About KateAndrews

KateAndrews

“The best way to predict the future is to design it.” - Buckminster Fuller

Location:

(hp00 001, United Kingdom)

Joined on:

08/13/07

Occupation:

Designer / Researcher

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  Art & Design

  Mind the Gap: Wouldn't it be better if...

  Originally published on Design21.

  London based Communication and Public Service Design agency thinkpublic and The Ideal Government Project are inviting everyone to help design better public services, in a competition called Mind the Gap.

  The competition is an exciting collaboration between thinkpublic's Real Work Experience - launched last November, and The Ideal Government's "Wibbipedia".

  So, if you are a designer or someone who has an idea for improving public services, submit an idea! All you have to do is describe a public service exactly as it is, and then describe how good it could be.

  For more information visit MIND THE GAP.

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  Posted on May 16, 2008 by - KateAndrews

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  Art & Design

  The (Overdue) Review: Sustainability and Graphic Design

  Originally published here.

  During the first few months writing for sustainable design blog Inhabitat.com, it became immediately and increasingly evident how many designers were bathing in the new challenges of sustainability. The worlds of fashion, architecture, interior and product design continued to excel with an ecological conscience, launching countless contemporary designs every week. Although not focused to the work of Graphic Design, taking a quick look around Inhabitat it is evident a sense of contemporary Communication Design is appreciated. Critical dialogue however, discussing the relevant relationships between sustainability and graphic design, is almost vacant (with no more than 15-20 graphic-related features). This, it would seem is a recurring trend in the sustainable design communities.

  "I wish I could report that it [graphic design] was doing its bit. Trouble is, tap "sustainable graphic design" into Google and you get a thousand suggested links. But, tap "Helvetica Movie" in, and guess what, you get fifteen thousand. So in cyberspace at least, that makes people 15 times as interested in a move about typeface than how to design responsibly. Great." - Johnson Banks

  I was therefore, excited to have read this week that respectable designer, writer and critic Anna Gerber is currently writing a new book on Graphic Design and Sustainability, which will be published by Laurence King in Spring 2009. I will be eagerly awaiting this text and hope it will open the eyes of Communication Designers, give them a friendly kick in a sustainable direction and ultimately help our discipline play catch up to the rest of the creative industry.

  Designer and author of the 2004 publication All Messed Up, Unpredictable-Graphics, Anna Gerber continues to write extensively for the likes of Creative Review, Print, Varoom, Idea and Eye. Furthermore, in collaboration with Teal Triggs, Gerber also wrote a dialogue for Blueprint last year, introducing the new postgraduate course, MA Design Writing Criticism at London College of Communication, which is scheduled to start this fall.

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  Posted on May 16, 2008 by - KateAndrews

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  Health

  Hippo Roller by Project H Design

  A simple, but ethically effective initiative was launched this week from NPO Project H Design.

  'The Hippo Roller is a simple rolling barrel device that allows the millions whose livelihoods depend on the daily fetching of water to more easily access and transport their daily water supply. The roller holds 3-4 days worth of water for a family of 7 [approx 5 times that of traditional methods].'

  To read more about the project and get involved in the sponsoring, visit Project H Design.

  Founded by Emily Pilloton, Project H Design is "a charitable organization that supports, inspires, and delivers life-improving humanitarian product design solutions to global communities in need. We champion industrial design as a tool to address social issues, a vehicle for global life improvement, and a catalyst for individual and community empowerment."

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  Posted on February 21, 2008 by - KateAndrews

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  Art & Design

  The Real Work Experience

  Communication designers and its graduates, certainly have the creative ability to make significant change to society and public service, and yet I question why this is not sold to designers as a credible route to take post Graduation. Pitching the fact that only 23.2% of design graduates will find jobs in the creative industry itself [!], London based [public sector] design agency ThinkPublic, introduce The Real Work Experience. This is one of the most inspiring initiatives I have seen for a long time. The situation so many design graduates find themselves in is frightening, and yet there are so many possible avenues for us to vehicle our talents toward.

  "The real work experience aims to open design graduates' eyes to the opportunities of using their skills beyond the usual design roles and the possibility of working in the public sector. Concurrently, the programme aims to educate public sector bodies on the skills and value designers can bring to their organisations."

  Great promotional video on Youtube.

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  Posted on February 9, 2008 by - KateAndrews

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  Health

  Public Service Thank You

  In August 2007, ThinkPublic launched Public Service Thank You, a small movement to encourage appreciation and thanks to all the people doing great work in public service roles.

