Print Partners with Pantone for Color Conference

Why and how does color motivate, trouble, persuade, and feed our spirits? How does Pantone decide upon the “color of the year” and does it involve alcohol—a mimosa, say, or a Bombay Sapphire martini—and/or a dartboard? Why do we feel giddy when walking by the Farrow & Ball emporium that is soon to open a few blocks from UnBeige HQ (hint: paint colors like “Dead Salmon,” “Mouse’s Back,” and “Clunch”)? Answers to these questions and many more are on the agenda at Print magazine’s first ever Color Conference, a three-day confab that kicks off on October 4 at the Art Directors Club in New York. Among the creative thinkers and experts in visual culture scheduled to “reveal their passion for color, their processes, and their ideas on how color connects us all” are Leatrice Eiseman of the Pantone Color Institute, Pentagram’s Eddie Opara, and Cooper-Hewitt director Bill Moggridge, whose tireless engagement with the design community leads us to believe that he has managed to transform his ground-breaking GRiD Compass laptop into some sort of time machine that allows him to be in many places at once. Registration is now open, so sign up for the conference here by September 15 to save $30 on the $595 registration fee. And whatever you do, don’t wear beige.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

2012 Audi A6

From night vision to hyper-efficient acceleration, Audi reinvents their midsize sedan
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Exhilaration, satisfaction, safety, a sense of control—these are the expected feelings associated with driving a luxury automobile. But being surprised by a car is rare. It’s more rare still when you’re somewhat familiar with the maker, like we were when we had the chance to test out Audi’s 2012 A6 recently.

This newest version of their midsize sedan features all of the brand’s latest innovations in design and technology (i.e. updated versions of everything that made us fans of their cars in the first place), in addition to some appealing new options that take the driving experience to the next level. Of course, it’s hard to say which manufacturer in this category is winning the race to achieve the kind of contended sigh for which they all seem to be going, but there’s perhaps no brand who’s embraced it more, continuing to position themselves as the new luxury vehicle.

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From the weight of the chassis to integrated technology (an increasingly definitive point when it comes to cars), Audi has rethought the A6 from top to bottom. Quattro devotees will notice off the bat that this car has the expected excellent handling that makes for a super fun drive—hitting off-ramps at 90 miles per hour, zipping around NYC traffic—but refinements build on this foundation, improving both efficiency and comfort.

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The most immediately noticeable difference is the vehicle’s larger dimensions. A longer wheelbase makes for a roomy interior, presenting a more accessible but comparably luxurious alternative to the A7. Ample space makes for a more pleasant ride for rear passengers (along with other details including independent climate controls) and the generous trunk even accommodated a bulky planter bought on an antiques run.

To haul whatever you might put in it, the A6 boasts some pretty powerful guts. We took the 3.0-liter version of the V6 engine for a spin (it’s available as a 2.0 as well), quickly becoming fans of the low revolutions per minute at which it operates. Cruising at 65 M.P.H., the tachometer still registers under 200,000 R.P.M., leaving plenty of room for accelerating quickly even at high speeds and embodying an efficient engine.

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This revelation comes only second to our first “wow” moment in the car when driving through the midnight rain in rural Pennsylvania using the night vision assistant. The feature proved amazing for seeing the dark road better, making the drive safer while allowing a speed demon to have some fun.

Part of a package of safety features, overall the user experience of Audi’s driver assist maintains a balance between enjoying the car and limiting potential hazards. Small details like a volume control on the passenger side show just how well-considered the setup is.

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Adaptive cruise control is another telling example of how intuitive Audi has made the user interface, and a feature that has repeatedly impressed us. Smooth thanks to the adjustable distance range as well as front and rear sensors, the assist is a boon to modern drivers who face stop-and-go traffic and the increasing reality of a car that drives itself.

More proof of the automaker’s forward-thinking approach is in the connectivity package that turns the car into a wireless hotspot using T-mobile’s 3G service. Passengers can connect personal devices (we spent a lot of time skyping with friends abroad) and the car’s navigation system can tap into Google search results. While no nav is perfect, Audi’s innovative touchpad interface, allowing you to write out info with a finger, is one of the easiest to use out there. The Google Earth integration is fairly beautiful too, coordinating nicely with the woodgrain inlay.

