes waiting to be recycled. I think I am very lucky to live here for a while.

11.02.09 Morceaux de Sucre
Sugar cubes in France seem more popular than powder, so I bought a box to try them out. We don't take sugar in our tea in our flat so we ended up having fun with them instead. A cheap alternative to lego that are good for building igloos with. 280 blocks in a set for only 1€50 and they sparkle like ice too. Sweet!

02.09 Kubes d'Or
One lump or two. I stumbled on these stock cubes in the supermarket in France. Packed into a bright little red and yellow box, each of the 16 perfectly wrapped golden bars contains 2 stock cubes, so you are never left with half a crumbly stock cube. A thoughtful bit of design and a bit like peas in a pod.

01.12.08 Le Praz (pronouced: Le Prar)
Room I'm renting in France with a pretty nice view for the next 5 months.

10.08 King Munya Madzima
I met King Munya Madizina on Brighton beach making and selling his facsinating pieces of jewelery and other creations. Using mainly disgarded pieces of cutlery, he uses no more than a vice, a piercing saw, a hammer and the strength in his own hands to find new forms from the forks, spoons and knives. I was particularly draw to the insects he makes; their invertibrate bodies resonate perfectly with the way he brings the metal pieces together, held only by their position relative to eachother. King has studied fine art and photography in Toronto and in his native Zimbabwe, but has been a resourceful maker since he was a child when he used barbbed wire to make toy cars.
He hopes to return to his homecounty to continue his work there on Wrong Time Village, a community gallery and workshop he has set up.
He is often at Camden Market in London and Brighton beach (when the weather is fine) if you want to see for yourself. Check out this article by PromotaMagazine for more information on King.

04.09.08 Greenegaged 2008
I recently attended Greengaged, a series of lectures and workshops at The Design Council during London Design week. The idea was to get designers, graphic designers in particular, talking about sustainability and how designers can affect this in a positive way. As part of the week, I was lucky enought to visit the Powerday recycling centre on the Regent's Canal in London; check out the photos on the Greengaged blog. The site has been recovering, sorting, recycling, reselling and sourcing new markets for London's commercial waste since 2007. Only 5% of the waste they recieve goes straight to landfill as no markets have yet been identified. We saw everying thing from chipboard and concrete to bath taps and roof tiles. Get in touch as they are happy to arrange visits.
The week's events were masterminded by Graphic Design Studio Thomas Matthews and Three Trees, along with ReDesign and Kingston University. Other interesting people I met include Doug from Futerra, Simon Winter, Lucy Choules from Chalet Alpin and Foldedsheet and Nick Marks from The New Economics Foundation.
Hopefully the event will be taking place again in 2009, so keep an eye on their website.

09.08 The DO Lectures
Just got back from a weekend in West Wales at the DO Lectures and I feel very privillaged to have been there indeed. The four days of inspiring lectures were organised and the brainchild of howies. The idea is simply to inspire people to do stuff. There was a truely diverse set of people from surfer Andy Cummins to Scientist Micheal Brangarht. It will take a while for all the information and wise words to settle I think. An unexpected favorite was the gingerbread and Russell Davies. I also met Tom Fishburne from Method, who is doing some great work.
All of the lectures were filmed and can be viewed online at www.thedolectures.com. A huge thank you to everyone at howies and Fforest Farm. Amazing.
Dick Darserty said don't just stand there. Do something.
Worrying is like a rocking chair it gives you something to do but gets you nowhere.

01-02.08 Frame Magazine
Je ne suis pas un robinet featured in 2007 European design graduates review. View article here.

11.07 In Case of Emergency
Suck UK manufacture and distibute In Case of Emergency money box. Click here to find stockists or to buy online.

04.07.07 New Designers 2007
Exhibiting In Case of Emergency, This Little Piggy, Je ne suis pas un robinet, Je ne suis pas un arossoir, 500mg chocolate with Brighton University 3D Design Grauates. In Case of Emergency money box featured in press release in the Times Style Magazine and Metro Newspaper. Our stand was kindly sponsored by Avon Plywood.
New Designers (Part 2), 4-7 July 2007, The Business Design Centre, Angel, London N5. Angel tube station, Northern Line.

05.07 Brill Burt + Cardens Graduate Show
Brighton University Art + Design Graduate's Degree show, featuring Talking Products: In Case of Emergency, This Little Piggy, Je ne suis pas un robinet, Je ne suis pas un arossoir, 500mg chocolate.

[top]