  ThinkPublic explain that the website and thank you cards "provide you with a way to say thank you to all the people doing amazing jobs, who sometimes we forget to thank. What a simple but great concept, definately worth bookmarking this one!

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  Posted on February 9, 2008 by - KateAndrews

• 1 vote

  Art & Design

  China Design Now

  Next month, the eagerly awaited exhibition China Design Now will open at London's Victoria and Albert Museum. The microsite for the showcase is now live, and offers an initial insight into what the expect.

  "China Design Now explores China’s dreams and hopes over the last two decades, from individual designers to the nation as a whole."(V&A, 2008)

  The exhibition will be split into three unique sections:

  1. BEIJING - Future city: architecture & urban planning
  2. SHANGHAI - Dream city: fashion & lifestyle
  3. SHENZHEN - Frontier City: Graphic Design

  The V&A curators explain:
  "This exhibition will take you on a journey along China’s coastal cities to experience the country’s creative landscape. The journey starts in the far south, where graphic designers in Shenzhen began to explore new directions in the early 1990s. Next we move up to Shanghai. Here consumerism and urban culture have combined to produce astonishing fashion and lifestyles. Finally, we travel to Beijing, where monumental architecture for the Olympic Games is transforming this ancient capital’s skyline.*

  China Design Now will be open from 15 March - 13 July 2008.

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  Posted on February 8, 2008 by - KateAndrews

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  Art & Design

  Not Here, but Now

  Noel Douglas' recently made comment to Political Graphics in his Eye Magazine featureWhose's Space?[/url">: "When the demands of Neoliberalism play havoc with our lives, it is time to fight back, and designers wield the sharpest tools."

  "Not Here, but Now" is an example of how sharp our designer tools can be. Not only for the fact this campaign is visually intelligent, but it was also a pro bono campaign, designed for Amnesty International (Switzerland), by Walker Werbeagentur. To see the campaign posters visit [url=http://osocio.org/message/its_not_happening_here_but_it_is_happening_now/]Osocio.org (the social advertising and non for profit campaign design spotter).

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  Posted on January 29, 2008 by - KateAndrews

• 1 vote

  Media

  NewsMap

  NewsMap is an application that visually reflects the constantly changing landscape of the Google News news aggregator.

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  Posted on January 29, 2008 by - KateAndrews

• 1 vote

  Art & Design

  Broken Link (in real life)

  On vacant urban walls, white posters await advertisements... The guys at Wooster Collective recently spotted this conceptual design, which cleverly co-opts the space by sticking on it, a "broken link" icon.

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  Posted on January 29, 2008 by - KateAndrews

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  Art & Design

  Thinking About Design Education

  Design Professor at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Kerry Polite (2004) published his thoughts on what are today’s [2004] ‘most important questions in design education’. He offers a personal observation to the nature of contemporary design education, in comparison to its historical origins:

  ‘In the past, students and educators dealt mainly with four or five principles: composition, typography, form, colour and drawing… Today, students are expected to be skilled technicians, be knowledgeable in a range of software programs and work with sound, motion, and interactivity’.
  Polite explains how design students need to ‘slow down and think’, to be working for ‘content-driven, not style-driven’ design solutions. The problem, he pitches is how today, ‘Students want to rush in and make finished projects…’ and ‘…because they have been bombarded with very slick visual stimuli their entire lives, the work tends to look derivative.’

  This observational discussion offers an interesting [if, concerning] perspective on how important it remains to embed and praise design thinking, research, experimentation and relevance.

  Thinking About Design Education was published by the AIGA in 2004.

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  Posted on January 28, 2008 by - KateAndrews

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  Art & Design

  response to  andrewprice's post Intermission

  Discovering the Invisible

  Great image find Andrew, it strongly reminded me of William Longhauser's AIGA article Beyond Small Medium and Large, I quote;

  "Mathematical perfection,.. ignores the fact that the visual world relies on imagination and illusion. The graphic designer needs a foot in both worlds and must reconcile these polar opposites. In a world where information about virtually everything is available instantly, it is rewarding to discover things that exist but remain hidden, invisible, unless perceived through observation. As we move forward, it is important to preserve the valuable human component to the process of making and visual thinking. While technology expands its influence on traditional means of thought and design, the role of the graphic designer will continue to evolve in new and unpredictable directions."

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  Commented on January 28, 2008 by - KateAndrews

• Intermission

  Authored by andrewprice - 2 votes

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  Buying

  WWF Deeper Luxury Report

  The UK WWF has published a report on deeper luxury - A must read for anyone involved in the beauty or fashion industries.