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In all, the only weak spot in the car was using the iPhone integration to make calls; the system for finding phone numbers in address books and the like was nearly impossible to use. But who needs to talk when you have banging Bang & Olufson sound, complete with tweeters that emerge from the dash when you start the car?

For a top-down experience of modern luxury, buoyed by innovations in technology, design and engineering, the 2012 A6 makes quite a case for itself.

Additional reporting by Tim Yu


Dezeen’s top ten: swimming pools

Dezeen top ten: swimming pools

Zaha Hadid’s London Aquatics Centre was one of our most popular stories this month, so we’ve compiled a list of our top ten stories about swimming pools.

1: it wasn’t the London Aquatics Centre that took first place, but these pools of varying depths at a house in Bali.

2: the London Aquatics Centre came in second.

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3: our third most-clicked story is this Singapore home, which features stepping stones stretched over a pool, connecting the living room to the terrace.

4: yet another Singapore home makes the cut; this swimming pool has a glass wall that reveals the basement of the house.

5: a floating swimming platform in Amsterdam takes fifth place.

6: this pool, located on the top floor of a home, lets swimmers have a peek through the floors.

7: yet another Olympic pool makes our top ten: the Watercube from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

8: in eighth place is this Vienna spa, which features colourful mosaics and undulating slides.

9: a plus-shaped pool designed to float on the Hudson river comes in as our ninth most-popular swimming pool.

10: rounding off our top ten is this pool that wraps over a sunken shower room.

See all our top tens »

Revo K2 Digital Radio Tower

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Scottish company Revo Technologies is launching a new desktop radio tower in their expanding line of digital audio products. The K2, is a sleek, well-considered machine for audiophiles—constructed using glass fiber filled ABS for rigidity then clad head to foot in anodized aluminium. Measuring approximately 13 in x 4 in, Revo claims the multi-driver acoustic design creates a near “360 degree soundfield.” We like the functionality of the tower and a return to radio (this time in digital form) with support for DAB, DAB+, FM and internet radio, or wireless stream from your computer. A retractable, motorized dock for iPod, iPhone and iPad keeps the design streamlined even when not in use.

For those audiophiles, the ambition of the K2 rests in it’s powerful audio hardware wrapped in a small physical footprint:

K2’s proprietary audio hardware effortlessly produces 40 watts of room-filling high resolution digital audio, courtesy of a quartet of neodymium Balanced Mode Radiator speaker drivers and dual Class-D amplifiers. Digital Signal Processing (DSP) optimises drive unit control, enabling K2 to exhibit the performance characteristics of a significantly larger device. The result is near 360 degree dispersion, providing a massively expanded listening sweet-spot, detailed high-end clarity, rich tones and deep bass.

For those of us in the United States, the functionality for the Revo isn’t tuned up to the service options we’re used to (Satellite Radio, anyone?) but we’re definitely curious about the possibilities delivered in such a compact system. Check out their site for full specs and more images of the tower after the jump.

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Flying Man Jeb Corliss’ Latest Leap

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I think wingsuit flyer Jeb Corliss, or anyone who would strap on a suit modeled after a flying squirrel and jump off of a cliff, is insane. I’m also amazed he’s still alive. In his latest video, “Grinding the Crack,” Corliss leaps off of a mountaintop in what looks to be Lausanne, Swizerland (can’t be sure) and reaches speeds of 122 miles per hour.

What’s insane is how close he comes to the ground at certain points in the flight, and just how freaking fast he’s traveling. The on-person camera footage doesn’t properly convey the sensation of speed, but check out the part of the video at 1:30—I assume he’s trying to grab those balloons—and you’ll see what I mean:

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The Art Of Clean Up

Un excellent concept avec ce projet de l’artiste suisse Ursus Wehrli et son livre “The Art Of Clean Up” rangeant tout ce qui nous entoure dans notre quotidien. Un alignement et un rangement des objets de manière méthodiques selon leurs couleurs, leurs tailles ou leurs formes.



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CNC Sharpie Drawings: Numerically Controlled Art by Aaron Panone

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Back in April we previewed Eske Rex’s pendulum-powered Drawingmachine for the MINDCRAFT11 exhibit at the Salone Milan. Although the machine was awe-inspiring for its sheer size, we’d have to say that the art itself was less than exciting.

