Daniel Pink to Keynote Dwell on Design

dwell pink.jpgHow much modern design-themed fun can you squeeze into a weekend? Find out next month in Los Angeles when our friends at Dwell host the three-day design extravaganza that is Dwell on Design (the cool kids refer to it as DOD, not to be confused with the Department of Defense). Among the attractions: an exhibition, home tours, a movie night, and a design conference featuring keynote speaker Daniel Pink. UnBeige editor emertius Alissa Walker has been writing up a storm about DOD on Dwell‘s website and recently interviewed Pink. The author, design advocate, and manga fan—who is himself in the throes of a Dwell-style home renovation—gave Alissa a sneak preview of his DOD talk, which will address motivation and creativity. “The people and the organizations that really flourish prize autonomy, the sense of doing something out of self-direction rather than being pushed by somebody else—the sense of mastery, which is the desire to get better and better and better at something, and also the sense of purpose, which is about doing something that outlasts yourself, in the service of a cause larger than oneself,” said Pink. “And in a lot of ways these three keys to true motivation are embodied by architects and designers very strongly.” Flattery will get you everywhere, Mr. Pink, and special codes will get UnBeige readers discounted tickets to DOD. We’ve posted them after the jump.

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Camera possibilities continue to grow: Some eye-popping video

Object convergence of a different sort. Nowadays technology is blurring the line between SLR cameras and video cameras, not only in the physical design of the cameras themselves, but the post-processing tech that enables us to do things like create video by piecing together stills.

Last year we showed you a video shot in Tokyo with Canon’s 5D; the two videos embedded below are different in that they were rendered out of still frames. The first is more sober and meditative, and the second one is a totally nutty must-see–it was shot tilt-shift style, and viewing it makes us look, well, small as a species.

static : pulse from Samuel Cockedey on Vimeo.

Scenes from a rooftop from Paul Johannessen on Vimeo.

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Summer Style Staple: Flat Embellished Sandals

imageWhile flip-flops have undoubtedly gone trendy in their existence as a warm weather necessity in footwear (ie: the endless array of fancified Havaianas and those trusty and sturdy Rainbows), sometimes plain ol’ thong sandals can come off as too casual when it comes to making a statement, attending special occasions, or whenever simply donning your default slip-ons just won’t do. We watched gladiator and platform sandals take hold of every fashionista’s feet for kick-ass strappy style in the months prior, but now that June is nipping at our heels, flat sandals are getting jazzed up in the most creative ways to keep that element of dressed-up drama in a more comfortable, summer-friendly package that can be suitable for day and night. Chunky stones, chain straps, ruffles galore, and so much more — these sandals aren’t just for slipping on as an afterthought as you run out of the house for an emergency beat-the-heat smoothie. Embellished sandals are the perfect footwear for looking effortlessly put together and appropriately adorned from head to toe while still giving your feet room to breathe! You’re on your own when it comes to avoiding the funky foot tan lines, however! Check the slideshow for some of this season’s snazziest sandals!

view slideshow

Damien Walters Showreel 2009

Damien playing around…

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Way Shape Form: why teach for America


//See more splendid work from Matthew Boyd and River Jukes-Hudson by clicking on the image//

Alumni of Art Center’s literary arts magazine, Fishwrap, were invited to design titles for The New York Times Magazine’s annual College Issue. Our assigned article weighed the pros and cons of a volunteer teaching program for ambitious college graduates.

This Just Inbox: Liquor Master from Atelier van Lieshout; Jamie Hayon does Pyrex

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We love the messy, casual, but monumental style of Atelier van Lieshout’s Liquor Master bar cabinet, made from foam, fiberglass, and metal. Liquor Master is part of a 2009 collection that uses the human form as a jumping off point for process-based, sculptural furniture. The collection includes his similarly constructed Fossil Chaise, an object reminiscent of a piece of chewed gum, but with the added luxury of a sheepskin.

These two pieces will debut at Vivid Gallery’s booth at Design Miami/Basel this June, alongside new Pyrex glassware from Jamie Hayon and the giant Silver Ware sculptures Studio Job constructed for Bisazza in 2007.

Hit the jump for more images!

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The Kingdom Animalia

We love it! Made in the USA from wood grown in a sustainably harvested forest. 15 different animal silhouettes available in walnut stain with painted edges or natural maple…design by Enormous Champion. Available soon!
[Via]

The Kingdom Animalia

The Kingdom Animalia

The Kingdom Animalia

Sir Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity?

Sir Ken Robinson at Creative Company Conference in Amsterdam. In this presentation he talks about his view on creativity, the educational system and his new book “The Element”. The video is sometimes a little bit shaky because it was done with a flip HD.

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Loving Day Celebrations

by Ariston Anderson

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When Ken Tanabe stumbled upon the Supreme Court case Loving vs. Virginia, which legalized interracial marriage in the U.S., he was shocked that there was no holiday to commemorate the occasion. So he decided to start his own. “I realized that most people had never heard of this civil rights milestone,” he tells CH. “I started Loving Day to fight prejudice against multiracial and multicultural couples and individuals. The subject interested me personally because I’m half Japanese, half Belgian and the first American in my family.”

This 7 June 2009 will mark the 6th annual Loving Day celebration, with the flagship event in New York City. On the agenda is a day of free BBQ, drinks and music from DJ Dhundee and DJ Tyler Askew. Not only is the day one of celebration, but it’s also an educational tool along the lines of the Rosa Parks story and Brown vs. the Board of Education. Tanabe encourages people around the country to hold their own events, both on a large scale in cities or smaller in families and communities.

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Loving Day is especially significant this year because of Barack Obama,” says Tanabe. “Now, the U.S. has its first black president who is also multiracial and multicultural. While this doesn’t instantly end racism, it is certainly an inspiration to the multicultural community and a positive step towards mainstream consciousness surrounding multiracial and multicultural identity.”

To RSVP to the NYC event email lovingdayparty [at] gmail [dot] com.

Loving Day

7 June 2009, 3-7pm
Solar 1
2420 FDR Drive, Service Road East
New York, NY 10010 map
tel. +1 212 505 6050

Demo of Asus’ forthcoming all-in-one “nettop” keyboard

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Next month Asus will launch their Eee Keyboard, which looks like an ultraslim keyboard with an iPhone slapped onto it. Touted as a “nettop,” the device actually contains an entire PC, with the idea being that you can carry it around and plug it into any available display.

We were curious about the potential for the Frankensteinian integrated-touchscreen interface, but as Slashgear’s hands-on review shows, the device may not be ready for primetime. Skip the first two minutes of the vid, the action doesn’t start until about 2:04 (and avoid watching altogether if Failblog-worthy demos pain you to see).

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