  Core77 reported the publication news recently and explain:
  "WWF-UK ranked the world's largest luxury groups (featuring brands such as Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, IWC, Garnier, Louis Vuitton, etc.) on their social and environmental performance, as well as analyzing relevant attitudes in the luxury industry. Luxury is about being and having the very best! It's not about following a brand because everyone else does!
  With the report WWF-UK urges luxury companies to put sustainability issues at the heart of their business strategy and to benchmark their progress."

  Written by Jem Bendell and Anthony Kleanthous, the full report is available free of charge here: DeeperLuxuryReport.pdf

  Via Core77.com

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  Posted on January 22, 2008 by - KateAndrews

• Jonathan and the Whale

  Authored by GOOD magazine - 4 votes

• Big Ideas!

  Authored by GOOD magazine - 8 votes

• Paper Saving

  Authored by GOOD magazine and Johanna Goodman - 13 votes

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  Art & Design

  OPX Point of View [Vol.1]

  Point is an online/printed publication published by Communication Design studio OPX London. Vol. 01 looks at sustainability and how different types of organisation are dealing with this from a communications and brand perspective.

  Great to see some top communication designers bringing these social and ethical issues to the industry table.

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  Posted on December 21, 2007 by - KateAndrews

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  Education

  Are We Building Schools for the Future?

  Early this year, a Design Week article commented on the UK Government Report; Sustainable Schools: Are we building schools for the future?, highlighting an important area of research for all undergraduate designers, teachers and practising designers to take note of; The Future of Design Education.

  The UK Design Council CEO David Kester, Hilary Cottam of Participle and John Sorrell of The Sorrell Foundation, were among those giving evidence for the House of Commons Education and Skills Committee report Sustainable Schools, discussing the Building Schools for the Future programme.

  With plans to rebuild and refurbish all secondary schools across England over the next fifteen years it is argued that this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity should encompass good design and good design practice to thoroughly embrace a future of better education and educational environments. Parallel to the development plans across secondary education, the design sector is under reform with concerns on the skills designers should be equipped with when they join the industry.

  The High Level Skills for Higher Value report addresses how the design industry is on the cusp of radical change, which although has been apparent in my eyes for many years, is a promising statement to come from the UK Government.

  The report is the UK Design Skills Development Plan created by the Design Skills Advisory Panel, consisting of designers and industry experts, and supported by the Design Council and Creative and Cultural Skills, the Sector Skills Council for advertising, crafts, cultural heritage, design, music, performing, literary and visual arts. The report states to be:

  "...a powerful and realistic strategy for improvement based on developing world-class, high level skills in design, for all those currently working in the industry as well as those in design education."

  The report has an inspiring supporting video, which showcases some key points for change in the future of design education. You can read the transcript of the video on the Design Council website. David Worthington, Deputy Chair of The Design Skills Advisory Panel makes a wonderfully appropriate comment:

  "There is a lack of differentiation between the courses available at college. They tend to be, generally speaking, about training designers and the design industry is a much broader industry than just that of a practising designer. The practising designer is supported by people who understand project management, account management, research, semiotics, consumer behaviour, finance, the whole way and nature that design actually fits into the broader and wider world. Now we don’t necessarily have university courses that take that on board."

  The Design Council are at present supporting key design bodies and organisations in similar plans for the future of design and design education, to form part of the Creative Blueprint; the sector skills agreement that will go to government in January 2008. It will be interesting to see how the future of the design industry and its education unfolds. Download the full report here: Sustainable Schools: Are we building schools for the future? or read more about the UK Design Skills Development Plan here.

  Original Coverage: Roger Magazine.

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  Posted on December 2, 2007 by - KateAndrews

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  Environment

  Paper recycling made sexy?

  Set up by BioRegional The Laundry is a London based recycling scheme, run by More Associates aimed at small businesses, who were not being well served by the paper-recycling market.

  More identified it was crucial to avoid the 'worthy' and 'green' feeling of so many eco-enterprises, and decided on a humourous, young, and business-driven identity for them which would appeal to their target audience.

  Outputs included promotional sack-flyers, kerbside sacks, stickers and livery for recycling trucks, as well as consultancy on naming and brand strategy.

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  Posted on December 2, 2007 by - KateAndrews

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  Environment

  Paper recycling made sexy?

  Set up by BioRegional[/url, The Laundry is a London based recycling scheme, run by [url=http://www.moreassociates.com/work/the_laundry]More Associates aimed at small businesses, who were not being well served by the paper-recycling market.

  More identified it was crucial to avoid the 'worthy' and 'green' feeling of so many eco-enterprises, and decided on a humourous, young, and business-driven identity for them which would appeal to their target audience.