Now Cambridge, Massachusetts-based engineer Aaron Panone has employed a 3-axis CNC machine for an artistic calling. A collaboration between graphic designer Matt W. Moore, Paper Fortress Films and Panone, vector graphics from Moore were converted into tool paths and then machine language which controls Panone’s retrofitted CNC machine. A special fixture built by Panone holds a Sharpie and, “mimics typical hand pressure during the act of drawing.” After about 30 hours of trial and error, the final images are available for sale at MWM Graphics, printed on 80-lb French Dur-O-Tone paper and paired with the actual Sharpie used for each drawing. Check the awesome process video and some more of the images after the jump.

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Core77 Design Award 2011: 2P Portable Restroom, Student Notable for Products/Equipment

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Over the next months we will be highlighting award-winning projects and ideas from this year’s Core77 Design Awards! For full details on the project, jury commenting and more information about the awards program, go to Core77DesignAwards.com

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kcheng_revised.jpgDesigner: Kevin Cheng
Location: San Francisco, California, USA
Category: Products/Equipment
Award: Student Notable



2P Portable Restroom

The 2P is a portable restroom designed to counter the problems that arise due to heavy attendance at outdoor events. Through innovative placement of an external urinal, it promotes dual-functionality per unit which effectively cuts all lines in half, improves hygienic conditions and reduces cost, space and its carbon footprint.

My research began through many interviews and observations looking at the way people used restrooms, the frequency they washed their hands, and the areas in a public restrooms that often come in contact with a user’s hands. I also did a lot of research looking up past studies on handwashing, anal cleaning, and diseases, but as my concept changed to even higher traffic events, my research did as well. I started gathering articles and images and attended the Treasure Island Music Festival to gather insight on usage and observe people’s reactions. As my concept developed, I started creating sketch models, scaled down to test it’s feasibility and work with it’s mechanics and when I was more confident with my direction, I created a full scale model made with cardboard to test it’s proportion in person and how I was going to handle the issue of privacy.

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Core77: What’s the latest news or development with your project?

The project was my thesis at the California College of the Arts. I realize that the aesthetics could use refinement, but I think the functionality of the design is the real breakthrough and after some obstacles, I’ve finally got it patent pending. I’m looking forward to bringing my idea past the concept phase and making it more than just a portfolio piece.

What is one quick anecdote about your project?

I spent months researching and looking at public hygiene and there are definitely many opportunities there where I imagine most designers tend to shy away from.

Read on for full details on the project and jury comments.

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Not Just the Same Old Sheet (of Steel): New Work from John Beck

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Hot on the heels of the J.L. Lawson steelworking video we posted earlier this week and subsequent debate about the material and craft, John Beck sent in a couple new lighting and furniture designs. The Illinois-based “Hand Maker” is, according to his own felicitous phrasing, “tired of seeing the same old shit.” Assuming that this decontextualized Tweet refers to his craft of furniture and lighting design and production, Beck turns steel into steel furniture and lighting.

In his latest work, Beck is rigorously laissez-faire in his approach: once he arrives at a functional form—in the latest work, this tends to be a geometric volume of Platonic regularity—the product is ready for a clearcoat and out the door. Embellishment is either optional (in the case of the lamps) or nonexistent (the tables, below).

Big Pete Lamp

The “Big Pete Light” is essentially a cylinder of steel, “available in HR black (shown), brown, copper and colors,” that serves as a pendant lampshade. The (optional)skull detail on the pull cord might come across as contrived, but I think it’s a nice touch, a curious memento mori that dangles from the fixture as a distraction from the otherwise impenetrable steel shade.

Chalkboard Pendant

The “Chalkboard Pendant,” which is precisely that, is a bit lighter, in concept if not physical presence. Again, the lamp is a steel cylinder that doubles as a canvas for a bit of schoolhouse chic. Beck says that “these are very popular in restaurants and bars,” though they could also find a place in an office or residence.

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Last Call for the 1HDC: Super Soaker Edition

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In case you’ve been procrastinating, today is your last chance to enter the Super Soaker edition of our 1 Hour Design Challenge. Check out some of the great entries we’ve had so far and carve out an hour TODAY to come up with your version of a summer classic. The winning entry will be featured on Core77! Enter today!

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