  Outputs included promotional sack-flyers, kerbside sacks, stickers and livery for recycling trucks, as well as consultancy on naming and brand strategy.

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  Posted on December 2, 2007 by - KateAndrews

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  Art & Design

  Everything about Pentagram is ultimately social.

  Back in September I came across a PODCAST from London's Design Museum. The podcast covers an event entitiled FEEDBACK, held on 9th February earlier this year, which discussed the work of the late Graphic talent, Alan Fletcher, and "explored the history, working practice and achievements of pioneering design organisation Pentagram," which Alan Fletcher co-founded.

  Event speakers included current Pentagram Partners Harry Pearce, John Rushworth, and Paula Scher, each in conversation with Emily King, curator of the Design Museum's Alan Fletcher exhibition.

  For me, Pentagram remain one the most powerful design agencies, consistently producing pioneering contemporary and strategic communication design, with consistent focus to social issues. This is a design studio which all socially conscious creatives should take inspiration from.

  London designer Ben Terrett was in the audience, and his blog post earlier this year also profiles some thoughts and photos from the event.

  Listen to the Podcast.

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  Posted on December 2, 2007 by - KateAndrews

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  Environment

  Retail Responsibly

  Experts at Brookfield Zoo, Chicago, have called on us all to recognise the plight of the rare and diminishing species, the Orangutan.

  In a conference held last month, Cheryl Knott, a leading Orangutan expert on a project at Harvard University, explained how something as simple as buying the right brands can truly make a big difference.

  The main threat to the Orangutan species is the loss of habitat in their only native countries of Burma and Sumatra, Indonesia. A report earlier this year from the United Nations' Environment Programme said Indonesia's forest habitat for orangutans may be gone by 2022 without intervention. Boycotting retail products that source Palm Oil from an unsustainable source, can cut down on the massive rainforest loss.

  RETAIL RESPONSIBLY:

  - Read the labels of your grocery and toiletry shopping, choose brands that either do not use Palm Oil at all, or use a sustainable source.
  - Do not buy any wood materials from an uncertified tropical hardwood - it will have come from an illegal logging site. Anything from toothpicks to furniture.....
  - Next time you pass a charity box at a zoo or otherwise aimed at underfunded conservation efforts - drop £1 in. If we all made a small contribution the difference would be huge.
  - Not only are the trees destroyed, but the mothers killed and the babies taken away to be sold as illegal pets, forcing them into a new life of captivity and misery. Please do a little something to help - a little change for you could make a massive change for them.

  Original Post: 25.10.07 Prime Concern

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  Posted on December 2, 2007 by - KateAndrews

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  Art & Design

  REESTORE Eco Products by Max McMurdo

  Founded by UK Product Designer Max McMurdo, Reestore is a new line of green products to keep your eyes on!

  Taking everyday waste objects and cheekily turn them into charming yet functional pieces of furniture and accessories, Reestore explain how they attempt to avoid traditional eco materials in favour of contemporary finishes, fabrics and above all style.

  McMurdo recently featured on UK series of Dragon's Den, a television programme that consists of entrepreneurs pitching their ideas to secure investment finance from business experts — the "Dragons". Max proposed his bid on the show; asking for £50,000 for 10% of his Reestore eco design business.

  Max made a confident pitch, highlighting "Ben the Bin", a portable, recyclable bin, as well as a range of other products already on the market. Dragon's Theo Paphitis and Deborah Meaden were enthusiastic about the business and the potential of McMurdo, and offered him an investment of £25,000 each in Reestore, between them taking a 30% stake. The Dragons stressed that they were investing in Max and in his future as a designer, and in doing so saved Ben the Bin from the scrapheap of history.

  With the dragons behind Max and the Reestore project, this is definately one to keep our eyes on! I am currently in contact with Reestore in preperation of a forthcoming article on Inhabitat.com, which I will post to Design21 and GOOD, in due course.

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  Posted on December 2, 2007 by - KateAndrews

• Solar Power

  Authored by Futurefarmers - 1 vote

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  Environment

  More Associates

  I recently came across a magnificent (and stylish) interdisciplinary sustainable design practice, by the name of More Associates.

  Using "design and research process to address social and environmental challenges" in practical ways. More "bring together sustainable design with emerging technologies and social innovation." Their current focus is on delivering carbon reduction and energy-literacy strategies across populations to produce widespread behaviour change and help transform markets toward carbon- and energy-efficiency.

  More Associates is London based and was founded in 2002 by Luke Nicholson, Ben Pirt and Tom Williams.

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  Posted on December 2, 2007 by - KateAndrews